It has been estimated that there may be approximately 1,000 'refugee community organisations' (RCOs) in the UK. Recent surveys have suggested that over half are involved in activities to support refugees' education and training. Although this work is relevant to several current debates, it has been Little researched to date. This study therefore makes an original contribution to knowledge in the following four respects: i) through assessing the range of education and training activities conducted by RCOs in two cities in the UK, and the characteristics of the organisations that conduct, them; ii) through exploring the education and training role of RCOs in terms of its influences on refugees' capabilities and iii) in terms of its influences on refugees' integration and iv) through exploring how wider socio-political factors affect the education and training role of RCOs, including through a cross-national comparative analysis. The study adopts a mixed research strategy. In phase I, a survey is conducted of 25 RCOs active in education and training. in two contrasting cities of refugee settlement, London and Leeds. In phase 2, the outcomes of nine case study RCO education and training activities are explored, primarily through semi-structured interviews with a total of 71 individual learners. In phase 3, the opportunity structure for the involvement of RCOs in education and training is explored from a comparative perspective with contrasting contexts in the Netherlands and Greece. RCOs in both UK cities are found to conduct a wide range of education and training activities. The majority of participants in such activities interviewed perceived that their involvement affects them positively in a range of ways which can be interpreted as both building their capabilities and contributing to their integration. The findings challenge the frequently narrow conceptualisation’s of RCOs, and a wider perspective is proposed which accommodates their hybrid nature as both social networks and established organisations. Such significant involvement of RCOs in education and training is not found in the other two countries, and is interpreted as being linked to the legacy of the multicultural framework and to the highly-developed community and voluntary sector in the UK. Furthermore, the study shines a spotlight on the complex processes of both capability development and integration, by linking individual-level empirical data to the respective theoretical conceptualisations. In doing so, it makes a contribution to substantialising these two important but potentially nebulous concepts.

Making a successful transfer to secondary school in the UK has been linked to a range of positive outcomes for refugee children. Yet research investigating this experience from the perspective of refugee children themselves is scarce. This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of how male adolescent refugees experienced their transfer and adaptation to a secondary school in the UK. The research used a qualitative design, it was idiographic arid the approach adopted was Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Semi-structured interviews were completed with six male adolescent refugees. The data generated three superordinate themes which reflected the participants' sense of being in need of help during the early stages of their transfer, their process of adapting to school and developing a sense of belonging in this context, and their overriding need to feel safe. Participants identified a wide range of factors as supporting and hindering their transfer and adaptation to secondary school. These are explored in relation to existing research and psychological theories. Implications for the practice of Educational Psychologists and schools are offered. In particular, results showed that older siblings were often the primary educators of participants at home. Schools that adopt a family engagement framework, rather than parental engagement, may more successfully support the learning of refugee children. All participants experienced a strong motivation to learn English and believed that speaking their first language in school would hinder this process. Further research is needed to investigate perceptions of first language use in school. Finally there is a reflection upon the applicability of using IPA with children learning English as an additional language. The author suggests that IPA can be successfully applied in research with this population.

There has been a significant increase in immigrant learners in South African schools. This research study captures the experiences of immigrant learners in selected inner city schools of Johannesburg. The May 2008 xenophobic violence prompted the researcher to investigate the extent of xenophobia. A survey of immigrant learners, South African learners and educators was conducted by means of interviews that allowed the research participants to express their feelings and experiences regarding the phenomenon of xenophobia. The result of the study revealed that immigrant learners do experience xenophobia in various forms by South African learners and, in some cases, educators as well. Immigrant learners were predominantly exposed to prejudice and xenophobic comments. They perceived South Africa as positive, giving them hope and opportunities. This research provided a baseline for more extensive research into this phenomenon. / Thesis (M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)

There has been a significant increase in immigrant learners in South African schools. This research study captures the experiences of immigrant learners in selected inner city schools of Johannesburg. The May 2008 xenophobic violence prompted the researcher to investigate the extent of xenophobia. A survey of immigrant learners, South African learners and educators was conducted by means of interviews that allowed the research participants to express their feelings and experiences regarding the phenomenon of xenophobia. The result of the study revealed that immigrant learners do experience xenophobia in various forms by South African learners and, in some cases, educators as well. Immigrant learners were predominantly exposed to prejudice and xenophobic comments. They perceived South Africa as positive, giving them hope and opportunities. This research provided a baseline for more extensive research into this phenomenon. / Thesis (M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)