When faced with challenges and problems, people tend to use personal or external coping mechanisms as the main strategy for reducing the negative impacts of stress and conquering obstacles. But there isn’t one commonly known theory that would explain how refugees cope and use those mechanisms, outer resources for integrating in their new society.
With the start of the war in Ukraine, I understood how it is difficult for people to start a new life in a new country and take control of their life back. I have acquaintances, who had to leave their families and move to another country, which made me think if there is any way of making that shift easier.
The fundamental issue there is frequently not just a language barrier, but also differences in backgrounds, mentalities, and habits. A lot of refugees end up in a new country without family or friends, and because of that, they may feel like they have no one to ask for help. It affects mental health and adaptation in general as well. Also affects whether the whole family was able to move or the husband remained in the country if they have children or pets, or previous experience in traveling. And when it mixes with a sudden loss of almost everything you knew before, that makes it more difficult to adapt and “find your place” in this new world. The most difficult is when a person has also lost someone as well.
But the promotion of self-esteem, confidence, and a sense of control as well as the provision of knowledge and direction is always that thing social support has to do to encourage adaptive coping responses.
So, this made me think if there is a way of creating something with the help of design, that would solve this. Because of that, researching how individuals respond and behave in challenging circumstances, as well as how they find answers and regain control over their lives – seemed like a good idea to me. This will help in figuring out how to design a product that would have a special connection with refugees from Ukraine, help to ease the stress and feeling of not belonging, and answer the questions.
Sources:
Assessing War Trauma in Refugees
The coping processes of adult refugees resettled in New Zealand
‘Refoodgee’ App Connects Berlin Locals With Refugees Through Food
Design Ideas That Could Help Ease The Refugee Crisis
RefAid – mobile app shows migrants, refugees and those who help them where services are near them
Integration of Ukrainian refugees: The road ahead
Digital Technologies in the Treatment of Anxiety: Recent Innovations and Future Directions
