Dyadic relations between refugees and volunteers: Support exchange and reciprocity experienced in buddy projects in Flanders, Belgium

Abstract

Refugees often leave behind perilous journeys to enter Europe and lengthy asylum procedures that jeopardize their long-term integration trajectory. Therefore, adequate and tailored social support by host society members is key. Although classical social support theories are frequently used in the framework of refugee resettlement and integration, they often neglect the influence of intergroup power asymmetries in support exchange. These asymmetries may become very outspoken in civic integration programs promoting supportive social connections via intergroup contact between refugees and local volunteers, such as buddy projects. In this research we study relationship experiences and social support exchange in dyadic interactions between local volunteers and refugees from Middle-Eastern and Eastern-African countries enrolled in buddy projects in Belgium (Flanders). Semi-structured in-depth interviews were done with 7 dyads participating in such projects, resulting in 14 people interviewed (7 volunteers and 7 refugees). The interviews were analyzed using dyadic thematic analysis. We found that volunteers and refugees reported a positive and dynamic relationship, even if it was mainly intended to solve immediate practical or bureaucratic issues and less dedicated to self-disclosure and communal exchanges. As volunteers were intent on providing practical, material, and informational support to refugees, such as aiding with administrative paperwork, translations, and liaise with service providers, little room was left for reciprocity in the exchange of emotional support. The latter form of support, when present, was expressed through active listening, emotional sharing, and through the acts of eating together and dialoguing about cultural differences. Asymmetries in support exchange and limited reciprocity were embedded in power imbalances inherent to the relational context, further exacerbated by other important factors, such as a lack of organizational support and gaps in the integration system. To conclude, we provide recommendations for organizational actors and policy makers on how to promote reciprocity in support exchange to rebalance the asymmetric relationship between refugees and volunteers, thus facilitating mutual accommodation in buddy projects.