Fostering newly resettled refugee-background adolescents’ self-efficacy and advocacy in a community-based youth program
Journal for Multicultural Education
ISSN: 2053-535X
Article publication date: 20 September 2024
Issue publication date: 16 October 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the experiences of newly resettled refugee-background high school students participating in the Teen Response program, a community-based initiative to assist refugee-background adolescents (RBAs) in navigating educational and career opportunities in the midwestern USA.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a mixed-methods approach, this study examined twenty-two RBAs through survey and focus groups.
Findings
The findings reveal significant growth and transformation in the students' self-efficacy and advocacy skills. This growth underscores the critical role of social support and community engagement in helping RBAs, empowering them to advocate for themselves and others in pursuing educational and career goals.
Originality/value
This study contributes new insights into the community-based support programs for RBAs, focusing on enhancing self-efficacy and advocacy. It offers valuable implications for developing effective support frameworks and recommends future research on these approaches.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all the students and families who participated in this inquiry. Thanks to the Refugee Response leadership team, including Patrick Kearns, Naila Paul and Emma Vogel, for their efforts to support these adolescents in the TR program. The authors are grateful for Elizabeth Taylor and Vickie Ritzinger for their contribution during the research process. The authors also appreciate the anonymous reviewers and editors for their feedback and comments.
Funding: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article: This study was funded by The George Gund Foundation via Community Solutions JoAnn and Robert Glick Family Fund.
Conflict of interests: The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.
Citation
Huang, G.H.-C. and Miller Marsh, M. (2024), "Fostering newly resettled refugee-background adolescents’ self-efficacy and advocacy in a community-based youth program", Journal for Multicultural Education, Vol. 18 No. 4, pp. 554-568. https://doi.org/10.1108/JME-04-2024-0047
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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