Pre-departure Processing and Cultural Orientation Seminar Conference & Study visit Report

Transcription

1 Pre-departure Processing and Cultural Orientation Seminar Conference & Study visit Report Istanbul, Turkey May 3-6, 2018 A cultural orientation session at ICMC's Resettlement Support Center in Istanbul, Turkey 1

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3 Introduction ICMC Europe held, in partnership with the Centralised Agency for Reception (COA) in The Netherlands and supported by the project European Union Action on Facilitating Resettlement and Refugee Admission through New Knowledge (EU FRANK), an on-site visit and seminar on Pre- Departure Processing and Cultural Orientation (CO). Hosted at ICMC s Resettlement Support Center (RSC) in Istanbul, Turkey, the two-day seminar was organized within the frame of the SHARE Integration project, which is building a network of small-size cities, towns and local actors committed to offering protection and welcome for resettled refugees in Europe (co-financed by the European Commission). The seminar was followed by a two-day study visit organised by the EU FRANK project - to observe pre-departure CO Training on site for refugees to be resettled from Turkey to The Netherlands. Refugee resettlement is playing an increasingly important role in Europe: the number of refugees resettled to Europe has grown steadily over the last few years and more EU countries than ever before are engaged in resettlement. European Member States have pledged to welcome 50,000 people in need of international protection by 31 October, 2019, and the expected adoption of the EU Resettlement Framework would further boost resettlement as a permanent protection mechanism across Europe. The seminar was held in Turkey, home to many of the refugees who will be resettled to Europe under the EU-Turkey Statement as well as a number of national resettlement programmes. It explored in detail pre-departure cultural orientation which will be a critical element to all who are developing, implementing and benefiting from, these upcoming resettlement initiatives. Indeed, while resettlement in Europe is growing, the ultimate success for both refugees and their hosting communities will depend on how smoothly refugees are able to rebuild their lives in their new homes. Pre-departure cultural orientation (which EU Member States, under the proposed Resettlement Framework, would be required to deliver in most cases) can be a helpful tool for facilitating early integration and promoting refugees independence. The Istanbul seminar engaged participants in discussions around objectives and methodologies for cultural orientation, as well as the range of stakeholders that can be involved in its delivery. 3

4 Key Issues and Questions Objectives and rationale of cultural orientation o Can cultural orientation promote early integration for resettled refugees? o Is it possible to link pre-departure and post-arrival cultural orientation? o How can cultural orientation engage hosting communities? Cultural orientation in practice o What are the most effective methodologies and tools for cultural orientation? o Can providers adapt cultural orientation curricula for children and youth? Addressing difficult questions o How should cultural orientation address secondary/onward migration? o How should cultural orientation address differences in hosting communities (i.e. large cities, small municipalities, urban, rural)? 4

5 Seminar Panels and Discussions Below is a brief summary of topics discussed during each presentation. Please see p for a more detailed overview of issues, points of interest and relevant best practices discussed during the seminar. Introduction to ICMC s Resettlement Support Centre (RSC) and Facility Tour In order to gain a clear picture of the full process within which cultural orientation (CO) fits, the seminar opened with a presentation on case processing and a tour of ICMC s Resettlement Support Centre. ICMC s Linda Samardzic, Peter Vogelaar, Ceren Elitez and Damir Thaqi led participants through the building and noted in particular the importance of security (i.e. building security, fraud prevention and data protection) and accessibility (i.e. high quality interpretation, accountability and feedback mechanisms, a daily phone-based hotline). Panel 1 Seminar participants heard next about the objectives of CO from Daphne van Honschoten, of the Centralised Agency for Reception (COA) of The Netherlands, Jamal Alfakhouri of the International Organization for Migration in Geneva, as well as Jason Crislip, of the Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange (CORE, supporting the US Refugee Admissions Program) at International Rescue Committee. The panelists discussed common approaches such as a focus on attitudes rather than delivering specific knowledge as well as differences such as working with local trainers as opposed to trainers from the country to which refugees will be resettled. Cultural Orientation (CO) is more about attitude than specific information. CO trainers preparing refugees for resettlement to the US ask participants, Who is your #1 resource? The answer: Me. Likewise, COA s trainers preparing refugees for the Netherlands, emphasize, You are your resource. Panel 2 Peter Vogelaar, of ICMC, Daniele Albanese, representing Italian NGO, Consorzio Comunitas, and Mary Coulter, of the Canadian Mission to the EU, presented on practical methodologies and approaches for delivering CO. The panellists discussed the value of delivering CO in an interactive style, as well as making use of videos from local communities and online tools, particularly for youth. Panel 3 Participants also looked into preparing host communities for resettlement. Paloma Pino Cordón, of the General Direction for Immigrant Integration in Spain spoke on the value of gathering accurate information about both hosting cities and refugees in order to place refugees in appropriate communities. Madalena Vasconcelos, representing Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in Portugal, as well as Elisabeth Lindholm from the Stromsund municipality of Sweden (population: approximately 12,000), spoke about the unique challenges and advantages to resettlement in small cities and towns. Finally, participants were joined virtually by Ben Muhirwa, a student and cultural mentor, who resettled to the Netherlands in 2014, and shared his reflections on key elements to include in CO. 5

