A Phenomenological Study on the Experiences of the Early Adaptation Program for Immigrants

This study aimed to explore the essence and meaning structures embedded in the lived experiences of operators and instructors implementing the "Early Immigrant Adaptation Program," hosted by the Ministry of Justice. To this end, in-depth interviews were conducted with eight participants with program experience, and the collected data were analyzed using Colaizzi's (1978) phenomenological research method. Four core themes emerged from the participants' operational experiences. First, regarding the "intersection of professional growth and immigrant support", participants were motivated by a complex mix of practical goals for personal career development and a sense of mission to help immigrants. Second, regarding the "positive effects and practical limitations of the program", participants experienced the simultaneous reward of providing practical assistance to immigrants and the practical dilemma of the program being transformed into a means of obtaining visas. Third, regarding the "administrative burden and communication barriers", participants experienced both practical and emotional exhaustion due to unpredictable changes in guidelines and excessive administrative workloads. Fourth, regarding the "demand for institutional establishment and customized support," there was a strong demand for structural improvements, such as interpretation support, expansion of mandatory targets, and linkage to follow-up programs, to overcome on-site difficulties. The essence of the operational experience derived from this analysis was "a process of self-awareness as a practical agent who struggles amid the gap between ideals and reality and promotes institutional development". This study is significant in that it provides field-based policy implications for practical program improvements by deeply examining the perspectives of policy deliverers, and suggests a new direction for multicultural education.