Hosting Asylum-Seekers and People Transiting through Milan as an Opportunity for Social Innovation

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-380
Author(s):  
Giuliana Costa
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Forced Migration ◽  
Welfare Policies ◽  
Unique Approach ◽  
In Transit ◽  
Asylum Seekers And Refugees

Abstract The State is responsible for hosting and protecting asylum-seekers and refugees, while policies and programmes are, instead, implemented at the local level. Local governance of forced migration can either reinforce exclusionist drivers imposed by national laws or effectively shape them through innovative practices, at times overcoming what is perceived as inadequate legislation, to manage the issue inclusively. This article describes Milan’s asylum-seekers and migrants in transit hosting system in 2014–2016 and discusses the extent to which the experience constituted an opportunity for social innovation in local welfare policies. Giving asylum-seekers sanctuary and dealing with the high and rapid inflow of people in transit created a unique approach (for Italy) that is still under-researched, unlike that of cities such as Amsterdam and Barcelona. The components of the “Milan Model” are identified, contextualised, and scrutinised by 46 interviews with key informants, including executives of Milan Municipality, managers of the city’s hosting facilities, social workers, journalists, Italian scholars, national and local social movement leaders, and volunteers and representatives of nationally coordinated associations.

Making Do: How a Somali Refugee Woman Experiences Social Mobility Amidst Precarity in Transit in Indonesia

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Antje Missbach ◽  
Trish Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Forced Migration ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
Somali Woman ◽  
Refugee Protection ◽  
Refugee Woman ◽  
Somali Refugee ◽  
The Right ◽  
In Transit ◽  
Asylum Seekers And Refugees

Abstract This article presents an account of Faduma, a Somali woman currently living in Jakarta, Indonesia, in order to illustrate the creativity, resilience and adaptability required to make do as a refugee with little to no formal support in a rather hostile environment. For Faduma, Indonesia presents such an environment. As it offers no formal protection for asylum seekers and refugees and only tolerates their temporary presence without guaranteeing them any fundamental rights, such as the right to work, it can be characterised as a ‘deviant destination’ for refugees in search of durable and effective solutions. This article analyses Faduma's strategies, embedded in the macro-political context of forced migration, the Global North's externalised border policies, the absence of safe pathways, and the lack of proper refugee protection in Southeast Asia, for finding informal employment, attaining new skills and education, and forming strategic friendships with Indonesians and expatriates as a means of dealing with racism, exploitation and multifaceted precarity. We selected Faduma's case from amongst a number of encounters that we had with Somali refugees in Indonesia because of her extraordinary involvement with the Somali community. While the current toleration of refugee activities by Indonesian authorities enables refugees to survive in transit, we argue that such unintentional and informal protection is not a durable approach for larger groups of refugees enduring prolonged periods of waiting.

scholarly journals Lay therapist delivered low intensity psychosocial intervention for refugees and asylum seekers (PROSPER): protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Rawlinson ◽  
Rabeea’h Aslam ◽  
Girvan Burnside ◽  
Anna Chiumento ◽  
Malena Eriksson-Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Emotional Distress ◽  
Psychosocial Intervention ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Forced Migration ◽  
World Health ◽  
Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
Asylum Seekers And Refugees

