How Does Volunteering Support Refugee Integration? Positive Psychology Perspectives.

Globally, forced displacement is at its highest levels for decades, and consequently debates concerning the integration of refugees into host societies has become a priority on the political agenda. Volunteering has often been considered as one of the pathways to promote refugee integration into host societies. This study sought to understand how the process of volunteering supports the integration of refugees into the wider community, using positive psychology perspectives. Drawing on an interpretivist paradigm, the research was based on semi-structured qualitative interviews with refugees, who volunteered for a not-for-profit refugee support organisation based in London. Analysis of the data identified how multiple, and interconnected psychological factors contributed towards promoting integration. These factors were identified as self-awareness, prosociality, motivation, developing linguistic skills, and building the skills for employment. Moreover, the research also identified that volunteering in a hybrid organisation was a model that benefitted the refugee volunteers, as this offered them the opportunity to give and receive peer support from other refugees, as well as other volunteers and professional staff, and this added value to their volunteering experiences and supported integration. The conclusions from this research suggested that there is a need to develop a deeper understanding of refugees as active agents in their own integration processes and not simply as victims of circumstances. Recommendations included the need for service providers and policy makers to amplify the positive skills and attributes of refugees which, if identified, could foster stronger relationship, sense of belonging, motivation, and hope among refugees.