Report of the Conference FROM CRISIS MANAGEMENT TO EVERYDAY PRACTICE

Transcription

1 European Economic and Social Committee Labour Market Observatory Report of the Conference FROM CRISIS MANAGEMENT TO EVERYDAY PRACTICE Lessons from the integration of refugees for future labour market and social policies 6 November 2017, Brussels

2 1. Executive Summary The conference "From Crisis Management to Everyday Practice: Lessons from the integration of refugees for future labour market and social policies" jointly organised by the European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) took stock of recent developments in social and labour market integration policies triggered by the arrival of asylum seekers and refugees and discussed whether and how these developments can contribute to the overall modernisation of social protection systems and labour market institutions. Speakers and participants concluded that some policies and practices developed to foster the integration of refugees can be beneficial to other vulnerable groups and had already been mainstreamed for the benefit of a wider group of beneficiaries. 2. From crisis management to everyday practices In light of the ongoing challenges regarding the integration of refugees in the Member States of the European Union, the European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) have jointly organised the conference "From Crisis Management to Everyday Practice: Lessons from the integration of refugees for future labour market and social policies". The conference was held in Brussels on 6 November, and brought together around 150 participants. The participants included representatives from the public administrations/agencies (regional and national), social partners and civil society organisations from several European countries, as well as representatives from the European Economic and Social Committee, the European Commission, the European Parliament, Eurofound, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the International Labour Organisation and the World Bank. The first session of the conference aimed at setting the context by discussing relevant figures and trends as well as presenting key policy initiatives recently launched at the EU level. Speakers included representatives of the European Economic and Social Committee, the DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, DG Migration and Home Affairs, as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In 2015, 2016 and the first half of 2017, about 2.8 million third country nationals asked for asylum (first time applications) in Europe, out of which close to 1.3 million (55%) resulted in protection. The socio-economic integration of asylum seekers and refugees may pose an important challenge to the EU and its Member States. However, this increase in arrivals has generated a number of positive and significant policy changes in Europe which make for a better integration prospect in the future. The three main policy changes identified were: innovation, mobilisation and digitalisation. Policy innovation occurred in several areas, in particular regarding skills recognition or the development of integration bonds that promote immigrants' employment through private investment. In addition, the recent integration challenges have also mobilised a broad range of stakeholders including the civil society at large, social partners and local institutions. 1

3 Furthermore, the increased use of new technologies (especially by youth) across Europe paves the way for new models of service delivery that have the potential to provide more cost-efficient and widespread availability of services across a territory, as well as schemes that are more adaptable to individual profiles. Acknowledging the importance of a cross-cutting and two-way approach, to be developed and implemented through the close cooperation of a broad rage of stakeholders the second part of the conference was dedicated to analysing some promising practices in a few key policy areas: job search and job matching; skills and qualifications; housing and inclusion; children and young adults; fast-track integration into the labour market. In a series of parallel workshops, these practices were analysed and discussed in order to assess whether they could be mainstreamed and benefit other vulnerable groups as well. 3. Lessons learned from recent refugee-related policy developments 3.1. Job search and job matching Acknowledging that employment is a core part of the integration process, since the beginning of the so-called refugee crisis, labour market actors across the EU, including civil society organisations, have been extremely active in designing and implementing innovative approaches to foster prompt and effective labour market integration of refugees. In the workshop, two examples were presented and discussed with the audience and a discussant from Eurofound. The NGO Action Emploi Réfugiés, founded in France in 2016, presented its work as a recruitment agency matching refugees and employers through a mix of online and offline solutions, including an online matching platform, weekly workshops and sharing information concerning relevant legal and administrative issues. This represents an example of the mediating role that NGOs can have in preparing job-seekers and connecting them with employers. The Federal Employment Agency Hannover and the German SME Prokot Elektrotechnik shared their experience of working together for the integration of refugees in the local labour market. The Agency has created a specialised team with foreign language skills and intercultural competences and has developed a customised approach to support the labour market integration of refugees and asylum seekers with legal access to the labour market. As part of this support, the Agency offers a comprehensive training programme which includes a six-week training in a local company selected on the basis of the refugee's skills. Through this programme, two refugees successfully received training at Prokot Elektrotechnik (36 employers). During the discussion, it emerged that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for job matching of refugees and it is important to take into account the overall individual situation (e.g. housing, physical and mental health conditions). A basic knowledge of the local language is key; work experiences are important in order to acquire also the 2

