This working paper paints a worrying picture of refugee unemployment in the UK. Despite arriving with diverse and often valuable skills, refugees face considerable barriers in gaining employment that matches those skills. The author argues that getting refugees into employment is key to their successful integration into the UK and suggests strategies for how Government policy can reflect
This working paper paints a worrying picture of refugee unemployment in the UK. Despite arriving with diverse and often valuable skills, refugees face considerable barriers in gaining employment that matches those skills. The author argues that getting refugees into employment is key to their successful integration into the UK and suggests strategies for how Government policy can reflect the importance of this goal.
Subject terms:
labour market, qualifications, refugees, employment;
This article draws on a study of five refugee groups living in five regions in England carried out for the Department for Work and Pensions. It considers the central methodological issues that emerge when carrying out survey research with refugees. The article examines the key components of research design and investigation in refugee research. It considers problems emanating from the lack of official base-line field data and the difficulties of gaining access to refugees who are sometimes hidden and for which no sampling frame is available. It presents the strategies that were used to gain access to respondents through gatekeeper organisations and groups working with refugees. The process of recruiting interviewers and their role in the research are also examined including the translation
This article draws on a study of five refugee groups living in five regions in England carried out for the Department for Work and Pensions. It considers the central methodological issues that emerge when carrying out survey research with refugees. The article examines the key components of research design and investigation in refugee research. It considers problems emanating from the lack of official base-line field data and the difficulties of gaining access to refugees who are sometimes hidden and for which no sampling frame is available. It presents the strategies that were used to gain access to respondents through gatekeeper organisations and groups working with refugees. The process of recruiting interviewers and their role in the research are also examined including the translation of questionnaires into community languages. In addition, sampling issues and the use of quotas are explored, together with the difficulties of meeting quotas due to differences in migration patterns and social networks between and within communities. The article argues that detailed knowledge about the target cohort is crucial in the absence of a sampling frame in order to ensure effective decision-making as problems emerge in the field. In addition, the use of quotas and multiple gatekeepers in order to ensure the generalisability of knowledge is emphasized.
Subject terms:
interpreting, interviewing, interviews, research methods, refugees, social policy, access to information;
Critical Social Policy, 22(3), August 2002, pp.393-414.
Publisher:
Sage
This article provides the context for the Special Issue. It outlines the differential eligibility for welfare rights experienced by people with varying citizenship statuses and notes the increasing exclusion and marginalization of asylum seekers in European countries of asylum. It also examines the robustness of the arguments that have been used to justify the curtailment of welfare in some European countries; namely, that welfare acts as a magnet for asylum seekers. Linked to this is the use of asylum seekers as a political tool. The article also explores the consequences of this which include racism and xenophobia. Finally, it outlines the themes arising from the contributions in the Special Issue.
This article provides the context for the Special Issue. It outlines the differential eligibility for welfare rights experienced by people with varying citizenship statuses and notes the increasing exclusion and marginalization of asylum seekers in European countries of asylum. It also examines the robustness of the arguments that have been used to justify the curtailment of welfare in some European countries; namely, that welfare acts as a magnet for asylum seekers. Linked to this is the use of asylum seekers as a political tool. The article also explores the consequences of this which include racism and xenophobia. Finally, it outlines the themes arising from the contributions in the Special Issue.
Subject terms:
politics, race relations, racial harassment, refugees, social exclusion, social welfare, asylum seekers, citizenship;
Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 26(1), January 2000, pp.75-88.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
This article examines the direction of social policy towards refugees and asylum-seekers in Britain and the impact of policy on participation. Drawing on a sample of 180 refugees and asylum-seekers from the Somali, Tamil and Congolese communities in the London Borough of Newham, this article shows the importance of immigration status, and the associated citizenship rights, on the social and economic settlement of refugees and asylum-seekers. Labour market activity is explored along with the impact of policy on participation. The article concludes that the direction of government policy, which continues to erode access to social and economic institutions, has an adverse affect on the settlement of refugee people in Britain.
This article examines the direction of social policy towards refugees and asylum-seekers in Britain and the impact of policy on participation. Drawing on a sample of 180 refugees and asylum-seekers from the Somali, Tamil and Congolese communities in the London Borough of Newham, this article shows the importance of immigration status, and the associated citizenship rights, on the social and economic settlement of refugees and asylum-seekers. Labour market activity is explored along with the impact of policy on participation. The article concludes that the direction of government policy, which continues to erode access to social and economic institutions, has an adverse affect on the settlement of refugee people in Britain.
Subject terms:
policy, racism, refugees, rights, social policy, user participation, asylum seekers, central government, citizenship, discrimination, employment;