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'Integration' is often used in migration studies as the structured process by which immigrants can become active residents and citizens of the host country (Alba and Foner, 2014). Various terminologies, including incorporation, assimilation, acculturation and adaptation, are used interchangeably across multiple disciplines (Foner, 2012; Bertossi and Duyvendak, 2012). As part of the effort to integrate forced migrants into host communities, numerous interventions are implemented, including access to essential services, welfare support, educational programming, employment, and relationship-building activities (Strandbu et al., 2019; Raithelhuber, 2019; Lems, 2020; Mathisen and Cele, 2020; Pratiwi et al., 2020; Shaw and Funk, 2019; Bartsch and Rulof, 2020; 础濒补谤肠贸苍 et al., 2021a,b).

Among current relation-building activities are 鈥渟ocial inclusion鈥� interventions that provide social support, allowing people to participate in their new society, and foster healthy, peaceful relationships. Services cover various forms, from language acquisition, education and learning to sport-based interventions, mentoring programs and well-being activities. Activities are mainly implemented in structured formal avenues such as schools and GO/NGOs, providing safe venues that encourage engagement, information sharing, cultural exchange, dialogue, and friendships without bias or discrimination between immigrants and locals. Similarly, youth-focused social inclusion activities aim to develop the youth鈥檚 capacities for better integration. Promoting multi-cultural heritage and positive inter-group dynamics are seen as conditions for empowerment, preventing discrimination and isolation among minority youth groups.

How can NGOs/ Community-based Organisations facilitate the inclusion of forced migrant youth in their host communities?

As part of my three-month secondment at the University of 闯测惫盲蝉办测濒盲, I visited government and non-government offices providing services for the migrant population. The goal was to gather preliminary data on current interventions supporting the integration and social inclusion of the migrant youth population in the 闯测惫盲蝉办测濒盲 region, Central Finland. The visits allowed me to establish a relationship with the different organisations and explore opportunities and areas for collaboration in the research focusing on the social inclusion of migrant youth.

With guidance from the Faculty of Social Work, University of 闯测惫盲蝉办测濒盲, I was able to conduct preliminary interviews with social workers from and , who recommended community-based NGOs: and . These non-government organisations provide safe venues for all citizens, especially for better integration of immigrants and for increasing Finnish society's receptivity. They organise events, activities, and discussions to promote inclusion and integration. At the same time, local and immigrant volunteers facilitate different activities that connect immigrant youth to Finnish society.

The preliminary meeting/interview allowed me to present my research topic's general idea, gain insight into its suitability and explore collaborative activities with the organisations. During the meeting, I also discussed my plan to use participatory research methodologies in developing and disseminating the research. From the definition of what should be studied to how results are shared, the process should, in principle, involve collaboration among stakeholders- forced migrant youth (Hall & Tandon, 2017; Wood, 2020). Once the research plan and ethical research review are finalised, a follow-up meeting will be conducted to present the action plans and establish the partnership further.

The interviews also revealed that programs have significantly more male youth participants than females in all activities. Although Finland prides itself on having the most progressive LGBT rights in the world, gender and sexuality were not topics openly discussed among the migrant youth groups. Similarly, and perhaps to promote equality and non-discrimination, gender indicator/s were not included in the needs and gaps the project/program is trying to address- social inclusion. NGO staff also shared that some communities of migrant background have difficulty in talking about or accepting individuals belonging to the LGBT sector. As a result and to prevent bullying among peer groups and possible discrimination resulting from their gender identity, gender-related indicators and components are currently not part of the program/ project. With this in mind, I want to address the said gap and focus on the experiences of female and LGBTQ forced migrant populations in current social inclusion activities.

From left to right: Annika Guttormsen, Funlayo Vesajoki, Emmanuel Sibomana, Gloria Lapitan, and Jeany Rose Teguihanon

Why is gender important in social work research?

Successful inclusion and integration require solidarity- a sense of unity and finding common goals among individuals regardless of differences; however, inclusion may still be a challenge for marginalised populations who are not given the same opportunities due to socio-cultural and gender expectations. As a result, these population groups face more significant challenges that hinder their participation in the host communities' economic, socio-cultural and political sectors.

To illustrate, a study conducted among PE educators (Bartsch & Rulofs, 2020) in Germany shows gendered and racialised logic expressed about students from refugee backgrounds. Core patterns include (i) victimisation and vulnerability, (ii) perceptions of danger and impulsivity, (iii) claims for integration and normality, and (iv) requests for discipline. More specifically, educators see female students from refugee backgrounds as victims, weak and vulnerable subjects accompanied by needing and worthy of support and protection. Other gendered stereotypes are aggression, threat and impulsivity and demands for discipline associated with male students of refugee backgrounds. However, perceptions of male refugees overlook their vulnerability, weakness, and how they also have suffered from trauma and violence in the face of conflict. The reality that humanitarian disasters such as conflicts affect all genders in significant ways鈥攊ncluding men and boys鈥攊s sometimes overlooked (Gray and Franck, 2019).

