European Reintegration Networking

Reintegration Approaches and Policies on EU level 
- Analysis and Recommendations

Regional workshop of the Nordic - Countries

Programm

North Workshop

Group Work Results on Applications of Approaches on EU level

Best Practice:

• Counselling
  • counselling should start with the beginning of the migration process
  • holistic view (counselling should include integration and reintegration)
  • counselling should include family members
  • counselling done by a neutral person
• Travelling / Transition
  • not in groups bigger than 4
  • information about laws authorities, security in country of return / transit

Political Recommendations:

• Counselling
  • right to long term counselling
  • multi-dimensional counselling
  • training for counsellors
• Travelling / Transition
  • safe, monitored travel
  • proper travel and legal documents
• Reintegration
  • clear legal status in the host country (can I come back? Have I to apply for visitors visa? How?
  • Refugees should keep contact to host country
  • Allowances for vulnerable groups who can’t integrate into the labour market (elderly people, disabled)
  • NGOs should share facilities in the country of origin
  • Cooperation between development and migration organisations.

Sweden Workshop

Workgroup on Counselling and Reintegration

Reintegration is a long-term process. Funding though is always short-term.

• Go and see visits = good source of information
• Information about possibilities, laws, etc.
• Counselling must not be done by authorities
• Decision must be made by the migrants and their family members
• Return counselling should start right after entering the country. Return should be a normal part of migration work
• Returnees should have a better connection to the former host countries, for example visas to visit old friends
• Concentrate on the individual
• Return programmes for rejected asylum seekers – pull factor
• “Devided return”: one person goes home, the municipality looks after the family for one year (welfare)
• returnees are sometimes not aware that they need counselling
• cooperation between development aid organisations and refugee organisations is difficult (funding, target groups)
• organisations should share facilities in the countries of origin
• allowances for elderly people
• individual support (building material, start-up)
• you need somebody in the country of origin
• small business courses in the country of origin
• make use of the time you spend abroad, do trainings