Abstract Background Asylum seekers and refugees (AS&Rs) experience impaired mental health and wellbeing, related to stresses in their country of origin, experiences in transit and reception on arrival, including significant barriers to accessing mainstream services. Their contact with healthcare is often crisis-driven and mediated through non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Problem Management Plus (PM+) is a psychosocial intervention recommended by the World Health Organization to address distress experienced by adults affected by humanitarian crises. We are investigating its application for the first time in a high income country. Methods In a pilot randomised controlled trial, PM+ will be delivered to AS&Rs in contact with NGOs in Liverpool City Region, UK, by lay therapists who have lived experience of forced migration. Following systematic review and stakeholder engagement, PM+ has been adapted to the local context, and lay therapists have been trained in its delivery. We will assess the feasibility of conducting a three-arm RCT of five 90-minute sessions of PM+, delivered individually or in groups by lay therapists to AS&Rs experiencing emotional distress and functional impairment, compared with each other and with usual support offered by local NGOs. Distress and impairment at baseline will be measured by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO-DAS). We aim to recruit 105 participants, 35 per arm. Primary health outcomes are anxiety and depressive symptoms at 3 months, measured by HADS. Secondary outcomes include subjective wellbeing, functional status, progress on identified problems, post-traumatic stress disorder, depressive disorder and service usage. Longer term impact will be assessed at 6-months post baseline, on the same parameters. We will assess the feasibility of conducting a full RCT in relation to the following elements: recruitment and retention of lay therapists and study participants; fidelity of delivery of PM+; and suitability of the study measures, including any linguistic or cultural barriers. Discussion We will use these findings to specify the parameters for a full randomised controlled trial to test the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of PM+ in reducing emotional distress and health inequalities, and improving functional ability and wellbeing, amongst asylum seekers and refugees.

scholarly journals Asylum Seekers’ and Refugees’ Decision-Making in Transit in Indonesia

2019 ◽  
Vol 175 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antje Missbach
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Life Story ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Migration Strategies ◽  
Life Story Interviews ◽  
In Transit ◽  
Asylum Seekers And Refugees

Abstract Asylum seekers and refugees currently living in Indonesia tend to see Indonesia as a transit rather than a destination country, despite the fact that their stays are increasing in length. Based on contact with Muhamad (not his real name), a young refugee from Iran currently residing in Indonesia whose adjustment and development I observed over four years, I illustrate the changing priorities in his decision-making, the constant flux of circumstances and context, and the extreme complexity of primary and secondary factors that come into play in planning for the future. Combining a macro perspective with a case study, in which I present excerpts from several life-story interviews, helps to exemplify these generic migratory challenges and distil a range of relevant parameters that influence the decision-making of asylum seekers and refugees in transit. A (self-)critical reflection on ethical and methodological challenges underpins my analysis and argument, not least because politicians and policymakers are increasingly interested in influencing migratory decision-making processes to gain political advantage. Of particular interest in my analysis is the role of Australia’s deterrence policies in asylum seekers’ decision-making. Despite the ethical challenges associated with studying migratory decision-making—as public knowledge of migration strategies can also suppress aspirations of mobility—I argue for more in-depth and longitudinal research. At the very least, this is because more intensive, yet considerate studies of decision-making will help us to take seriously the migratory aspirations of people with limited choices.

A participatory local governance approach to social innovation: A case study of Seongbuk-gu, South Korea

2021 ◽  
pp. 239965442110057
Author(s):  
Sangmin Kim
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Governance Structure ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Governance System

As the concept of social innovation gains increasing credence in the public consciousness, a number of questions have become increasingly prominent in the relevant discourse: what does social innovation mean at the local level? How can social innovation be promoted? In particular, what kinds of social and institutional arrangements are needed to facilitate socially innovative activities and practices in neighborhoods and communities? To address these questions, this paper first outlines the related theories and literature as an overview of the notion of social innovation. Next, to provide an example of a promising approach to social innovation at the local level, the paper develops a theoretical discussion on the interface between local social innovation and participatory local governance arrangements, and proposes a process model of local social innovation as an analytical framework for a case study of a district-level initiative in Seongbuk-gu in Seoul, South Korea. By examining the governance structure and socially innovative strategies utilized in this locality, the case study demonstrates how the local participatory governance system can furnish an enabling environment for socially innovative ideas and strategies. Lastly, along with a look at some of the unique aspects of the case, the paper discusses contributions of this study to the theory and practice of social innovation, along with implications for other cases that may consider the governance approach to social innovation.

scholarly journals Lay therapist delivered low intensity psychosocial intervention for refugees and asylum seekers (PROSPER): protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Rawlinson ◽  
Rabeea’h Aslam ◽  
Girvan Burnside ◽  
Anna Chiumento ◽  
Malena Eriksson-Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Emotional Distress ◽  
Psychosocial Intervention ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Forced Migration ◽  
World Health ◽  
Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
Asylum Seekers And Refugees

