CLIP Project

What is the Environmental Scan and Systems Mapping: Services for Newcomers in Calgary?

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Environmental Scan and Systems Mapping: Services for Newcomers in Calgary is a project that aimed to identify gaps in services and understand interactions amongst newcomer-serving institutions in Calgary. The project adopted an approach involving qualitative methodology with content analysis in the form of an environmental scan of current providers and services. The methodology consisted of a structured webscan, an online survey, and semi-structured interviews with newcomer serving organizations and clients.

Through the webscan we conduct an analysis of newcomer services (e.g., housing, employment, and language) offered by both English - and French-speaking newcomer serving organizations. Following the webscan, a survey was distributed to organizations in the immigrant sector to obtain an initial understanding of the following: their services and methods of data collection, measurement and evaluation, their relationships with funders and other organizations, and their interactions and thoughts regarding grassroot organizations and informal networks. The survey was also  used to recruit organizations for one-on-one semi-structured interviews. These interviews delved deeper into the topics that emerge in the survey. To further understand the client experience and how they interact within formal networks and newcomer-serving organizations, one-on-one semi-structured interviews were also conducted with clients.

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View the Results on the CLIP Website

Download the Final Report in PDF Format

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How was this project accomplished?

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This project was accomplished in three key phases:
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1. We will first investigated the dimensions of the system through a web-based content analysis of newcomer-serving organizations. This phase included:

• A scan of available services provided by English- and French-speaking SPOs and nonSPOs
• A scan of the most frequent funders and funding processes for newcomer funds 
• A documentary review of identified programs and funds 
• An identification and analysis of duplication in services 
• A keyword search to ensure a comprehensive sample
• A scan of English- and French-speaking informal networks on Facebook and Instagram 

2. This phase looked at the fundamental parts of the system by designing and distributing a survey through Qualtrics. 

• A development of survey questions and recruitment of organizations for the interviews 

3. This phase consisted of one-on-one semi-structured interviews with newcomer-serving organizations and clients to get a sense of system interactions. 

• A development of semi-structured interview questions for newcomer-serving organizations and clients:
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               > Organization interview topics centered around services, data collection, evaluation and measurement, informal networks,
                  funding, and relationships with other newcomer-serving organizations and funders.
                > Client interview centered around the clients’ experiences using services from either SPOs, nonSPOs, informal networks, or no
                   support at all.

• A completion of 15-20 interviews with senior leaders or managers in newcomer-serving organizations and 15 interviews with newcomers to Calgary. 

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This project is funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) through the Calgary Local Immigration Partnership (CLIP)