This document provides practical guidelines for organisations that seek to improve their engagement with young refugees and asylum seekers through developing participatory arts and media projects.

In particular, this guideline is concerned with the participation of young refugees in arts-based projects. Many of these young people have experienced conflict and suffered trauma; their resettlement experience is often coupled with a number of barriers including poverty, poor housing, low English-language skills, discrimination, social isolation, complicated appeals procedures, and difficulties accessing mainstream services. Therefore, the guideline is designed to meet the programming needs of this population by emphasizing projects and procedures that aid in integrating young refugees and asylum seekers into local communities, including: feeling valued and respected, participating in community life, building self-confidence, developing knowledge and skills to build their lives in the UK, and being a part of social networks and relationships

It includes case studies using participatory video, digital storytelling, creative learning, participatory theatre and participatory photography. The outcomes of these participatory activities discussed in the case studies of this guideline demonstrate how such forms of engagement can rebuild trust and a sense of identity, increase participants’ autonomy, independence and integration into new social and cultural systems.

Lockowandt, M. (2013). Inclusion Through Art: An organisational guideline to using the participatory arts with young refugees and asylum seekers. UK: Refugee Support Network.