Empowering newcomers? Power asymmetries and negotiations between newly arrived migrants and volunteers within buddy programmes

Research on buddy programmes for newly arrived migrants focuses predominantly on integration outcomes. However, the intervention is also prone to reproducing power imbalances. This qualitative study investigates how power asymmetries between volunteers (buddies) and immigrant newcomers are character...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gaëlle Mortier, Stijn Oosterlynck, Peter Raeymaeckers
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Oxford Brookes University 2025-02-01
Series:International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring
Subjects:
Online Access:https://radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/items/da063182-2659-4932-885f-181c8cd6f420/1/
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1823860344750080000
author Gaëlle Mortier
Stijn Oosterlynck
Peter Raeymaeckers
author_facet Gaëlle Mortier
Stijn Oosterlynck
Peter Raeymaeckers
author_sort Gaëlle Mortier
collection DOAJ
description Research on buddy programmes for newly arrived migrants focuses predominantly on integration outcomes. However, the intervention is also prone to reproducing power imbalances. This qualitative study investigates how power asymmetries between volunteers (buddies) and immigrant newcomers are characterized. We draw on interview data to scrutinize how power is reproduced and negotiated in the dyadic relationships within buddy programmes. Both practices of Othering and De-othering take place, resulting in mixed networking outcomes for newcomers in the host society. The findings provide important insights for policy and practice, employing buddy programmes as a tool for fostering migrant integration.
format Article
id doaj-art-5ddccfb0336c40d8ac44c9ac77b7154d
institution Kabale University
issn 1741-8305
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Oxford Brookes University
record_format Article
series International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring
spelling doaj-art-5ddccfb0336c40d8ac44c9ac77b7154d2025-02-10T15:00:29ZengOxford Brookes UniversityInternational Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring1741-83052025-02-0123133134510.24384/t1en-g322Empowering newcomers? Power asymmetries and negotiations between newly arrived migrants and volunteers within buddy programmesGaëlle Mortier0https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4011-0780Stijn Oosterlynck1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7506-9163Peter Raeymaeckers2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4281-0952Centre for Research on Environmental and Social Change (CRESC), University of Antwerp, BelgiumCentre for Research on Environmental and Social Change (CRESC), University of Antwerp, BelgiumCentre for Research on Environmental and Social Change (CRESC), University of Antwerp, BelgiumResearch on buddy programmes for newly arrived migrants focuses predominantly on integration outcomes. However, the intervention is also prone to reproducing power imbalances. This qualitative study investigates how power asymmetries between volunteers (buddies) and immigrant newcomers are characterized. We draw on interview data to scrutinize how power is reproduced and negotiated in the dyadic relationships within buddy programmes. Both practices of Othering and De-othering take place, resulting in mixed networking outcomes for newcomers in the host society. The findings provide important insights for policy and practice, employing buddy programmes as a tool for fostering migrant integration.https://radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/items/da063182-2659-4932-885f-181c8cd6f420/1/buddy programmesintegrationsocial networksotheringpower asymmetries
spellingShingle Gaëlle Mortier
Stijn Oosterlynck
Peter Raeymaeckers
Empowering newcomers? Power asymmetries and negotiations between newly arrived migrants and volunteers within buddy programmes
International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring
buddy programmes
integration
social networks
othering
power asymmetries
title Empowering newcomers? Power asymmetries and negotiations between newly arrived migrants and volunteers within buddy programmes
title_full Empowering newcomers? Power asymmetries and negotiations between newly arrived migrants and volunteers within buddy programmes
title_fullStr Empowering newcomers? Power asymmetries and negotiations between newly arrived migrants and volunteers within buddy programmes
title_full_unstemmed Empowering newcomers? Power asymmetries and negotiations between newly arrived migrants and volunteers within buddy programmes
title_short Empowering newcomers? Power asymmetries and negotiations between newly arrived migrants and volunteers within buddy programmes
title_sort empowering newcomers power asymmetries and negotiations between newly arrived migrants and volunteers within buddy programmes
topic buddy programmes
integration
social networks
othering
power asymmetries
url https://radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/items/da063182-2659-4932-885f-181c8cd6f420/1/
work_keys_str_mv AT gaellemortier empoweringnewcomerspowerasymmetriesandnegotiationsbetweennewlyarrivedmigrantsandvolunteerswithinbuddyprogrammes
AT stijnoosterlynck empoweringnewcomerspowerasymmetriesandnegotiationsbetweennewlyarrivedmigrantsandvolunteerswithinbuddyprogrammes
AT peterraeymaeckers empoweringnewcomerspowerasymmetriesandnegotiationsbetweennewlyarrivedmigrantsandvolunteerswithinbuddyprogrammes