The transformative potential of refugee-with-refugee value co-creation during resettlement

Purpose This study reports on service-related issues of newly arrived refugees in a host country, the role of fellow established refugees and value co-creation efforts during refugee-with-refugee (RwR) interactions. Design/methodology/approach This investigation employs data triangulation via a qualitative method by conducting semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 11 newly arrived refugees, 12 established refugees and 11 staff members from resettlement agencies in Aotearoa New Zealand. Findings The study identifies three major themes: service provider-related challenges, challenges faced by newly arrived refugees when accessing and utilising services and the motivations, abilities and opportunities of established refugees in assisting newly arrived refugees. The study proposes an RwR value co-creation framework which highlights the importance of established refugees in facilitating newly arrived refugees’ service inclusion across all stages of a service encounter and outlines well-being outcomes. Research limitations/implications This work identifies the crucial role of established refugees but also limitations due to potential privacy concerns of them serving as translators, possibly restricting disclosure of information by the newly arrived refugees. Practical implications The RwR value co-creation framework offers practitioners a structured approach to understanding value co-creation between established and newly arrived refugees. Social implications Drawing on customer-to-customer (C2C) literature, the motivation, opportunity and ability (MOA) model and well-being dimensions from Transformative Service Research (TSR), the study contributes to literature by developing the novel RwR value co-creation framework. Originality/value The RwR value co-creation framework is the first of its kind from a refugee resettlement perspective, taking a TSR perspective.