FOCUS GROUP
ON INTEGRATION
FINAL REPORT
1REPORT UNHCR
INDEX
Introduction
1. Defining integration	 4
2. Methodology	 4
3. General remarks	 7
4. Impact of reception on integration processes 	 9
5. Teaching Italian 	 12
6. Information 	 14
7. Post-reception support 	 15
8. Employment 	 17
	 8.1 Vocational training 	 19
9. Accommodation independence 	 20
10. Health 	 22
11. Recognition of qualifications 	 23
12. Residence	 24
13. Social integration and participation in public life	 26
Conclusions	28
Acknowledgements	30
FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
2 FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
Cover: © UNHCR/Jordi Matas
Design: mariacuervodesign.com
UNHCR - April 2017
3
Final report
Introduction
As a result of new conflicts and ongoing ten-year global crises, the number of refugees and internally
displaced people has grown exponentially, rising to 65 million1
by the end of 2015. Most refugees
and internally displaced people are hosted in countries neighboring conflict areas. This international
situation is also impacting on Europe, although less significantly. In Italy, the number of beneficiaries
of international protection has also considerably increased over the last three years. According to
figures published by the National Commission, between 2011 and 2015, 98,272 applicants were
granted some form of protection.
UNHCR sees integration as one of the possible durable solutions to refugee issues, together with
resettlement and voluntary return to the country of origin in safe and dignified conditions. For this
reason, UNHCR considers integration a key area of the asylum system.
Integration remains one of the main problem areas in the Italian asylum system. The economic crisis
of the last few years and the cuts to the welfare system have increased integration problems for
beneficiaries of international protection. Moreover, the overlapping of responsibilities between various
institutional actors, both at national and local level, further complicates planning and managing of
measures to promote integration processes.
Art. 1, paragraph 1, letter u) of Legislative Decree No. 18 of 21 February 2014, amending Art. 29 of
Legislative Decree No. 251 of 19 November 2007, provides that the National Coordinating Board
shall adopt a “National Plan defining lines of action to achieve the effective integration of beneficiaries
of international protection”. The Plan shall be adopted every two years, unless a shorter deadline
needs to be met. The regulation also states that UNHCR shall participate in the National Board when
the Plan is being drafted.
In view of the drafting of the Plan and considering the significant impact it can have on devising
measures to support inclusion processes in the near future, UNHCR has decided to promote active
participation activities for refugees, in order to collect their views and proposals on integration. To this
end, focus groups involving refugees were organized throughout Italy.
This report will present what emerged from the focus groups and the recommendations accordingly
made by UNHCR. Far from being an overall and exhaustive analysis and assessment of the level of
integration among beneficiaries of international protection, it aims at making a valuable contribution
to the preparation of integration-oriented policies and programmes in the future.
1
UNHCR Global trends. Forced displacement in 2015, June 2016.
FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
4 FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
1. DEFINING INTEGRATION
As with all complex phenomena, it is difficult to give an unambiguous, commonly agreed and
thorough definition of integration.
Given the manifold dynamics and aspects characterizing integration, UNHCR is of the view that
integration should be understood as the result of a “dynamic and well-constructed two-way process”,
which actively involves beneficiaries of protection – who can retain their cultural identity, but must
nonetheless be willing to integrate – as well as communities and public institutions, tasked with
developing policies focused on the needs of a heterogeneous population.
The integration process thus entails three dimensions, related to three major areas:
• a legal dimension, whereby beneficiaries of protection should be granted rights broadly comparable
to those belonging to citizens. The full enjoyment of civil rights and liberties, such as access to
education, employment, social and health services, possession of identity and travel documents,
and the fundamental right to family reunification, are essential prerequisites to start a new life, as is
the acquisition of national citizenship in the host country, after an appropriate period of time;
• an economic dimension, as having a job means being able to support oneself and one’s own
family. Beneficiaries of protection need to access the labor market in accordance with their skills,
experience and aspirations, so that they can best contribute also to the economy of the country
of asylum;
• a socio-cultural dimension, as integration occurs when beneficiaries of protection adapt to
the culture of the country of asylum and, at the same time, the host community encourages
and welcomes this process, by rejecting and combating discrimination and by promoting the
participation of beneficiaries in the social life of the country.
2. METHODOLOGY
According to UNHCR, refugees should be enabled to express their needs and actively participate in
decisions affecting their lives2
. Their involvement in identifying opportunities and gaps as well as in
defining strategies and policies is also an important tool for their own empowerment.
Such participatory assessment can be built through different tools. In relation to the objectives
outlined in the above introduction, UNHCR deemed that conducting focus groups was the most
appropriate tool to ensure the participation of beneficiaries of international protection and enhance
their interaction.
2
UNHCR, The UNHCR Tool for Participatory Assessment in the Operations, May 2006.
