CERC Migration welcomes Mitacs Elevate Postdoctoral Fellow Alka Kumar
Alka Kumar is taking up CERC Migration's first fellowship supported by Mitacs, a Canadian granting organization that links university researchers and graduates with organizations in need of specialized talent to create innovation. As a Mitacs Elevate Postdoctoral Fellow, Alka receives support for a two-year research-and-practice project that she will conduct in partnership with Catholic Crosscultural Services (CCS). CCS is also a funder of the project, matching Mitacs' contribution.
Alka鈥檚 project&苍产蝉辫;鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Stories of impact: Employing storytelling approaches and participatory research methods to understand migration journeys and resettlement experiences of refugee women from Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine in Ontario, Canada&苍产蝉辫;鈥�&苍产蝉辫;draws on her expertise in storytelling and narrative enquiry in addition to her interest in participatory research.
鈥淭his project provides a unique opportunity to link academic expertise and practical experience,鈥� explains Alka. 鈥淯sing a participatory research methodology, partners and participants co-construct knowledge, sharing fully in all aspects of research design, planning and implementation. With the participatory approach, participants remain in full control of what information they share and how. We are able to protect their privacy and respect the sensitivities around what may be their difficult lived experiences. An important aim is to help amplify their voices and build their capacity to self-advocate.鈥�
The is a national non-profit organization that has been providing settlement and integration services to refugees since 1954. As a partner, CCS will help facilitate the interviews and focus groups as well as provide the facilities and staff resources for workshops and meetings with participants.
鈥淲e are excited to embark on this collaboration, which brings together CERC Migration鈥檚 strengths in research with CCS鈥檚 expertise and knowledge in the field of immigrant and refugee integration,鈥� says Claudio Ruiz, CCS Executive Director. 鈥淲orking together, we will be able to develop innovative research-backed strategies for newcomer integration grounded in real-life experiences. Overall, the project will reinforce our commitment to diversity, inclusion and social justice.鈥�
The Stories of impact project comes at a time when conflict-driven migration is on the rise causing untold challenges for those who are displaced. Women are often left without a voice to advocate for their well-being. The project will work with more than 30 refugee women over an extended period of time and use a variety of creative approaches and strategies, such as video, photography, writing and art to help them tell their stories. They will be supported in processing and sharing stories of loss and trauma, as well as courage and resilience, which will help audiences 鈥� from academic to mainstream 鈥� understand how political events impact lives and the complex identities and resettlement experiences that refugee women endure.
According to Alka, Stories of impact will provide a macro analysis of the effectiveness of the systems and organizations serving refugees, and it will create a resource base of participant stories. 鈥淭he ultimate aim will be to leave the participants with a greater sense of empowerment, agency and well-being that will hopefully lead them on a pathway for successful integration into Canada.鈥