African Refugee Youth’s Experiences and Impact on Career Development: An Adaptation of a Culturally Responsive Career Exploration Group

ABSTRACT Of the 70.8 million people forcibly displaced from their original countries globally, 28.9 million are refugees. More than half of this refugee population are children under the age of 18, with a sizable representation from countries in Africa that have experienced continued conflicts. In resettlement countries, African refugee youth have encountered a host of challenges that affect their schooling in preparation for their future careers. For the majority of refugee families, safety in resettlement countries and particularly the schooling opportunities for their children provide glimpses of hope for a better future. To mitigate some of the challenges and barriers towards a better career future, a school-based career exploration group conducted collaboratively by representatives from within the refugee group community, school system, and the larger society provides these youth with a safe and collaborative way to discuss their challenges or difficulties in their journeys towards achieving career goals. In this group, youth are able to share narratives of their experiences while also learning the social-cultural capital and skills needed to successfully navigate school, college entry, and work environments. Since career decision-making may not be an individualistic endeavor for people from Africa, suggestions for responsively including culturally congruent values are presented. Across eight groups, specific topics related to social-cultural considerations, skills building for career planning, barriers and challenges are addressed. Implications for counseling are also discussed.