Mr. B.J.M. Baron van Voorst tot Voorst

1
Word of Welcome

• Mr. B.J.M. Baron van Voorst tot Voorst
• the Queen's Commissioner for the Province of
  Limburg

2
Opening of the Conference

• Mr. Alvaro Pinto Scholtbach
• Multilateral Programmes Director of the
  Netherland Institute for Multiparty Democracy

3
Aims of the day

• What strategy should be followed to prepare
  asylum seekers for an self-reliant future?
• To present approaches like psychological support
  and vocational training, which help to stabilize
  and to train Asylum Seekers
• To present the achievements and difficulties of
  integrating Asylum Seekers in the labour market
• To present the potential of net-working within a
  programme like EQUAL
• To present findings of the 5 Development
  Partnerships in regard to reintegration
• To draw conclusions from the aforementioned
  experiences

4
Introduction

• Mr. B. Feringa,
• Director of Labour Market Policy
• Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs

5
Interview

• The experience of two participants
• Mr. Nzinga Jorge from Angola
• Mr. Bashir Ahmad Omar from Afghanistan

6
Panel 1

• Psychological Support and Vocational Training

7
Aims of the Panel

• To present a conceptual framework
• To present activities of the 5 Development
  Partnerships (DPs)
• To draw conclusions from the aforementioned
  experiences

8
Conceptual Framework Situation of Asylum
Seekers I

• Asylum Seekers represent legally two groups of
  people
• refugees
• migrants
• Socially and psychologically there are
  considerable differences within the group of
  Asylum Seekers
• It is a widespread practice in Europe to place
  Asylum Seekers in reception centres
• The duration of special conditions varies
  throughout Europe

9
Conceptual Framework Situation of Asylum
Seekers II

• Asylum process and living conditions of Asylum
  Seekers are
• stressful
• insecure
• have negative effects on the individuals
  action-potential
• The longer this process carries on, the stronger
  are the negative effects

10
Conceptual FrameworkSupport for Asylum Seekers

• Psychological support and vocational training are
  two approaches used by the Development
  Partnerships
• to stop the negative development and the decline
  of a persons self-reliance
• by enabling the capacity of persons to orient
  themselves in the new surrounding and to
  communicate in the host society
• The main target of psychological support and
  vocational training is increasing the
  action-potential

11
Scope of Practice in the 5 DPs

• All Development Partnerships (DPs) developed
  methods to support Asylum Seekers in order to
  increase their capabilities needed for economic
  self-reliance
• All DPs offered language training and vocational
  training, the German and the Austrian projects
  provided psychological support as well
• In the Netherlands asylum seekers can make use of
  the existing mental health care, in Spain
  structures for psychological support for Asylum
  Seekers exist beside ENEAS-Equal

12
DP Back to Work, NLMr. P. Söder

• Psychological support
• No psychological support within the vocational
  training
• Personal coaching is a part of the vocational
  training
• The coach/ teacher observes psychological
  problems and reports them to the school
  psychologist
• Student is referred to the facilities of the
  National Health System
• Vocational training programme skills, support,
  coaching, observation

13
DP ENEAS, SpainMr. V. García Alvarez

• Psychological Support for Asylum Seekers is
  provided in Spain besides ENEAS-Equal
• Vocational training is integrated in a global
  approach
• Difficulties
• Diagnostic tools tested only with reception
  country people
• To centre intervention in psychological aspects
  forgetting the legal, economic and social context
  of the person
• The recognition of diplomas
• Good Practise
• To include the social-cultural and economical
  context when giving psychological support
• Interdisciplinary working team on the field of
  psychological support
• Many participants in vocational training.

14
DP SEPA, GermanyMr. W. B. Emminghaus

• Psychological counselling
• Prior to training measures and assignment to
  vocational training (specific indication)
• Within the vocational training curricula on a
  group and on an individual level
• Main objective empowerment
• The restitution of the capability for learning
  and working
• To secure a continuous participation in the
  courses
• To secure mental health
• Good practice
• Integration of therapy and work-related
  capability
• Inclusion of vulnerable (traumatized) and
  prevention
• Problems Language skills translation

15
DP SEPA, GermanyMr. W. B. Emminghaus

• Education and training
• School education of youth target-oriented
  assistance complements regular schooling
• Vocational training including language courses
• Good Practice
• Tailor-made solutions in combining language
  training and vocational training
• Integration of different services for the
  participants (teaching, counselling)
• Problems
• High drop-out rate

16
DP JobShop, AustriaDr. R. F. Morawetz

• Psychological Support was provided to Asylum
  Seekers and to people who work with Asylum
  Seekers
• 24 h Hotline, Emergency Psychologists
• 11, family- and group counselling depending on
  indication
• Good Practise the earlier the better
• Problem Rumours If you use psychological
  support your chances for getting asylum
  increase.
• Language Training and Vocational training were
  offered to all participants of the project
• Good practise preparatory training for entering
  the job-market
• Problem Language skills in vocational training
  courses

17
DP HIT, NetherlandsMr. E. Pater

• Psychological support was given through the
  existing health system
• Vocational training had a therapeutic and a
  job-related aspect
• A new method was developed
• Integrated Training
• Theory and praxis of vocational training
• and language training
• in one programme
• This method proved to be useful for other
  target-groups
• Problem no structural funding, no (European)
  policy

18
General Statements

• Psychological support and vocational training are
  ways for asylum seekers to cope with their
  insecure (living) conditions
• Psychological counselling and vocational training
  can be a pre-requisite for other services that
  can lead to work in the host and home country
• Methods require improvement because of
• language barriers
• cultural difference

19
Political Conclusions

• EQUAL gives the opportunity to develop innovative
  approaches
• Such as Close connection between psychological
  services and training measures
• New approaches should be transferred to regular
  systems
• There is a need for further development of
  know-how and methods
• On a European level there is need for
• Collaboration on the development of minimum
  standards
• Structural funding

20
Panel 1

• Psychological Support and Vocational Training