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Refugee Youth (17-25) 7 interviewed in Zürich, Switzerland

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Refugee Youth (17-25) 7 interviewed in Zürich, Switzerland

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  1. Autonomy, choice, and control of refugee youth: Third-sector intervention supporting employment integration in Switzerland D. Gateley SaïdMarie Curie Early Stage ResearcherUniversity of Bielefeld – GermanyMonday, 9 July 2012 – Social Work, Social Development – Stockholm Funding: Education as Welfare - Enhancing Opportunities for Socially Vulnerable Youth (Marie Curie ITN)

  2. Central Research Themes: Qualitative Study Refugee Youth (17-25) 7 interviewed in Zürich, Switzerland • Theoretical Framework: Capability Approach (Sen, Nussbaum) • Autonomy, Choice & Control (Burchardt, et. al.) • Life-First Approach (Dean, et. al.) Employment Provider: “Third-Sector” Organisation (Case Study) - Value-driven: Voluntary and community organisations, charities, social enterprises, non-profits & cooperatives 1

  3. Research Aims • Reframe application of the Capability Approach in regards to refugee employment integration to develop the debate regarding its application. • Provide recommendations for interventions focusing on labour market integration of refugees in order to offer workable solutions to ensure responsiveness to the needs and desires of service users.

  4. “Foreigners” make up 22% of population, 6.7% are • asylum-seeker & refugees - “recognised” refugees: 26,346. • Switzerland incorporates 1951 Refugee Convention & although • not part of EU, since 2008 applies Dublin Agreement. • Number of asylum applications in 2011: 22,552 (up by 45% from 2010) – only 3,711 persons were granted asylum. • Recognised refugees – initially Permit B, after five years of residence receive Permit C. Temporary admission – Permit F. Switzerland – Context: Migration 3

  5. Switzerland – Context: (Un)employment • Traditionally low unemployment for Swiss citizens-in 2010, around 4% vs. 10% for the Euro Zone. Youth (15-24) 7% unemployment rate (2011, OECD). • Foreign population unemployment rate of 10.4% in 2010. • Refugees with F/B/C permits (asylum-seekers under certain circumstances) can be in gainful employment, however in 2010: • -17% employment rate of “recognised refugees” (RR); & • -34% employment rate of temporarily admitted refugees (TAR). • Employment seen as key marker & means of integration, alongside social connections, culture/language, housing, education, health and rights.

  6. Research Imperative & Gap • Imperative • -Recognition that those facing most disadvantage in the labour market not being well-served by conventional integration programmes (Perkins, 2007). • -In Europe, refugees experience higher levels of unemployment & underemployment than nationals (ECRE, 2007), • -“Young refugees… are a growing minority of vulnerable young people…” (Chapman, 2002:3). • Gap • Gap examining refugees’ experiences and “perceptions of the responsiveness of employment providers to their needs” (Shutes, 2010: 3).

  7. Capability Approach (CA): Overview In the sense of what people are able to be and do, CA provides a normative, analytical framework which is useful when assessing situations of those that are most vulnerable, such as refugee. In “social evaluations and policy design, the focus should be on what people are able to do and be, on the quality of their life, and on removing obstacles in their lives so that they have more freedom to live the kind of life which, upon reflection, they find valuable” (Robeyns 2003:6). Offers a people-first approach to policy-making, where well-being and agency are equally promoted, therefore moving away from lens of vulnerability.

  8. “Autonomy, Choice & Control” (Burchardt,et. al., 2010) Conceptual Scheme “Inequality of autonomy: whether people are empowered to make decisions and act on those decisions in critical areas of their lives” (Burchardt et. al., 2010).

  9. Capability Approach: Life-First Approach • Work-First - labour market inclusion promotion on premise that any job better then none. • Life-First - A holistic intervention model which prioritises the individuals’ life needs, including the need to work: • long-term, sustained support; • ‘street-wise’ caseworkers with knowledge about services, entitlements & local labour market; • liaison with statutory agencies as well as employers; • Caseworkers based in voluntary-sector agencies; • engagement with support is voluntary; & • service needs to be flexible & adaptable to particular problems of clientele (Dean et. al., 2005).

  10. Multi-dimensionality of Refugee Integration Facilitators Markers & Means Language, Cultural- Knowledge, Safety & Stability Employment, Housing, Education & Health Social Connections Rights & Citizenship Adapted from Indicators of Integration Framework, (Ager & Strang, 2004) Foundations

  11. / Case Study Intervention Model • Intensive German • language classes • Home visits with Swiss • Families • -Visits to companies • - -Organise cookery • evenings for all staff • -Help with housing issues • -Assist in problems relating • to education & training • institutions. Intervention for refugees aged 16-25 in Zurich. Social workers will refer their clients. • -Intensive 1:1 support over 2 & half year period, includes: • Help with choosing work, • job applications/CVs, liaising • employers & accompanying • youth to meetings with • employers. • - Engage with employers on behalf of refugees 10

  12. Methods – Overview Small-scale qualitative (exploratory) study – Non-representative/cannot generalise findings Case Study Third-Sector Organisation Zürich • Part One: “Autonomy, Choice & Control” • -6 Semi-structured interviews (Problem-Centre Interviews) with refugee youth (17-29) • Questions and analysis utilise “Autonomy, Choice & Control” conceptual framework (Burchardt, Evans, & Holder, 2010) Part Two: Life-First Approach -Expert interviews with staff & caseworkers -Documentary analysis (KPIs, process docs., assessments) -Positioned in structural context of political economy (Wolf, 1997) Pre-study research/scoping - Research ethics took a central role

  13. Research Interviews • Refugee Service Users • “S” (22) Female, Iran – Shops Assistant (Training) • “C” (21) Female, Syria – Pharmacy Assistant (Training) • “Patricia” (22) Female, Angola – Office Assistant (Training) • “Laura” (23) Female, Congo - Hairdressing Training • “M” (17) Female, Afghanistan – School • “Tilu” (22) Male, Eritrea – Plumber (Training) • “Samson“ (21) Male, Eritrea – Metalworker (Training)

  14. Research Questions • How do the refugee service users experience and exercise autonomy? • What structural constraints exist and what are the barriers to employment? • Are organisational policies individualised and responsive to the specificities of users (refugee youth) and do they promote autonomy (empower)?

  15. Thank you! @DavinaGeesaid 14

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