Challenges Faced by Immigrant Youth: Powerlessness and Despair

Life is full of changes and transitions, which can be either positive or negative, anticipated or unforeseen. While change refers to a shift in routine, transition signifies a crucial moment that has the potential to alter a person's life (Transitions Class Notes, 2010). There are five categories of transitions: developmental, health illness, organizational, situational, and multiple (Situational Transitions Class Notes, 2012). Situational transitions involve restructuring one's lifestyle (Hampton, 2010), with immigration serving as a prominent example. Immigration is a common occurrence in western societies that can pose challenges for newcomers as they must adapt to an entirely new way of living.

This adjustment process can be especially daunting for young individuals.

In the upcoming analysis, three articles will be compared and contrasted: "A Cultural-Ecological Model of Migration and Development: Focusing on Latino Immigrant Youth" by Perreira and Smith (2007), "Understanding and Responding to the Needs of Newcomer Immigrant Youth and Families" by Gaytan, M.S.W, E.M, Carhill, M.A, Suarez-Orozco (2007), and "Immigrant Youth in U.

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S. Schools: Opportunities for Prevention" by Birman, Weinstein, M.A., Chan, and Beehler (2007). Two common themes will be identified and discussed in terms of their connection to powerlessness and despair. Finally, a current community resource available for immigrant youth will be highlighted as a potential solution to address the identified themes from the articles.

Discussion of Articles

The three articles highlight a shared concern: the insufficient community resources available for immigrant youth as they navigate a new environment. Perreira et al. (2007) observes that in numerous communities with immigrant residents, language classes are at capacity with lengthy waiting lists.

Gaytan et al. (2007) similarly discovers that many immigrant youth lack access to beneficial resources such as after-school programs or local organizations. Birman et al. (2007) adds that schools frequently lack adequate resources to support newly arrived immigrant youth.

The three articles all focus on the challenges faced by immigrant youth in adapting to migration, specifically due to family conflicts. These conflicts arise from the struggle between assimilating to new cultural norms and behaviors while also trying to please their parents by maintaining traditions from their country of origin. Perreira et al. (2007) emphasizes how differences in acculturation rates between immigrant youth and their parents can exacerbate parent-child conflicts. Gaytan et al. (2007) suggests that parents become worried about the increasing distance between them and their children as more time is spent in the new country. Additionally, Birman et al. (2007) highlights how immigrant children's faster adaptation to the new culture can lead to family conflict.

Although the three articles share similarities, they also have distinct differences. Birman et al. (2007) emphasizes school interventions for migrant youth such as programs for English Language Learners (ELL) and Special Education Services. On the other hand, Perriera et al. (2007) and Gaytan et al. (2007) concentrate on community-based interventions. Moreover, Perriera et al. (2007) specifically focuses on Latino immigrant youth, while Birman et al. (2007) and Gaytan et al. (2007) address immigrant youth more broadly without specifying a particular ethnic group.

Immigrant youth face difficulties when moving to a different country due to limited resources and potential family conflicts caused by cultural differences. This can lead to feelings of powerlessness and despair as they struggle to adapt to their new environment. The lack of necessary resources in their new location only adds to their sense of helplessness in moving forward with their lives.

Family discord can cause young people to feel isolated from their parents, lacking the necessary support during challenging moments. This may result in a sense of incompetence and hopelessness, prompting feelings of remorse and embarrassment that cultivate a pessimistic outlook and apprehension towards not succeeding. Acknowledging these emotions of helplessness is vital, as they may impede immigrant youth's smooth adaptation to a different society (Situational Transitions Class Notes, 2012).

Powerlessness and despair can arise from insufficient resources and family conflict stemming from cultural preferences among immigrant youth. The 2012 Situational Transitions Class Notes suggest that despair sets in when individuals perceive no immediate relief. Immigrant youth may feel overwhelmed without adequate support, impeding their progress in mastering English. As a result, they may become disheartened and lose sight of their goals, jeopardizing their journey towards success.

The immigrant youth may view unaccomplished goals as personal shortcomings, leading to self-doubt and abandonment of dreams. In conflicts with parents, youth may feel isolated, impacting their concentration, mood stability, and potentially resulting in depression and suicidal tendencies (Situational Transitions Class Notes, 2012).

Community Resource

It is clear that immigrant youth in many communities face a lack of resources to support their successful transition into a new culture and environment. Family conflicts can also hinder this process. However, Abbotsford has a community service, Abbotsford Community Services, that provides specialized programs for immigrant youth to address these challenges.

According to Palwinder Kelaya (personal communication, October 3, 2012), the Abbotsford Community Services programs are focused on strength and building bridges to the future. She also indicates that the program aims to support vulnerable individuals and promote inclusion within the agency and community to ensure success in the future. Various allied care professionals, including school and family counselors, psychologists, Abbotsford Mental Health, and teachers, are utilized to help achieve these goals (Kelaya, October 3, 2012).

According to Palwinder Kelaya (personal communication, October 10, 2012), the Immigrant Youth Young Adult Program is tailored for immigrant youth who may face challenges with language acquisition and integration into their new community and culture. The program offers coaching, mentoring, and guidance to empower these individuals with services like literacy, ESL, computer skills, and life skills. By helping youth realize their potential and develop essential skills, these programs are instrumental in facilitating success in a new culture and enhancing overall quality of life.

Abbotsford Community Resource Services provides programs for both immigrant youth and families. The family outreach program is tailored for families experiencing conflicts or difficulties with parent-child relationships. By offering supportive interventions, planning and referral services, and in-home family counseling, the program assists families in resolving their differences (Kelaya, October 10, 2012).

These interventions aim to reduce feelings of powerlessness and despair in immigrant youth by providing a safe space for open communication. This allows youth to freely express their emotions to their parents, something that may have been challenging for them to do independently. Additionally, parents are given the opportunity to share their own feelings and concerns. When facilitated by a professional mediator, these discussions can flow smoothly, ensuring that both parties are heard. Ultimately, this process can help resolve conflicts between parents and children by fostering mutual understanding and collaboration in generating ideas and solutions that satisfy both sides.

Conclusion

Immigrant youth face challenges such as limited resources and family conflict when adapting to a new culture, which can worsen their already stressful situation and lead to feelings of powerlessness and despair. This makes it hard for them to transition effectively into their new life. It is important for the community to offer support systems that help immigrant youth adjust successfully to their new culture, promoting the well-being of their children and facilitating smooth transitions for immigrant families (Perreira et al, 2007, p.9).