Social media is helping newcomers and refugees settle into life in Canada. Why isn’t the settlement sector using it?

“If the government is not there, the scammers are.”

Why It Matters

Settlement organizations should know what kinds of information newcomers are searching for on social media, and aim to plug those knowledge gaps by directing people to tailored information. Settlement organizations must also be cognizant of the increasing risks of misinformation and fraud on social media that is particularly targeting newcomers.

This independent journalism on data, digital transformation and technology for social impact is made possible by the Future of Good editorial fellowship on digital transformation, supported by Mastercard Changeworks™. Read our editorial ethics and standards here

There was no shortage of fanfare when the federal government announced it would welcome 25,000 Syrian refugees in late 2015, but in the years since questions have been raised about how prepared Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) was to receive them.

Refugees already facing a language barrier were met with complicated settlement documents and badly translated information, says Wazhma Frogh, community manager at

Join a community of 2000+ impact-oriented professionals like you. Get full access to this story and all Future of Good content, including tickets to our digital events and networking, with a membership.