6 A Sample Cultural Orientation Activity room according to whether the photo in their hands was acceptable according to my culture, unacceptable, neutral, and so on. Mr. Vogelaar then invited participants to share their photo and engaged them in a discussion about why a certain photo might be acceptable or unacceptable in their culture. This mock CO classroom activity provided an example of the type of discussions in which refugees engage during CO, and the types of questions which can arise. Rather than simply presenting information on the destination country, CO provides an opportunity to think critically about cultural differences in terms of both daily life, and big-picture issues of norms and values and for refugees to think ahead about how they will react to their new environment. Question and Answer Session with DGMM To close the first day of the seminar, ICMC s Peter Vogelaar led participants in a sample CO activity. Participants were asked to stand in a large circle and each participant was given a photo representing people in a resettlement country including images of daily life (i.e. a family eating together), as well as images that could be more controversial, depending on the audience (i.e. a gay marriage, a protest). Participants were instructed to move to a corner of the Whom will I ask if I cannot find the right ingredients to cook food from my culture? How will I react if someone of the opposite sex wants to kiss me on the cheek? How will I teach my children to read in our language, as well as in the language where we are going? Towards the close of the seminar, Erdinc Uzunsoy, Bertug Uygunkara and Sahe CHEBOUKI from the Turkish Directorate General for Migration Management (DGMM) spoke about their work and addressed participants questions regarding Turkish government social services and registration procedures for refugees in Turkey. Understanding the Turkish systems is helpful for European practitioners who work with those refugees that spent time in Turkey, in order to better understand the perspectives and experiences of the refugees they serve. 6

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8 Break-Out Group Rotation Seminar participants engaged in brief small-group discussions about four key issues surrounding cultural orientation, rotating between topics and then coming back together for a summary and fullgroup discussion on each topic. While you wait: making the most of the pre-departure period After refugees are selected for resettlement to a specific country, they wait for a few months up to a couple of years before departing. Participants engaged in discussion, moderated by ICMC s Maya Perlmann, around how practitioners can help facilitate early integration during this waiting period. Participants discussed tools which link predeparture and post-arrival actors, such as the skills profile tool being piloted through the Link-It! project and the matching tool piloted by EASO for relocation applicants in Greece, as well as language learning initiatives, which can potentially facilitate early integration. Resettlement to countries that encounter secondary migration In several EU countries, resettled refugees have chosen to leave for an alternative destination in Europe. Onward movements of refugees can put pressure on host countries, which, in turn, may reduce public support for refugee protection, as well as posing protection risks for the refugees who find themselves in an irregular situation. Daniele Albanese, of Italy s Consorzio Communitas, moderated a discussion around how countries can use CO to provide a balanced view of the destination country, while also creating the space for honest dialogue about the risks of onward migration. Addressing the special needs of children and youth Participants also explored objectives and methodologies for a child-focused CO. Moderated by Mary Coulter of the Canadian Mission to the EU, the discussion centred on appropriate messaging and tools for children of different ages, as well as preparation for parents about education and after-school activities. Participants discussed the issue that children often adjust to the new culture faster than parents especially when it comes to language learning and it can be helpful to engage refugee parents and children in conversations during CO about how their family will adapt to the new environment. Preparing for life in smaller communities vs. larger cities Prior to resettlement, refugees often express a preference to live in a large city. However, with countries increasingly relying on distribution keys, (policies which make hosting refugees mandatory, and require that refugees be settled across the national territory, rather than in municipalities which volunteer to host refugees), many refugees are resettled to smaller municipalities. ICMC s Magdalena Boehm moderated a discussion on CO preparation which could highlight the potential opportunities of smaller municipalities, including specific messaging countries use to promote smaller cities and towns as places of welcome. 8

