Report of exchange programme in Switzerland

Transcription

1 Report of exchange programme in Switzerland October 2007 Henny Jørgensen, Danish Red Cross, Denmark Kari Klette Loeng, Hero Mottak, Norge 1

2 Participant Data Name Organisation Henny Jørgensen Danish Red Cross Name Organisation Kari Klette Loeng Hero Mottak, Norge Itinerary (List of places and people visited) Vallorbe Registration and Asylum process Centre *Federal office for Migration Nadine Scholl host Centre Vallorbe Mr. Hengy director of the Centre Vallorbe *ORS Lunardi chief *Ascom( finger prints) *Securitas Mr. Damien chief *IOM return program Mr. Oliver Porchet FAREAS centre in Ste-Croix in kanton Vaud Mr. Rochat director BERN: Federal office for Migratin and Asylum procedure Christian Zumwald - legal adviser to the head of the Direction Sector Asylum Procedure Barbara Marti Leprat- Directorate for Entry, Stay and Return, Legal Affairs Simone Grossniklaus-Directorate for Entry, Stay and Return, International Agreement Section Gregoire Crettaz- -Directorate for Entry, Stay and Return, Stay and Return Assistance REZ Philipp Haas- -Directorate for Entry, Stay and Return,Repatriation Division LUGANO-SOS Swiss Worker Relief Mario Amato- lawyer 2

3 Vera Marinoni -co-ordinator for second interviews CHIASSO Fereral Office for Migration Evalina Colavita Bada-host-ENARO responsable in Switzerland Antonio Simona director Luca Barancini- Assistanse ORS Responsable Tiziana Ferrazzini deputy Sacha Verga securitas responsible Giovanni Peccarero-assistant Centro Commune di Cooperazione di Polizia e Doganale Italo-Svizzero Christina Longhi- Responsabile amministraiva Assistzente del Dirigente Svizzero Sgt. Giovanni Mirioni- Gruppo analisi 3

4 Table of content 1. Introduction 2. Country Profile 3. Descriptive report [include comments, good practices] 4. Conclusions [how does the exchange affect your assessment of services at home] Appendix: Documents 4

5 Introduction Entering this exchange program we both had some expectations. With our common background both in education (kindergarten teachers) and work practise, we wanted to look upon especially children s conditions in an asylum centre. Children in a complete or un-complete family. Also women s living conditions were interesting for us. But we agreed in the fact that we were both eager to learn generally about asylum seekers standard of living and the procedure of asylum in Switzerland. Vallorbe The first centre where asylum seekers live when asking for asylum. In this centre we could hardly find children, families or women. 90% of the people living there were young African men. We were impressed to see how they fulfilled the law by giving the answers of the asylum request within short time, 50% got the answer during the 60 days they stayed in ORS Vallorbe. 60 days are maximum time for staying in this centre. In this centre most of the asylum seekers are coming from the south Sahara regions. There is one centre more who is only accepting seekers from the other centres, it`s n About asylum seekers have been staying in this centre for a short or longer time since There are 5 reception centres like this in the whole country. All reception centres are placed near the border. This is in the canton Vaud. Ste. Croix After the 60 days in the first centre, the seekers go to canton centre, like this. In the Swiss system the 26 cantons are autonomic. That means the cantons are running the centres in different ways, after different standards. We were told that in the canton of Vaud the asylum seekers are treated the most human way. 60 days are maximum for staying in this centre. Canton Vaud has hired the company FAREAS (after EVAM) to take care of accommodation and assistance for asylum seekers in all the 7 centres. Chiasso A reception centre for the first 60 days, like Vallorbe. This centre is placed in the canton Tessino, near the Italian border. Pictures and graphic material are used with permission from FOM workers. 5

