The participants all reflected positively on their experience with the LSS program, particularly those who became mentors with the program. The transition from mentee to mentor mirrored participants’ sense of growing proficiency and confidence navigating the challenges and opportunities of life in Nova Scotia. For mentees, the program offered important insight into the practicalities and more routine, but critical, aspects of settlement (e.g., transit, banking, employment), but also the vital support of a mentor who had, often recently, managed the same set of conditions. Mentors were also able to convey to mentees some of the realities of Canada not often imparted during pre-departure orientations or in conversation with local settlement workers.

LSS participants would have liked the program to be longer, extended beyond immediate arrival, and to have more time with their peer mentors. Arrival is often markets by a heavy appointment schedule and so finding time to meet was a challenge. This would be compounded if the peer mentor was a student, had other employment, etc.

The study concluded that:

• Youth newcomers benefit from programs that take their specific needs as the focus.
• Newcomer youth assume central roles within their families such that the skills fostered through youth-focused programming will likely be used to support parents and siblings as well.
• Emphasis on non-economic aspects of settlement is crucial. At the same time, the self-directed and needs based approach to mentorship was important (i.e. LSS participants could identify what they needed and what they want to learn more about).
• Young people are better able to develop confidence along side supportive peers.
• Openness and honesty about the challenges of integration benefit youth newcomers.
• Programs like LSS help with social isolation and can support newcomer youth to feel “more at home” and connected to their new community.