When you wear that jersey you feel like a family' : community participation, social capital and the settlement of young refugees in regional Australia

Purpose: Each year, young refugees make up seventy percent of Australia’s humanitarian intake. A growing number of these young people are settling in regional areas of Australia. The services and social support available to refugees in regional areas differ to that found in metropolitan areas. In this paper, we examine the social experiences of young refugees in regional Australia. Specifically, we explored the role of social capital and its impact on regional settlement experiences for young refugees. Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative in-depth interviews and photo elicitation methods were conducted with sixteen Congolese young people with refugee backgrounds living in an Australian regional town. Thematic analysis method was used to analyse the data. Findings: Our findings revealed that the young refugees relied on a variety of social capitals to help them integrate into their regional community. Community participation in the form of sport, music and cultural activities were common methods to develop social capital. Importantly, these young people exhibited a remarkable level of resilience and determination that assisted them to succeed in Australia. Practical implications: This paper provides an important contribution to the literature guiding refugee policy and practice in the regional area. It highlights that social capital, including bonding and bridging capital, is important for young refugees whose social relationships are often diminished during the process of forced migration. The paper identifies community participation as a potential method for restoring social capital for young refugees, particularly for young refugees in regional Australia where community participation is common. Originality/value: This paper offers conceptual understanding about the influence of social capital on the wellbeing of young people from a refugee background; a group within an understudied community in a host country.