Loneliness is on the rise in Canada, with young people and immigrants among the highest risk groups. Yet most interventions focus on older adults, leaving a critical gap in supports for youth and young adults aged 15–34.
This session equips social workers and allied professionals with practical tools to better serve youth who are newcomers or have immigrated to Canada experiencing transient or chronic loneliness. Learn how to conduct holistic psychosocial assessments, apply evidence-informed interventions, and strengthen your equity-informed practice with sustainable strategies.
Please note: This material was adapted from a 2025 OLC Webinar in collaboration with the presenter.
Learning Objective 1: Reflect on the unique impact of loneliness on youth and young adults who are newcomers or of immigrant background experiencing transient or chronic loneliness.
Learning Objective 2: Enrich our toolbox for conducting holistic psychosocial assessments, applying evidence-informed interventions, and strengthening our equity-informed practice with sustainable strategies, with an emphasis on interpersonal strategies.
Learning Objective 3: Explore social work strategies that create meaningful and lasting impact.
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Catherine Chan is a seasoned clinical social worker in community mental health, specialized in providing psychotherapy, clinical supervision, consultation and senior management for services for clients experiencing trauma and transitions. Catherine has over 25 years of experience serving in community mental health, specializing in serving youth and women who are survivors of trauma and transitions.
Catherine has been increasingly involved in recent years in addressing the fast escalating issue of loneliness among immigrant and newcomer youth. She started a pilot project, namely the Loneliness Project, to raise community awareness of the issue and engage young adults in exploring strategies for self-empowerment.
