Migration in Northern Ireland Promoting social participation and positive change in communities through Conway Education Centre Homework Club
Robinson, Niina (2024)
2024
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024112429583
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024112429583
Tiivistelmä
The aim of the thesis is to identify assets, needs, barriers, and actionable initiatives that promote the sustainable integration of migrant families into education and the wider community. It explores what action and best practice is beneficial towards that goal. The work in life partner of the thesis is Conway Education Centre. Participants of the research are refugee and asylum-seeking families connected to Conway Education Centre.
The research is qualitative in nature, and it uses Participatory Action Research approach where participants have had an impact on the research throughout different phases. Data was collected using creative methods (Carousel Papers-workshop) and Focus groups. The focus was Asset Based Community Development and themes for the research were drawn from that approach. The focus of the research was to highlight the assets and plan participatory action that promotes social participation and positive change. The material was analyzed thematically.
The main findings support previous research. The importance of knowing the language, being able to communicate and have access to information to promote sustainable integration was highlighted. Questions around agency, identity and mutual cultural learning between communities were also discussed. Action around these topics that draws from the collected assets was planned with the participants and will be implemented during the coming months.
The conclusion highlights the significant role that schools and educational settings play in the lives of newcomer children. Parents are eager to engage in their children's education but often lack the opportunities and information needed to do so. Both community organizations and schools can create platforms to support this involvement. Many schools and organizations are already successfully implementing effective measures, so collecting best practices from both local and international contexts would be valuable.
The research is qualitative in nature, and it uses Participatory Action Research approach where participants have had an impact on the research throughout different phases. Data was collected using creative methods (Carousel Papers-workshop) and Focus groups. The focus was Asset Based Community Development and themes for the research were drawn from that approach. The focus of the research was to highlight the assets and plan participatory action that promotes social participation and positive change. The material was analyzed thematically.
The main findings support previous research. The importance of knowing the language, being able to communicate and have access to information to promote sustainable integration was highlighted. Questions around agency, identity and mutual cultural learning between communities were also discussed. Action around these topics that draws from the collected assets was planned with the participants and will be implemented during the coming months.
The conclusion highlights the significant role that schools and educational settings play in the lives of newcomer children. Parents are eager to engage in their children's education but often lack the opportunities and information needed to do so. Both community organizations and schools can create platforms to support this involvement. Many schools and organizations are already successfully implementing effective measures, so collecting best practices from both local and international contexts would be valuable.