Spazi Comuni
Implemented in various Italian municipalities, it aims at involving 50 refugees in 2021 and 90 in the first half of 2022.
Starting date
3 September 2021Duration
12 monthsRealized by:
UNHCR ItaliaObjectives
Supporting refugees in their path towards autonomy and independence, improving their language skills and the cultural and social knowledge of their host country. This is done through community-matching activities gradually carried out in the selected areas and particularly focusing on people who have recently reached the age of majority and women.
Organizing conferences for various local actors as well as training activities on refugee protection for representatives of civil society and operators who are in charge of volunteer selection. Collaborating with local authorities to integrate the community-matching program in national and regional integration plans.
Producing a wide range of outputs (reports, toolkits, SOPs, etc.) as a set of useful tools to ensure the project is replicable in the future.
Getting the local community involved through voluntary work, strengthening social cohesion and, as a consequence, reducing xenophobia and racism.
The project aims at improving integration spaces for refugees in Italythrough a community-matching program — i.e. creating a relationship between a refugee and a volunteer who can guide the refugee in their path towards inclusion.
Integration prospects for refugees are extremely limited and one of the main problems of the asylum system in Italy. After the initial reception, refugees are essentially left on their own: many cannot find housing or navigate the complex bureaucracy to obtain documents, or access services. Refugees find more obstacles in accessing the job market than both the local population and other foreign citizens. Many highly qualified refugees are jobless.
Thanks to the community-matching activities included in the project, refugees are able to expand their social support networks — which are key for them to become independent — improve their cultural and social knowledge of their host country, access community resources, develop their language skills and therefore enjoy a more complete and sustainable integration process..
By putting refugees in contact with volunteers, local associations, religious and other kinds of groups, the program aims at creating a favorable environment for integration, stimulating the participation of the local community, strengthening social cohesion, and contributing to the reduction of racism and xenophobia. Citizens who decide to work alongside refugees can increase their knowledge of people who are fleeing and of their countries of origin, better understand international protection, participate actively in refugees’ integration, and become awareness-raising agents in their communities.
Local entities participating in the project: Municipalities are fundamental project partners and they are selected to implement community-matching activities based on meticulous criteria. The project is managed by UNHCR in collaboration with the NGO partners selected by the Agency: Refugees Welcome Italy Onlus and Centro Immigrazione Asilo Cooperazione Internazionale (CIAC). Their qualified staff and cultural mediators will be in charge of matching refugees and volunteers. The project also draws upon the resources of the “PartecipAzione” network, including associations founded and led by refugees and supported and promoted by UNHCR, which also provides peer mentoring and supports the creation of social networks with host communities. The project is also coordinated with the other UNHCR interventions in Italy, such as Humanitarian Corridors, the University Corridors (UNI-CO-RE) project, the network of inclusive universities and the companies participating in the Welcome logo project.