6 1.COUNTRY PROFILE / STATISTICAL DATA Please provide data on the following for the whole of the country, if available, unless otherwise specified. This information will be used to compile a basic country profile database which can be updated yearly. General Information: Country: Switzerland Organisation, address, website: Governing institution: Total number of employees: Annual budget (EUR): Daily accommodation costs per one asylum seeker (EUR): Federal Office for Migration Quellenweg 6 CH-3003 Bern Wabern T+41(0) , Home page: info@bfm.admin.ch Department of Justice and Police mill Euro 12 Euro for food about 18 Euro other expenses except administration Asylum grant proceedings: Legal duration of asylum grant proceedings: Organisation liable for asylum grant proceedings (if other than above) Legal regulations governing asylum grant proceedings, their last amendment Total number of asylum applications during: (indicate numbers and year) Total number of granted asylum in accordance with the Geneva Convention during: (indicate numbers and year) Total number of provided subsidiary forms of protection: (indicate numbers and year) 5 top countries of origin of asylum seekers: Depending on the cases Same as above Not entering in the substance of the case if no passport or ID documents To reopen your case you have to pay SF After 5 years stay in the country, your canton could apply for your permanent stay :stop in financial aid for asylum seekers with negative answer. Are still receiving assistance in special aid centres, not only for asylum seekers. Once the second part of the revised asylum legislation comes into force in 2008, this form of emergency assistance will be extended to all rejected asylum seekers. The last 3 years it was each year 15-17% the last 3 years. This includes family reunions and births About in Ethiopia Serbia Iraq Romania Turkey 440 Accommodation of asylum seekers Total of accommodation capacity (number of beds): Reception centres: Vallorbe 217 6

7 Types of accommodation: (more then one answer possible) Number of facilities: Average length of stay of asylum seeker in asylum reception facility: Asylum seekers has possibility to live in private housing: Asylum seeker s freedom of movement: Basel: 236 Kreuzlingen 235 Chiasso 197 Altstatten 115 Canton centre Ste. Croix 125 X houses bungalows caravans X military barracks hotels boats tents X (shared) rooms other (specify): 4 reception centres and 1 transit centre And canton centres maximum 60 days according to law x yes, single minors, handicapped, and people with special needs if they have family living in private houses x no X without restriction, In canton Vaud, present by the weekly payment X restricted: In reception centres: daily registration, must be present special periods of the day, can stay outside with permission during weekends and holy days. In Chiasso they can be out of the centre for days, and they are loosing the daily payment of 3SF for each day when they arrive. obligatory permanent presence in asylum facility detention Services provided: Types of catering: System of provision of financial and material aid: Asylum seeker s access to the labour market: Lessons of local language available: Vocational training available: Extent of health care provided: Obligatory initial medical examinations: X individual cooking at some canton centres X catering provided at reception centres combined cash payment in kind X combined no X yes, specify conditions: after 3 months X compulsory voluntary X none at reception centres yes X no, but some centres are trying in combination with local authorities standard same as health care provided for citizens X different, specify:, only first aid for reception centres none lung X-ray (TB) venereal diseases taking of biological material samples X other, specify:, TB screening by computer at reception centres Vulnerable groups: 7

8 Definition of vulnerable groups please indicate the categories which are considered vulnerable in the reception system: X Unaccompanied minors X Single women X Pregnant women X Families with children, not the men Elderly X Incomplete families (single women with minor children) Mentally handicapped Physically handicapped/disabled Victims of trauma and other people with mental health problems X Others, specify: for mentally and physically sick persons the cases were treated as quick as possible Please indicate number of asylumseekers for each category a) the whole country b) the reception facility when available - not available. Unaccompanied minors Vallorbe: If family in local area, they live with family, not in centres. Special centres for these group in canton Vaud. Chiasso: If family in the area, at family. Else they stay with the adults and they try to give them a quick case. Single women Families with children Elderly Incomplete families (single women with minor children) Mentally handicapped Gathered in their own corridors in the centres at reception centre Vallorbe Canton centre in Sate. Croix, they mix families and singles in same corridors. In centre Chiasso they mix families and singles in same corridors. Vallorbe: 10 families Chiasso: 4 famlies None information Chiasso: Single women with minors lives in same rooms as other women, None information - the cases were treated as quick as possible Physically handicapped/disabled None information- the cases were treated as quick as possible Victims of trauma and other people with mental health problems Others, specify None information - the cases were treated as quick as possible None information 8

