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Copyright

Méabh Bonham Corcoran; Sarah Quinn; Frédérique Vallières;

Published On

2025-09-09

Page Range

pp. 151–168

Language

  • English

Print Length

18 pages

6. Promoting Interaction and Mutual Learning Between Local and Refugee Communities

Chapter of: Interprofessional Approach to Refugee Health: A Practical Guide for Interdisciplinary Health and Social Care Teams(pp. 151–168)
This chapter explores the critical role of communities in facilitating the integration of refugees and asylum seekers into their host countries. The first section examines the benefits of community engagement for integration and social inclusion, with particular attention to the role of occupation. Readers are encouraged to reflect on these factors in relation to the populations they serve.
The second section presents a case study of a community garden in Ireland, which serves as a successful model for refugee and asylum seeker integration. The case study highlights the perspectives of committee members involved in the initiative, illustrating the processes and challenges of fostering inclusion. Additionally, it underscores the importance of mutual learning between refugee and local community members.

Although this chapter is framed within an occupational therapy perspective, the concepts discussed have broader relevance. Health and social care professionals across disciplines may find the insights valuable for enhancing their understanding and application of community-based integration strategies in their respective practice settings.

Contributors

Méabh Bonham Corcoran

(author)
PhD researcher within the Discipline of Occupational Therapy and the Trinity Centre for Global Health at Trinity College Dublin
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6361-1835

Méabh is an occupational therapist and PhD researcher within the Discipline of Occupational Therapy and the Trinity Centre for Global Health at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. Her research focuses on the experiences of occupational (in)justice among asylum seekers, refugees, and other forcibly displaced populations living in Ireland. The project explores the role of community-based groups, such as community gardens and football clubs, in mitigating occupational deprivation and fostering inclusion and integration. Méabh uses qualitative methods to gain an in-depth understanding of participants' occupational experiences before and after migrating to Ireland.

Sarah Quinn

(author)
Assistant Professor in the Discipline of Occupational Therapy at Trinity College Dublin

Sarah Quinn, MPhil., BSc., is an Assistant Professor in the Discipline of Occupational Therapy, Trinity College Dublin. Her scholarship and research interests are primarily justice orientated with a particular focus on feminism, occupational justice, community participation, and social inclusion. Through her teaching she advances practices in social occupational therapy that includes the promotion of refugee health at micro to macro levels. Sarah leads an award-winning, multi-service collaboration that developed an innovative model to facilitate supported volunteering and promote inclusion of those experiencing social disadvantage. She was an active member of the Erasmus+ funded, inter-disciplinary project, PREP-IP (Persons with Refugee Experiences Education Project Interprofessional), which developed resources for health and social care professionals to work in the area of refugee and migrant health.

Frédérique Vallières

(author)
Professor in Global Health and Director of the Trinity Centre for Global Health at Trinity College Dublin
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6315-3029

Frédérique Vallières is a Professor in Global Health and Director of the Trinity Centre for Global Health at Trinity College Dublin. Her research sits at the intersection of psychology and global health, using participatory approaches to better understand how individuals, communities, and systems respond to adversity and crisis. Collaborating with civil society organizations, international NGOs, and UN partners across Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, she works to strengthen mental health services and systems, ensuring they are more responsive and resilient in the face of unexpected events.