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The University of Manchester Research No Right to Dream: The social and economic lives of young undocumented migrants Link to publication record in Manchester Research Explorer Citation for published version (APA): Bloch, A., Sigona, N., & Zetter, R. (2009). No Right to Dream: The social and economic lives of young undocumented migrants. Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Citing this paper Please note that where the full-text provided on Manchester Research Explorer is the Author Accepted Manuscript or Proof version this may differ from the final Published version. If citing, it is advised that you check and use the publisher's definitive version. General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the Research Explorer are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. 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Oct. 2021 ‘No right to dream’ The social and economic lives of young undocumented migrants in Britain ‘Noright to dream’ PaulHamlynFoundation The social and economic 18 QueenAnne’sGate LondonSW1H9AA lives of young undocumented Tel:02072273500 Fax:02072223575 migrants in Britain Email:[email protected] A report commissioned by www.phf.org.uk This document may be viewed online PaulHamlynFoundationisacompanylimitedbyguarantee at www.staff.city.ac.uk/yum or via the registeredinEnglandandWales(number5042279) Paul Hamlyn Foundation website, Alice Bloch (City University London), Nando Sigona and andaregisteredcharity(number1102927) www.phf.org.uk Roger Zetter (Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford) ‘Noright to dream’ The social and economic lives of young undocumented migrants in Britain A report commissioned by Alice Bloch (City University London), Nando Sigona and Roger Zetter (Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford) This document may be viewed online at www.staff.city.ac.uk/yum or via the Paul Hamlyn Foundation website, www.phf.org.uk Published by Paul Hamlyn Foundation ISBN 978-1-905500-20-8 Design: red-stone.com Printed on 75% recycled paper ThesocialandeconomiclivesofyoungundocumentedmigrantsinBritain 1 Contents Acknowledgements 4 Foreword(JaneHamlyn– 5 Chair,PaulHamlynFoundation) Executivesummary 6 Casestudy:Kirsty 11 Chapter1:Introductionandcontext 12 Background 13 Parametersofthestudyanddefinitions 13 Researchcontext 14 Fieldworkandmethodology 16 Researchethics 17 Profileofthesample 18 Outlineandstructureofthereport 18 Casestudy:FangPing 19 Chapter2:Migrationandyouth– 20 Motives,expectationsandcircumstances Introduction 21 Circumstancesandmotivationsformigration 21 ReasonsforcomingtotheUK:choiceorchance 23 Whatinformationdidyoungundocumentedmigrantshave? 27 Beingyoungasanincentiveformigration 29 Beingyoungasa‘reason’forundocumentedmigration 32 Conclusion 34 Casestudy:Eduardo 35 Chapter3:Theeverydaylifeof 36 youngundocumentedmigrants Introduction 37 Confrontingthereality 37 Socialnetworksandsettlement 39 Accommodation 41 Undocumentednessandeverydaylife 42 Mobility 45 Copingwithchangingpoliticalandeconomicandconditions 47 Incidentsandconsequencesofbeingundocumented 49 Gettingsomekindofstatus 51 LikesanddislikesoflivingintheUK 53 Conclusion 55 Casestudy:Kawa 57 2 ‘Norighttodream’ Chapter4:Employmentandlivelihoods 58 Introduction 59 Experiencesofemployment 59 Findingjobs 63 Impactofnothavingpapersonworkandjobsearch 64 Survivingwithoutwork 67 Spendingandremittances 68 Conclusion 70 Casestudy:Berenice 71 Chapter5:Sociallifeandsocial 72 andcommunitynetworks Introduction 73 Socialactivitiesandwherepeoplesocialise 73 Family,friendsandacquaintances 77 Formalandinformalsupportnetworks 82 Conclusion 86 Casestudy:Levko 87 Chapter6:Feelings,adjustments, 88 copingstrategies,andaspirations Introduction 89 Undocumentedness–invadingpersonalandemotionalspace 89 Adjustmentandadaptation:lifecoursesandchangingcircumstances 93 Copingandadjusting 93 Adaptation–strategiesandchallenges 96 Making(andnotmaking)plansforthefuture 99 Assessingtheexperience 101 Lessonslearned 101 Wasitworthwhile? 