Abstract Background Asylum seekers and refugees (AS&Rs) experience impaired mental health and wellbeing, related to stresses in their country of origin, experiences in transit and reception on arrival, including significant barriers to accessing mainstream services. Their contact with healthcare is often crisis-driven and mediated through non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Problem Management Plus (PM+) is a psychosocial intervention recommended by the World Health Organization to address distress experienced by adults affected by humanitarian crises. We are investigating its application for the first time in a high income country. Methods In a pilot randomised controlled trial, PM+ will be delivered to AS&Rs in contact with NGOs in Liverpool City Region, UK, by lay therapists who have lived experience of forced migration. Following systematic review and stakeholder engagement, PM+ has been adapted to the local context, and lay therapists have been trained in its delivery. We will assess the feasibility of conducting a three-arm RCT of five 90-minute sessions of PM+, delivered individually or in groups by lay therapists to AS&Rs experiencing emotional distress and functional impairment, compared with each other and with usual support offered by local NGOs. Distress and impairment at baseline will be measured by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO-DAS). We aim to recruit 105 participants, 35 per arm. Primary health outcomes are anxiety and depressive symptoms at 3 months, measured by HADS. Secondary outcomes include subjective wellbeing, functional status, progress on identified problems, post-traumatic stress disorder, depressive disorder and service usage. Longer term impact will be assessed at 6-months post baseline, on the same parameters. We will assess the feasibility of conducting a full RCT in relation to the following elements: recruitment and retention of lay therapists and study participants; fidelity of delivery of PM+; and suitability of the study measures, including any linguistic or cultural barriers. Discussion We will use these findings to specify the parameters for a full randomised controlled trial to test the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of PM+ in reducing emotional distress and health inequalities, and improving functional ability and wellbeing, amongst asylum seekers and refugees.

scholarly journals The Local Governance of Arrival in Leipzig: Housing of Asylum-Seeking Persons as a Contested Field

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 116-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franziska Werner ◽  
Annegret Haase ◽  
Nona Renner ◽  
Dieter Rink ◽  
Malena Rottwinkel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Housing Market ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Dynamic Change ◽  
European Cities ◽  
Current Context ◽  
German City ◽  
The City

The article examines how the German city of Leipzig governs the housing of asylum seekers. Leipzig was a frontrunner in organizing the decentralized accommodation of asylum seekers when adopting its accommodation concept in 2012. This concept aimed at integrating asylum-seeking persons in the regular housing market at an early stage of arrival. However, since then, the city of Leipzig faces more and more challenges in implementing the concept. This is particularly due to the increasingly tight situation on the housing market while the number of people seeking protection increased and partly due to discriminating and xenophobic attitudes on the side of house owners and managers. Therefore, we argue that the so-called refugee crisis of 2015–2016 has to be seen in close interaction with a growing general housing shortage in Leipzig like in many other large European cities. Furthermore, we understand the municipal governing of housing as a contested field regarding its entanglement of diverse federal levels and policy scales, the diversity of stakeholders involved, and its dynamic change over the last years. We analyze this contested field set against the current context of arrival and dynamic urban growth on a local level. Based on empirical qualitative research that was conducted by us in 2016, Leipzig’s local specifics will be investigated under the umbrella of our conceptual framework of Governance of Arrival. The issues of a strained housing market and the integration of asylum seekers in it do not apply only to Leipzig, but shed light on similar developments in other European Cities.

