Capturing Wellbeing in Transition: An Alternative Approach

Abstract

This chapter examines the methodology for the research in England and Italy concerning youth migration. It describes its participative and collaborative nature, which involved working closely with a team of young people who had previously migrated alone to the United Kingdom and Italy as core members of the research team. The chapter outlines the rationale for the approach, how the countries of origin were selected, details of research participants, including how access was negotiated, and how contact was maintained with them over time. It then assesses how beliefs, ideas, and meanings surrounding wellbeing were reached inductively through questions that sought to determine what young people valued in their lives and what helped them to feel well and happy. There follows a discussion of how the analysis of findings was conducted, before some reflections on the ethical considerations and dilemmas posed by the research as well as its limitations and challenges.