9 DESCRIPTIVE REPORT To understand the Swiss system for asylum affairs, one has to look upon the special situation of a federal government. There are 26 cantons. Each canton has a great wide autonomy in decisions how to run the centres. The reception centres are run by governmental standards. The canton centres are run by cantonal standards. That means you can find big differences. *The positive answer to an asylum apply gives asylum. *3 different kind of negative 1.If the seeker does not bring documents to prove ID, the FOM will not "enter the substance", look into the case. The seeker has 5 days to appeal. It s allowed to stay at the centre in this time. After the 5 days, the person is not allowed to stay at the centre. They can live in a centre who gives shelter for the night, and food. No money. The canton can give assistance to ticket, and the person can give information about IOM. After the seeker with a negative answer will get no help, only first aid medically. 2. Normal negative: The person is sent to a canton centre, here you get pocket money and assistance. After no assistance, after negative. If you want to make a claim on this decision, you must contact a lawyer. Some non government organisations can help finding a lawyer who knows this kind of work, and is doing the job for a symbolic prize. At the centres you can find addresses and names for organisations and lawyers. Organisations we have seen,: SOS, Church, both protestant and catholic. The limit of days for this apply is 30 days, in this time the person can live in a centre.3. The seeker can stay in Switzerland until the situation in the home country is more like normal. This is the preliminary stay, one by one year. If return is not possible, the result can be permanent permission to stay in Switzerland., because after 5 years in this kind of status, the canton CAN apply to the FOM on your behalf. Vallorbe was the. first centre we visited.vallorbe is a reception centre near the border between France and Switzerland. Vallorbe is a town with inhabitants. When people are arriving, they can ask for asylum in the reception, which are run by Securitas. The building is a 4 floor building with fences around.. The area is well surveilled, and keys are necessary to enter all the fences and doors. The offices for the decision makers are in a second building. Administration and interview offices in a third building. 9

10 Like told before some equipment is illegal in the centre., If a person brings mobile phone, pens or some objects than can be used to harm somebody, these objects are confiscated and kept by the Securitas. This also includes food. When eating, only forks and spoons are used. We did not see a knife. After every out-going, they are searched by security. One day we made the following observation: One man together with a Security officer. The man in uniform made the seeker throw away 2 apples he obviously wanted to bring inside. The house, corridors and rooms were so quiet. No music, no singing, the sounds we know from "our" centres were absent. No pictures on the wall, no graffiti. But we must tell, every corridor and room was clean, it showed a high standard of hygiene. Even in the men s corridor the shoes were put in a big box to keep order. The staff were young people, as we could observe. The leader told some of them has been working for 5 years. DUTIES: The seekers themselves were cleaning the areas. Except the men s bath rooms. They were cleaned by staff. Kitchen area was cleaned by Securitas. Assisting in distributing the food, made in a local restaurant. Cleaning up the tables and room after the meals. Ste. Croix The canton centre where the seekers go after 60 days in reception centre. Here they also stay 60 days on average. Crissier We didn t visit a centre like Crissier, but information given told they could stay here in about 4 months, and this period was more socializing. People living in the third centre were mostly going to stay in Switzerland. Some could later go to live outside a centre, and some would always live in a centre. Visit at SOS. SOS - Swiss Worker Relief Organisation - Lugano. SOS is the organisation that takes care of the duty to be present at the 2. interview at Centre Chiasso. Their task is to observe the procedure. The person can ask further questions and will submit a report of the interview to their relief organisation. In Vallorbe it was a Christian organisation that took care of same duty. SOS Lugano helps not only the asylum seekers in procedure but had also a function of a welfare centre in the city for unemployed people They takes care of the settlement in the canton as well pays out welfare money and helps people getting jobs.. We had the opportunity to ask the lawyer about his work according to the asylum cases. The seekers pays a symbolic price at the moment 50 SF to have the help to make an appeal in one of the official languages in Switzerland. The organisation can have this low price because they have money from the federal lotteries. If an asylum seeker asks for help with the appeal case the lawyer only takes mandate if he find the appeal will give a positive outcome, else he only help writing. Chiasso This centre was opened in Most of the staff has been working here for 8-17 years., and they were 17 of them, but only a few had 100% jobs. The centre has 2 social workers working at the centre, we did not meet them. They were together with some of the seekers doing work in the woods/hills for the local community. Also they were doing cleaning jobs in the city streets, working in the parks, and in winter they are removing the snow, if any. 10

