Meeting the psychosocial needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in South Africa: prespective of NGO service providers

Since 1994, South Africa has become one of the major destinations for asylum-seekers and refugees from unsettled countries throughout the African continent. While the international literature has recognised that refugees and asylum-seekers across many different countries have complex psychosocial needs, there is a dearth of literature regarding the psychosocial needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in South Africa. A number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) provide services to refugees and asylum-seekers in South Africa. However, literature documenting the psychosocial needs that refugees and asylum-seekers present with and the range of services provided by these NGOs is severely limited. In the context of this gap, this study aimed to explore the psychosocial needs that refugees and asylum-seekers in Cape Town present with when they approach an organisation for help, as well as the service provision responses to these needs. In order to do this, a qualitative study focusing on service providers' perceptions about the psychosocial needs of refugees and asylum-seekers in Cape Town, and of service responses to these needs, was conducted. A qualitative approach was used in order to elicit in-depth data from multiple perspectives. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 service providers recruited from four NGOs in Cape Town. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data generated from the semi-structured interviews. The results of this study emphasise the need to address social and material conditions resulting from conflict and displacement. These needs were perceived as most pressing and immediate. Furthermore, the service provision responses to these needs align with the ecological model, adding to literature that suggests that a multi-modal response is more appropriate for refugees and asylum-seekers than a bio-medically focused response. The findings of this study may contribute to the development of a systematic framework for understanding and responding to the needs of refugees and ...