5REPORT UNHCR
As Italy is characterized by a great regional variety, focus groups were conducted in different
geographical areas. In particular, two focus groups were held in Rome (one with refugees and one
with refugee women), one in Turin and another one in Lamezia Terme, attended by refugees from
various parts of Calabria.
In total, 33 beneficiaries of protection (24 men and 9 women) took part in the focus groups. Refugees
were contacted with the help of many associations and NGOs working in the field of refugee
assistance. Two selection criteria were adopted: residence in Italy for a number of years, so to have
significant evidence of inclusion processes in Italian society; a good knowledge of Italian, to ensure a
fruitful interaction between all participants. In order to obtain more details on the socio-biographical
background of beneficiaries of international protection, participants were asked to complete a short
anonymous questionnaire; this, however, did not necessarily provide a comprehensive picture of the
refugee population in Italy.
The target group aimed at reflecting the complexity and great diversity of beneficiaries of international
protection residing in Italy, with participants coming from 20 different countries. The three most
represented countries were Somalia, Sudan and Turkey, with three refugees each.
Other relevant factors were also considered such as gender and age (Age, Gender and Diversity
Approach). Out of four focus groups, one was specifically aimed at refugee women, while efforts
were made to ensure that refugees from different age groups participated in all four focus groups.
TABLE 1_ Nationality of participants in focus groups
SOM
ALIA
SUDAN
TURKEYAFGHANISTAN
ERITREA
GUINEA
M
ALIM
AURITANIA
DRC
SENEGALBANGLADESHBURKINA
FASU
CAM
EROON
IVORY
COST
ETHIOPIA
GAM
BIA
IRAN
NIGERIA
PAKISTAN
UKRAINE
Nationality of participants
3
2
1
2
1
3
2
1
2
1 1
3
2
1
2
1 1
2
1 1
6 FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
The average level of education was particularly high. About 37% of beneficiaries of international
protection said they had graduated in Italy or in their country of origin; 40% of them had a high
school diploma, while only 20% among beneficiaries had achieved a lower level of education. Data
relating to education differ significantly from those shown in other reports, where the target group
was much larger than in the focus groups3
.
Although the average level of education was high, this was not matched by employment rates,
which were rather low, also considering the participants’ prolonged stay in Italy.
TABLE 2 _Age of participants in focus groups
18-24
Highschool
25-34
Degree
35-44
Middle highschool
45 and over
Primary school Other
50%
25-34
23%
35-44
17%
45 and over
10%
18-24
3
The SPRAR Annual Report 2015, for example, shows that 52% of asylum seekers and beneficiaries of protection had an elementary or lower education
level. SPRAR, Annual Report 2015, June 2016, page 43.
TABLE 3 _Qualifications of participants in focus groups
Degree
37%
Other
3%
Middle
highschool
13%
Primary school
7%
Highschool
40%
7REPORT UNHCR
During the focus groups, approximately 32% of 33 participants reported being unemployed, while
another 16% stated they work only occasionally, which further proves how difficult social inclusion
is for refugees in Italy. Only 49% said they have a job. Data are almost homogeneous among male
and female refugees.
As for the jobs mentioned, many work in the asylum system itself; due to recent increases in asylum
claims, many refugees who have been living in Italy for several years work as cultural mediators and
interpreters, in reception centres or within Territorial Commissions. Instead, those who do not work
in the asylum system generally have lower-income jobs than what they could aspire to in light of
their qualifications. Refugee women are commonly employed in domestic or care work, similarly to
migrant women who arrive in Italy for work.
3. GENERAL REMARKS
The discussions held during the four focus groups revealed that all participants wished to actively
participate in Italian society. What stood out most was indeed their strong willingness to distance
themselves from assistance pathways and assert their own abilities and skills, thus contributing to
the development of the host community towards which many already share a sense of belonging.
Such willingness, however, is often hampered by the objective difficulties they encounter when they
find themselves without support and resources, at the end of their time in the reception system. Lack
of income, accommodation and social network has forced many to spend long periods in informal
settlements or in makeshift shelters, where the living conditions are extremely difficult. Some of them
continue to live in such conditions. In this context, most refugees see integration as a difficult goal
to reach.
Although participants in the focus groups came from various countries, had different levels of education
and had different experiences in Italy -both while in reception and during the early integration phasesome
key issues were identified in all groups. The discussion mainly focused on these issues.
TABLE 4 _Employment situation of participants in focus groups
Students Occasionally workers Unemployed Employed
Employed
49%
Unemployed
32%
Occasionally
workers
16%
Students
3%
8 FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
•	Everyone highlighted the difficulty in achieving even a minimum level of economic independence
and in regaining a reasonable standard of living. While being aware that this is not the only factor
bringing about real social inclusion, most refugees strongly emphasized that employment is an
essential pre-requisite to be integrated into the host community. Each participant highlighted how
difficult it is to find a permanent job, even today, as well as to support oneself and one’s own family
and to find decent housing. These difficulties are greater for women, especially when they are
single mothers with children.
