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Young refugee discusses transition into a new life

Apr 27, 2017 | 3:14 PM

LETHBRIDGE – Moving can be stressful for anyone, but taking your life across seas comes with a completely different set of challenges, especially for youth.
 
One of Thursday’s (Apr. 27) two featured SACPA (Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs) speakers, Douhouk Dabbas, shared what her experience has been like since her family moved to Lethbridge from Syria nearly a year and a half ago.
 
“I think everyday I have a new challenge, like in my thinking, my feelings, my language and even my studies. Everything has an effect on me living here in the community, dealing with people and going outside. Everything has changed.”
 
The 19-year old went on to explain that her biggest barrier so far has been understanding her role in the community as a young woman, and figuring out a different education system.
 
She added that after living amidst a violent war for five years, she still has some work to do to manage her stress levels more effectively.
 
But Dabbas hasn’t let that stop her yet. She explained that she’s already helping other newcomers feel just as welcome as she does in Lethbridge.
 
“I try to help any person, especially with language problems,” she told Lethbridge News Now. “When I see any person and they need help with the language, I do it. I was even interpreter to my family for one and a half years.”
 
When asked what other young people who’ve recently moved to a new country should know, she simply said to “have a goal and try to apply it.”
 
Kristina Larkin, manager of Youth Settlement Services at Lethbridge Family Services, joined Dabbas for Thursday’s presentation to offer a community perspective. The local service supports newcomer youth between three and 25 years old with in-school and community-based programming.
 
Larkin says she’s been working in the field for 10 years now, after being inspired to learn more about the complex task of youth settlement and wanting to encourage her community to do the same.
 
“It’s so interesting to watch them hit all the different stages, but through their lens of this other culture that they’ve come from and how they interact with their new culture,” she noted.
 
“They get most of their services in their first year of arriving because that’s when the need is the highest. But we really try to stay in contact with them as they get older and hit new stages. Just because you have been in the country for a few years, doesn’t mean that once it’s time to hit high school all your settlement needs don’t come rushing back.”
 
Larkin also echoed Dabbas sentiments, adding that young newcomers should try to be as open as possible to new experiences, and truly remember how strong they are as individuals.