Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-mlc7c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T14:50:04.899Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Failing to Adapt: Institutional Barriers to RCOs Engagement in Transformation of Social Welfare

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2010

Jenny Phillimore  and
Lisa Goodson
Jenny Phillimore
Affiliation:
Institute of Applied Social Studies, School of Social Policy, College of Social Science, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham E-mail: j.a.phillimore@bham.ac.uk
Lisa Goodson
Affiliation:
Institute of Applied Social Studies, School of Social Policy, College of Social Science, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Britain has entered a new era of super-diversity and many regions of the UK are experiencing the arrival of new communities. Refugee Community Organisations (RCOs) have developed following the arrival of new asylum seeking and refugee communities, and have been charged with the role of supporting the integration of these newcomers. However, there is much evidence to suggest that they are functioning only with individuals rather than working with institutions to transform systems and ensure welfare provision is adapted to account for diverse needs. This paper looks at the role of RCOs in attempting transformation and, using data collected through survey, interviews, and participatory action research, examines the extent to which RCOs are able to engage with the public and wider voluntary sector, to ensure that refugees' welfare needs can be met. It finds that in addition to the much-researched functional barriers to transformation, there are major institutional barriers to engagement. Institutions have failed to adapt their systems to enable representation of new communities instead expecting RCOs to build their own capacity to communicate. The paper ends by offering some ideas around resourcing RCOs to be represented and developing the capacity of institutions to adapt to new diversity.

Type
Articles
Information
Social Policy and Society , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , April 2010 , pp. 181 - 192
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Banton, M. (2001), ‘National Integration in France and Britain’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 27, 1, 151–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berry, J. W. (1991), ‘Psychology of acculturation: understanding individuals moving between cultures’, in Brislin, R. (ed.), Applied Cross-Cultural Psychology: Cross-Cultural Research and Methodology Series, 14, 232–53, Newbury Park, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Berry, J. W. (1997), ‘Immigration, acculturation and adaptation’, Applied Psychology: An International Review, 46, 1, 5–68.Google Scholar
Carey-Wood, J. (1997), Meeting Refugees’ Needs in Britain: The Role of Refugee-Specific Initiatives, London: Home Office.Google Scholar
Challenor, F., Walters, G. and Dunstan, D. (eds.) (2005), ‘Need a hand? Report on the Review of Recent UK Volunteering Projects Relating to Asylum Seekers BVSC’, Undertaken for the Aspire DP, Birmingham.Google Scholar
CLG (2008), Cohesion Guidance for Funders, London: CLG.Google Scholar
Duke, K. (1996), ‘Refugee community groups in the UK: the role of the community group in the resettlement process’, University of Reading, paper presented to the British Sociological Association Annual Conference, ‘World of the Future: Ethnicity, Nationalism and Globalisation’, 1–4 April 1996.Google Scholar
Gameledin-Adhami, M., Cooper, L. and Knight, B. (2002), Refugee Settlement: Can Communities Cope? London: Evelyn Oldfield Unit.Google Scholar
Griffiths, D., Sigona, N. and Zetter, R. (2005), Refugee Community Organisations and Dispersal: Networks, Resources and Social Capital, Bristol: Policy Press.Google Scholar
Griffiths, D., Sigonda, N. and Zetter, R. (2006), ‘Integrative paradigms, marginal reality: refugee community organisations and dispersal in Britain’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 3, 5, 881–98.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Home Office (2000), Full and Equal Citizens: A Strategy for the Integration of Refugees into the United Kingdom, London: HMSO.Google Scholar
Home Office (2002), Secure Borders Safe Haven: Integration with Diversity in Modern Britain, London: HMSO.Google Scholar
Home Office (2005), Integration Matters: National Strategy for Integration, London: Home Office.Google Scholar
Hunt, L. (2008), ‘Women asylum seekers and refugees: opportunities, constraints and the role of agency’, Social Policy and Society, 7, 3, 281–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hynes, T. (2003), ‘The issue of trust or mistrust in research with refugees: choices, caveats and considerations for researchers’, New Issues in Refugee Research Working Paper 98, UNHCR, Geneva.Google Scholar
Korac, M. (2003), ‘Integration and how we facilitate it: a comparative study of the settlement experiences of refugees in Italy and the Netherlands’, Sociology, 37, 1, 51–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kymlicka, W. (1995), Multicultural Citizenship, Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Mestheneos, E. and Ioannidi, E. (2002), ‘Obstacles to refugee integration in the European Union member states’, Journal of Refugee Studies, 15, 3, 304–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moya, J. (2005), ‘Immigrants and associations: a global and historical perspective’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 31, 5, 833–64.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Narayan, D. with Patel, R., Schafft, K., Rademacher, A. and Koch-Schulte, S. (2000), Voices of the Poor: Can Anyone Hear Us? Washington, DC: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Perry, J. and El- Hassan, A. (2008), More Responsive Public Services? A guide to Commissioning Refugee Community Organisations, York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation.Google Scholar
Phillimore, J., Goodson, L., Hennessy, D. and Ergun, E. (2009), Empowering Birmingham's Migrant and Refugee Community Organisations: Making a Difference, York: Joseph Rowntree Organisation.Google Scholar
Phillimore, J. and Goodson, L. (2008), New Migrants in the UK: Education, Training and Employment, London: Trentham.Google Scholar
Phillimore, J., Goodson, L. and Beebeejaun, Y. (2004), ‘The access, learning and employment needs of newcomers from abroad and the capacity of existing provision to meet those needs’, LSC, Birmingham and Solihull.Google Scholar
Putnam, R. (2002), Bowling Together: The American Prospect, 11 February 2002, www.prospect.org/print/V13/3/putnam-r.html.Google Scholar
Refugee Council (2006), Social Exclusion, Refugee Integration and the Right to Work for Asylum Seekers, London: Refugee Council.Google Scholar
Robinson, V., Andersson, R. and Musterd, S. (2003), Spreading the Burden? A Review of Policies to Disperse Asylum Seekers and Refugees, Bristol: Policy Press.Google Scholar
Robinson, V. (2002), ‘Doing research with refugees and asylum seekers’, Swansea Geographer, 37, 61–7.Google Scholar
Salinas, M., Pritchard, D. and Kibedi, A. (1987), ‘Refugee-based organisations: their function and importance for the refugee in Britain’, Refugee Issues: Working Paper on Refugees, 3, 4, Oxford, London: Refugee Studies Programme, British Refugee Council.Google Scholar
Schibel, Y. et al. (2002), ‘Refugee Integration: can research synthesis inform policy?’, Feasibility study report, RDS ON-line Report 13/02.Google Scholar
Schrover, M. and Vermeulen, F. (2005), ‘Immigrant organisations’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 31, 5, 823–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vertovec, S. (2008), ‘Super-diversity and its implications’, Ethnic and Racial Studies, 30, 6, 1024–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Young, I. (1990), Justice and the Politics of Difference, Princetown, NJ: Princetown University Press.Google Scholar
Young, I. (2000), Inclusion and Democracy, Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Zetter, R., Griffiths, D., Sigona, N., Flynn, D., Pasha, T. and Beynon, R. (2006), Immigration, Social Cohesion and Social Capital: What Are the Links? York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation.Google Scholar
Zetter, R., Griffiths, D. and Sigona, N. (2005), ‘Social capital or social exclusion? The impact of asylum-seeker dispersal on UK refugee community organisations’, Community Development Journal, 40, 2, 169–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zetter, R. and Pearl, M. (2000), ‘The minority within the minority: refugee community based organisations in the UK and the impact of restrictionalism’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 26, 4, 675–98.CrossRefGoogle Scholar