“We’re Still Learning and Growing”: An Ethnographic Program Evaluation of an After-School Program for Refugee Youth

Community-based programs for refugee youth are an integral component of their adjustment to life in the US. This study is a program evaluation of an after-school enrichment program for refugee youth, conducted in partnership with a resettlement agency. It examines the ways in which community-based programs can and are currently assisting in refugees’ psychosocial adaptation and acculturation to US culture. Using qualitative participatory action research methods, this study evaluates the program from the perspective of the students. Analysis of the data collected indicates that the program has assisted refugee youth in adjusting to American life through developing meaningful social relationships, supporting their emotional growth, and encouraging students to acknowledge themselves as agents of their own experience. This study also proposes recommendations based on contributions from refugee youth and literature that are designed to assist with social and emotional hardships, encourage peer-to-peer connections, and elevate youth voices in program development