In Europe, and globally, international migration and the refugee crisis are significant areas of debate and tension (European Commission, 2026; Jacobsen & Piekut, 2023). At the beginning of 2026, the European Commission announced the European Asylum and Migration Management Strategy, a five-year strategy outlining the EU’s political objectives on migration, which include more assertive migration diplomacy methods and stronger border control initiatives (European Commission, 2026). Perceived threats from ethnic diversity have resulted in decreased tolerance of difference, fueled by extreme right movements and political parties, have increased tensions, distrust and misinformation in host countries surrounding migration, the development of social unrest and these stricter policy regimes (Borgonovi, 2012; Forcier & Doufour, 2016). Trust has an enormously important social function in helping to establish connections between individuals, groups and cultures that are different from one another and in supporting migrants with social and cultural integration (Borgonovi, 2012; Örkény & Székelyi, 2009). Borgonovi (2012), in comparing levels of trust and tolerance between different European countries, notes that education may help with improving levels of trust and tolerance in highly diverse contexts and there is a need to determine factors that promote trust and tolerance to improve social cohesion. This paper argues that trust is a prerequisite for collective knowing and action and explores innovative approaches to building trust with culturally and linguistically diverse migrant learners.

This paper is based on a larger study from Canada, which had the research objective of developing a more equitable and supportive approach to immigrant education and community building. This paper addresses the research question: what educational approaches support building trust with culturally and linguistically diverse migrant learners? The research project which produced the empirical data upon which this paper is based involved the development and evaluation of a pedagogical approach designed following a strengths-based teaching model. Key findings from the empirical data of this study will be used to answer the research question.

The theoretical framework used to develop the pedagogical approach combined theories on situated solidary building (Nagar & Geiger, 2007; Routledge & Derickson, 2015) and embodied learning as a decolonizing praxis (Ng, 2018). Situated solidarities are built upon ‘partial synergies’ meaning that similarities between individuals are recognized, but the group does not have to be homogenous, because there is a simultaneous recognition and respect for difference (Routledge & Derickson, 2015). This duality is significant for developing trust amongst culturally and linguistically diverse learners, because while trust can be more easily developed when similarities are observed amongst individuals (Borgonovi, 2012), finding ways to work across differences without creating inequalities and marginalization is equally important. Within the theory of situated solidarity building, the complimentary process of radical vulnerability has been explored for how it enhances situated understanding and the building of trust (Habiburahman & Alamgir, 2023; Nagar & Shirazi, 2019). Embodied learning approaches support building trust at a deeper level, by acknowledging the whole person in learning and recognizing the significance of emotion and affective dimensions of learning (Ng, 2018).

Participation in this educational research project was described as a “deep and immersive experience”. Participants were surprised by the levels of trust and bonding that emerged. Trusting one another was identified as essential to developing emotional bonds that supported intercultural learning and knowledge exchange. Radical vulnerability supported mutual understanding and trust. The educational solutions for building trust amongst linguistically and culturally diverse migrant learners shared in this paper are a topic of educational interest that will be particularly relevant to educational researchers, scholars, practitioners and policy makers working in European and international contexts at the nexus of migration, social justice, educational quality and equity.

This research followed a feminist and decolonial methodology (Mohanty, 2003; Tuhiwai Smith, 2021) which was significant to creating a more supportive and equitable educational environment. Twelve educational sessions were organized and delivered. Each session was two hours in length and occurred twice a week for a period of six weeks. The educational sessions were developed following a strengths-based approach that encouraged learners’ agency and self-determination, while abiding by principles of relational ethics, respect, relevance and reciprocity (Tessaro et al, 2018; Tuhiwai Smith, 2021; Wilson, 2008). Nine women from five different countries (Brazil, Colombia, Iran, Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago) participated in this research. This made the group of learners both culturally and linguistically diverse. These women had been in Canada for no more than three years which made them newcomers. They were recruited through purposive sampling as the objective of the research was to have a group of learners who came from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Two sets of individual one-on-one semi structured interviews were conducted with participants. The intent of the interviews was to gather their thoughts and reflections on the quality of the educational experience and impact of the project on their learning. The first set of interviews took place before the project. These pre-project interviews were used as a baseline of comparison with the results of the second set of interviews. The second set of interviews happened after the final session in the project. Data from both sets of interviews was transcribed and then analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006; 2017; Terry & Hayfield, 2021). Through the analysis of the data, key themes on the educational impact of project pertaining to the significance of trust, how trust was built and how it impacted the group dynamics were discovered.

This study exemplifies a creative and caring manner for conducting educational research. The study demonstrates how strengths-based approaches can be mobilized through promoting situated solidarities founded upon trust forged through radical vulnerability, to generate deep intercultural understanding and connection among culturally and linguistically diverse migrant learners. Building trust was foundational to the educational success of the project. Trusting in each other supported the knowledge co-creation process. Both the researcher and participants in this study found that deeper states of connection require trust, which comes from openness and radical vulnerability, which takes time to build and must be treated with respect and care. The educational practices utilized in this research project which focused on sharing by resourcing potential from the group also contribute to decolonizing the educational space. These findings have significant implications for rethinking the ecosystems that underly knowledge production and how knowledge is used. In times of uncertainty and crisis, when countries and communities are being separated through fear, suspicion and distrust, such methods as outlined in this paper that encourage learning how to trust each other are critically important. Increasing levels of diversity in Europe are creating challenges to social cohesion and levels of trust towards migrants vary greatly across Europe (Borgonovi, 2012). Improving levels of trust is relevant for improving the migration experiences and successful integration into the host country (Örkény & Székelyi, 2009). Educators in Europe and internationally seeking to build connection with and foster societal change to support migrants from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds will appreciate the findings of this research. Further, this research has relevance to the European context and scholars internationally who are interested in educational practices to reawaken trust in education.

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