Beyond ESOL provision: perspectives on language, intercultural and integration support for Syrian refugees in Ireland

This chapter is the second in this volume (the first being Chapter 5) to report on a research project investigating language and intercultural support for Syrian refugees who are being resettled in towns across Ireland under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP). Based on the perspectives of ESOL providers, resettlement workers, representatives of NGOs and organizations involved in the IRPP, as well as community-based service providers and volunteers, it explores the language and intercultural supports available to Syrian refugees beyond the official provision of English language training. Its findings indicate the need for intercultural training for those working with refugees, appropriate responses to refugees’ diverse needs, and support for sustainable integration in host communities. Emerging linguistic and cultural challenges faced by Syrian refugees in relation to employment, education, and social inclusion are discussed; the findings of this research point to the need for clear policy on refugee resettlement in Ireland