Canadian Race Relations Foundation

YMCA Newcomer Youth Services Youth Outreach 2003 provides information assist youth who are newcomers to Canada.  Historically the YMCA has been a beacon of support for newcomers and especially youth.  This group face a number of barriers  like different cultural values, family responsibilities, isolation, culture shock language difficulties and racism.  Often, youth are classified according to stereotypes and are asked inappropriate questions by the mainstream population.  contemporary forms of racism are evident when people ask embarrassing and awkward questions like 'are you a child bride"? or do you have food in Africa? Xenophobia is rampant in many countries where the founder populations feel threatened .  Solutions to the problems may be helpful through leadership development, building confidence among youth through strengthening social contacts and offering more community involvement.