11 The general politics are not to separate families. But the situation with more big rooms than rooms suitable for families, it could be that two families shared a big room. The staff always tried to combine people with common language or same country of origin in this rooms. Single men were gathered in big rooms with up to 18 beds. The building has 2 floors with bedrooms and bathrooms, 1 floor for the staff and 1 floor for kitchen and dining areas. Men and women did not share bathrooms. There are 3 rooms for dining and activities. When we were visiting, one of the assistants was responsible for a football table tournament. DUTIES Cleaning and keeping everything in order. A man with a cleaning machine was there everyday to clean the floors. The seekers were assisting in distribution of the food. All dinners were made at the local hospital kitchen. There are fences around the building. People are searched for illegal items when they enter the centre. Illegal is: weapons or things that could be used like weapons, cameras or mobile phones with cameras, food. Even the use of knives when eating is not allowed. All electrical items are forbidden. Internet is possible to use in an internet café in the city. There are 2 TVs in the combined dining rooms and activity rooms, with cable TV. 1.1GENERAL RECEPTION CONDITIONS Vallorbe=V Ste.croix=C Chiasso=H 1.2Initial reception Where are asylum seekers placed when they first enter the country? V and H :When the seekers arrive, they are placed in one of the 5 reception centres,like Vallorbe. All are placed near the border to neighbour countries. Medical screening What are the minimum practices on medical screening (health and mental health)? V and H :In Vallorbe they are given a test answering yes or no to a computer program about TB. Questions are in their own language, also spoken. The result gives an answer if you need to see a doctor. The nurse is present in the room. Information Do asylum seekers receive information on the asylum process? V:They receive written information when registrated, in most of the languages. Do they receive adequate information on their rights? V:The same information as above. What is the quality and accessibility of this information? V:If the persons cannot read, there is a big question about this. 11

12 Legal services What type of legal services are offered? V: None, as we could find. How are asylum seekers supported in making their application? V: They are told where to find a lawyer. H: the lawyers name and address are given to them. Interpreters Are professional, culturally sensitive and gender-matched interpreters available for asylum seekers when required? V and H: Yes, during interviews, but reception centres not situated in big cities can not cover all languages nor dialects. Some situations can occur during interviews, so they are postponing the meeting to find male/female interpreters. Waiting times How long do asylum seekers have to wait for a decision in their case? Please provide examples. V and H: The first reception centres can keep the seekers for 60 days, and 50% of them receive the decision during these days. This is either the negative answer or the answer that the Swiss authorities are not looking at your problems, because you didn t give correct ID or ID at all. Detention Are any asylum seekers held in detention/ detention-like facilities? Please provide statistical data if available. What are the conditions and practices around detention (e.g. lengths of time spent in detention, material conditions, services available for detainees)? V: The first day the leader of the ORS centre was guiding the accommodations. We were shown a small room, and he told this was used if people were mentally unstable by arrival or aggressive. Later one member of the Securitas Staff spoke about this room. It was actually a non-locked room, even popular if somebody wanted peace and quiet for one night. When we asked, they told that police/gendarmerie was called if problems occurred. Breaking the house rules could lead to a night outside the centre. This was a room where they could put mattresses on the floor. H: Not detention. Dispersal (= placement/distribution of asylumseekers) Is there a dispersal policy for asylum seekers? What are the effects of the dispersal policy on asylum seekers? Asylum seekers registered at reception centres at Swiss airports are allocated to the cantons by FOM in accordance with a certain percentage key, Article 21 Asylum Order I. Aargau Appenzell AR Appenzell IR Basel_Landschaft Basel- Stadt Bern Freiburg Genf Glarus Graubunden Jura Luzern Neuenburg 7,7% 0,8% 0,2% 3,7% 2,3% 13,5% 3,3% 5,6% 0,6% 2,7% 1,0% 4,9% 2,4% Nidwalden Obwalden Schaffhausen Schwytz Solothurn St. Gallen Tessin Thurgau Uri Waadt Wallis Zug Zurich 0,5% 0,5% 1,1% 1,8% 3,5% 6,0% 3,9% 2,8% 0,5% 8,4% 3,9% 1,4% 17,0% Staff How are staff at the reception centre trained? V: The staff were called assistants. The leader told they had different education, from university also. Annual evaluation and training. H: Members of the staff have been to different courses, about country/region knowledge. 12