103 Conclusion 106 Chapter7:Conclusions 108 Introduction 109 Summaryofthemainfindings 109 Appendix1:Methodology 113 Background 113 Partnerorganisationsandresearcherswithlanguageskills 113 Pilotinterviews,refiningthetopicguideandtranslations 114 Researchparticipants–keyattributes 114 Countryoforigin 114 Sitesfortheresearch 114 Fieldworkquotas 114 Accessingparticipants 115 Thesampleandroutestointerviewees 117 Thefieldworkexperience 120 ThesocialandeconomiclivesofyoungundocumentedmigrantsinBritain 3 Appendix2:Capacitybuilding 122 Capacitybuildingbackground 122 Buildingthecapacityofyoungundocumentedmigrants 122 Researcherswithfirstlanguageskills 122 Communityorganisations 122 Othercapacitybuildingactivitiesandoutcomes 123 Outcomes 123 Appendix3:Profileofinterviewees 124 Bibliography 129 List of tables Table1: Maincharacteristicsbyemploymentstatus,frequencies 59 T able2: Quotasheet 115 Table 3: Regionalprofileofthesample 117 Table 4: Zimbabweaninterviewees 118 Table 5: Ukrainianinterviewees 118 Table 6: Chineseinterviewees 119 Table 7: Brazilianinterviewees 119 Table 8: Kurdishinterviewees 120 Table 9: Brazilians:Profileandemployment 124 Table 10: KurdsfromTurkey:Profileandemployment 125 Table11: Ukrainians:Profileandemployment 126 Table12: Zimbabweans:Profileandemployment 127 Table13: Chinese:Profileandemployment 128 4 ‘Norighttodream’ Acknowledgements Anumberofpeopleandorganisationscontributedtheirwork,ideasandenthusiasm tothecompletionofthisproject.Firstofall,wewishtothankthefiveresearcherswho carriedout,transcribedandtranslatedtheinterviewswiththeyoungundocumented migrantsfortheiroutstandingwork:JanrojKeles(KurdsfromTurkey),TomLam (Chinese),ThokoMazura(Zimbabweans),OlegPasichnyi(Ukrainians)andAna Souza(Brazilians).Asincerethankyoualsogoestothepartnerorganisations (EvelynOldfieldUnit,TheWaiYinChineseWomenSociety,AfricanCommunity CouncilfortheRegions,ChineseCommunityCentre–Birmingham,ABRAS,The ZimbabweAssociation,Halkevi)thathelpedustoreachpotentialintervieweesin Londonandtheregions,andtookpartinthecapacitybuildingworkshopsthatwe designedfollowingtheirinsights.Thankyoualsototheorganisationsandindividuals thatassistedusatvariousstagesofthisresearchproject,especiallyRakeshJilka andBarryGilesfromtheSchoolofSocialSciencesatCityUniversityLondonand toDogusSimsekwhoassisteduswiththecodinganddataentry.Wewouldliketo thankKirsteenTaitforhercommitment,adviceandsupportthroughouttheproject. Finally,wewouldliketothankthemembersofthesteeringcommitteeverymuch fortheirinputsandadvice,andthestaffofPaulHamlynFoundationfortheirsupport, encouragementandenthusiasmthroughouttheproject. ThesocialandeconomiclivesofyoungundocumentedmigrantsinBritain 5 Foreword Sinceitwasestablishedin1987,PaulHamlynFoundationhasalwaysbeen committedtohelpingtacklesocialinjustice. Weareparticularlyconcernedtohelpthosepeoplewhoexperienceprejudice andharmearlyonintheirlives,andasaconsequencestruggletorealisetheir potential.Whatmotivatesusisthatmanyyoungpeopleexperiencedifficulties thatareneedless,andavoidable. ThatiswhyourSocialJusticeprogrammesupportsorganisationsthattrytohelp thoseonthemarginsofsocietybuildbetterlivesforthemselves,andcontribute tothecommunitiesinwhichtheylive.Butwealsotaketheviewthatbylistening toyoungpeoplemorecarefully,wecanfindbetterwaysofhelpingthemovercome thechallengestheyface. Wecommissionedthisresearchbecausewewantedtodrawattentiontothe situationofyoung‘undocumented’migrantslivinginBritain,andtostimulate debateabouthow,asasociety,weshouldrespond. Thisreport,producedbyresearchersatCityUniversityandUniversityofOxford RefugeeStudiesCentre,givesusaninsightintoagroupofyoungpeopleabout whomthereismuchanecdote,butverylittlerobustevidence.Theytellstories thatbeginfullofhopeandexpectation,andyouthfulvigourandenterprise,but oftenendupbeingshapedbyfear,uncertainty,mentaldistressandexploitation. Manyendupunabletodoanythingabouttheirpredicaments,scrapingaliving inthehiddeneconomy,opentoharmandexploitation,unabletofindhelpwhen theyareintrouble. Thetitleofthereport,‘Norighttodream’,usesthewordsofoneyoungperson, butreflectsthesentimentsharedbymanymore–namely,thattheyhadlostso muchassociatedwithanormalyouth,evenimaginingabetterfuturewasslipping fromtheirgrasp. Thissituationwouldseemtobeatoddswithourcorevaluesasasociety,and inparticulartheemphasiswegivetoprotectingandsupportingyoungpeople. Wehopethatthisreportwillstimulatewiderdiscussionanddebate,andencourage awiderangeoforganisationstolookatwaysofhelpingtheseyoungpeople. Iwouldliketothanktheextremelydedicatedteamwhoconductedtheresearch, particularlythecommunityresearchersacrossEnglandwhoseindustryandtenacity hasenabledustohearthesecompellingaccountsofyoungpeople’slives. Jane Hamlyn Chair,PaulHamlynFoundation 6 ‘Norighttodream’ Executive summary Aims, objectives and methodology WhatdoesitmeantobeyoungandundocumentedincontemporaryBritain?How doyoungmigrantscopewithlifeinBritainatatimeofeconomicdownturnandthe introductionofthegovernment’s‘toughtouch’onundocumentedmigrants?Built aroundthevoicesof75migrantsfromfivedifferentcountries(Brazil,China,Kurds fromTurkey,UkraineandZimbabwe),thisresearchcapturesacomplexreality; itmovesbetweentheuniquenessoftheindividualexperienceandthesearchfor patternsandcommonalitiesacrossmigrants’accountsoftheireverydaylives