The unique pathways of Ukrainian youth
How does being a newcomer shape the daily lives of Ukrainian youth in the Netherlands and Germany? And what factors play a role in making daily life easier or more difficult for Ukrainian youth? With the Being Me in the Netherlands and Germany project we want to find out how Ukrainian youth experience their new life in the Netherlands and Germany.
A two-fold transition
Starting life in a new country can be an eventful experience. On the one hand, such a transition can bring new and exciting opportunities that were not there before, on the other hand it can be stressful to learn a new language or adapt to a new cultural context. The reason for moving to a new country also plays a role – was it a voluntary decision or did external events trigger the move?
Moving to a new country during adolescence can be even more challenging. Adolescence is often also seen as a time of transition – adolescents start to think about themself and what they want to do with their future. For young newcomers, questions about themselves coincide with questions about their life in a new country. How does this two-fold transition shape the daily lives of young newcomers? What helps them to feel good in their daily lives, and what makes life more difficult?
By answering these questions, we can understand why some young newcomers experience their new lives as easy and enjoyable, while others seem to struggle. This knowledge can be used by schools to strengthen the factors that help youth, and reduce the factors that can make daily life more difficult. The Being Me in the Netherlands and Germany project focuses specifically on Ukrainian newcomers in the Netherlands and Germany.