Forced Migration, Refugees, and Asylum

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine El-Enany ◽  
Eiko R. Thielemann
Keyword(s):  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Forced Migration ◽  
Burden Sharing ◽  
Refugee Protection ◽  
Forced Migrations ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Political Persecution ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Asylum Seekers And Refugees

Forced migrations, as well as the related issues of refugees and asylum, profoundly impact the relationship between the countries of origin and the countries of destination. Traditionally, the essential quality of a refugee was seen to be their presence outside of their own country as a result of political persecution. However, the historical evolution of the definition of a refugee has gradually become more restricted and defined. Commentators have challenged the current refugee protection regime along two principal lines. The first is idealist in nature and entails the argument that the refugee definition as contained in the 1951 Refugee Convention is not sufficiently broad and thus fails to protect all those individuals deserving of protection. The second line of argument is a realist one, taking a more pragmatic approach in addressing the insufficiencies of the Convention. Its advocates emphasize the importance of making refugee protection requirements more palatable to states, the actors upon which we rely to provide refugees with protection. With regard to the question of how to design more effective burden-sharing institutions, the literature has traditionally focused on finding ways to equalize refugee responsibilities directly by seeking to equalize the number of asylum seekers and refugees that states have to deal with.

Contemporary challanges of social work in Ohio, USA

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-26
Author(s):  
Jaroslaw R. Romaniuk ◽  
Kathleen J. Farkas
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Low Income ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Psychiatric Rehabilitation ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Social Work Practice

Social work deals with problems of individuals, families, organizations and communities. However, an evolving set of challenges continues to shape the future of social work theory, research and interventions. Social work is a profession with its own code and follows a set of standards and ethics rules at the federal level, but the licensing processes are controlled at the state level and the professional policies are set at the national and local level. Social workers, therefore, are trained to think in a systemic way and to work with a person-in-environment perspective at the individual and the community level. This text shows how the challenges of the twenty-first century impact the education of social workers as well as social work practice. The economy and globalization present a number of challenges – all of which contribute to creation of new social problems and need for social innovation. New technologies have opened the door for educational and clinical opportunities to connect and engage people in need, however, the digitalization excluded a group of people with a low income. Social work education must keep up with the pressures of the economic aspects influencing the education market and the growing evidence base to support trauma-informed care, the use of psychiatric rehabilitation, prevent bullying at schools and cyberspace, care for elderly and the constant changes ushered in by modernization and globalization. The implications of these challenges are reviewed and provide guidance for social work educators, social work students and social work practitioners.

scholarly journals Security Net and Ambassadors for Social Inclusion? The Role of Intermediaries in Host–Refugee Relationships in Homestay Programs

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 232-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara‐Désirée Brinker
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Caring Relationships ◽  
Ethnographic Fieldwork ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Asylum Seekers And Refugees

In response to refugees’ social marginalisation and lack of appropriate housing, homestay programs have emerged as a new approach to refugee accommodation. However, caring relationships between asylum‐seekers and refugees and locals are prone to reproduce power imbalances. As a countermeasure, flatshares initiated by the organisation Refugees Welcome are created within a three‐fold network of hosts, social workers, and volunteers. The volunteers serve as intermediaries and provide refugees with personalised support to become more rooted in society. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork and thirty in‐depth interviews with hosts, refugees, intermediaries, and social workers in Catalonia (Spain), this article explores the responsibilities and struggles of intermediaries in the hosting networks. Results show that intermediaries give refugees and hosts a sense of security during the flatshare and keep social workers informed, yet their role varies considerably.

Data Privacy and Displacement: A Cultural Approach

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saskia Witteborn
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Data Privacy ◽  
Forced Migration ◽  
The Self ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
Cultural Approach ◽  
Communication Culture ◽  
Derived Data ◽  
Asylum Seekers And Refugees

Abstract Recent research has pointed to the increasing impact of digitally derived data on forced migration processes, including legal mechanisms for accessing social media profiles of asylum seekers. These developments raise the issue of data privacy, specifically how asylum seekers understand data privacy and protect their data. This article pays particular attention to cultural variants of data privacy. Culture, here, refers to a communication culture linked to displacement, with safety as a key code and variant of data privacy. For the asylum seekers and refugees from South(east) Asia, the Middle East and African nations, safety was a concern in daily digital practice. Safety was a relational way of being, exercised through selective contacts and playful presentations of the self. Those presentations were deeply embedded in the logics of social media and stood in contrast to narratives of persecution, potentially posing problems for asylum claim determination in the future. Based on the lack of awareness of asylum seekers about data privacy and safety, a data safety workshop was designed, available on GitHub.

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