13 What is the level of involvement by staff members in their clients experiences at the reception facility? V: As we know none. H: The staff members are open to meet and to listen to the seekers who want to talk about their experiences. It was opening hours at the offices, several hours pr day. C: Answering our question, there was no formal meetings, but problems were discussed with the leader. What is the turnover rate of members of staff? V. most of the staff was there from the beginning 5 years ago. H: Staff had been working from 8 up to 17 years. Client information How much information do staff have about their clients? V and H: For staff it was name., number, sex, family travelling together. For Securitas also special appointments with nurse or FOM or ASKOM(finger prints and photo) and if the persons needed special care. How is this information obtained? V: On an information board inside ORS office, for Securitas inside their office. More info with the securitas. How is client information recorded, and how are the records maintained and accessed? V: We could only see that client information was the interview, and this was in files in FOM building and in each office for FOM staff. ASKOM sent info to main office immediately. Schooling and education What kind of educational opportunities are available to asylum seekers? V: Nothing C: Courses in French were given by educated staff members, 5 different levels, also for people who cannot read or write. Compulsory courses. Do they receive language training? V: No C: Only French. H: In Chiasso the staff had daily meetings and they were writing reports for each other. Health care What kind of health services are available? V and H: Only first aid. C: Those who have not permission to live and settle, are given first aid. The rest are covered by general insurance paid by FAREAS, that gives the same rights like other inhabitants in the canton. The nurse decided if treatment by doctor was needed or not. To what extent do asylum seekers have access to medical aid and treatment? As above. H: Staff kept medicin needed without doctors prescription and could give if somebody asked for it. Even if doctor gave medicin with prescription, they kept it at office and gave directly to the persons. Mental health care What are the provisions for mental health care? As above. Food What are the arrangements around food provision? V and H: Free food in cafeteria 3 times a day. Not allowed to bring food inside the centre. Observation made by us on the last day at Vallorbe: One man was told to throw away 2 apples. V and H: After every outgoing the seekers were searched for illegal objects according to the house rules. Food, cellular phones, writing equipment, all things who could be categorized as dangerous objects. C: Receiving 8 f each day for food, 2 kitchens in each floor. H: During the Ramadan the staff took care of food for people visiting the Islamic meeting centre in the town. This food they could have when arriving at the centre. 13