	 “We are refugees, no one wants to leave his own country; we escaped because of a problem
with the government, we escaped to avoid dying, to live here. And we got a document, but
without a house and a job, it’s tough”.
•	Many participants pointed out that the reception phase, which can last from a few months up to
a couple of years, is a crucial period to acquire the necessary tools (language, vocational training,
cultural and service orientation) to undertake a journey leading to integration. With regard to this,
experiences differed significantly among those who enjoyed a positive period in reception centers,
where adequate standards were ensured, and those who, instead, were hosted in places offering
unsatisfactory services.
•	Another issue highlighted by many participants was the lack of post-reception support for
beneficiaries of protection upon leaving reception facilities. This is even more problematic for those
who could not stay in a second-line reception SPRAR facility and had to leave the CARA (First Line
Reception Centres) immediately after they were recognized international protection.
•	Furthermore, many refugees expressed the need for increased contacts with Italians to foster mutual
acquaintance. Many highlighted that, in order to strengthen interaction, it would be important to
facilitate the inclusion of beneficiaries of international protection in the local social context, through
participation in voluntary, cultural or sports activities together with Italian citizens.
Alongside these core issues, however, other issues were addressed differently, in line with specific
territorial realities.
During the focus group held in Calabria, for example, the issue of secondary movements to other
countries emerged as a major theme, contrary to what occurred during other focus groups:
participants reported experiences of friends and acquaintances with whom they had lived in firstline
reception centres. In most cases, persons had moved onward to other countries due to poor
employment prospects. On the other hand, in southern Italy, the housing problem appeared to be
less urgent than in other places in Italy.
During the focus groups held in Rome and Turin, the fact that metropolitan areas attract people
was highlighted; indeed, many had moved to the cities after periods spent in southern Italy. On the
other hand, however, difficulties in finding decent housing and in obtaining a residence permit were
also pointed out. Many emphasized that when they left the reception centre where they had been
9REPORT UNHCR
accommodate and moved to another city, it was difficult to obtain legal residence due to the lack of
stable accommodation.
During all focus groups, situations of serious labor exploitation were consistently discussed; in
some cases, participants shared first-hand experiences, in other cases they reported situations
experienced by friends or acquaintances.
4. IMPACT OF RECEPTION ON INTEGRATION PROCESSES
For asylum-seekers and beneficiaries of international protection, the reception phase is a great
opportunity to acquire the necessary tools for their future inclusion into Italian society. Therefore,
making the most of this period and providing appropriate services and activities, is strategic to any
integration policy.
The length of stay in reception facilities, however, differs from case to case. Asylum-seekers lacking
adequate means have the right to access the reception system pending the outcome of the refugee
status determination procedure, the duration of which can vary significantly depending on the period,
the location and the appeals proceedings a claim may go through.
Many refugees pointed out that prolonged stay in reception facilities pending a final decision on their
asylum claim has an extremely significant impact also from a psychological point of view, leading to
lower expectations for the future and, consequently, to a lower investment of time and efforts in a
concrete integration path.
“Those who have documents cannot perceive this thing, cannot understand these
feelings. It is a mental torture for those who wait ages to get a piece of paper, to be
able to live like a human being
”.
Refugees themselves emphasized how important it would be for applicants to make profitable use
of time, also in view of their future integration, by being encouraged to undertake vocational training
courses or being involved in voluntary, sports or cultural activities.
“An immigrant who comes here remains inactive for nearly two years. This type of reception
is an obstacle. (...) An immigrant should work, also for the community, for instance cleaning
streets, lakes, things that no one does. Collaborating in this way is good, because work means
growth. Work means growth”.
While reception is a right for all asylum-seekers without adequate means, only those who manage to
be included in a SPRAR project – where only few places are available- can live in a reception centres
10 FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
for up to six months after they are granted protection. As pointed out by participants in the focus
groups, this is a key opportunity to start a path leading to integration.
“What I have seen is that not everyone has such luck, not everyone has this chance. When I was
in the centre (a CARA centre, ed.) and I was about to leave, I knew already that I would go to
a second-line reception centre and it was a real privilege. I don’t know if things have changed
now, but in the past only one out of a hundred people could go to a SPRAR centre. For me
it was very useful. I think that without the SPRAR project I would be a tramp somewhere in
Europe now; certainly, I would not be here studying at the University of Calabria. I would not
have made it on my own, that’s for sure”.
On the contrary, lack of access to a second-line reception facility has forced many to spend long
periods in the streets or in precarious housing conditions which have made independence particularly
difficult to achieve, if not totally impossible.
