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Agencies aiming to improve the resettlement experience of Syrian refugees are conducting research to better understand the needs of the more than 4,000 newcomers who now call Alberta home.

“It gives people a chance to have their voice heard,” said Kathryn Friesen, program manager at Catholic Social Services. “I think a lot of the challenges (involve) coming to a new country where you don’t speak the language, where your credentials from your own country aren’t recognized and adapting to a new culture.”

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Researchers plan to use surveys and in-depth interviews with refugees who have arrived in Alberta since 2015 to find any gaps in existing programs.

“I really hope it will deepen our understanding of resettlement experiences … so that we can be a more welcoming and inclusive community,” Friesen said.

The Liberal government committed to bringing 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada. The death toll of the five-year conflict is estimated to be more than 500,000, with 11 million people forcibly displaced.