9 Breakout group outcomes Can CO help promote early integration? A variety of initiatives aim to help refugees during the predeparture period to develop and document skills which will help them integrate into their future homes. Key considerations for such initiatives include: A focus on desires and goals rather than just existing skills and background is important. A perfect match may not exist, because employment and education are often secondary to housing and medical needs in placement decisions. The lack of funding for pre-departure support is a common constraint; countries should invest in predeparture training. Basic language training during CO, paired with materials and/or online tools, are affordable for providers, and valuable for refugees. What should be included in a child-focused CO? The main elements of a child-focused CO curriculum include the following (adjusted to the ages of participants): How will my family and I deal with this adjustment? Changing family dynamics, Emotional awareness, confidence, adaptation, culture shock What is the culture like in my new home? Expectations of cultural differences, norms, values What will my daily life be like? School & after-school activities; working age & minimum wage What are my rights and what can I do if I feel unsafe? Depending on age, consider including laws in the host country related to child abuse and neglect What do I do in an emergency? What will my new city/town look like? Public transportation & local information 9

10 Should CO address secondary migration issues? How? Focus on desires and personal development, and then discuss the steps needed to achieve those goals. This leads to a discussion around the positive benefits of resettlement. Don t focus only on the consequences of onward migration; build trust and create space for open discussion. Provide clear messaging on risks (i.e. loss of benefits, loss of right to citizenship, loss of right to work). Provide clear messaging on legal options for movement and migration (i.e. when relevant, family reunification, tourism, relocation). Share information about, and if possible connect with, migrant & refugee communities in the resettlement country. Use testimonies and videos to counter myths, including negative myths about the resettlement country (i.e. it s impossible to find work! ) and positive myths about other countries (i.e. social assistance is unlimited! ). How can CO promote smaller municipalities as places of welcome? Tips for messaging: Lower cost of living (i.e. What can you buy for 1 in Paris vs. in a small town in France? ) Easier communication with public authorities (i.e. less crowded and shorter waiting periods) Strong local networks it may be easier to get to know people All resettled refugees have the same rights & services, regardless of location Try it out first you can always move to a big city later! Tips for discussion topics and activities: Allow some time for people to research small towns online, to see what types of services, cultural activities and amenities are available Arrange a virtual call with a municipality official in a small town and or with refugees living in a small town, if possible Always speak in general terms about small towns or large cities so that you don t create concerns about specific places. 10

11 EU FRANK Study Visit About EU-FRANK The EU-FRANK project (European Union Action on Facilitating Resettlement and Refugee Admission through New Knowledge) is funded by the European Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and led by Sweden with partners in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland, as well as EASO, UNHCR, IOM, ICMC and MPI. The initiative aims to facilitate increased operational capacity for resettlement among EU Member States. The EU-FRANK project started in January 2016 and will run until June The initiative aims to develop new approaches and provide operational support to increase the capacity of EU member States to resettle persons in need of international protection. Thematic areas that were addressed in four separate sessions during the CO training: Introduction, Reception in The Netherlands and the resettlement procedure (including housing and family reunification) Geography and introduction to the Dutch language Rules, regulations, cohabitation forms (constitution, discrimination, equality) Rules, regulations, cohabitation forms (part II) & travel and arrival in the Netherlands EU-FRANK Study Visit, 5-6 May 2018 EU-FRANK facilitated a two-day study visit at the ICMC RSC to observe pre-departure CO delivered by the Centralised Agency for Reception (COA) of The Netherlands for refugees who are resettling from Turkey to The Netherlands. A delegation of 15 representatives, from government institutions and civil society of ten different countries attended a CO session of the two-day programme that was split into four parts covering different thematic areas. Daphne van Honschoten, (COA) who also spoke at the SHARE seminar s opening panel about objectives and approaches for CO facilitated the two day training. During her panel presentation, Daphne emphasized that the main objective of the Dutch CO is to support refugees toward independence and self-sufficiency. By observing the CO sessions, the delegation had the chance to observe how this works in practice. Participants were struck by the interactive format of the Dutch CO training that involved the constant active participation of its attendees. Difficult topics such as rights, obligations, equality and discrimination were addressed in an engaging manner. The training methodology succeeded in conveying important information in an accessible way while also leaving room for attendees to ask questions and engage in thoughtful dialogue. Participants found it helpful to observe the Dutch CO, and hope to apply what they saw in their own contexts. One participant noted that study visit was very inspiring, while another reflected: We will try to adapt some of the methods of the Dutch CO in our post arrival CO. 11

