The role of mentoring and befriending in supporting unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people to resettle in Scotland

This study explores the role of formal and informal mentoring and befriending in supporting unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people (UASYP) to resettle in Scotland. Despite the proliferation of programmes aimed at supporting the integration of young asylum seekers, this is still a neglected area of research. This exploratory study conducted between 2021-2023 used a qualitative enquiry, including interviews with eight young advisors with lived experience of the asylum process, ten UASYP in Scotland, seven of their mentors/befrienders and sixteen professionals engaged in work with UASYP.

Mentoring is mostly evaluated as a stand-alone intervention, rather than being situated in a wider socio-political context. Most studies on mentoring focus on traditional dyadic models, where one adult supports the personal development of a young person, ignoring the role played by informal mentors and wider support networks. Adopting an ecological approach, the research explores the micro, meso and macro aspects of mentoring and befriending with UASYP. Drawing on the theoretical perspectives of liminality, social anchoring and relational embedding, it explores the barriers to resettlement for UASYP and examines the role of mentoring and befriending in supporting the resettlement of UASYP.

The study argues that UASYP occupy socio-spatial, temporal, ontological and imposed liminalities, which have implications for resettlement in Scotland. Mentoring and befriending allow young people to 'anchor' to temporary 'communities of belonging and 'embed' across different networks. They also provide three functions: developmental, acculturative and socio-emotional, helping young people to bridge liminalities and resettle post-migration. The study proposes that 'relational mentoring' is a useful umbrella term to define mentoring and befriending with UASYP, a provision that is relationship focused, a lighter touch support, more needs-led and less target driven than traditional mentoring.