ICAR Foundation establishes an integrated system in working with migrants

PRESS RELEASE

ICAR Foundation proposes an innovative approach of the services provided to migrants, by adapting successful practical models from the Scandinavian countries to the local context in Romania. Although Romania is able now to speak about multidisciplinary approach of the needs of migrants, these services are lacking a centralized data about each person. Through its development as a Resource and Service Center for Migrants, ICAR Foundation establishes an integrated system to improve the services for asylum seekers, refugees and other categories of migrants in Romania.

“At this moment, in Romania, the services provided to migrants are fractured, there is no centralized data on the situation of each person. To be effective in addressing the integration of migrants, we need a coherent perspective and we must find a way, both individually and socially, to adapt the successful Scandinavian experiences to the specific Romanian needs, so that the joint efforts from institutions and civil society would be successful”, said dr. Camelia Doru, project coordinator.

Through “ICAR – Resource and Service Center for Migrants” project, funded by EEA Grants 2009-2014 through the NGO Fund in Romania, ICAR Foundation aims to find a workable solution approach of the services for migrants that has as a starting point in Scandinavian models. In this respect, in the last six months, several experts from ICAR Foundation participated in study visits to Norway and training sessions held in Romania by the specialists of the Norwegian partner, as well as relevant experts from Denmark.

In Norway, there are national and local programs developed within the public system to meet the needs of migrants and help them to integrate fast and well in the society. The organization of this system is very complex, working with regional or local authorities with sufficient freedom of action, but above all, there is the national coordination that prevents duplication or gaps.

“The system for the integration of migrants in Norway is improvable, so I think that our meetings for transfer of expertise in the project are, in fact, an exchange. Our specialists have things to learn from the ICAR Foundation’s professionals, from their experience”, said Rolf Vardal Special Consultant, RVTS-West.

ICAR Foundation is implementing project „ICAR – Resource and Service Center for Migrants” in partnership with RVTS West of Bergen (Resource Centre of Violence Traumatic Stress and Suicide Prevention Region West, Helse Bergen HF within, Haukeland University Hospital).

Norway is starting now a process of reviewing the migrant integration system in order to get it to respond more adequately to the specific situations posed by migration.

Integration of migrants is a dynamic process with no magic formula. The secret is to permanently assess and reassess results to find out where changes have to be made.

Read more: migrant.icarfoundation.ro