14 Accommodation Where are asylum seekers housed at various stages of the asylum process? V: The reception centre Vallorbe is a former military barracks with high fences and little privacy and freedom, strict rules. In and outside the buildings we observed a lot of security persons in uniform and, as far as we could see, all public areas was video surveilled. Assistant members had key and walky-talky (handset). Each asylumseeker gets a bed, a locker to close, a sheet and a blanket for the bed, towel, soap and hygienic articles. Bed equipment was of military kind and was cleaned by military. Sheets every week, blankets monthly The plan was changing to more continental materials, like pillow and quilt. Clean towels daily. Free cleaning of private clothes. Every half floor made an unit. In this unit people shared bathrooms. The rooms are divided as follows: beds rooms 1 10 beds room 1 8 beds room 1 6 beds room 34 4 beds room The main rule was dividing man and women in each corridor. Sometimes even families are divided. In these cases, they are, on request, entitled to visit each other. C: The second centre was giving more privacy, more freedom, but with strict rules. The buildings used to be a hospital, placed in a park. No gates, only to staff area the doors were locked, offices, store, class rooms and so on. Each person gets a bed, a locker, a box containing kitchen equipment, a bag consisting of continental quilt, pillow, sheet, towel and hygienic articles. Every half floor made an unit. In this unit people share bathroom and kitchen. The official politics in this centre was mixing families and singles. They meant this gave a better social life for everybody. In this centre the rooms were smaller, and large families could get two rooms, with entrance direct between the rooms. H: The centre was opened in 1988, 12 years ago they moved to the present building. This used to be a medical centre. The building was surrounded by a high fence. The yard outside the building was small and also fenced in. Here people were playing ping pong, sitting talking and smoking, there was possible to play chess, a few playing articles for the children. When arriving, you first met 2 Securitas officers by the door. When the offices were open, the doors were actually open. The assistants are walking around with keys. We did not see any Walkies here. The seekers were equipped like in Vallorbe, but they got pillows as well. Some rooms have 18 bed, and some rooms were smaller. Are they able to choose their own accommodation? No. What is the quality of accommodation arrangements for asylum seekers? Answer like above. The accommodation arrangements are improving when people go from the first reception centre to a centre in the canton. Financial support What kind of financial support do asylum seekers receive? How do they receive it (cash, cheques, bank account) Are they expected to refund expenses? V and H 3 f pr day, weekly paid in cash. The money is given for each member of the family, also children. C: 12f pr day, weekly paid in cash: 8f food, 1f clothes,3 pocket money Clothing What kind of arrangements exist for clothing, including shoes, winter garments, etc.? V: Second Hand Free Shop. 1 room consisting of equipment given by organisations and local people. They could only take within a reasonable extent. 14

15 H: By arrival people are given free clothes by giving the coupons. The clothes were donated to the centre by a local second hand shop. When the centre arranged parties, like X-mas, this people were invited. C: 1 f pr week Second Hand Low Price Shop run by volunteers in the town. Equipment was donated by organisations and local people, some articles was quite new. The prices were symbolic. Freedom of movement Do asylum seekers have freedom of movement in the country? If not, how is this controlled? V: Yes, on days when they have none appointments for doctor, nurse, registration, interview they are free to leave the centre. When they go out of the centre they have a paper with picture and name, The paper is stamped for inand outgoing. The asylum seekers are required to be at the disposal of the Authority on days during which a procedure step has been scheduled. On other days, they are authorized to go out as follows: During the week : From 08h30 a.m. to 5h30 p.m. if they do not eat in the center. If they want to have their noon meal at the center, they have to be back by 12h00 a.m. and can go out again at 1h00 p.m. This is what most of them do. On average, 20% of the asylum seekers are occupied by administrative phases and can therefore not leave the center. Weekends : Beginning Friday 8h00 a.m. until Sunday 7h00 p.m., if they leave Vallorbe. If not, the same time table for outings on week days. In general, 40% of the asylum seekers leave Vallorbe over the weekend. 15

16 The following is a survey of the proceedings at the center. The colours indicate whether the person can or cannot go out during the day in question.. Cannot go out. Is free to go out. Can go out only during a part of the day. Is no longer at the center.. 16

17 Arrival of the seeker (AS) Fingerprints, photos AS awaiting decision regarding transfer or first hearing in Vallorbe Registration at the lodge Given a room TB detection interview. Transfer to another center continuation in other c. Attribution to a canton cont. during stay in canton AS awaiting determination attribution or continuation of treatment in Vallorbe Attribution to a canton contin. during stay in canton Preparation of the decision in Vallorbe Positive decision Departure for the canton of attribution Notification of the decision Negative decision art. 3 and 7 contin. during stay in canton 1st hearing in Vallorbe Determination if immediate or later decision or if other procedure steps required Federal hearing in Vallorbe or other procedure step Non-entry into the substance decision. Appeal or not? (5day) Appeal: continuation according to the decision of the Federal adminitrative Court (le TAF) No appeal or appeal rejected The AS is requested to leave Switzerland Appeal accepted Continuation while stay in canton ENARO Exchange program to [country], [month,year], [name candidate(s)] The AS leaves the center with a train ticket and the indication of the canton liable to give him possible emergency support

