Social Networks Within "Sanctuaries": Examining the Role of Out-of-School Experiences in Access to Resources for Undocumented Youth

• In Event: Social Capital in a Time of Uncertainty: New Evidence From a National Effort to Study the Impact of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

Abstract

While previous scholarship on undocumented youth has focused on schools as the influential context for immigrant youth to make meaning of their political and social incorporation in the U.S. (Gonzales, 2011; Rumbaut, 1997; Suarez-Orozco, 2008), understanding the ways in which out-of-school contexts and the adults in these organizations also inform youth’s experiences is crucial given the advent of DACA. In fact, in a recent survey study of beneficiaries of DACA, 22% of recipients reported receiving assistance in completing their application from community based organizations as compared to 9% who reported assistance from schools (n=2,831) (Gonzales, Terriquez, & Rusczcyk, 2014). Thus, examining DACA beneficiaries’ out-of-school experiences in extracurricular activities, community organizations, and workplaces can illuminate how organizations and individuals mediate young people’s access to structural resources and developmental supports.

This research inquiry is guided by three questions: (1)What are the emerging patterns in out-of-school experiences for undocumented young people? (2) Does participation in extracurricular (activist or non activist focused/community-based vs. school-based extracurricular) relate to the types of DACA assistance received and postsecondary outcomes? (3) What role do out-of-school adult mentors play in undocumented students’ lives, particularly as related to navigating status and DACA application? My findings are based on qualitative analysis of 85 interviews conducted in New York City, considered a “Sanctuary City” for undocumented people, with several prominent immigration organizations and tuition assistance based workplaces.

Preliminary findings suggest vastly different participation patterns in extracurricular activities based on a variety of factors, including individuals’ feelings of safety, financial resources, friendships, and work responsibilities. Additionally, participation in out-of-school activities did not necessarily lead to knowledge about DACA. Individuals with trusting relationships with adults at work and in neighborhood based organizations tended to express more understanding of DACA than those without these relationships. Additionally, although many respondents expressed connectedness in school-based extracurricular activities, they did not necessarily disclose their status nor did these programs share resources for undocumented immigrants, indicating a disconnect between these activities and needs for this community.

Only recent research has considered ways in which youth workers and community-based activities can expand social resources and guidance for young people (Fusco, 2012; Intrator & Siegel, 2014), and there is virtually no in-depth qualitative research focused on the out-of-school experiences of undocumented youth.These findings corroborate the argument that nonprofit density does not directly translate into social capital (Putnam, 1995) and builds on literature on how social networks inform individuals’ navigation of complex institutions and policies (Lareau, 2003; Small, 2009). Additionally, it contributes to understanding frontline professionals’ roles in decision-making, resource sharing, and policy enactment in low-income communities (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2003; Lipsky, 1980; Small, 2009). Beyond new evidence, these findings have implications for policy and practice. Despite several active organizations in NYC, young people’s knowledge of DACA and post-secondary trajectories seem primarily informed by ad hoc relationships. Therefore, I recommend that organizations and adult mentors consider ways to increase knowledge about out-of-school activities as safe spaces and intentionally provide explicit policy-oriented information to participants.

Author

• Deepa Sriya Vasudevan, Harvard University