The event held by Veneto Insieme in Padua was a great success!

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Watch this video here to see how the event went!

RaCIP is an AMIF project structured to improve the capacity building of organisations engaged in supporting refugee integration through a community programme involving civil society.

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The RaCIP project is developed within the proven sponsorship paradigm, evolved, in some contexts, into community sponsorships.

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Private and community sponsorship is an integration model that promotes the inclusion of the migrant person within legal pathways, based on the assumption that effective and real integration occurs if a support network, both formal and informal, is built around the person.

The refugee sponsorship and mentoring activities carried out in the RaCIP project involved different categories of sponsors and mentors:

- host families: families who host one or more refugees;

- supporting families: families who help one or more refugees or a family of refugees or asylum seekers, but they only support them, without hosting them;

- enterprise mentors: figures who work with the refugee during working hours, and that support him/her inside and outside the company;

- university students: young people who become mentors for migrant adolescents or young adults;

- stakeholders – decision-makers: we need to create a network on the territories where we work, composed of CSO and public services and other local organizations, that helps our organizations and people that are involved in the project;

- social workers belonging to the professional staff;

- migrants who became mentors and tutors.

RaCIP project has been an experience that involved ordinary people in the reception process, and it provided a model in which refugees participate in their own integration process.

The project involved 2770 people, belonging to different categories, through activities implemented in the 5 project partner countries: Italy, Greece, Cyprus, France, and Portugal.

This three-year process ended at the end of November 2023, the final project conference was held last Tuesday, 21 November.

Activities carried out:

- in the first half of the project, we carried out many preparatory activities: desk research, exchanges between partners, preliminary analysis, mentor training.

-  in the second part of the project we implemented a total of 738 activities to realize the process of inclusion. At this stage, partners, families, mentors, and refugees built together a series of pilot schemes to implement tailor-made integration programs.

- The project also foresaw constant monitoring and evaluation of the impact of the activities implemented.

Focus areas of the project:

Improving well-being and connection to community

Language learning and communication skills

Improving participation in work-related activities

Access to housing

Access to training/education activities

Access to health

Access to legal services

Access to administrative and bank services

Improving intercultural, cultural and social skills

Conclusions:

The RaCIP project contributed to improving well-being, because you cannot invest in integration processes without well-being.

In RaCIP everyone was part of the project: all actors were involved at the same level, with different roles.

Flexibility is one of the keywords of the project: the ability to adapt the activities envisaged by the PS to the different contexts in which they were implemented, and to deal with the emergencies that have occurred in recent years, was the skill most highlighted in RaCIP.

Professional support is necessary for an effective PS, as is the commitment of the local authority, which is essential to provide a legal framework for the activities, and that of an academic body, which allows the project evidence to be systematised and given scientific support.

RaCIP has given our organisation the time and the way to address not only the needs, but also the dreams of those who leave home to live better in a foreign country, those of citizens who believe in a more inclusive world by becoming inclusive people, those of social workers, who choose this kind of work because it gives meaning to their actions.

To build a future for all.

Second Tree's final RaCIP event saw all of our regular football players from the refugee camps and Ioannina city come together and show off the skills that they'd honed over the course of the past year! Teams mixed with players from all over the globe, and players as young as 6 years of age made for a fantastic afternoon, which ended with a hot cup of chai and some reflections of the friendships forged thanks to the RaCIP project!

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The RACIP Project was successfully presented at the University of Trento During the Glocal Factory  Multiplier event which took place on the 21st September. The presentation of the RACIP project at the University of Trento has stimulated depth and highlighted strengths and criticism of the reception systems
Thanks to Sara Taglietti, Sandra Mateus and Maria Carla Italia, from the RaCIP team, and to all the reporters from Trentino for the hospitality and the quality of the contributions.

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Eleftheria Square becomes a hub of knowledge sharing and community engagement on November 19th

In a vibrant celebration of diversity and community collaboration, SYNTHESIS Center for Research and Education hosted the local dissemination event of the RaCIP project on November 19th, at Eleftheria Square in Nicosia, Cyprus. The event served as a platform to showcase the project's achievements, particularly in engaging diverse communities of migrants and establishing a groundbreaking mentoring and training programme with locals.

The RaCIP project has been a beacon of inclusivity, aiming to bridge gaps and foster a sense of belonging among migrants residing in Cyprus. The dissemination event at Eleftheria Square marked a significant milestone in the project's journey, providing an opportunity to share insights into the results achieved and the positive impact on the local community.