Similarly, in Pritchard et al. 's (2019) scoping analysis of peer-reviewed studies on immigrant integration published in German and English academic journals over 20 years, gender has not been a factor generally considered in practice. Twenty-six of the research included in the study were focused entirely on female youth engagement, whereas thirty (30) studies were solely focused on boys and young men. The majority of these studies are likewise based on mixed samples that do not include or address gender and gender roles. This creates implications for understanding disparities in challenges and experiences females and male children and youth face and how it impacts family dynamics and shifting gender norms.

I believe there is still little understanding of whether the needs of the displaced population, especially women and members of the LGBTQ community, are adequately met by current programs and systems in the host society. A more profound understanding of the impact of gender is essential for responses targeting socio-cultural needs, which would later translate to more gender-inclusive and gender-responsive programs. As a response, a gender-based/focused research may shed light on issues and challenges that, for this research - females and LGBTQ face in settlement, integration or social inclusion experiences.

Focusing on different experiences and how gender identities, roles and expectations influence or are influenced by migration processes provide insight into how social work can further explore causes and experiences of inequality and discrimination despite current interventions. Furthermore, it will help create opportunities for developing gender-responsive services that are more inclusive, protect and promote human and gender rights and provide equal access to opportunities, strengthening capabilities for empowerment. Along with providing policy recommendations to promote gender equality and empowerment, social work practitioners can help increase or enhance interventions to integrate the various community or groups' contexts (Fiddian-Qasmiyeh et al., 2014).

As a researcher and social work practitioner from a global south context, I want to understand how youth - women, girls and LGBTQ+ with forced migrant backgrounds, usually people of colour (POC), understand and adapt to a new society with a predominantly non-POC population. Especially with culture and values that may challenge one鈥檚 cultural beliefs, how do social workers apply or define culturally sensitive case management or community-based work? In addition, I believe that a participatory approach similar to community organising that works toward shared goals will be able to produce more significant outputs compared to a top-down approach. One appreciates integration policies within a context that focuses on ensuring that the forced migrant population have access to essential services such as food and shelter, health services, education and training, and employment. However, as social work practitioners, we must ensure that the population we serve are 鈥渋ncluded鈥� in the conceptualisation of programs and services that aims to benefit them. However, how can we (practitioners and researchers) involve our service users that does not lead to patronising practices? What should we consider when working with individuals and groups of migrant backgrounds? These points of reflection come into play when I think about my research and how I plan to implement my research methods.

I believe that we (social work practitioners and academic researchers) need to have a more conscious effort to collaborate with our service users as partners in understanding challenges that inhibit their full participation. Working with a marginalised population such as women, girls and LGBTQ+, particularly people or communities of colour, would require us to collaboratively analyse the population鈥檚 lived experiences and identify factors that facilitate and inhibit social inclusion. A collaborative approach will provide important insights and recommendations for effective micro, mezzo and macro social work practices that can help address discrimination, feeling of uncertainty and exclusion among the target population.

References

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础濒补谤肠贸苍 Galindo, X., Bobowik, M., & Prieto, 脪. (2021b). Mentoring for Improving the Self-Esteem, Resilience, and Hope of Unaccompanied Migrant Youth in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area. Alba, R. and Foner, N. (2014) 鈥楥omparing Immigrant Integration in North America and Western Europe: How Much Do the Grand Narratives Tell Us?鈥�. International Migration Review 48(Supp 1): S263鈥揝291.

Bartsch, F., & Rulofs, B. (2020). Intersections of Forced Migration and Gender in Physical Education. Frontiers in Sociology, 5.

Fiddian-Qasmiyeh, E., Loescher, G., Long, K., Sigona, N., & Fiddian-Qasmiyeh, E. (2014). Gender and Forced Migration. The Oxford Handbook Of Refugee And Forced Migration Studies.

Gray, H., & Franck, A. (2019). Refugees as/at risk: The gendered and racialized underpinnings of securitization in British media narratives. Security Dialogue, 50(3), 275-291.

Lems, A. (2020). Phenomenology of Exclusion: Capturing the Everyday Thresholds of Belonging.

Mathisen, T., & Cele, S. (2020). 鈥淒oing belonging鈥�: Young former refugees and their active engagement with Norwegian local communities.

Pratiwi, A., Linnossuo, O., & Marjanen, H. (2020). Comparative social work practices with young refugee and asylum seeker: the European experiences [Article]. European Journal of Social Work, 23(3), 514-528.

Pritchard, P., Maehler, D., 笔枚迟锄蝉肠丑办别, S., & Ramos, H. (2019). Integrating Refugee Children and Youth: A Scoping Review of English and German Literature. Journal Of Refugee Studies, 32(Special_Issue_1), i194-i208.

Raithelhuber, E. (2019). 鈥業f we want, they help us in any way: how 鈥榰naccompanied refugee minors experience mentoring relationships. European Journal of Social Work

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Strandbu, 脜., Bakken, A., & Sletten, M. A. (2019). Exploring the minority-majority gap in sport participation: different patterns for boys and girls? Sport in Society, 22(4), 606-624.

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