ICMCEUROPE WelcometoEurope.pdf (5.89 MB)

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Chapter VII – Building a New Life in the Community
• Refugees from both camp situations
and urban settings may have
developed dependency on assistance
and aid, and so find it difficult
to adjust to doing things for
themselves.
• Having spent many years without
the possibility of planning their
future, resettled refugees can have
unrealistic expectations about their
new home country, especially in
terms of employment, housing and
social assistance. They are often
unaware that life can be challenging
in highly industrialised countries.
• Resettled refugees often have no
existing community, family or other
support networks that can offer
emotional and orientation support
on arrival, or during the initial
period when everything is new and
often complicated. 9
1.3.2. Principles for reception and
integration
In September 2010, ICMC organised
a conference 10 on resettlement and
integration in Europe attended by 45
participants and facilitators from civil
society organisations and municipalities
working with resettled refugees
in 11 countries. The conference produced
‘A Charter of Principles for the
9 ICMC, Paving the Way: A Handbook on the Reception
& Integration of Resettled Refugees, 2011
10 ICMC -led workshop on the reception and integration
of refugees held on 14-16 June 2010, and
organised in the framework of the IOM, UNHCR
and ICMC project ‘Promotion of resettlement in the
European Union through practical cooperation by
EU Member States and other stakeholders’
Reception and Integration of Resettled
Refugees’ 11 which identified 4 key principles
in this area:
• Empowering refugees, fostering
independence - programmes must
be designed to take account of the
cultural background of resettled refugees,
and refugees should have
the opportunity to give feedback
on services and be involved in their
delivery.
• Enabling integration - pre-departure
information must be accurate and
realistic, and be communicated to
both refugees and all actors involved
in the resettlement process,
including those receiving refugees in
resettlement countries. Integration
programmes must be time-limited,
linked to mainstream services,
provide translated information on
key topics, make use of personal
integration planning and ensure
access to safe and secure housing
and family reunification procedures.
• Enhancing partnerships, planning
together - those involved in programmes
in receiving countries
must develop mechanisms for joint
planning and coordination, and communicate
with actors in the country
of asylum to ensure information on
refugees’ specific needs is incorporated
into pre-arrival reception
planning. Mainstream services in the
receiving country must be informed
11 ICMC, Paving the Way: A Handbook on the Reception
& Integration of Resettled Refugees, 2011