Integrating Community-based Participatory Research Methods to Identify Leisure Preferences Among Newcomer Immigrant Women Aged 30-55 in Ottawa, Canada

Mahsa Hadidi; Eileen O’Connor; Emily Wills; Nadia Abu-Zahra; Laura Ambrosio

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11

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Integrating Community-based Participatory Research Methods to Identify Leisure Preferences Among Newcomer Immigrant Women Aged 30-55 in Ottawa, Canada

Mahsa Hadidi^*

, Eileen O’Connor

, Emily Wills

, Nadia Abu-Zahra, Laura Ambrosio

Published in Social Sciences (Volume 15, Issue 4)

Received: 29 May 2026 Accepted: 18 June 2026 Published: 8 July 2026

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Abstract

This paper explores the benefits of adopting a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach when designing leisure activities for newcomer Farsi-speaking immigrant women aged 30 to 55 in Ottawa, Canada. Immigrant women in this age range frequently navigate complex and overlapping demands related to paid employment, family responsibilities, caregiving, and unpaid labour, yet their leisure interests and access needs remain underrepresented in both the research literature and community programming. Through sustained collaboration with a local resettlement service organization, a bilingual (English/Farsi) leisure interest survey was administered to Farsi-speaking women who had arrived in Canada within the preceding five years and fell within the designated age range. The survey invited respondents to identify preferred leisure activities, accessibility requirements, language learning goals, and scheduling preferences. A total of 40 women submitted responses, and the findings were organized into three thematic leisure categories: (1) outdoor and movement-based activities, including yoga; (2) museum and gallery visits; and (3) social gatherings. This CBPR approach enabled these community members to articulate their leisure interests, assets, and specific needs, which in turn directly informed the development of culturally relevant and responsive leisure programming. Our discussion and conclusion emphasize that a pre-activity survey can serve as a meaningful methodological bridge between community-based participatory research and the design of culturally responsive leisure programs. Implications for researchers, community organizations, and practitioners working with newcomer populations are discussed.

Published in	Social Sciences (Volume 15, Issue 4)
DOI	10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11
Page(s)	153-162
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Newcomers, Women, Leisure, Farsi-speaking Immigrants, Community-based Participatory Research, Resettlement Service Organization, Leisure Interest Survey, Canada

References

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APA Style

Hadidi, M., O’Connor, E., Wills, E., Abu-Zahra, N., Ambrosio, L. (2026). Integrating Community-based Participatory Research Methods to Identify Leisure Preferences Among Newcomer Immigrant Women Aged 30-55 in Ottawa, Canada. Social Sciences, 15(4), 153-162. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11

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ACS Style

Hadidi, M.; O’Connor, E.; Wills, E.; Abu-Zahra, N.; Ambrosio, L. Integrating Community-based Participatory Research Methods to Identify Leisure Preferences Among Newcomer Immigrant Women Aged 30-55 in Ottawa, Canada. Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(4), 153-162. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11

