Απόψεις ανήλικων προσφύγων διαμενόντων σε διαμερίσματα ημιαυτόνομης διαβίωσης στη Θεσσαλονίκη: Βιώματα, αντιξοότητες, ανάγκες και αποθέματα κατά τη μετα-μεταναστευτική περίοδο

Abstract

Unaccompanied adolescent refugees constitute a particularly vulnerable group due to their age, refugee status and lack of parental care, often having experienced traumatic events in their country of origin, during migration and in the host country. The present research aimed to investigate the experiences, difficulties, needs and sources of unaccompanied minors living in semi-autonomous apartments provided by a non-governmental organization in Thessaloniki. The process of data production was done by the method of semi-structured interview. Specifically, 12 unaccompanied minor refugees aged 16 to 18 years (Average = 17 years) from Pakistan (N=4), Africa (N=3), Afghanistan (N=2), Syria (N=2) and Iraq (N=1) participated. The issues that emerged from the thematic analysis of the interviews are : a."Difficulties encountered en route to destinations", b."Emotional experiences", c."The psychosocial baggage" and d."Future plans and concerns". It was found that unaccompanied minors undergo traumatic experiences upon arrival and settlement in Greece related to imprisonment, continuous transfer between refugee camps, loss of familial relationships and difficulties in the asylum process. Therefore, it seemed that they have personal and social sources of support. They embolden their mental fortitude by relying on personal strengths, vision for the future, goal setting and future family reunification in order to be able to cope with difficult situations. Friends, structure, caregivers, school and religion are key sources of support for unaccompanied minors. The findings highlight needs and resources that can be utilized for the design of interventions and educational programs, aiming at the optimal support of minors in accommodation structures.