Magee, Arran; (2025) Non-Governmental Organisations’ Role in Shaping Refugee Youth Education:A Case Study of NGOs working with Syrian Refugee Youth in Jordan, 2019-2020. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

The challenges of forced displacement have grown in scope, scale, and complexity, with the COVID-19 pandemic, new and intractable conflicts, and the climate crisis disproportionately affecting the world’s most disadvantaged. Education is crucial for providing a sense of hope and, where possible, integrating refugee populations into their host societies and preventing permanent deficits in human development. Jordan, host to one of the largest populations of Syrian refugees since the onset of the Syrian crisis in 2011, has made concerted efforts to provide inclusive education where Syrian children and youth attend Jordanian schools. Yet, significant challenges remain, including overcrowded classrooms, resource shortages, and economic pressures on families that lead to high dropout rates among Syrian refugees. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering educational programmes aimed at refugee youth in Jordan. More than 179 youth programmes were implemented by NGOs in partnership with the Ministry of Education in 2022. However, the complex socio-political and policy environment of the refugee context in Jordan including fluctuating donor priorities, calls for further integration of refugees in to host country schools, and limited resources results in competing demands for different conceptualisations of the goal of refugee youth education. NGO staff are required to balance these competing demands, leading to disparate forms of refugee youth programmes that may not align with the preferences of refugees or international and national policy. This study explores how NGOs working with Syrian refugee youth in Jordan have conceptualised the goals of refugee youth education programmes for Syrian refugee youth in Jordan and the power dynamics that drive these conceptualisations, aiming to better inform our understanding of the role of education in refugee contexts. Drawing on 30 semi-structured interviews with NGO staff in Jordan across 7 international and national NGOs in Jordan conducted between 2019 and 2020, this research examines how NGO staff working with Syrian refugee youth in Jordan navigate the complex interplay of international and national policies, organisational mandates, in- country relationships, and the nuanced needs of refugee communities. The study provides insights into the role of NGOs in the formation of the conceptualisations of the goals of refugee youth education programmes in Jordan. The findings suggest that many NGO staff act as ambassadors for refugees, often engaging in acts of resistance against agendas they perceive as misaligned with a holistic approach to refugee education. Many NGO staff integrate multiple conceptualisations they believe better serve the complex and evolving needs of refugee youth often in ways that do not align with the agendas or mandates of others. The research highlights the processes through which NGO staff form their conceptualisations of the goals of refugee youth education, influenced by personal beliefs, experiences, and the broader socio-political 3 context, underscoring the potential challenges in relying on NGO staff as ambassadors. The findings suggest that NGOs have the potential to significantly influence refugee education policies and practices, highlighting their critical role and limits as advocates and change agents in refugee settings. The research highlights the importance of supporting NGO staff in pursuit of education approaches aligned with the preferences of refugee communities and calls for a deeper understanding of the potential impacts and limits of NGOs as agents of change in the context of refugee education.

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