A Day in the Educational Life of a Teenage Refugee in Thessaloniki, Greece

This chapter takes the form of a thought experiment, in which the reader is invited to consider the case of Rasoul, a fictional sixteen-year-old refugee in Thessaloniki, Greece. His narrative acts as an amalgamation of the findings from an observational study seeking to understand why only half of the eligible migrant youth population in Greece is enrolled in post-compulsory education. The text follows Rasoul through a day at school, using his story as a lens through which to consider the various obstacles refugees in Greece may face while attempting to access formal education. Possible difficulties include insufficient parental support, accommodation insecurity, physical distance to school, a lack of reception classes, the inadequacy of volunteer language learning programs, and lack of teacher support for new arrivals and the lack of motivation this generates among the students toward their education. The chapter also describes factors contributing to continued enrollment and attendance. Positive interactions with teachers, constructive relationships with peers, and an active search for other sources of support are all factors related to increased motivation and hope. Finally, the author explores the implications of these findings for government best practices in supporting displaced youth.