Unaccompanied minor asylum seekers housed in minor shelters face a major change when they turn 18. In the minor shelter, they receive personal supervision, live amongst peers and create a home. At 18 this drastically changes when they have to leave the minor shelter and need to go to a regular shelter, focussed on mass housing. This change is especially difficult for this vulnerable group, since it not only ends a relatively stable period, it also triggers an earlier trauma of being forced to leave their home behind.

Using a Positive Design approach, this design project aims to Design a product that supports young male asylum seekers in building confidence and adapting well to life in a new shelter environment when moving from minor to regular shelter.

Two shelters in the Netherlands collaborated with the designer of this project. A literature review and qualitative research were conducted to gain rich insights into the experiences of young asylum seekers and other stakeholders. Contextmapping is a key method used during this project. This structured process helps designers explore users’ experiences, needs, and dreams by involving them actively in the design process. The research findings substantiated seven design opportunities and a design vision: Fly out, Land well.

An elaborate ideation phase resulted in the Fly out, Land well Kit. By effectively addressing the found design opportunities, the kit helps minors leave with confidence and stability, and settle in safely and positively at their next destination.

By supporting this transition, the Fly out, Land well Kit helps minors to prepare for this step, gain confidence and feel ready to live at the new location. The kit consists of two main parts: the Bridge, a tangible and creative tool that a mentor uses to prepare and communicate the transition to a minor, and the Booklet, used to reflect, personalize their goodbye period and create a memento. Together, they guide the mentor and minor through the transition process.