18 C: When the seeker arrives at centre, FAREAS makes an ID-card. Recreation Are there opportunities for recreation and leisure activities, in areas such as arts, sports, reading, games, music, and being outdoors? V: The seekers has the possibility to go out centre as described ahead Inside the center, the asylum seekers have at their disposal: - telephone cabins with cards - vending machines for soft drinks and cigarettes dining halls, 2 of which are equipped with TV sets. - 1 ping pong table indoors and 1 outdoors. Post addressed to the asylum seekers is distributed V:A playground for the children has been created outdoors and a small space for activities indoors.. V: The chaplains provide a small library in their premises. H : The seekers can leave the centre at certain days, like Vallorbe. Inside the center, the asylum seekers have at their disposal: - telephone cabins with cards - vending machines for soft drinks and cigarettes dining halls, 2 of which are equipped with TV sets. - 1 ping pong table indoors and 1 outdoors - 1 chess outdoors A few items for the children to play on. Otherwise families could bring children to local playgrounds. A small library. Possible to borrow playing cards, puzzles, chess etc. Also they used to visit the Toy Hospital, where the families could get some toys for free. Religious practice Are there facilities for religious practice? V: here was an activity room which was changed to be a mosque during the Ramadan H: Local priest has an office. In the city there is an Islamic meeting place. Host community. To what extent can asylum seekers engage with members of the host community? V: During outings they can have contact, but visitors were not allowed at the centre. The people who worked in the forest met locals. H: The people who donated the free clothes were invited to celebrations/parties. The people who were working in the local area/parks and so also met locals. Football team from centre also has the possibility to meet locals. Voluntary work in the local hospital. Communication and media Do asylum seekers have access to phone cards, telephones and/ or mobiles? Do asylum seekers have access to the Internet, TV and radio? V: Mobile phones are not allowed ENARO Exchange programme to Sweden, October 2007, H. Jorgenssen & K. Loeng 18

19 H: Mobile phones with camera are not allowed. V and H: No access to internet at the centre. TV at the centre, public areas. Withdrawal of benefits Are there any circumstances in which benefits or services may be withdrawn from asylum seekers? When they are not staying in the centre, they get withdrawal in money. If they did not do duty, they could be denied to go out of the centre. 1.3Complaints and participation Do asylumseekers have the opportunity to make official and/ or informal complaints against practices in the residence facilities? How are complaints processed? By speaking with either the assistants or the centre leaders. Are asylum seekers involved in any aspect of the ways in which the facility operates? No. Are there specific examples of good practice relating to any of the above aspects? For some asylum seekers the waiting time for an answer is really short. The obvious negative cases are not kept in the system for months/years. Good information about and the cooperating with IOM is really good. Keeping the high standard of hygiene impressed us. Not common bathrooms for men and women is good practice. The open doors in the centre in Chiasso, and the assistants availability for the asylum seekers are good examples of good practice. The cooperation with the local society is good practice. ENARO Exchange programme to Sweden, October 2007, H. Jorgenssen & K. Loeng 19

20 CONCLUSIONS: The knowledge and information we had these days will be shared with our colleagues. Also we want to share and inform asylum seekers about what we have seen and learned in Switzerland. We want to be better motivators for return programs in our local centres, like IOM. We really would like the authorities in our countries would do the same as Switzerland, giving some financial assistance to people who are returning to their own country. Putting RETURN on the agenda for next year s priorities. This is all about finding and giving information at the time when it s needed. This can be already by arrival at the centre. Seeking knowledge and information about the first reception centres in our own countries. ENARO Exchange programme to Sweden, October 2007, H. Jorgenssen & K. Loeng 20