4 technical terminology. Enabling measures for job-searching such as recognition of skills and qualification and training in drafting CVs are also important. In addition, both refugees and employers should be well-informed regarding rules and opportunities. The overall majority of the audience found that recently introduced policy measures to address the job search and job matching of refugees can inspire mainstream labour market policies. In particular, the importance to provide access to support as early as possible, the combination of job-related trainings and the collaboration of different actors (recognising the mediating role of PES and NGOs in preparing job-seekers and connecting them with employers) are some of the most promising lessons learnt. Key recommendations Enhancing cooperation between different stakeholders is crucial for successful job matching of refugees and other vulnerable groups. Support and trainings (also language trainings) should be more customised and flexible, based on the needs of the target groups. More flexible ways to recognise skills are necessary. More integrated services reduce the risk of discontinuity in other types of provisions and ensure to take into account the overall individual situation. Services should be based on a mix of online and offline solutions: technologies can be helpful but human interactions remain fundamental Skills and qualifications Improving and recognising existing skills and qualifications is a key component of a successful integration pathway of refugees and other migrants. Evidence indicates that refugees that arrived in Europe in general have a lower level of education and that highly educated migrants have difficulties finding a job corresponding to their skills. On top of that, almost a quarter of highly educated migrants refer to recognition of their qualifications as their main obstacle, where this recognition could have had a positive impact on their employment. Making their skills visible and understood is key to put them in proper use on the labour market. In the workshop, key policy developments in the EU in the area of refugee skills were discussed with the audience and a discussant from the World Bank, by showcasing two examples of measures designed at the EU and national level to improve the visibility of migrant's skills. The EU Skills Profile Tool for Third Country Nationals is a tool developed by the European Commission to support the early identification and documentation of skills and experiences held by third country nationals, including refugees, and foster their early integration in the European labour market. It is intended for use by organisations offering assistance to migrants with the aim of mapping the skills, qualifications and work experiences and giving personalised advice on further steps. It was released, free of charge, on the same day of the conference and it is currently available in all the EU languages and in 7 of the most frequently used languages of the migration countries (Turkish, Arabic, Farsi, Pashto, Sorani, Somali, and Tigrinya). 3

5 In cooperation with various partners, the Bertelsmann Stiftung has developed competence cards for the immigration counselling in order to speed up the recognition of qualifications and experience, also in absence of a sound knowledge of the host country's language. The competence definitions are translated in seven languages and are open licensed so that they can be easily adapted and disseminated to the needs of other contexts. During the discussion the idea was raised to further develop the EU Skills Profile Tool by adding visuals to help users to better understand some of the questions (for instance by adding visuals created for the Competence cards project by the Bertelsmann Stiftung). The importance of ensuring complementarity between the different tools available was also highlighted. For this reason, it would be an added value if other organisations could integrate certain parts of the EU Skills Profile Tool into their infrastructure/system, through for instance, enabling open source coding. It was also stressed that it is key to obtain feedback from the users of the different tools in order to develop further changes. In addition, agents using these tools should be trained according to the specificities of the environment they operate in (e.g. guidance centres, public employment agencies) so they can better refer third country nationals to the relevant services. Finally, two thirds of the participants of the workshop thought that the EU Skills Profile Tool could be used for other target groups. Having reliable information on skills and qualifications is important, not only for refugees and other migrants, but also for all those wanting to enter the labour markets. This could benefit their endeavours on the labour market. Key recommendations Ensure complementarity between different tools available. Offer training to the organisations and agencies using these tools. Tools created to facilitate mapping, assessing and recognising skills/qualifications/experiences of a specific target group may be used/adapted also for others. Adding visuals can help users to better understand the questions. 3.3 Housing and Inclusion In several EU Member States, the last decade has seen the number of homeless migrants rapidly increase. It is then essential to provide them with proper housing in order to build a more inclusive society. In the workshop two practices were presented and discussed with the audience and discussant from the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless (FEANTSA). Convivial Brussels was created in 1994 as a solidarity movement between residents in Belgium and refugees from Rwanda and it now helps refugees effectively integrate into society and the labour market in Belgium. Among its services, Convivial supports refugees in finding sustainable, decent and affordable housing, also mediating with 4