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AMA Style

Hadidi M, O’Connor E, Wills E, Abu-Zahra N, Ambrosio L. Integrating Community-based Participatory Research Methods to Identify Leisure Preferences Among Newcomer Immigrant Women Aged 30-55 in Ottawa, Canada. Soc Sci. 2026;15(4):153-162. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11,
  author = {Mahsa Hadidi and Eileen O’Connor and Emily Wills and Nadia Abu-Zahra and Laura Ambrosio},
  title = {Integrating Community-based Participatory Research Methods to Identify Leisure Preferences Among Newcomer Immigrant Women Aged 30-55 in Ottawa, Canada},
  journal = {Social Sciences},
  volume = {15},
  number = {4},
  pages = {153-162},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ss.20261504.11},
  abstract = {This paper explores the benefits of adopting a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach when designing leisure activities for newcomer Farsi-speaking immigrant women aged 30 to 55 in Ottawa, Canada. Immigrant women in this age range frequently navigate complex and overlapping demands related to paid employment, family responsibilities, caregiving, and unpaid labour, yet their leisure interests and access needs remain underrepresented in both the research literature and community programming. Through sustained collaboration with a local resettlement service organization, a bilingual (English/Farsi) leisure interest survey was administered to Farsi-speaking women who had arrived in Canada within the preceding five years and fell within the designated age range. The survey invited respondents to identify preferred leisure activities, accessibility requirements, language learning goals, and scheduling preferences. A total of 40 women submitted responses, and the findings were organized into three thematic leisure categories: (1) outdoor and movement-based activities, including yoga; (2) museum and gallery visits; and (3) social gatherings. This CBPR approach enabled these community members to articulate their leisure interests, assets, and specific needs, which in turn directly informed the development of culturally relevant and responsive leisure programming. Our discussion and conclusion emphasize that a pre-activity survey can serve as a meaningful methodological bridge between community-based participatory research and the design of culturally responsive leisure programs. Implications for researchers, community organizations, and practitioners working with newcomer populations are discussed.},
 year = {2026}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Integrating Community-based Participatory Research Methods to Identify Leisure Preferences Among Newcomer Immigrant Women Aged 30-55 in Ottawa, Canada
AU  - Mahsa Hadidi
AU  - Eileen O’Connor
AU  - Emily Wills
AU  - Nadia Abu-Zahra
AU  - Laura Ambrosio
Y1  - 2026/07/08
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11
T2  - Social Sciences
JF  - Social Sciences
JO  - Social Sciences
SP  - 153
EP  - 162
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2326-988X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11
AB  - This paper explores the benefits of adopting a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach when designing leisure activities for newcomer Farsi-speaking immigrant women aged 30 to 55 in Ottawa, Canada. Immigrant women in this age range frequently navigate complex and overlapping demands related to paid employment, family responsibilities, caregiving, and unpaid labour, yet their leisure interests and access needs remain underrepresented in both the research literature and community programming. Through sustained collaboration with a local resettlement service organization, a bilingual (English/Farsi) leisure interest survey was administered to Farsi-speaking women who had arrived in Canada within the preceding five years and fell within the designated age range. The survey invited respondents to identify preferred leisure activities, accessibility requirements, language learning goals, and scheduling preferences. A total of 40 women submitted responses, and the findings were organized into three thematic leisure categories: (1) outdoor and movement-based activities, including yoga; (2) museum and gallery visits; and (3) social gatherings. This CBPR approach enabled these community members to articulate their leisure interests, assets, and specific needs, which in turn directly informed the development of culturally relevant and responsive leisure programming. Our discussion and conclusion emphasize that a pre-activity survey can serve as a meaningful methodological bridge between community-based participatory research and the design of culturally responsive leisure programs. Implications for researchers, community organizations, and practitioners working with newcomer populations are discussed.
VL  - 15
IS  - 4
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Author Information

Mahsa Hadidi

School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada

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http://orcid.org/0009-0003-4093-7279
Eileen O’Connor

School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada

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http://orcid.org/0009-0006-6699-8733
Emily Wills

School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1777-7732
Nadia Abu-Zahra

School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada

Contact Email
Laura Ambrosio

Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0004-3172-5933

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Hadidi, M., O’Connor, E., Wills, E., Abu-Zahra, N., Ambrosio, L. (2026). Integrating Community-based Participatory Research Methods to Identify Leisure Preferences Among Newcomer Immigrant Women Aged 30-55 in Ottawa, Canada. Social Sciences, 15(4), 153-162. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11

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ACS Style

Hadidi, M.; O’Connor, E.; Wills, E.; Abu-Zahra, N.; Ambrosio, L. Integrating Community-based Participatory Research Methods to Identify Leisure Preferences Among Newcomer Immigrant Women Aged 30-55 in Ottawa, Canada. Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(4), 153-162. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11

