The project addresses several problems linked to integration of refugees, the delivery of proper assistance to this vulnerable group. The objectives are:1. Increase number of health/legal/social professionals able to provide specialized assistance in a cultural sensitive manner.2. Strengthen multi-disciplinary cooperation among health / legal /social professionals.3. Ensure a transfer of know-how, expertize on integration programs among several EU countries.4. Improve the integration process of refugees in the EU host society. Participants: Psychologists/psychotherapists, lawyers/legal counsellors, social workers, carrier advisers, cultural mediators from Romania, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Spain. From partners organizations and from multiple national stakeholders with active role in refugees’ assistance, integration process (such as immigration officers; local bars; employment agencies; trauma recovery centers; social welfare system, local NGOs). During the joint staff training events a number of 20 professionals will be involved and additionally a further number of 130 professionals / 5 countries will be involved attending seminars as multiplier events. Activities:I. Project management and implementation.1.1 Management and coordination1.2 Transnational project meetings in Romania, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Belgium.1.3 Project Reporting1.4 Assessment, evaluation of the project resultsII. Comparative study on assistance and integration programs for refugees2.1. Joint Researchers Meeting2.2. Collect, analyze data2.3. Write Study ReportIII. Joint Staff Training Events3.1. Joint Event in Germany3.2. Joint Event in BelgiumIV A handbook for professionals – responding to the social, health, legal needs of refugees in a cross-cultural friendly manner4.1. Develop the Handbook4.2. Publish the HandbookV. Seminars as multiplier events5.1. Seminar in Romania5.2. Seminar in Germany5.3. Seminar in Spain5.4. Seminar in Sweden5.5. Seminar in BelgiumVI. Dissemination6.1. Project website. 6.2. Press Releases and Newsletters launching project / comparative study / handbook for professions/ joint staff training events / seminars. 6.3. Presentations at external events.Expected Results:A consolidated knowledge among practitioners using a refugee centered-approach taking into consideration the cultural background of the target group.An increased number of health/social/legal professionals upgrading their skills and thus able to provide better quality assistance services.An ensured transfer of know how leading to develop better integration programs for refugees.An enhanced multi-disciplinary transnational network of professionals collaborating in assisting refugees.An improved integration process for the refugees. Impact on Participants (health/social/legal professionals from partners’ organizations and stakeholders)-Equip with upgraded knowledge on the relevance of the cross-cultural communication when working to support refugees.-Learn the importance of multi-disciplinary national and transnational network bringing together professionals from relevant areas, as health-legal-social fields are all interconnected when supporting the refugees in their integration process. Increased opportunity to assimilate same type of knowledge together in same time.- Professionals will improve their understanding upon the causes and barriers the refugees have to overpass, as result of a detailed research taking place in several countries which will support also the process of identification of best practices facilitating the development of strategies.-Professionals will have improved social skills (gain self-confidence, problem solving, cross-cultural skills, improve communication) which will enable to use the upgraded skills in the daily work when assisting the target group.-Gain better understanding upon the cultures of the refugees, avoiding misconceptions.-The trainings will increase the number of professionals with the right skills to assist refugees.-Increased training skills of partners’ staff members (acting as trainers for other professionals during the project), increase their creativity skills when developing training curricula, design materials. Impact on the participant organizations:-An increased organizational capacity (increase the human resource specialized in refugee assistance).-A know-how transferability on integration programs / assistance methods from one organization to another.-Increased capacity of partner organizations to work in EU environment through cooperation between partners in project preparation, implementation, management, evaluation and follow-up. Impact on the refugees:-An enhanced assistance during their integration process, delivered by a competent human resource of specialists able to understand their needs, cultural background, develop a better trust and mutual respect relation.
The project was elaborated starting from the current issue that integration of refugees is a challenging process that involve not only refugees but also the host societies from Europe. The project addressed several problems, among which the delivery of insufficient support from well-skilled social/legal/health professionals that should play an important role in guiding refugees through the complex process of integration. The project’s objectives consisted in: -To equip social/legal/health professionals with knowledge on how to provide support, assistance to refugees, in a cultural sensitive manner. -To transfer / exchange information on practices that are used in Romania, Germany, Spain, Belgium and Sweden, to implement integration programs for refugees. - To develop cooperation, dialogue among professionals from the countries involved in the project. The project involved 5 organizations that have expertise in refugees’ issues (assistance services, training for professionals, monitoring the migration phenomenon and developing studies on such topics). The organizations involved were: Association Pro Refugiu Romania (applicant), Passage Germany (partner), Association Trabe Iniciativas para la Economia Social y Solidaria Spain (partner), Caritas International Belgium (partner), Scandinavian Human Rights Lawyers Sweden (partner). The main activities consisted in: -Management and coordination of the project. -Develop project’s website and used it as dissemination tool for relevant information, materials obtained as result of project’s implementation. -Develop publications (intellectual outputs): Study report on the integration of refugees in Romania, Belgium, Germany, Spain and Sweden. Handbook for social/legal/health professionals supporting the refugees’ integration. - Implement Joint staff training events in Hamburg Germany and in Brussels Belgium at which attended professionals from 5 countries (Romania, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Sweden). - Organize seminars (as multiplier events) in Romania, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Sweden. Events at which attended social, legal, health professionals that learned more about the project’s results and received information on the right approaches to be used when assisting refugees. The project results / achievements consisted in: A consolidation of legal/social/health knowledge, skills of professionals using a refugee centered-approach, based on their cultural background. An upgrading of skills (social, communication ones) in order to provide better assistance to refugees. A transnational exchange of information on each country practices to integrate refugees in the countries where they obtained an international form of protection. A better awareness on the needs to improve the integration process of refugees on EU territory. Professionals improved their understanding upon the causes and barriers the refugees have to overpass, avoid misconceptions when assisting refugees. The project increased also the partners’ organizations capacity to work in a transnational manner as result of project preparation, implementation, management.