6 property owners. In addition, they assist refugees with furniture, also through carpentry training. Refugees Welcome Italia is the Italian branch of the international movement Refugees Welcome, founded in The organisation has built a new integration model actively involving local citizens by providing a network of host families. Living with locals has allowed refugees to improve their knowledge of the local socio-economic context, as well as their language skills and ability to navigate the local administration system. Conversely, this approach contributes to raising awareness within host societies and transforming potential hostility (e.g. denial of accommodation by private property owners, opposition from neighbours) into genuine hospitality. During the discussion, housing was defined as the point "where integration really begins", as providing refugees with affordable, accessible and quality housing is a precondition to their successful integration. This view is in line with the Housing First homeless assistance approach, which has proved to be a successful integration tool in several countries such as Belgium and Denmark for various target groups such as people with mental health problems and/or addictions. Furthermore, any additional support should follow a mainstream approach, where refugees have access to the same services as the local population, as opposed to a silo approach and/or a system where specific services are created, which in turns perpetuates exclusion and delays integration. Finally, it is important to keep in mind that transition phases (and the potential risk of interruption of care and support pathways) are critical and require a good support network. This applies to refugees but also other groups such as children leaving the care system, people with mental health problems and/or disabilities. Key recommendations Quality housing must be coupled with a wide range of other services built around the person to ensure long-term, successful integration. Providing social networks such, e.g. through host families, is crucial for refugees and other vulnerable groups suffering from exclusion. Transition phases need particular attention and a good support network. Services should be planned and developed in an integrated way to avoid generating further exclusion. Existing EU funding and policy tools can support such services and should be used to their full potential Children and young adults The so-called refugee crisis has put the issue of young refugees on the agenda, having forced existing child support services to adapt to new demands. Changes to services triggered by the increased arrivals of asylum seekers and refugees accompany other developments such as deinstitutionalisation and the push for lifelong learning. In the workshop, three examples of integrating young refugees were presented. 5

7 The CulTrain project was established in Austria by IOM Vienna to aid integration of refugees with a basic knowledge of German. Cultural orientation training was developed, using a highly visual and interactive method. This approach highlighted the importance of intercultural respect and the wealth of refugees' own cultures. Events were also organised where refugees could meet Austrians of their own age through activities that required little verbal communication. One of the downsides of the project is the exclusion of asylum seekers from participating. The Booster the Emotional Dimension of Social Inclusion for Immigrant Mothers and Children (BONDS) project, developed by the International Child Development Initiatives, is currently ongoing in several European countries. BONDS develops training and education for immigrant mothers and children, focusing on soft skills. Comic books are used to improve the social inclusion of refugees, as these stimulate creativity and teamwork as well as emphasising the human touch needed in integration. Some challenges that arose during the project include the difficulty of including the most socially excluded refugees in integration projects, and scaling up such initiatives. During the discussion, participants also heard about new forms of reception developed in Milan with greater involvement of the private and tertiary sector. Replacing large reception centres on the outskirts of the city, individually-tailored flats have been established for migrants, with peer worker supervisors. Many participants agreed that refugees' unaccredited vocational and life skills, particularly resilience gained through the migration process, are useful for refugees' career development. Challenges remain when refugees reach 18 years old and move out of the system. The participants also discussed the best way for young refugees to receive proper education in their host countries, especially with regards to language. Participants expressed agreement on the importance of integrating refugees with native people of their own age, as this immersion greatly accelerates language learning, as well as providing social networks that give refugees an informal safety net in the event of future hardship. Key recommendations Make use of intercultural exchanges: refugees bring with them their own rich culture, and they must be treated as equal partners for their integration to be successful. Deinstitutionalisation is crucial, as vulnerable children and young adults can only be integrated when they are part of the community. Do not adopt a one-size-fits-all approach, but rather an individualised one Fast Track Integration into the Labour Market For an effective labour market integration, in particular where there are skill shortages, it is important to avoid that high numbers of refugees and asylum seekers with relevant skills remain jobless or under-employed. In this regard, the focus should be on creating jobs that bring value added to the economy, fighting brain waste among migrants and 6

