Communication and language management in third sector organisations supporting refugees

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of people in displacement has reached an all-time high. In 2020 more than 80 million people were in displacement (UNHCR, 2020). In the receiving countries, third sector organisations manage the hosting of asylum-seekers and migrants. The objective of this doctoral research is to explore how third sector organisations that support refugees manage communication and language diversity. The study focused on third sector organisations operating in four countries: Italy, Greece, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The main question that this dissertation aimed to answer was to what extent are the communication practices of third sector organisations accessible for their service users. A qualitative case-study approach was used to explore the subject, drawing from sources of data such as interviews, focus group discussions, questionnaires, and the analysis of classroom language learning materials. The participants are refugees, staff at third sector organisations and public bodies, and host-country language teachers. The results of this thesis shed light on the difficulties that refugees face when accessing information in the host countries. The thesis reviews the translation and interpreting practices at organisations, and the methods employed at organisations to communicate with their beneficiaries face-to-face and online. Finally, the thesis provides recommendations on how these organisations could make their content and service provision more accessible.