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Here to Stay?


Identity, citizenship and belonging
among settled Eastern European migrant
children and young people in the UK
Welcome to the Here to Stay? Project

This is the website for Here to Stay? Identity, citizenship and belonging among settled Eastern European  young people in the UK, which run between 2016-2020. The project has now ended.

The project was supported by funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and was led by Prof Daniela Sime at the University of Strathclyde, with researchers from the universities of Plymouth and Durham as partners.

Central and Eastern European nationals are the fastest growing minority groups in the UK, who have been significantly affected by Britain leaving the European Union after Brexit. This study focused on young people who had moved to the UK from Central and Eastern European countries since 2004. It explored their lives, their sense of identity and feelings of belonging, in the context of Brexit debates and challenges.

The research aimed to contribute to ongoing debates on migration and the future of UK in Europe post-Brexit, providing information for families, policy makers and services working with young people. We produced materials for young people, educators and policy makers, to inform them on the impact of Brexit on EU nationals’ status in the UK and on the significant challenges posed by Brexit for EU families.

We have worked with young advisors to inform our project, to ensure the project centered young people’s views and experience. Some of our youth advisors have shared their experiences in a Channel 4 News programme you can watch here.

We have produced a teaching guide to discuss the issue of bullying in relation to EU nationals in partnership with respectme- please feel free to use these resources in your practice, if relevant.

Presentation Lesson Plan
Challenging Bullying Presentation information Challenging Bullying Lesson Plan information
View as an online publication View as an online publication
View as PDF View as PDF

Our findings, based on a survey with over 1000 young people across the UK, were summarised initially in five research and policy briefings:

research and policy briefings information
Briefing 1: Eastern European Young People in Brexit Britain: Racism, anxiety and a precarious future
View as an online publication  |  View as PDF
Briefing 2: Eastern European Young People’s Feelings of Belonging: Any Place in Brexit Britain?
View as an online publication  |  View as PDF
Briefing 3: Eastern European Young People’s Political and Community Engagement in the UK
View as an online publication  |  View as PDF
Briefing 4: Eastern European Young People’s Use of Services in the UK
View as an online publication  |  View as PDF
Briefing 5: Eastern European Youth Identities in Uncertain Times
View as an online publication  |  View as PDF

We hope you find our project materials interesting or use them in your work. Please have a look at our academic publications emerging from the project, in our Publications page.

We are pleased our evidence has been used in the debates on Brexit by including young people’s voices- please get in touch if you would be interested in discussing our findings further.

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