Researchers’ reflections on focus groups with unaccompanied migrant youths

Abstract

One of the main objectives of the research project “Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue to Promote a Culture of Peace among Young People and Unaccompanied Migrant Minors in Barcelona and Melilla” (RTI2018-095259-B-I00, MCIU/AEI/FEDER, EU) was to make the situation of migrant minors in Barcelona and Melilla visible. Five focus groups were held with unaccompanied minors from fostering centres in Barcelona, and two with minors living on the streets in the same city. Some topics emerging during the interviews (recorded in audio format by the researchers) were: impressions of participants’ private feelings; the influence of authority figures present during the interviews, mainly educators; the difficulty of talking about and sharing some experiences, especially those regarding the migration process; participants’ relationships and previous knowledge of each other; their emotions and nonverbal language; communication and linguistic issues; and interview participation. These topics were identified as factors that needed to be taken into account in the final conclusions and as aspects to reflect on when evaluating techniques used in research with unaccompanied minors.