Youth on the Move: Investigating decision-making, migration trajectories and expectations of young people on the way to Italy

Since March 2016, more than 260,000 people have arrived on Italian shores. The majority of them are young people, with unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) accounting for up to 15% of all arrivals. In order to strengthen policymakers’ and humanitarian actors’ responses in countries of transit and destination, this study was designed to shed light on young people’s decision-making and preparedness levels, the mechanisms shaping their migration trajectories, and their expectations on the way to Europe. The assessment used purposive sampling to identify and interview 81 respondents originating from West Africa, East Africa and the Middle East, between the ages of 15 and 24 years, who arrived in Italy after March 2016.