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AMA Style

Hadidi M, O’Connor E, Wills E, Abu-Zahra N, Ambrosio L. Integrating Community-based Participatory Research Methods to Identify Leisure Preferences Among Newcomer Immigrant Women Aged 30-55 in Ottawa, Canada. Soc Sci. 2026;15(4):153-162. doi: 10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11,
  author = {Mahsa Hadidi and Eileen O’Connor and Emily Wills and Nadia Abu-Zahra and Laura Ambrosio},
  title = {Integrating Community-based Participatory Research Methods to Identify Leisure Preferences Among Newcomer Immigrant Women Aged 30-55 in Ottawa, Canada},
  journal = {Social Sciences},
  volume = {15},
  number = {4},
  pages = {153-162},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ss.20261504.11},
  abstract = {This paper explores the benefits of adopting a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach when designing leisure activities for newcomer Farsi-speaking immigrant women aged 30 to 55 in Ottawa, Canada. Immigrant women in this age range frequently navigate complex and overlapping demands related to paid employment, family responsibilities, caregiving, and unpaid labour, yet their leisure interests and access needs remain underrepresented in both the research literature and community programming. Through sustained collaboration with a local resettlement service organization, a bilingual (English/Farsi) leisure interest survey was administered to Farsi-speaking women who had arrived in Canada within the preceding five years and fell within the designated age range. The survey invited respondents to identify preferred leisure activities, accessibility requirements, language learning goals, and scheduling preferences. A total of 40 women submitted responses, and the findings were organized into three thematic leisure categories: (1) outdoor and movement-based activities, including yoga; (2) museum and gallery visits; and (3) social gatherings. This CBPR approach enabled these community members to articulate their leisure interests, assets, and specific needs, which in turn directly informed the development of culturally relevant and responsive leisure programming. Our discussion and conclusion emphasize that a pre-activity survey can serve as a meaningful methodological bridge between community-based participatory research and the design of culturally responsive leisure programs. Implications for researchers, community organizations, and practitioners working with newcomer populations are discussed.},
 year = {2026}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Integrating Community-based Participatory Research Methods to Identify Leisure Preferences Among Newcomer Immigrant Women Aged 30-55 in Ottawa, Canada
AU  - Mahsa Hadidi
AU  - Eileen O’Connor
AU  - Emily Wills
AU  - Nadia Abu-Zahra
AU  - Laura Ambrosio
Y1  - 2026/07/08
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11
T2  - Social Sciences
JF  - Social Sciences
JO  - Social Sciences
SP  - 153
EP  - 162
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2326-988X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ss.20261504.11
AB  - This paper explores the benefits of adopting a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach when designing leisure activities for newcomer Farsi-speaking immigrant women aged 30 to 55 in Ottawa, Canada. Immigrant women in this age range frequently navigate complex and overlapping demands related to paid employment, family responsibilities, caregiving, and unpaid labour, yet their leisure interests and access needs remain underrepresented in both the research literature and community programming. Through sustained collaboration with a local resettlement service organization, a bilingual (English/Farsi) leisure interest survey was administered to Farsi-speaking women who had arrived in Canada within the preceding five years and fell within the designated age range. The survey invited respondents to identify preferred leisure activities, accessibility requirements, language learning goals, and scheduling preferences. A total of 40 women submitted responses, and the findings were organized into three thematic leisure categories: (1) outdoor and movement-based activities, including yoga; (2) museum and gallery visits; and (3) social gatherings. This CBPR approach enabled these community members to articulate their leisure interests, assets, and specific needs, which in turn directly informed the development of culturally relevant and responsive leisure programming. Our discussion and conclusion emphasize that a pre-activity survey can serve as a meaningful methodological bridge between community-based participatory research and the design of culturally responsive leisure programs. Implications for researchers, community organizations, and practitioners working with newcomer populations are discussed.
VL  - 15
IS  - 4
ER  -

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