Conference Paper
Exploring Forced Migrants (Re)settlement & the Role of Digital Services
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Text/Conference Paper
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Date
2018
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Volume Title
Publisher
European Society for Socially Embedded Technologies (EUSSET)
Abstract
In recent years, large numbers of forced migrants have arrived in urban areas all around the world. Access to relevant information and suitable technology can help forced migrants, mainly refugees and asylum seekers, to cope with several of the challenges they face in this process. We conducted a qualitative study with ten forced migrants and six social workers and a staff member of a collective lodging for young forced migrants in Münster, Germany. The goal was to identify challenges and needs in this specific context, find criteria for assessing digital support services for forced migrants, and suggest general aspects of improvement. We analyzed 36 existing mobile applications and web services useful for forced migrants upon arrival and during (re)settlement. Our results highlight some critical issues to be addressed through digital services for forced migrants regarding information reliability, timeliness, and complexity, as well as an occasional lack of experience with geospatial services.