European Conference Maastricht Vocational training for asylum seekers: effects & methods Mr. B.J.M. Baron van Voorst tot Voorst the Queen's Commissioner for the Province of Limburg Word of Welcome

European Conference Maastricht Vocational training for asylum seekers: effects & methods Mr. Alvaro Pinto Scholtbach Multilateral Programmes Director of the Netherland Institute for Multiparty Democracy Opening of the Conference

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

European Conference Maastricht Vocational training for asylum seekers: effects & methods Mr. B. Feringa, Director of Labour Market Policy Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs Introduction

European Conference Maastricht Vocational training for asylum seekers: effects & methods The experience of two participants Mr. Nzinga Jorge from Angola Mr. Bashir Ahmad Omar from Afghanistan Interview

European Conference Maastricht Vocational training for asylum seekers: effects & methods Psychological Support and Vocational Training Panel 1

Aims of the Panel  To present a conceptual framework  To present activities of the 5 Development Partnerships (DP’s)  To draw conclusions from the aforementioned experiences

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

 Asylum process and living conditions of Asylum Seekers are  stressful  insecure  have negative effects on the individual’s action-potential  The longer this process carries on, the stronger are the negative effects Conceptual Framework Situation of Asylum Seekers II

Conceptual Framework Support 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

Scope of Practice in the 5 DP’s  All Development Partnerships (DP’s) developed methods to support Asylum Seekers in order to increase their capabilities needed for economic self-reliance  All DP’s 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

DP Back to Work, NL Mr. 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

DP ENEAS, Spain Mr. 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 diploma’s  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.

DP SEPA, Germany Mr. 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

DP SEPA, Germany Mr. 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

DP JobShop, Austria Dr. R. F. Morawetz  Psychological Support was provided to Asylum Seekers and to people who work with Asylum Seekers  24 h Hotline, Emergency Psychologists  1:1, 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

 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 DP HIT, Netherlands Mr. E. Pater

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

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

European Conference Maastricht Vocational training for asylum seekers: effects & methods Psychological Support and Vocational Training Panel 1