A Phenomenological Study of Foreign Workers' Experiences of Participating in Social Integration Programs

This study explored the experience of foreign workers participating in the social inclusion program. For this purpose, in-depth interviews were conducted with five foreign workers who had passed the stage evaluation test after completing the third or fourth step of the social inclusion program. As a result of analyzing the interview data of five foreign workers with Giorgi phenomenological way, 5 components and 13 sub-components were derived. The derived themes are to ‘Deciding to move to South Korea for a new life’, ‘Experiencing hardships in Korea’, ‘Becoming comfortable in Korean life through a social integration program’, ‘Building a future in Korea through social inclusion programs’, and ‘Social inclusion programs provide a storng lifeline’. Based on this, we can see that the social inclusion program serves as a medium to help foreign workers settle in Korea and support them to become self-reliant in Korea. This study is significant in that it focuses on the experience and meaning of foreign workers in Korean life and their participation in the social inclusion program. Based on these results, the operation and improvement of the social inclusion program should be considered as a necessary education for foreign workers to settle and adapt to Korean society.