Lack of System Integration. There is usually more than one organization and more than one worker per organization working with each client at any given time. Often, however, there is a lack of communication and coordination amongst them – to no fault of their own. This leads to duplication of services and affects the continuity of care of the client.

Lack of Opportunities for Education in System Navigation and Self Advocacy. There are a multitude of excellent services available to refugees in Calgary, but they are not always known to them, or even to other organizations working in the sector. Furthermore, refugee individuals might not be familiar with systemic works in their own country and find it extra- challenging to navigate the different systems here (health and education, for instance).

Need for Empowerment. The majority of refugees flee from totalitarian regimes and have been faced with displacement, war, and other hardships. While this builds resiliency, they require empowerment and encouragement to tap into that resilience and frame their experiences as an asset.

Lack of Skills and Experience of the Population Served. The average age of an adult refugee in Canada is 34 years old; they will likely be a part of the labor force. In addition to not having a firm grasp of the language, refugees often lack employability skills and experience, as many of them did not hold formal employment due to the conflict in their countries of origin and the years spent in refugee camps. This is not to say they don’t have other transferable skills, but they need help identifying and applying them.