Attendees were treated to an immersive experience that included informative sessions, interactive performances, and personal testimonies from those who have directly benefited from the RaCIP initiative. The event successfully highlighted the diverse range of activities undertaken by the project, emphasizing its commitment to creating a harmonious and integrated community.

A key focus of the dissemination event was the unveiling of the mentoring programme established by RaCIP. This innovative initiative not only facilitated cultural exchange but also created valuable opportunities for locals to contribute to the integration process. By fostering mentorship relationships, the project has not only empowered migrants with essential skills but has also strengthened the bonds between different segments of the community.

The dissemination event was attended by a diverse audience, including migrants, local residents, and representatives from various civil society organizations. It provided a unique opportunity for open dialogue and networking, fostering a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by migrants and the role of community engagement in overcoming these challenges.

As Eleftheria Square buzzed with energy on November 19th, the RaCIP project showcased not only its results but also the power of unity and understanding in creating resilient and inclusive communities. The legacy of this event is expected to resonate for years to come, serving as an inspiration for other initiatives dedicated to building bridges and embracing the richness of diversity.

Check the info attached about Sunday's Multiplier Event at 13:00pm, 19 November 2023 hosted with SYNTHESIS

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Sunday 19 November 2023
Eleftheria Square
Nicosia
13:00 p.m. - 16:00 p.m.

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Check the info attached about Wednesday's Multiplier Event at 10:30am, 15 November 2023 hosted with Consorzio Veneto Insieme

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Wednesday 15 November 2023
Council Chamber Palazzo Santo Stefano
Piazza Antenore - Padua
10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Presentation of the results of the European project RaCIP.
From the international vision to the local situation: tools, methods and collaborations for effective reception paths.

A local conference to share the experience of three years of work among international partners  engaged in the development of private sponsorship, a tool supported at European level for the implementation of reception and integration paths for migrants.
The event aims to promote the dialogue between local cooperatives and institutions on the implementation of reception projects at local level: housing and labour market - challenges and opportunities

Agenda:

10:30 RaCIP Project
Sharing the experience of the project:
- Tiziana Boggian President of Consorzio Veneto Insieme
- Sara Taglietti Project manager

11:00 Round table
Dialogue between cooperatives and institutions:
- Social Cooperative Eleison
- Social Cooperative Il Sestante
- Social Cooperative Gruppo R
- Social Cooperative Cosep
- Prefecture of Padua
- Municipality of Padua
Coordinator Fabrizio Tellini - CAS Project Manager

12:00 Q&A - Dialogue with participants

 
12:30 Conclusions - Consorzio Veneto Insieme

12:45 Aperitif at Forbici Pizza

Check the info attached about Sunday's Multiplier Event at 3:30pm, 12 November 2023 hosted with Second Tree

The RaCIP project is invited to attend the event 'Building resilient community sponsorship programmes in Europe and beyond' to be held in Brussels, at the Mission of Canada to the EU, on 12-13 October 2023.

The event is co-organised by the European Commission, the European Asylum Agency, UNHCR, the Refugee Hub and the Canadian government. The event aims to promote and strengthen community advocacy in Europe as a tool to support safe and legal pathways to protection, and aims to explore community advocacy as an effective vehicle to engage communities in crisis contexts and beyond. It also aims to take stock of the progress made by EU Member States in establishing community advocacy programmes in recent years.  Representatives of government institutions, including policy makers, as well as individuals with direct experience and leaders of civil society organisations will have the opportunity to meet and discuss the latest developments and potential of EU sponsorship in the EU and beyond.

As part of the event, a reception will be held on the evening of 12 October at which AMIF-funded projects can present their activities, skills developed so far during project implementation and lessons learnt.
Participants will be able to walk around and gather information on the different projects including our RaCIP project.

The RACIP Project was successfully presented at the University of Trento During the Glocal Factory Multiplier event which took place on the 21st September. The presentation of the RACIP project at the University of Trento has stimulated depth and highlighted strengths and criticism of the reception systems

Thanks to Sara Taglietti, Sandra Mateus and Maria Carla Italia, from the RaCIP team, and to all the reporters from Trentino for the hospitality and the quality of the contributions.

Check the info attached about Thursday's (21st) Multiplier Event at 3pm hosted with GLOCAL FACTORY
 

Check out the linked Newsletter (in Portuguese) about JRS's actions and responsibilities in September 2023.
 

