When social work prof Dr. Hellen Gateri reached out to the agency where Kathy Kim was doing her practicum, it marked the beginning of the third-year student's research journey.

“I had never imagined myself doing research, but I was interested in Dr. Gateri’s work and the different perspective it offered on the barriers these communities were facing,” says the fourth-year Bachelor of Social Work student. 

That perspective involved speaking directly with service providers to identify the challenges they faced in moving services online during the pandemic and to develop strategies that support best practices when working with immigrants, newcomers and refugees. As a research assistant on Dr. Gateri’s team, Kim reached out to service providers interested in participating in the study, facilitated and transcribed interviews, and met with the larger research team to discuss emerging themes and topics.  

“It was like getting a behind-the-scenes perspective on the isolation many newcomers faced and the difficulty they experienced accessing certain services during the pandemic,” says Kim.

In March, Kim helped present the team’s findings at the Metropolis Canada Conference in Vancouver, which brought together providers of services to immigrants, policymakers and researchers and other key stakeholders from across Canada to explore the future of immigration, settlement and integration. Sharing what the research team had been working on for the past year was exciting – and a little intimidating, says Kim.

“I saw how sharing knowledge can start the important conversations and collaborations needed to promote social justice changes and make an impact,” she says. “Sharing a room with people passionate about serving immigrant, refugee and newcomer communities was inspiring and a great opportunity for me as a student.”

Kim just completed her Bachelor of Social Work program and is looking forward to her journey as a social worker.