Resettlement Experiences, Social Connections, and Physical Activity Among Newcomer Women in Canada

Objectives: Newcomer women in Canada experience more sociocultural and linguistic barriers than newcomer men, affecting their resettlement and well-being. Physical activity (PA) participation can enhance newcomers’ well-being and belonging to the community, which can, in turn, facilitate integration. To date, little is known about newcomer women’s resettlement experiences in Canada and how PA can facilitate immigrant belonging and integration. This study aimed to examine newcomer women’s resettlement experience, PA behaviour, and sense of belonging in Canada. Design: We used a community-engaged research approach to partner with Kingston Gets Active and Immigration Services Kingston and Area for three years. Using an interpretive phenomenological theoretical perspective (Keen, 1975, Braun & Clarke, 2021), we conducted semi-structured face-to-face interviews with 10 newcomer women in Kingston, Ontario. Reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2019) was used to identify themes encompassing key concepts. Results: Four themes were constructed: two addressed newcomers’ experience of resettlement: Resettlement is challenging, and Social connections are essential; two addressed aspects of PA participation and how it is connected to belonging and integration: PA is different here, and PA can promote belonging. Conclusion: Resettlement experiences carry challenges including cultural differences with the host community, isolation, and lack of social support. PA participation can improve newcomers’ well-being and promote belonging by providing an opportunity to build relationships with Canadians and other immigrants. These findings contribute valuable insights for policymakers and community organizations, striving to enhance newcomer women's resettlement experience and well-being in their journey to build meaningful lives in their new community.