The Roles of Asylum Seeker–Led Organisations in Settlement Processes and Determinants: Evidence from Hong Kong

Abstract

Organisations led by refugees or migrants play an important role in their settlement, providing platforms for establishing connections and reaching the wider community. However, our knowledge of how they utilise these platforms for establishing connections and the factors affecting the formation of these connections remains limited. This paper, drawing on evidence from Hong Kong, examines the use of organisations led by asylum seekers as platforms for establishing connections, the roles of these connections in their settlement process, and the factors affecting the formation of these connections. Data were collected from an asylum seeker–led organisation in Hong Kong. The author conducted participant observation and 30 semi-structured interviews with adult asylum seekers while volunteering with this organisation between 2018 and 2021. The findings reinforce the importance of organisations led by refugees or migrants in their settlement process, particularly when official humanitarian aid is insufficient. They utilise these platforms to reach the wider community for support, thereby filling assistance gaps through establishing connections with the local community (bridging) and participating in policy advocacy activities (linking). Proficiency in the local language and institutional responsiveness were found to determine their ability to bridge with the local community and link with policymakers respectively. Overall, the findings suggest that, aside from the engagement of refugees or migrants, the support of host communities and institutional responsiveness are equally important in creating favourable conditions for them to adjust to and establish their lives in a new context.