Canada has a youth ‘belonging’ problem and this social researcher wants to help

For Quan Nguyen, feelings of belonging and community are heavily influenced by his experience growing up in an impoverished, rural community in Vietnam. While experiencing severe economic hardship, he says the people he grew up with “have a strong sense of belonging to the land and each other.” 

Last spring, Quan’s years of lived experience and research from Hanoi to Calgary led the University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work PhD student to present his research on the importance of belonging and community among Canadian youth, at the Congress of Humanities and Social Sciences at McGill University in Montreal.  

‘Belonging to the land and each other’

Quan says his parents reflected this sense of belonging through their extensive community involvement that became a huge inspiration in his life. “My parents' work influenced my sympathy and connectedness to support disadvantaged individuals,” he says.

Quan’s mother was a physician who, he says, “made great efforts to care for impoverished people,” while his father was an agricultural engineer who also contributed to the community. Quan says both of his parents offered free assistance to their community, providing access to care and services they would have otherwise not been able to afford. 

Their selfless work inspired Quan to also look for ways to give back. During high school, he began volunteering anywhere he could and was passionate about supporting economically disadvantaged people and those living with disabilities. 

“Those experiences helped broaden my knowledge and made me realize that pursuing social work would enable me to improve my support to community members sustainably rather than relying on paternalistic approaches,” he says.

A fit with UCalgary Social Work’s global vision

Following high school and university, Quan was eager to continue his studies with a doctorate. While working on a project addressing youth crime in Vietnam, Quan decided to reach out to UCalgary Social Work professor Dr. Hieu Van Ngo, whose innovative, community-based research resonated with him. 

“I was both impressed and inspired by Dr. Ngo's Identity-Based Wraparound Intervention to respond to gang involvement among young people in immigrant families in Calgary,” says Quan. 

Ngo, BSW'97, MSW'01, PhD'11, who is also from Vietnam, was impressed by the young scholar and encouraged him to apply, eventually becoming his supervisor. Besides his admiration for Ngo’s research, Quan says he was drawn by the faculty’s historical strength and leadership in international social work, including its recently launched strategic global engagement plan, which he says offers “an advanced academic environment to leverage” his doctoral research. 

Coming to Calgary, Quan thrived in what he describes as “vibrant” environment for his academic and everyday life in Calgary. He also had to negotiate the culture shock, saying he viewed the world “with the perspective of an outsider and an international student.” 

The perspective gave him a unique lens to continue his area of research, focused on the issue of youth crime prevention and early intervention. He says his passion for this area of research comes from his own experience working with young people living with disabilities and experiencing economic hardships. 

“I see so much potential in them, and I want to support them to make positive change in their lives,” says Quan.

Canada has a serious ‘belonging’ problem

Quan’s latest research has been looking at the problem of belonging sense of community and belonging among youth in Canada. 

“I felt honoured, proud and privileged,” says Quan of the opportunity to present at the Montreal conference. “This is an important acknowledgment for me, my co-author, and an excellent opportunity to represent the Faculty of Social Work and the University of Calgary in our work highlighting and addressing these very important issues.” 

Feeling like you belong in society is something many take for granted, but Quan’s research shows that (surprisingly) many second-generation immigrant youths often don’t feel this tie, and his research outlines the thread that strongly links sense of community and that feeling of belonging with experiences of discrimination.

“My presentation at Congress essentially focused on whether experiencing discrimination can make young people in Canada feel less connected with their communities,” says Quan.

The research was based on an in-depth literature review, focused on the 2020 General Social Survey on Social Identity from Statistics Canada. The data outlined Canada’s most vulnerable populations along with those who experienced the lowest sense of belonging. Quan’s work indicates a steep decline in the sense of belonging among young adults, aged 15-24, across the country. A worrying trend that is especially prevalent among minority communities and young people living with disabilities. 

As he dove into the data, Quan also identified a significant generational divide within immigrant communities. His research found that, compared to first-generation newcomers, the second and third generations report a weaker sense of belonging.

“Canadian society has become increasingly diverse in terms of race, gender, religion and other social demographics. So, fostering a strong sense of community belonging is even more essential than ever before.”

As he looked for the bright spots, he found that some racialized communities do experience higher levels of belonging due to a close sense of their local communities and a shared identity. For example, he discovered that some South Asian, Filipino, West Asian and Arab Canadian communities felt a greater sense of closeness and a higher level of involvement in religious and community networks. 

Interestingly, Quan found that young people living with disabilities expressed the weakest sense of belonging, which was directly linked to their experiences of discrimination. The finding underscores the significance of acceptance, supportive relationships and community connections for young adults. 

“Young people want to feel that they are an integral part of their social environments,” he says. "They want the feeling of being recognized and respected for their unique identities and contributions. 

“A strong sense of community belonging is crucial for fostering self-identity, mental health and overall well-being among Canadian young adults.” 

A ‘comprehensive and holistic' approach 

So, how can you reconnect young Canadians' feeling of belonging? Quan suggests there is no magic bullet or blanket solution. If governments and social organizations are going to move the needle on this, he says, it will require what he describes as a “comprehensive and holistic approach.” 

“Public policy should focus on anti-discrimination measures, support for minority groups, and community initiatives that promote community engagement and belonging,” Quan says.

This policy work should be supported with anti-discrimination legislation which he says could include interventions such as training programs on equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility within a systemic strategy aimed at making anti-discrimination measures “actionable” in the agenda of organizations and government agencies. 

These strategies include not just supporting communities, but elevating the achievements of individuals and celebrating diversity as an asset to the larger Canadian community. As Quan says, “recognizing and celebrating diverse backgrounds and contributions from all community members.” 

Outside of government legislation and policy, Quan suggests these efforts should be supported in Canada’s education systems, including an increased emphasis on accessibility in schools and post-secondaries, including providing more resources and listening to the input of students living with disabilities. 

As an educator within Social Work, Quan says he’s seen first-hand some of the issues that students with a disability face, pointing out the need for resources like adjustable tables and keyboards as well as resources that would support those with visual, auditory and mobile impairments. 

“My hope for this research is to draw attention to the need for an open, ongoing, dialogue about discrimination in Canada,” says Quan. "We need to support community-building activities and work to create inclusive spaces where everyone feels valued.” 

True calling

Quan plans to continue his important work and advocacy for vulnerable or disadvantaged communities and individuals, through his research, teaching and practice — locally and back home in Vietnam, where he looks to “foster international collaboration between Canadians, Vietnamese and international scholars, in a collaborative effort to address social issues and to advance the social work profession.

“It’s my true calling,” he adds, with a smile. “Through social work, I’ll be able to continue contributing to the field by addressing the critical challenges and issues.”