Action research is a tool that we use in various projects to learn about the system surrounding newcomers through action. The method was developed to quickly, equally, and personally determine whether someone has livelihood security issues and to work together to develop breakthroughs to address these issues. We do this in such a way that the stakeholders involved, such as social organizations and municipalities, or more informal parties, can learn from the interventions we make for the entire group.
We asked Frans Somers to explain what action research is, using a concrete example. Frans has been working at OpenEmbassy for four years, almost two of which as an action researcher.
What do you do as an action researcher?
Frans: "I solve concrete problems and at the same time learn how the system that produces those problems works and how it can be improved. From finding housing to learning and working programs: individual solutions always lead to broadly applicable knowledge.
Do you have a specific example that clearly illustrates your work as an action researcher?
Frans: "A Syrian man and his underage Syrian girlfriend, newcomers to the Netherlands, came to us with a specific question: why are their benefits so low? I investigated the situation. As a minor in the Netherlands, you are required to attend school. The girlfriend is enrolled in a vocational entrance program and receives student financial aid, to which she is entitled like anyone else studying in the Netherlands. I understood that the couple is dealing with two systems: the Education Executive Agency (DUO) and the municipal benefits agency, which considers student grants to be income. This is why the family benefits were much lower than they had expected."
You had the answer to their question. Then you were done, right?
Frans: "Yes, I had the answer to their question. But no, I was far from finished. My overarching question was: why is the family dependent on benefits? Why can't he find work? He has been in the Netherlands for six years.
This is where the interesting part of our work begins: what are the possibilities for this newcomer to find a job? And what new insights can we gain from this situation? This man wants to work in construction. He has gained a lot of experience in Syria, but he has no qualifications. In addition, his Dutch is still insufficient. He does not know the technical language.
So first research and then action?
Frans: "I am indeed going to do something concrete. I'm going to mobilize everyone in my network to create a positive impact on this family's life. I want to change the situation and help the family move from a position of powerlessness to one of power and control. By then, they had accumulated significant debt, were unable to pay their rent, and were dependent on the food bank. When I first met them, they were expecting a baby. The baby has since been born."
Were you able to help the family?
Frans: "We found funds that were willing to clear the family's debts and give the Syrian couple a fresh start. We also put the man in touch with an organization that connects newcomers with experience and skills but without diplomas to companies. It's a two-month learning program, with benefits retained. It was important to me to show him that there are other ways to find work outside his Syrian network. He made a good impression and, at the end of the program, was introduced to construction companies with good prospects for paid employment. His girlfriend is continuing her education. She wants to become a beautician and has concrete ideas and plans for this. I don't question whether this is feasible. I stay close to her ambition and her dream. That is the key point of action research. You offer perspective and search step by step for what is possible."
Did you understand how this situation had arisen?
Frans: "The municipality says it has everything well organized. Newcomers just need to call or drop by. That's all. I hear that a lot. And I get it. Employment counselors have a heavy workload. A lot is done online. In the case of the Syrian man, I saw for myself that his communication skills were lacking. I discovered that his integration level was A2 until 2019. That is too low to understand the municipality's and tax authority's websites. Or to properly understand what a collection agency is asking of you or what your obligations are to a health insurer. From the beginning, there was unclear communication with his employment consultant.
Are you in contact with the employment consultant?
Frans: "Thanks to our independent investigative role, we can provide employment consultants with options for better understanding clients' needs and providing customized services. 'Would it be a good idea to do it this way? Or perhaps consider this.' We are investigating how their work instructions can be broadened. At present, newcomers have to deal with a lot of agencies and systems that are poorly coordinated and, moreover, do not match the newcomers' living environment. Unfortunately, we still see many bureaucratic obstacles that stand in the way of a successful landing in the new homeland. I hope that the new integration law will improve this situation."
Practical example: YARO
Yaro, from Eritrea, came to the Netherlands as a refugee. At the age of 17, he was expelled from the residential group for asylum-seeking youths. Since then, he has been sleeping on the streets or at friends' houses, using drugs, not attending school, and having no income. In this video shows how we are working with Yaro to create prospects for his future.
