Theme 1- Advice, Education and Training Workshop 1.2. - Advice, Assistance and Volunteering

1. Theme 1- Advice, Education and Training Workshop 1.2. - Advice, Assistance and Volunteering EUROPEAN POLICY FORUM ON ASYLUM 22-24 MAY 2007

2. “ASYLUM SEEKERS RECEPTION AND INTEGRATION” (Project nº 2001/EQUAL/A2/RA/057) Improvement of the Reception System EQUAL – Round 1 (2002-2007)

3. The Problem(Needs being addressed) • Main problems identified at the level of: • Informality of the Reception and Integration System in Portugal; • Articulation between the agents involved in the system; • Information provided; • Counselling to the asylum seekers; • Perception of these realities by the host society.

4. The Problem(Needs being addressed) • MainObjectives of the Project: • Reduction of the social exclusion and discrimination felt by asylum seekers and refugees; • Improvement of the reception and integration system.

5. How the practice worked?(Main Activities and Approach) • Integrated intervention at 3 levels: Representatives of Institutions (workers) Host society (local community/public opinion) Asylum Seekers - Integrated Information Centre; - New Reception Centre - Videos about the asylum; - New Reception Centre (services provided to the community) • - Institutional network on asylum; • Guide on Asylum Seekers’ Reception and Integration; • New Reception Centre

6. How the practice worked?(Methodology) • Improvement and organisation of the asylum seekers’ reception and integration system, through the information as a way of capacitating : • Asylum Seekers; • Representatives of Institutions (workers); • Host society (local community/public opinion) • Integrated plan of intervention = Calling the 3 levels to participate in the different activities of this project

7. Construction of the Asylum Seekers’ Reception Centre

8. Project as a hole, creating an open and dynamic space to the community = social sustainability of the Centre: + Services for the local community Providing an answer to the asylum seekers’ needs • Nursery / Kindergarten; • Training; • Auditorium; • Library; • Ateliers; • Sport complex; • Public garden.

9. Involvement of the asylum seekers, refugees and local community in the construction process Participated process in which the main actors have given their contributes and opinions to the elaboration of the architecture project.

10. Innovation • Architectonic elements • Harmonious integration in the surrounding area; • Protection of the environment through the use of renewable energies.

11. Innovation • Unique experience of integration of asylum seekers in the European Union Integration through the insertion in the local community (Portugal) Vs. Isolation and Dispersal of asylum seekers politics (other Member States)

12. Reception Centre

13. Reception Centre Living Room and Dinning Room (with space for children)

14. Reception Centre

15. Reception Centre - Library

16. Reception Centre – Project’s workers offices

17. Asylum Seekers’ Bedrooms

18. Auditorium

19. Kindergarten

20. Kindergarten

21. Sport Complex

22. Public Garden

23. “Vias de Interculturalidade na Área do Asilo” (Project nº 2004/EQUAL/A2/RA/294) Promote and Facilitate the Integration in the Labour Market EQUAL – Round 2 (2004-2007)

24. The Problem(Needs being addressed) • Main problems identified at the level of: • Difficulties in accessing jobs; • Access do vocational training is not easy or direct • Lack of knowledge of the Portuguese Language • Victims of discrimination and Xenophobia • Asylum seekers often have very low qualifications or very high qualifications • The recognition of education levels or degrees is very difficult and takes to long • Informal, social and professional competences and previous experience are not taking account by companies

25. The Problem(Needs being addressed) • Main objectives of the project: • Promote the occupation of asylum seekers while they are waiting for a decision on the asylum claim • Facilitate the access to vocational training in the alimentary sector • Promote the employability of asylum seekers • To experience new ways of promoting multicultural/intercultural practices • To train (e-learning) people in human rights, asylum and refugees issues • Develop and test a methodology for the Evaluation, validation and certification of competences of asylum seekers

26. How the practice worked?(Main Activities and Approach) • Integrated intervention at 2 levels: Host Society (trainees, trainers and general community) Asylum Seekers Vocational Training; EVC; Language Training; Volunteering; Theater Group; gastronomic workshops; socio-cultural visits Theater Group; gastronomic workshops; exhibitions, cultural events

27. How the practice worked?(Methodology) • Increase of the asylum seekers competences and qualifications (social and professional competences) and consequently, promotion of the employability of this group of people. • Systematic and integrated approach focused on integration of asylum seekers in the labor market, throughout vocational training and validation of competences. • We started from a wider idea of training, integrating in the same project: • vocational training and Evaluation and validation of competences; • language learning; • sensitizing workers, trainers and trainees from the vocational training centers and EVC center, and also future employers. • How?? • This experience is also based in an idea of intercultural and multiculturality, in which is given special attention to the capacities and competences of asylum seekers and their culture (Gastronomy and theater) Intercultural Exchange

28. Innovation • DP developed instruments (EVC model and Vocational Training/EVC approach) oriented for the integration of immigrants and asylum seekers. • Integrated approaches, giving special attention to flexible and multiple solutions that can tackled different specific needs of the participants • Instruments that combine vocational training and acquisition of new professional competences with the developing of social, personal competences (throughout Portuguese language classes, leisure and cultural activities, etc.)

29. Innovation • This approach was developed in a way that allows us to provide a systematic counseling and support to participants in EVC and training, providing specific answers to their problems and needs • Integrates asylum seekers in a more effective and faster way in the vocational training and in Validation and certification processes, providing them, in a short period, the necessary competences for them to achieve the same level than the Portuguese trainees. • Instruments that allows asylum seekers to participate in processes of self-evaluation/validation of competences, arising sentiments of belonging to the host society • This approach (EVC) allows them to define a project for their integration in host society (the asylum seeker can design a project for self-employment, employment in general and a training project also). • Valorization of the participant’s background, providing him/her instruments to develop an activity taking in account the needs of the host country and his competences

30. Innovation • EVC process is based on the guidelines from the Ministry of Education and is centered in 4 main fields: - Mathematics for life; - Computers and information technologies; - Language and community; - Citizenship and employability • This allows them later to obtain certification • Adapted to individual needs (some parts of the life experience are not worked, in order to guarantee that traumatic situations are not explored). Special attention is given to language and citizenship and employability

34. Access to information has contribute to a fully participation of asylum seekers and refugees in activities that concern their own integration (empowerment); The new Reception Centre has increased the services available not only for asylum seekers and refugees, but also for the needs of the host society; New Reception Centre contributed to asylum seekers’ integration in the host society, as well as to the creation of a multicultural space. Individual level – increase of social and professional competences; Individual level – access to certification valid in the EU; Individual level – new language and communication skills; Individual level – develop of informal and social skills; Individual level – valorisation of life’s experiences and past qualifications or professional reconvertion process; Individual level – definition of a life project and an integration plan; Individual level – more competition in the labour market; Main Results and Future Outcomes

35. General results – good practice guide for asylum seekers and immigrants integration in the Vocational Training Centres and EVC Centres; General results – model for the evaluation and validation of asylum seekers competences, adapted to their specific needs; General results – gastronomic book; General results – Theatre group autonomous and independent from the organisation Main Results and Future Outcomes • Host society (local community) more aware of asylum seekers’ culture, problems and needs; • Kindergarten = a way to promote fight against racism and xenophobia since early ages; • To sum up, this experience/practice contributed to organize a better reception system. At the same time, some points were emphasised in which concerns the lacks in the integration system.