Strengthening the agency of Refugee Youth
Refugee youth are often denied basic human rights and essential services due to structural financial, legal, and societal constraints. Social workers play a crucial role in supporting refugee youth in this context. This research investigates how international social workers can build alliances with refugee youth so they can navigate these structural constraints.
The research uses an intersectional lens to understand the diverse and shared experiences of refugee youth. Using ethnographic and participatory research methods focused on the perspective of youth in Greece and the Netherlands, the aim is to contribute to the quality of international social work with refugee youth.
Our key values are empowerment and equality, this is important for us in working with the refugees. (…) But we continuously work under pressure, it is a continuous crisis. Too many people and too few resources.”
Motivation
In 2023, 117.3 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide, with more than half of them young people (UNHCR, 2023). Emerging crises, conflict, persecution, violence, and human rights violations are driving an increase in forced migration. Simultaneously, the global political climate is polarizing, and anti-migration sentiments are growing in societies that receive refugees (Gaona, 2021). This situation causes uncertainty and insecurity even after refugees flee the radical uncertainty of crises (Horst & Grabska, 2015). Refugees are often denied basic human rights and have limited access to essential services, including psychosocial support, health care, housing, and education (RoSkopf and Heilman, 2021). These challenges are influenced by structural legal, financial, and societal constraints such as refugee legislation and shelter conditions.
Role of social workers
Social workers work with refugees in this complex context. As refugees cross borders in their journeys, the social work support for the refugees also needs to be understood across borders. International Social Work (ISW) is a growing field of research and practice and looks at global challenges and interconnected social problems transnationally.
Purpose and Main question
The proposed research focuses on how international social workers can strengthen the agency of refugee youth while working in a complex context of constraining structures. The context significantly influences the experiences of refugee youth (Birger and Nadan, 2022). Hence, ways of navigating this context and social work support should be researched in more than one setting. Therefore, this research will focus on understanding the experiences of youth in both a transit and destination country. Greece serves as both a transit and destination country, while the Netherlands is primarily a destination country. Increasingly, social work support in both countries takes place within non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which attempt to fill the gap left by the limited governmental support (Papaleonidopoulos, 2022). Therefore, the research will focus on social work NGOs in both contexts.
The main question of this research:
How can international social workers in NGOs strengthen the agency of refugee youth to navigate the constraining societal, legal, and political structures
Methods
Ethnography with elements of Participatory Action Research (PAR) will be the main method, supported by desk research. Ethnography facilitates a gentle entry into practice and an in-depth understanding of the experiences of the youth. Combining ethnography and PAR, the research centers on the voices of refugee youth and aims to enhance the professional practice of social workers working with the youth. Visual methods will be used to articulate feelings and experiences beyond words when language and culture are diverse. Working with visual methods engages the youth, enhances cultural sensitivity, and provides additional ways of reflection.
Effective Factors in Youth and Parenting Care
This research is conducted within the Lectorate Effective Factors in Youth and Parenting Care of the HAN. Professionals in the social domain work with very different people every day. How do you realize a good and therefore effective collaboration relationship (also known as alliance)? And how do you ensure that it remains good? Our lectorate focuses on collaboration issues for youth and parenting care.
