Austrian Red Cross. Migration & Integration 2013 Projects and Challenges. Diana Karabinova, Karin Pointner Share Study Visit 4-5 July Sheffield, UK

Transcription

1 Austrian Red Cross & Integration 2013 Projects and Challenges Diana Karabinova, Karin Pointner Share Study Visit 4-5 July Sheffield, UK

2 The Red Cross. A worldwide movement Until today the worldwide Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has grown onto 186 national societies. ICRC IFRed Cross/Red Crescent National Societies PERCO: Platform of European Red Cross Cooperation on Refugees, Asylum Seekers&Migrants 2

3 Seven Fundamental Principles Humanity people caring for people Impartiality aid does not differentiate Neutrality humanitarian initiatives need trust Independence our principles are maintained through self-determination Voluntary Service true aid must be free of self interest Unity only one in any given country, open to all Universality humanitarian values are global 3

4 ARC largest humanitarian and volunteering organisation in Austria Volunteers (2011) staff conscientious objectors performing community services 4

5 ARC outreach Very traditional organization - uniform and service grades play an important role A mirror of Austrian society - different social groups and attitudes towards migrants 9 regional branches and 139 regional offices 5

6 ARC services and activities Rescue and ambulance services Blood programme and blood donor centres Health and community services International development cooperation Education and training Disaster relief and tracing services Dissemination of international humanitarian law Austrian Youth Red Cross volunteers, 52 staff 6

7 ARC: and Refugee work department in National Headqurters, migration officers and activities in regional branches awareness raising in the organization; intercultural opening; project work and service for the local branches Charta new 2013: national resettlement programm claimed in the chapter Guided 7

8 ARC: tradition and expertise in refugee work Beginning 1990: reception of refugees from the Jugoslawian war conflict Since 2000: housing for asylumseekers, housing and care for UM, legal counselling for asylum seekers, German courses Annual awareness raising campaignes eg. World Refugee Day Youth work on refugee issues for projectxchange workshops in schools 8

9 ARC and Resettlement: advocacy and awareness raising First international expert and national stakeholders conference in Vienna (ARC, UNHCR, Caritas) in 2010 Initiating and contributing to the Austrian Working Group on Resettlement: paper Resettlement in Austria presented to the Federal ministry of interior Promoting resettlement in ARC local branches: information, networking, future planning 9

10 Resettlement in Austria Suchdienst 10

11 ARC: compentence and tradition in refugee work Familyreunion Reunified Afghan siblings in Lower Austria 11

12 Asylumseekers and former refugees as volunteers at ARC No legal barriers for asylum seekers to volunteer Many former refugees as volunteers AND staff Asylum seekers and refugees as volunteers: Fostering integration and social inclusion deconstructing prejudices in host society creating feeling of being needed in receiving society 12

13 ARC: competence and ressources in refugee work refugees as volunteers Ibrahima Fall, former refugee from Senegal, now paramedic in Lower Austria 13

14 ARC: Asylum seekers volunteering Dilorom Nazarova, Home food services Meals on wheels 14

15 ARC: ressources Tahmouras Moshir, transport for disabled people Suchdienst 15

16 Volunteer sector Austrian Red Cross - Vienna Mag. Karin Pointner Project assistant

17 Red Cross Vienna What we do Support and Care (elderly persons, handicapped persons, children, poverty reduction) Emergency Aid and Disaster Management (incl. Search and Rescue, Water and Sanitation, Signal-service, Camps etc.) Homeless shelters (2 shelters, 1 assisted accommodation) Ambulance and Medical Assistance Youth (volunteering, youth groups etc.) Research (health care, migration, volunteering etc.) Meals on wheels Bongusto Education and Training (first aid courses, volunteer training etc.) Integration and in total: 1800 volunteers 900 paid staff

18 RC Vienna: Fields of activities

19 Integration and Rented Apartments for people who have been granted asylum in Vienna /and their families ( Integration flats ) Project Family Meeting (volunteers as Integration-Buddies ) Private lessons for children with migratory background (6-18 years) after-school Lernclub ( Learning Club ) for children (age 6-15), most of them learn German as their second language EU-project PROTECT - Emergency trainers (Red Cross volunteers and new volunteers with migration background) organise workshops for migrant organisations

20 After-school Lernclub

21 Integration flats PROTECTemergency trainers Family Meeting After school private lessons

22 Facts Family Meeting : assistance with bringing the family members to Austria; afterwards assistance concerning bureaucracy (grants, housing, german lessons etc.) 55 buddies (volunteers) Integration flats : 20 families (flats for max. 3 years) private lessons for children with migration background : once a week for 2 hours in libraries or the family s apartment (around 15 volunteers) Lernclub : Two clubs in Vienna (2nd, 10th district); three afternoons per week for 2 hours, groups of approximately ten children every afternoon 3-4 volunteers during school year EU-project PROTECT : training courses for volunteers ( Emergency trainers ) who organise workshops in migrant communities about the right behaviour in cases of emergency and the Viennese rescue system

23 Thoughts on resettlement projects in Vienna concerning volunteering volunteers are very interested in migration/integration but have to be sensibilised (diversity trainings, discussions about racism/stereotypes e.g.) Intercultural sensibilisation on both sides necessary: migrants and Austrian citizens (integration project for both target groups)

24 Thoughts on resettlement projects in Vienna concerning volunteering lots of volunteers with migration background are interested in working for the Red Cross and could be used as mediators for implementing special volunteer projects resettlement projects need particularly trained volunteers ongoing networking with IOM, muslim organisations, youth projects

25 25 Thank you very much for your attention!