Scholarlink

<p>Poor social wellbeing, of which experiences of loneliness are a primary indicator, is a growing concern among newly-arrived migrant adolescents as it hinders social inclusion and impacts mental health and educational outcomes. In Flanders, Belgium, as in many other countries, secondary schools implement a specialized preparatory programme for newly-arrived migrant adolescents known as <i>reception education</i>, designed to help students learn the host country’s language and transition into the mainstream education system. Educational staff in reception education are uniquely positioned to support these adolescents’ social wellbeing; however, their perspectives and approaches to this role remain underexplored. This study applies the theoretical concept of social capital to examine how educational staff in Flanders perceive their role in supporting the social wellbeing of newly-arrived migrant adolescents, as well as the strategies that they employ to mitigate feelings of loneliness. Moreover, attention is devoted to potential challenges staff experience in employing these strategies. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews (<i>N</i> = 28) with teachers, student counsellors, and reception education coordinators were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings of this study underscore how educational staff in reception education can play a critical role in fostering social capital and supporting the social wellbeing of newly-arrived migrant adolescents through trust-building and creating a safe environment, facilitating language acquisition and cultural understanding, and fostering peer relationships. However, their effectiveness relies on adequate resources, access to external support services, and professional development opportunities to help them address students’ complex social and emotional needs without becoming overburdened.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

‘Where does it start, where does it stop?’: Defining the roles and responsibilities of educational staff in addressing loneliness and supporting the social wellbeing of newly-arrived migrant adolescents in reception education

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月4日

查看全文
  • Sarah Devos,
  • Piet Bracke,
  • Ilse Derluyn,
  • Floor Verhaeghe,
  • Benedicte Deforche,
  • Katrijn Delaruelle

摘要

Poor social wellbeing, of which experiences of loneliness are a primary indicator, is a growing concern among newly-arrived migrant adolescents as it hinders social inclusion and impacts mental health and educational outcomes. In Flanders, Belgium, as in many other countries, secondary schools implement a specialized preparatory programme for newly-arrived migrant adolescents known as reception education, designed to help students learn the host country’s language and transition into the mainstream education system. Educational staff in reception education are uniquely positioned to support these adolescents’ social wellbeing; however, their perspectives and approaches to this role remain underexplored. This study applies the theoretical concept of social capital to examine how educational staff in Flanders perceive their role in supporting the social wellbeing of newly-arrived migrant adolescents, as well as the strategies that they employ to mitigate feelings of loneliness. Moreover, attention is devoted to potential challenges staff experience in employing these strategies. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews (N = 28) with teachers, student counsellors, and reception education coordinators were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings of this study underscore how educational staff in reception education can play a critical role in fostering social capital and supporting the social wellbeing of newly-arrived migrant adolescents through trust-building and creating a safe environment, facilitating language acquisition and cultural understanding, and fostering peer relationships. However, their effectiveness relies on adequate resources, access to external support services, and professional development opportunities to help them address students’ complex social and emotional needs without becoming overburdened.