Dissertation aims to disclose various perspectives on initial adaptation and subjective perception of integration and to have a look at the youth migration from Ukraine to Lithuania from different angles. Sociological research that has been carried out with the application of mixed methodologies assists the researcher in having a deeper look at the emigration trends that Ukraine tends to have when it comes to the case of Lithuania. Qualitative data allows the researcher to touch up on the issues of integration of the migrants in Lithuania and their economic, social, and cultural aspects of everyday life.

While following the theoretical discourse, world systems theory, network theory, theory of phenomenology, path dependency, dual labor market theory and theory of neocolonialism have been applied to better understand why young people decide to emigrate.

Some of the preliminary findings why young Ukrainians choose Lithuania disclose the following:

- security situation in the country of origin;

- lack of employment opportunities for young people and overall poor socio-economic conditions;

- level of state support by Lithuania (military, humanitarian, political, economic);

- the quality of the education in the state of origin.

The original empirical data of the research has already been collected using semi-structured interviews with the Ukrainian migrants. In total, 30 semi-structured interviews have been carried out. Quantitative data from research-project in Warsaw deployed for broader perspective of Ukrainians adaptation abroad.

The research covers two categories of Ukrainian youth migrants in Lithuania: the ones who immigrated before 2022, and the ones who immigrated after 2022. These two groups serve as a basis for research demonstrating the extensiveness and dynamic nature of the process of migration from Ukraine to Lithuania. Focus on the youth has been chosen due to the lack of research that would concern perceptions of the integration of young Ukrainians abroad.

Conducted within an international TEAMS project (Teaching that Matters for Migrant Students) this study aimed to understand the levers of migrant integration in schools. Focusing on teachers’ agency in meeting the needs of migrant students in Finland, Scotland and Sweden, the study examined: 1) how teachers and other school staff work together with communities; and 2) how the different social and institutional context enabled or constrained teacher agency to facilitate migrant students’ learning, socialization and belonging to the school community.

Teacher agency is recognized as a key concept in the contexts of increasing diversity of school populations (Pantić & Florian, 2015). Relationships are central in meditating the social and institutional contexts of schools and education policies (Pantić et al., 2024). The study applied a particular form of relational agency - working flexibly with teachers and other professionals (Edwards, 2010), together with the lens of inclusive pedagogy (Florian & Black-Hawkins, 2011) to conduct a mixed-method social network analysis of teacher collaboration for migrant support.

TEAMS data including online logs, network surveys, and interviews with staff and students from 7 schools in Scotland, Finland, and Sweden is triangulated with policy analysis to examine how policies account for teachers' agency within the educational landscape, spanning from the macro policy perspective to the micro-level of schools and teachers, positioning them as enactors of policy objectives.

The findings illuminate how teachers exercise relational agency to support migrant pupils as they reach out to others, exchange expertise and mobilise resources for supporting migrant students. The paper discusses the lessons for policy and practice to improve conditions for inclusive relational practices for migrant integration in schools. The comparison of policies in Sweden, Scotland and Finland maps the envisioned support systems and their alignment with real-world interactions, and the intricate relationships between policy, school structures and teachers' agency.

By mid-2024, 122.6 million people were forcibly displaced due to conflict and violence–a 107% increase from a decade ago (UNHCR, 2024). As a key transit point for migrants entering Europe, Greece remains a critical site for youth seeking education and stability. Despite the challenges of displacement, educational aspirations persist along refugee youths’ journeys, serving as a protective factor and key source of joy (Palaiologu et al., 2024; Palaiologou & Prekate, 2023). However, refugees face significant barriers to education in Europe, including language differences, bureaucratic obstacles, and policy restrictions (Kalocsányiová et al., 2023). In response, nonformal education (NFE) programs are essential, creating safe spaces that address youths’ educational and well-being needs while fostering their aspirations.

This study explores how NFE programs and safe spaces help displaced youth imagine their futures and pursue educational aspirations amid uncertainty. Anchored in the Capability Approach and Community Cultural Wealth framework (Yosso, 2005), the study conceptualizes aspirations as relational (DeJaeghere, 2018) and engages with participatory and decolonial approaches, foregrounding voice, agency, and reflexivity in contexts often dominated by deficit narratives. Using an ethnographically-informed multi-method design, including semi-structured interviews, field observations, and arts-based activities (mask-making, poetry and visual storytelling), the study explores themes of identity, mobility, aspirations, and future dreaming.

Preliminary findings indicate that while education is deeply valued, youth often struggle to translate their dreams into outcomes. They rely on NFE and diverse forms of cultural capital to navigate systems and learn on the move. Arts-based engagement and creative expression offer effective ways for youth to construct meaning, produce nuanced narratives and images of self and kin, and envision alternative futures.

This paper contributes to interdisciplinary conversations on refugee youth by highlighting the transformative potential of participatory arts-based research, and invites reflection on how educational systems might better support aspirations through creative and relational approaches.