The Municipality of Ioannina advances its progress of the WP6 “Pilot Schemes” by implementing individual consulting sessions to 20 mentors, aiming to provide them with knowledge and experience necessary to build effective mentoring relationships with their mentees. By the end of July 2023, the participants - stakeholders from several public and private organizations - will be in the position to support their mentees to tackle challenges and difficulties facing when integrating at a local level.
 

In the framework of the RaCIP project funded by European funds of the AMIF programme in 2019, the RaCIP consortium, at this stage of the project, is implementing pilot schemes to put community and private sponsorship into practice and foster pathways to inclusion for beneficiaries.

Each partner, depending on their specific skills and preparation, supports individuals and families in the search for housing solutions, employment, and autonomy, always ensuring relational support, which, CVI increasingly notes, is what really makes the difference in integration pathways. Building a community around the migrant and refugee person or nucleus is crucial because it ensures the motivational input that drives true integration through the exchange of interests, ideas, approaches.

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This press release will cover the areas of integration, the different partners in our consortium have been focussing on and the successes and difficulties faced thus far.

Who are the students’ mentoring refugees in the Racip Project?
Within the Racip project, university students are developing mentoring relationships with migrants. Their role is to create a bond and dialogue with the mentee migrant to exchange subjective experiences and knowledge of each other. Mentors facilitate knowledge about local contexts, resources, and ways of “moving around” and obtaining access to services and resources. Working together, they jointly identify what the needs, wishes, obstacles and resources of the migrant person are so mentor and mentee can codesign a strong strategy to achieve the migrant person’s goals.

The 20th of June was World Refugee Day, and all RaCIP Partners celebrated with refugees.

RaCIP project partners support the inclusion pathways of migrant and refugee people every day by increasing the capacity of welcoming and mentoring families, citizens, students, and employers involved in private sponsorships.
An inclusive and integrated society is a better society for all

Last week, PAR/JRS presented officially it's "Next Door Neighbors" exhibition, in Lisbon.

This storytelling work was created based on the experience with families that, in the first months of their arrival in Portugal, lived side by side, door to door, as neighbors, in two of Jesuit Refugee Service Portugal shelters, in Fátima and Ericeira. These 19 portraits tell stories of escape, love, ambition, secrecy, persistence, sometimes sadness, but always hope. After a period, they started their new life projects in their new houses, in different cities in Portugal.

This was a very needed and beautiful moment that allowed us to connect presentially with volunteers, from the Hospitality Communities, that have been helping these families with their integration process in their new community and neighborhood. It was also a great opportunity to recruit new members for our district online communities.

For us, it's really important to create ways to share our field work with volunteers and families with everyone that has the desire to create a better hospitality experience, for refugee people, in Portugal.

Synthesis organized a lunch date with some mentees in Cyprus and took them out for bowling games!

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Find more pictures here!

SYNTHESIS, Our Cypriot partner organized a gathering with some of the mentees and provided them with necessary foodstuffs.

Read more here.

SYNTHESIS our Cyprus partner, through the mentorship program, linked one of the mentees with a Local mentor.

Maryam is overjoyed at the prospect of meeting and learning more about traditional Cypriot foods. She not only learned how to prepare some traditional Cypriot dishes, but she also had the opportunity to play some games.

Read more about this mentorship here.

Our partner, SECOND TREE, demonstrates the importance of self-esteem and confidence in their activities.

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More information here.

Our partner, SECOND TREE, based in Greece, has established a sports team for refugees to enjoy themselves on most weekends as part of our mentoring scheme!

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More information here.

Our partner, REFUGEES WELCOME INTALIA organised online trainings with mentors and local families as part of our mentoring scheme!

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More information here.

Our press release presents the end of year party organised by one of our partners, Second Tree, in Ioannina, Greece. 

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Read more here

Here you'll find reflections on many of our previous activities.

Second Tree, highlights the importance of healthy habits and coping mechanisms in the press release here.

Our press release presents the picnics, trips and social inclusion

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Read the full press release here.

Our press release presents the project's trainings and local mentoring activities that took place during the second year of RaCIP.

Read more in our Press Release here

Within the framework of RaCIP, SYNTHESIS invites you to a series of interactive seminars for university students, individuals/families, enterprises and associations/stakeholders who wish to become mentors for third-country nationals.

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Check out the flyer here.

SYNTHESIS invites you to a series of mentoring sessions for third-country nationals, asylum seekers, migrants and refugees. These sessions aim for 35 persons to be mentored by 35 locals for social integration in Cyprus and work placement.

Check out the flyer here.

Our press release introduces the RaCIP project and outlines the consortium's activities during the first year since the project has been active.

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Read more in our Press Release here