Working with Refugee Communities in Research: Context, Ethics, and Practice

Course Information

This training session supports researchers to move beyond assumptions and develop ethical, respectful, and responsive research practices.

The session begins by exploring lived experience in RAS communities, highlighting diversity and challenging stereotypes. It examines post-migration realities such as unfamiliar systems, language barriers, trauma histories and daily stressors, and how these shape engagement with research. Participants will consider how power imbalances and loss of agency affect choice, consent and participation.

The second part focuses on practice across the research cycle. Topics include recruitment and pre-engagement, building trust, safety and working with community organisations. Participants will explore ways to support agency through co-decision making and flexible research design.

Trauma-informed research practice is a central theme, with attention to safety, choice, collaboration and empowerment. Strategies for reducing distress, supporting wellbeing and using culturally responsive qualitative methods will be discussed.

The session aims to strengthen research skills and ethical competence, helping researchers reflect on their assumptions, recognise power dynamics and work with partners such as the VCSE partners in ways that enhance agency.

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Learning Outcomes

  • Enhanced understanding of the lived experiences and post-migration realities among RAS population groups: trauma, daily stressors and ongoing uncertainty

      • Insight into research considerations specific to RAS population groups:

    • Relationship-building
    • Enhancing agency through co-decision-making
    • Qualitative approaches that support psychological wellbeing
    • An ethical framework grounded in the foundational principles of trauma

      • Course Agenda

    • Trauma Theory
    • Concepts of agency, structure, psychological wellbeing

      • Course Dates

      Course Start Date:  Thursday, April 23, 2026 1:00 PM

      Course End Date :  Thursday, April 23, 2026 3:00 PM

      Enrolment Dates

      Enrolment Start Date:  Wednesday, February 11, 2026 8:00 AM

      Enrolment End Date :  Wednesday, April 15, 2026 5:00 PM

      Course Location

      Online

      Course Tutor/s

      Dr Sarah Hunt (PhD) and Beauty Tshuma (BAME Link Worker Tees Esk & Wear Valley Mental Health Trust)

      Course Delivery Type

      Online - Live Virtual course icon

      Course Fees

      Price per attendee is £0.00 (zero VAT)