Intentions, objectives and purpose among Senegalese migrant youth in Tenerife

Abstract

This paper explores the conceptions on education and their role in aims, purpose and future aspirations held by Senegalese migrant youngsters living in the south of Tenerife, Canary Islands. Additionally, it examines how these perspectives are understood in relation to diverse migratory trajectories, considering factors such as age, family responsibilities, reasons for the movement, and experiences in the host country. To review these categories, the study adopts a qualitative approach based on semistructured interviews with eleven participants aged 15 to 28, assessed through thematic analysis. The findings suggest that education is not conceived as an individual endeavour, but rather as a communal purpose closely linked to family wellbeing and social recognition. Family emerges as the main agent transmitting the value of education by shaping expectations, goals, and obligations towards the community of origin. However, tensions are also observed between the desire to pursue studies and the need to enter the labour market, particularly among those who migrate in adulthood or assume immediate economic responsibilities. In contrast, the educational trajectories of minors appear strongly influenced by their experience in reception centres, although they generally show a greater availability to continue studying. Regarding reasons for the movement, variations in data suggest that individuals who migrate for educational purposes tend to develop more structured purposes, whereas those who migrate for labour-related or unplanned reasons show more unstable trajectories. The study offers implications for socioeducational intervention, academic guidance, and the development of intercultural educational policies that acknowledge the community-based and transnational nature of purposes within African migration.