New Study on Immigrant Youth in Ireland is Launched in TCD

Posted on: 10 July 2008

There are 117,635 young people under 19 years living in Ireland who were not born in the state (Census 2006). However, immigration tends to be spoken of as if it is only an adult issue. Jobs, the economy, the workforce tend to dominate discussion about immigration. Many immigrants, however, are children and young people.

Integrating Ireland and the Children’s Research Centre at Trinity College Dublin launched a new research study, the Immigrant Youth Research Project,  which aims to gain an understanding of what are the key experiences and issues for these migrant young people. The study will explore how they find life in Ireland, looking at issues such as school, friendship, recreation, relations with ‘local’ young people and much more. The Minister for Integration, Conor Lenihan, TD launched the study at an event in TCD on 9 July.

Commenting on the significance of the study, Aki Stavrou, Director of Integrating Ireland said:  “One of the core aims of the Irish Government is to promote a good model of immigrant integration into a fair, just and inclusive society.  Creating and maintaining an inclusive society in the future will be the result of how youth today face up to the challenges of the future, particularly where integration is concerned.  The experiences of immigrant youth as newcomers to Irish society today will help to shape their attitudes and opportunities and their contribution to Irish life and society in the future. It is these young people who in many ways will influence the long-term story of immigration in Ireland”.

The study will explore the experience of young migrants aged 15-18 from a range of cultural backgrounds and living in different parts of the country.
It seeks to address such questions as:
-What is life like for migrant youth?
-What challenges do they face?
-How have they found living in Ireland?
-What are their aspirations for the future?

The study plans to hold 16 focus groups in various centres around the country involving approximately 150 young people.  A unique feature of this research is that immigrant youth will be recruited and trained to help co-facilitate the focus groups. It is intended that this study be part of a series of studies with the next phase investigating the perspective of ‘local’ young people in their relations with immigrant young people.

Speaking at the launch, Prof Robbie Gilligan, Associate Director, Children’s Research Centre, TCD and Head of the School of Social Work and Social Policy, TCD said: “The findings of the study will be of interest to public and voluntary organisations working with and for youth. It is increasingly important that policy is based on firm evidence and that this evidence includes the experience and views of people directly affected. The study is exciting because it will be the first national investigation of key issues in the lives of immigrant young people”.

The Minister for Integration, Conor Lenihan, TD with Abdul Rama Zeroug from Algeria and Merryjoy Itambo from the Democratic Republic of Congo at the launch of the Immigrant Youth Research Project in TCD