MPI Europe Webinar

Delivering on the Promise of Predeparture Counselling for Sustainable Reintegration
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Date & Time: MONDAY, 23 MAY 2022, 3:00 P.M. CEST (Brussels, Berlin) / 2:00 P.M. BST (Lisbon, London) / 9:00 A.M. ET (New York, DC)

SPEAKERS:
*Hajjaj Mustafa, Programme Executive, Reintegration Programme, European Technology and Training Centre

*Peter Neelen, Senior Programme Manager, European Return and Reintegration Network

*Lea Balskilde, Senior Advisor / Programme Specialist, Asylum and Repatriation, Danish Refugee Council

*Lucia Salgado, Associate Policy Analyst, Migration Policy Institute Europe (MPI Europe)

MODERATOR: Hanne Beirens, Director, MPI Europe

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The return and reintegration of irregular migrants and asylum seekers whose protection claims are rejected has become a top priority for policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic. In Europe, programmes that assist returning migrants with reintegration into their countries and communities of origin have proliferated in the last decade.

Fostering the sustainable reintegration of returnees, however, it is not easy. Migrants often return to challenging circumstances and to changed local communities, and the stigma of an unsuccessful migration journey in some origin countries can further strain the transition into this new life. Reintegration programmes aim to ease these challenges by providing assistance after return, such as aid to start a business or medical care. However, there is a newfound recognition among European policymakers that successful reintegration starts before return, and an increasing number of countries are investing in predeparture counselling. Counselling before return can help migrants prepare mentally for the journey ahead, develop a clear picture of life after return, and plan the first steps of their reintegration process, such as school enrolment or finding a job. Yet, the approaches to predeparture counselling still differ greatly in terms of methods, intensity, and the extent to which they involve partners in origin countries. Moreover, reintegration programmes still face operational challenges to ensuring a smooth transition between the predeparture and the post-arrival phases for returnees.

This discussion will feature experts and practitioners in origin and destination countries and examine how to leverage predeparture counselling for sustainable reintegration. The conversation accompanies the launch of a new MPI Europe policy brief that explores promising approaches to strengthen the links between the predeparture and post-arrival phases in reintegration programmes, improving returnees' preparation for the journey ahead and increasing the chances that they will successfully reintegrate.

This webinar is part of a research partnership between MPI Europe and the European Return and Reintegration Network (ERRIN), funded through the European Union Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund (AMIF), with co-financing from participating national authorities.

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For more information [email protected] | www.migrationpolicy.org


Migration Policy Institute Europe
Residence Palace, 3rd Floor
155 Rue de la Loi, 1040 Brussels


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