12 Points of discussion Trainers There are pros and cons of relying on local trainers (as in the US or IOM-implemented COs) or trainers from the resettlement country (as in the Dutch CO). Local trainers can deliver CO in the local language, rather than through interpretation, and it s often less expensive to hire locally. On the other hand, when CO is delivered by trainers from the resettlement country, the same people can be involved in pre-departure CO and post-arrival reception, providing for consistent messaging as well as ensuring the link between the two phases. Both refugees and local communities have their own opportunities and vulnerabilities, so we need a strong matching system. For us, cultural orientation is mostly for the local communities. For example they need to understand not to provide everything, but to push for selfsufficiency. -Daniele Albanese, Consorzio Communitas Expectations and Attitudes CO is often referenced as a tool to manage expectations of refugees, however participants discussed whether it is truly possible to manage someone else s expectations. Managing expectations is often related to lowering expectations which is not what we want to do, ICMC s Peter Vogelaar argued. Instead, CO should be focused on providing opportunities for refugees to make informed choices and have agency over the adjustment to their new home. Indeed, many participants pointed out that CO from their country emphasizes the importance of refugees taking ownership of their settlement experience (Canada), participating actively (Spain) and being their best resource (The Netherlands). Matching and placement Countries also have different placement policies, i.e. processes for determining which municipality will host resettled refugees. For some countries, CO is an opportunity to gather information about refugees needs and desires in order to inform placement decisions (i.e. refugees with specific medical conditions need to be placed near a hospital). For other countries, placement decisions are decided prior to CO, which means that CO can delve into specifics of where refugees will be living (i.e. geography, public transportation). In either case, participants agreed it is crucial for CO to be linked to the post-arrival phase, and for stakeholders on both ends of the continuum to coordinate. ICMC Europe, in collaboration with the Dutch Centralized Agency for Reception, will be hosting a follow-up meeting in fall 2018 to delve further into this issue, and to explore how placement policies can best facilitate labour market integration. Preparing host communities Participants also discussed if and how to prepare communities for the arrival of resettled refugees not only at the national level, but also at the local level. Many participants agreed that local communities need CO just as much, if not more, as refugees. Daniele Albanese, of Consorzio Communitas in Italy, emphasized that both refugees and local communities have their own opportunities and vulnerabilities. For example, not every local community is able to host refugees with specific vulnerabilities. Madalena Vasconcelos, of Jesuit Refugee Service in Portugal, likewise pointed out that providing sufficient information to local communities is critical to ensure that communities will continue hosting refugees in the long term, in spite of challenges they may encounter. 12

13 Best practices Throughout the seminar, participants highlighted best practices from their contexts, including: Use an interactive pedagogical approach. Incorporate language training into CO even 1-2 hours on basic greetings in the language of the resettlement country is helpful. Consider a cohort model, as in the Dutch resettlement programme, where participants get to know each other during CO, and continue to support each other and to stay in touch (often via Whatsapp or Facebook) during the post-arrival period. Gather feedback from CO participants and other relevant stakeholders regularly, and review the CO curriculum at least annually to incorporate this feedback. Refugee participants in CO may feel nervous at first - especially given that many of their previous interactions with UNHCR, IOM and government representatives involved selection interviews so make sure that the CO atmosphere is friendly and welcoming. Focus on attitudes and dialogue more A volunteer orients a newly-arrived refugee to her new home, Haarlem, The Netherlands. Photo credit: Dutch Council for Refugees than on content. Remember that preparing host communities in the resettlement country is just as important as preparing refugees! During CO and throughout the pre-departure waiting period, provide access to information on case status. ICMC s RSC website, for example, allows refugees to log in to see relevant updates about their individual case. If possible, create opportunities for refugees to speak with mentors previously resettled refugees from their country who can provide valuable information and perspective from personal experience. 13

14 Recommendations More and more actors are looking into pre-departure cultural orientation: a higher number of European countries are involved in resettlement than ever before; and arrivals of resettled refugees are increasing in the coming months and years, with 50,000 resettled refugees arriving to the EU by October The SHARE seminar in Turkey a country from which many resettled refugees to the EU will arrive, due to the EU-Turkey agreement as well as the high number of Syrian refugees hosted there explored best practices and approaches for delivering CO. The following are the key recommendations which came out of the seminar: 1. Link pre-departure CO and post-arrival reception: linking service providers, CO trainers, and other stakeholders in order to ensure that all actors are familiar with the messaging on either end of the continuum is critical. 2. Prepare host communities: it is just as important (if not more) to prepare host communities as it is to prepare refugees. 3. Use interactive approaches: a range of interactive and innovative tools can and should be used for CO, including approaches targeting children and youth, videos, language learning tools, online live-chat and youth mentorship and skype calls with cultural mediators. 4. Discuss onward migration: counseling refugees on the protection risks and legal frameworks of onward migration is important and should not be avoided. 5. Tailor CO according to placement policies: CO should be tailored depending on whether or not refugees have already been placed in a specific municipality; create space for discussion about the pros and cons of small towns as opposed to larger cities. A post-arrival orientation session, Hillegom, The Netherlands. Photo credit: Dutch Council for Refugees 14

15 SHARE Integration For more information on the SHARE Integration project, please visit: resettlement.eu/page/welcomeshare-network or contact: ICMC Europe Programme Manager, Magdalena Boehm, EU-FRANK For more information on the EU-FRANK project, please contact: 15