8 getting them into sustainable positions rather than simply pushing people to accept the first available jobs. Targeted and integrated interventions for refugees and asylum seekers may result in swifter labour market integration, keeping them motivated. In the workshop, a few national experiences of so-called "fast track" schemes were presented and discussed. The Norwegian Public Employment Service presented its fast track into the labour market for refugees with skills relevant for high demand jobs, which combines an assessment of professional competencies with a tailored bridging programme. This scheme has been developed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities and the social partners. The practice was presented in a comparative way with respect to similar practices created in Sweden and Finland. The Belgian Flemish employment service VDAB presented its programme 'Integration trough work' which provides a combination of language and job training in the work place. Newcomers who have previously acquired skills in shortage occupations can learn the necessary professional Dutch language on the work floor as language instructors commissioned by VDAB visit the work place and teach/coach refugees and other migrants as well as Dutch speaking colleagues. This is a clear example of a fasttrack initiative whose benefits spill over the targeted group of refugees and apply to other workers. In the discussion it emerged that fast-track integration into the labour market is a multidimensional challenge, where a combination of interventions are needed to address the various barriers for working in an area with skills shortages: i) recording and assessing qualifications and skills; ii) filling skills, language or knowledge gaps through training while at the same time; iii) mentoring where training would not allow activating the existing skillsets; and iv) matching participants with employers. In addition, it was stressed the need of not relying excessively on host country's language knowledge in the early phases of skills assessment: it is a competence, not a necessity. Finally, it was acknowledged that, in many countries, lack of political will and of public awareness as well as barriers in legislation (e.g. work permit) hinder the development of fast-track initiatives. Key recommendations Engagement of employers, economic and social partners and other stakeholders is crucial for the success of the programme. Place first in the labour market and then train. Make use of tools for assessing skills without language (see skills workshop). Do not integrate rapidly at the expense of sustainable integration. Address the barriers that hinder the development of fast-track initiatives in many countries. 7

9 4. Transforming these lessons into long-term gains for social and employment policies The closing panel gave the organisers the opportunity to discuss with representative of the European Parliament, international organisations (International Labour Organisation) and civil society (Eurodiaconia) how the experience of integrating refugees can be beneficial for the broader employment and social policies. Concerning the integration of refugees, the speakers recalled the importance of ensuring early intervention and less fragmented measures in order to ensure a swift access of refugees and asylum seekers to the labour market. In particular, they stressed that it is essential that rules set up in different pieces of legislation are consistent and aligned with the reality in the labour market in order to avoid creating indirectly new barriers (e.g. the need to renew the residence permit versus the access to labour market). It was also noted that equal treatment between local and refugee workers is essential to reduce precariousness and segregation and that more growth and quality jobs are needed to ensure social cohesion. In addition, it was stressed that it is key to have all the different voices represented and to reflect on cultural differences and gender issues. The speakers invited host societies to rethink their concept of "hospitality" and move from a binary to an encompassing approach to integration in order to broaden the circles that constitute our societies and make them more inclusive. Integrating refugees should be seen as creating new EU citizens. More in general, speakers highlighted that social inclusion is about making sure that people can participate in the society in the way that is most suitable for them. It is important to ensure the inclusion of different vulnerable groups (independently on their nationality or background) and to make sure that no one including among the most vulnerable population in the host country feels excluded. Cross-fertilisation between practices put in place to foster the integration of refugees and those to support the inclusion of other vulnerable groups is possible and should be encouraged. In this regard, participants were asked to reflect on "What are the key factors needed to turn lessons learnt from refugee integration into long-term solutions for helping other vulnerable groups or addressing other employment and social policy challenges?". This generated a word-cloud see below. 8

10 The word cloud highlighted in particular the need for more cooperation among stakeholders. Interestingly, it also stressed the importance that the audience attached to political will in order to create trust and openness and make integration a real success. Finally, another aspect that was underlined in the discussion was the need for patience as these processes take time. Useful links European Agenda on Migration, European Commission, Action Plan on the integration of third country nationals, European Commission, Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on "Integration of refugees in the EU", adopted on 4 April 2016, OJ C 264, , p New Skills Agenda for Europe, European Commission, EU Skills Profile Tool for Third Country Nationals, European Commission, Employers together for Integration, European Commission, Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) call for proposals, European Commission, European Social fund, European Commission. Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived, European Commission. Annex Agenda "From crisis management towards everyday practice: Lessons from the refugees' integration for future labour market and social policies" 9