The RECO-YOUTH project – from refugee to co-creator: navigating youth integration in a time of uncertainty
About the project
Where does the future of young Ukrainian refugees lie? Will they return to Ukraine, or build their lives in Norway? They navigate between two worlds – one connected to their country of origin and one to the host country. At the same time, national authorities face the challenge of designing and implementing policies for this group in a context marked by significant uncertainty.
In collaboration with IMDi and HK-dir, the RECO-YOUTH project analyses, develops and tests new solutions to improve and better coordinate integration policies and services for young people with a refugee background in Norway. To achieve this goal, we will examine the integration experiences of young Ukrainian refugees (aged 16–21) – a large and growing group in Norway; strengthen coordination across levels and sectors within integration policy; and create social meeting spaces (living labs).
The project adopts a dual comparative perspective. First, it conducts in-depth analyses of experiences, challenges and best practices among young Ukrainian refugees and public and voluntary integration actors, comparing experiences and practices across counties and municipalities in Norway. Second, it includes a comparison between Norway and Poland.
Available data and expectations
The first pillar focuses on examining how young Ukrainian refugees experience integration in Norway, the challenges they face, and what can be considered best practice (through a survey and qualitative interviews with young Ukrainian refugees aged 16–21).
The second pillar aims to strengthen coordination between national, county and municipal actors in the field of integration, through mapping existing challenges and co-creation seminars where actors can meet and jointly develop solutions.
The project will also draw lessons from Polish integration experiences. Poland looks like an innovative model, having received more than one million Ukrainian refugees within a short period of time. Quantitative interviews with young Ukrainian refugees in Poland and case studies in Polish municipalities are planned.
The fourth pillar involves the establishment of two Living Labs – one at the municipal level and one at the regional level – where young people, integration actors and local communities can meet and collaboratively develop measures to strengthen the integration of refugee youth in Norway. Young refugees are viewed as active co-creators and “equal stakeholders”, and the Living Labs are expected to enhance their agency and participation.
Proposed topics / thesis questions
RECO-YOUTH aims to explore:
- How increased temporariness and uncertainty affect young refugees’ experiences and strategies for educational, labour market and social integration.
- What challenges and opportunities exist for ensuring better coordination across multiple levels and sectors in the development and implementation of policies for young refugees.
- How co-creative approaches can be used to strengthen holistic integration services for young refugees.
Possible topics:
- “The transition to adulthood under high uncertainty: Ukrainian young people’s perspectives on integration in Norway”
- «Young Ukrainian refugees in Norway: social adaptation, institutional encounters and future aspirations»
- «Falling between legal and institutional cracks? Integration policy for refugee youth in Norway»
- “Coordination and the involvement of non-state actors in services for Ukrainian refugee youth in Poland”
- “Young Ukrainian refugees in Norway and Poland: navigating uncertainties across different landscapes”
- “The Living Lab as an integration laboratory, inclusive environment, and research arena”
- “Co-creative methods to strengthen integration policy in Norway: limitations, opportunities and lessons learned”
Relevant for
Especially relevant for Social Work, NorPol and Family Therapy
Contact
Project leader: Oleksandra Deineko (oleksandra.deineko@oslomet.no) – Researcher II at The Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research NIBR, OsloMet; International Studies and Migration