Diversity as discourse and diversity as practice: critical reflections on migrant women’s experiences of accessing mental health support in London

Vacchelli, Elena; Mesarič, Andreja

doi:10.1080/1070289x.2020.1785181

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…However, as questioned by the audience, the LinkedIn posts, especially visual images, may not actually promote practices that create and manage diversity and support disadvantaged groups to gain better employment opportunities. This echoes the macro-shift occurring within diversity discourse in the corporate sector from preventing discrimination to celebrating diversity (Vacchelli and Mesarič 2021). The practices of staffing agencies suggest that diversity risks being emptied from the initial call of fostering equal opportunities for those historically marginalized social categories, especially when diversity serves to promote the brand name of corporate entities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Similarly, a UK study found that the diversity framework tends to reinforce some single-strand identity categories, which can homogenize groups and overlook the complex interplay of individual lives and needs. The authors of this study explored the ways that diversity was practiced by third-sector organizations that tackled women’s diversified needs, showing that diversity “affects public feelings, making organizations and institutions feel better for using the signifier of difference in certain ways” (Vacchelli and Mesari, 2021 ; p. 431). Age diversity as part of the policy and institutional and managerial discourse of diversity is a recent addition, coming amid greater awareness of an aging workforce and longer working lives in countries with increased longevity.…”

Section: Diversity and Inclusion (Dandi) Initiatives In Global Staffi...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Age and gender relations on LinkedIn pages of global staffing agencies

Previtali

2022

Eur J Ageing

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This study investigates the ways in which age and gender play out on the LinkedIn pages of global staffing agencies through an intersectionality lens. A discourse analysis of 437 LinkedIn posts (including visual images, captions, and comments) was conducted. This study found that the corporate discourse of diversity shaped the ways that age and gender were represented. The portrayals of age and gender were found to create gendered specializations of labor and reproduce gender stereotypes; additionally, some workers were represented as disembodied clusters of attributes. The results of this study show the complex ways in which age and gender systems unfold, including two systems mutually reinforcing, gender/age system surfacing, and two systems dissolving. The findings suggest that diversity has lost its performativity as a concept, as its portrayals may not support disadvantaged groups gaining access to better employment opportunities. This study proposes that staffing agencies actively address intersectional disadvantages and foster a gender- and age-transformative change.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Section: Diversity and Inclusion (Dandi) Initiatives In Global Staffi...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Age and gender relations on LinkedIn pages of global staffing agencies

Previtali

2022

Eur J Ageing

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“…Although access to health is a human right (Talamaivao, 2020), a recent metaanalysis reported that around 26% of migrants worldwide present mental health disorders or symptoms (Bedaso & Duko, 2022). Furthermore, many migrants do not receive culturally appropriate mental health support in their host societies (Bedaso & Duko, 2022;Collins, 2021;Kanegoni et al, 2020;Vacchelli & Mesarič, 2021). In addition, according to the 2018 census, almost one-third of the Aotearoa New Zealand population was born in another country (Stats NZ, 2022a).…”

Section: Chapter 2: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consequently, it is essential to reflect if our views on migration are unbiased. As migration is not a "one-size-fits-all" process, it cannot be considered a standard process, nor can migrants be considered a homogenous population (Collins, 2021; consider the heterogeneity of the migrant population, failing to capture individual differences and needs in migrants' lives (Vacchelli & Mesarič, 2021).…”

Section: Migrants: a Growing Population Worldwide And In Aotearoa New...mentioning

confidence: 99%

"Fast food psychology" or serious support: Brazilian migrant women talk about their experiences with digital tools for mental health in Aotearoa New Zealand

Bueno Ormerod

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Abstract Background: Migrants face specific mental health pressures. In addition, being a woman migrant might increase challenges. Digital tools for mental health and wellbeing (DTMH) have shown the potential to support people’s mental health and overcome some barriers to mental health care. However, there is limited research regarding how DTMH can better support migrants' mental health, and I identified no research about how DTMH can better support the mental health of women migrants in New Zealand. Aim: To investigate how DTMH can better support migrant women’s mental health in New Zealand with a particular focus on Brazilian women. Methods: I used a critical realist approach and sequential mixed-methods, comprising an online survey (n =104) and semi-structured interviews (n=10). Women who migrated to Aotearoa New Zealand at 18 years or over completed a brief online survey (n=104). Survey participants could opt in to be invited for semi-structured interviews to explore the topics more deeply; 48 did so. I purposely selected 10 Brazilian migrant women with varied experiences for the interviews. All 10 agreed and were interviewed. I used descriptive statistics to analyse the online survey data and an inductive thematic analysis to examine the semi-structured interviews. Survey findings were used to refine and focus interview questions as well as to select the interviewees. After each set of results was analysed, I triangulated the data and created a joint display to present the integrated findings on my primary research questions. Findings: Data from the online survey and semi-structured interviews demonstrated that being a migrant in Aotearoa New Zealand is hard and Brazilian migrant women (as well as migrant women, in general) are under pressure. Many seek help for their mental wellbeing; however, they experience this as a challenging journey. Many use digital resources to support their mental health. However, rather than using DTMH, which were built purposely to support mental health, they often used social media and internet resources to help connect to others and find social support. Integrated findings highlighted that they were open to DTMH but had usually found these unsatisfying or inaccessible (paid content). There were two key areas of insight regarding how DTMH could better meet participants needs. First, better promotion to increase DTMH reach, so migrant communities are aware of these resources. Second, improving DTMH engagement, improving features of the tools themselves such as increased chat or communication features, being free, and including a focus on active steps for mental wellbeing. There were key findings outside the primary research question: experiences of racism and discrimination were a key cause of distress, and many experienced a lack of culturally competent health care in Aotearoa New Zealand. Conclusions: This exploratory mixed-methods research suggests that Digital Tools for Mental Health have promise for supporting migrant women’s mental wellbeing. However, tailored promotion and specific areas of development of the tools appear important for Brazilian women in New Zealand. These findings can help support the wellbeing of this group and offer insights that may be valuable for supporting other migrant minorities. Keywords: migrant, immigrant, woman, digital, tools, mental health, wellbeing.

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