Existential career guidance for groups of young refugees and migrants: a Danish initiative

For many young migrants and refugees, adapting to a new life in Denmark is a challenging process. They often find themselves struggling with feelings of alienation, identity confusion and loss of meaning. This article examines how a five-step intervention model of existential career guidance for groups can support young migrants’ and refugees’ reflections on and experiences with how to live a meaningful life. Thematic analysis is used to investigate the empirical data which comprise nine semi-structured interviews. The findings show that for the counsellees, the intervention model can support a sense of belonging and of being understood and respected, self-awareness, hope and a desire to care for others as well as linguistic stimulation. For the counsellors, the intervention model supports a co-construction process, in which participants’ co-construct understanding and plans of action, and it enables them to gain a deeper understanding of the counsellees and their ability to reflect upon notions of a meaningful life.