Refugee integration - role of local authorities: research

Appendix D

The role of Local Authorities in Delivering Humanitarian Protection Programmes and Supporting Refugee Integration in Scotland

Stakeholder topic guide

Opening

Thank you so much for agreeing to take part in an interview for this research project looking at the delivery of humanitarian protection programmes and supporting refugee integration in Scotland.

• Can I check that you’ve read and understood the information sheet? Go over key points as necessary.
• Can I check that you’ve completed the consent form – are you happy with everything included there? Go over key points as necessary.
• Do you have any questions?
• Is there a time you need us to finish by?
• Are you okay for me to press record? Only proceed if the participant says yes.

Introduction

1. Please tell me a little about your organisation, role and the work you do to support the integration of refugees and asylum seekers in the local area.

• Role and length of employment/involvement
• Demography of people supported
• Types of activities/support offered

(Note: some workers will not be based in specific refugee resettlement teams, but in departments such as housing and social work.)

Understanding the current picture

2. You’ve mentioned [X demographic], could you please describe which groups/communities have been resettled in your local area and for how long this has been the case?

3. You’ve mentioned [X services or activities], please can you say more about the services and activities that are available to refugees and asylum seekers in your local area? In your view, who are the main organisations and actors working to support refugee integration locally?

4. Please comment on the extent to which these organisations coordinate their support in the local area.

Identifying successes and challenges

5. What does successful refugee integration look like to you in your local area?

6. Could you tell us about any particular successes or achievements that you’re aware of in terms of refugee integration in your local area? Do any examples come to mind where the integration support has been particularly successful for individuals or communities?

7. On the other hand, what would you say are some of the biggest challenges for refugee integration in your local area?

8. Have refugee integration efforts become more or less effective over time? What factors have contributed to this being the case?

(Prompt: how has expertise developed locally? How are expertise and experiences of good practice shared?)

9. Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic, what impacts would you say it has had on refugee integration in your local area?

Comparing experiences across Scotland

Note: The next question asks about place – inclusive of location (ie where your area is in the country and how well connected it is), geography (ie the physical aspects of the area, including whether it’s urban or rural), and socio-economic factors (ie the relative wealth or deprivation of the area).

10. Is there anything unique to your area that either contributes to the success of refugee integration work or which poses particular barriers or challenges for refugee integration work?

• Which places within your local area are best able to support the integration of refugees? Why so?
• Which places are least able to support the integration of refugees? Why so?

11. Have you been able to learn from the experiences and examples of good practice from other local authorities? Has this learning been implemented, and if so, how?

• Are there mechanisms for sharing experiences and examples of good practice across local authorities, and if so, what are these? If not, what could be done to support this?

12. What could other areas in Scotland learn from the experiences of your local authority?

Exploring the impact of policy and legislation

13. There are seven themes contained within the New Scots refugee integration strategy, please can you comment on how your local authority / organisation contributes to promoting integration in these areas?

Note: Only prompt participant on themes that have not been explicitly discussed already in the interview

• Needs of asylum seekers (if relevant)
• Employability and welfare rights
• Housing
• Education
• Language
• Health and Wellbeing
• Communities, Culture and Social Connections

14. Do you feel the New Scots refugee integration strategy has been effective in its aim to support the integration of refugees in Scotland? If yes, how so? If no, why not?

(Prompt: If the participant is not familiar with the strategy, explore the overarching outcomes:

• Refugees live in safe, welcoming and cohesive communities
• Refugees understand their rights, responsibilities and entitlement
• Refugees are able to access well-coordinated services
• Policy, strategic planning and legislation are informed by the rights, needs and aspirations of refugees)

15. The UK government has established a number of refugee resettlement and humanitarian protection programmes. Please comment on the effectiveness of these to support refugee integration in Scotland.

Note: Only ask this question if this has not been explicitly discussed already in the interview

16. Please comment on the extent to which devolved policy (developed by the Scottish Government) and reserved policy (developed by the UK government) supports the integration of refugees in Scotland? What coordination is there between devolved and reserved policy?

17. What policy changes do you think are necessary to bring about better outcomes for humanitarian protection and refugee integration in Scotland?

• Reference to Scottish Government / UK government policies

Looking ahead

18. Finally, what gives you hope for (or what is your aspiration for) the future of refugee integration in your local area?