“It’s a real thing, let’s say. When I arrived in Italy, I went to Trapani. (...) I applied to the
Commission within a month and I was given the permit to stay. After that, I was thrown out of
the centre - not just me, other people too. I didn’t even speak a word of Italian, where could
we go? (...). I mean, I don’t have a family here, where can I go? (...) There were also children,
pregnant women, old people and even young people like us. There was no other place to stay,
we were just given the ticket to Rome”.
Many refugees also highlighted that reception standards differ considerably among facilities. In some
cases, services provided are particularly inadequate to support refugees’ social inclusion, and in
extreme cases it is just a mere provision of assistance.
The quality of reception services varies according to the type of facility a person is sent to (tents,
reception facilities or flats) and to the expertise of the managing entity. This variety affects the quality
of life of people accommodated; likewise, differences among managing entities inevitably have an
impact on the quality of the services provided, impacting on an individual’s integration process.
Currently, allocation procedures are carried out on a totally random basis, mainly depending on the
availability of places.
“If you are lucky you go to a centre where you are helped. But you can also go to a
centre where you have three meals a day and a place to sleep. A bed and that’s it. If
you go there, in two months, or within a year, you are again out in the streets. And what
did you do during that year? Nothing. You didn’t learn the language, you did nothing
”.
Many participants discussed the need for reception standards to be upgraded and harmonized; they
argued that it is particularly important to strengthen monitoring mechanisms, adequately sanctioning
facilities failing to provide adequate services.
11REPORT UNHCR
“We have made this proposal, and we sincerely hope that one day it can become real: centres
should be monitored; those where there are abuses should be closed down, while better ones
should be re-opened and maybe even placed at the same level, because this would help a lot.
We are linguistic mediators and we hear people saying: “Oh, the other centre is better, I want to
go there’. It’s not fair. Centres should be all the same”.
Lastly, a significant issue raised by refugee women is the need for a more sensitive approach to
gender issues within the asylum system, since many of them underwent traumatic experiences
during their journey to Italy.
“Women in particular must be better dealt with, from a health and linguistic point of
view, also because these women – I don’t mean all of them, but most of them - arrive
with really serious problems
”.
RECOMMENDATIONS
UNHCR recommends that all beneficiaries of international protection who are destitute are
allowed access to suitable reception conditions for a minimum of six months after having
been recognized international protection. This period, to be renewed in specific cases, should
be aimed at supporting refugees in the early phases of their integration into Italian society.
Beneficiaries of international protection should be guided and supported in undertaking the
pathway which is best suited to their skills and aspirations, in order to quickly gain independence.
UNHCR recommends that necessary measures be implemented to ensure that the
refugee status determination procedure is faster, both in the first administrative phase and
in any subsequent judicial phases, while providing all necessary guarantees for an adequate
assessment of each applicant’s protection needs.
UNHCR recommends the control and monitoring system be strengthened by standardizing
the methodology used by competent authorities, paying attention not only to material reception
conditions, but also to services provided, particularly those related to integration, and taking into
account the specific situation of people with special needs. Furthermore, UNHCR recommends
that the monitoring system include mechanisms for the consultation and active participation of
asylum-seekers as well as a sanctioning system based on objective and verifiable parameters.
UNHCR recommends that, pending the outcome of the refugee status determination
procedure, applicants can either acquire tools facilitating their integration or be re-integrated in
case of return to their country of origin.
12 FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
5. TEACHING ITALIAN
Many refugees participating in the focus groups highlighted that a key prerequisite for integration is
learning Italian as soon as possible. Everyone argued that effective interaction with local people is the
starting point to integrate into society.
“Those who want to remain here in Italy must learn the language, to be understood by Italian
people. If I want to talk to her and she doesn’t understand what I’m saying, then we become
strangers. But if I can talk, then there is understanding”.
Knowledge of Italian is also a practical, sometimes essential, necessity, in order to access employment
and fundamental services and to effectively exercise one’s rights.
“If I cannot write or read (in Italian Ed.), how can I find out about my rights? First of all,
children must be helped to go to school, to study
”.
In emphasizing the importance of knowing the language, participants argued that each asylum-seeker
should primarily attend Italian classes. To this end, some of them discussed whether some incentives
should be given to attend classes provided for in the context of the reception project, even considering
to withhold other reception benefits should a person fail to attend educational activities.
“Refugees must know their duties, at least a little bit (...) and if you go to school your right is
fulfilled. But if you don’t go to school, if you don’t learn, if you don’t follow the programme of
the day, you have to be left out”.
Many refugees focused on how to make courses more effective and enhance learning. Some pointed
out that often teaching - in some cases done by volunteers lacking specific training - does not prove
satisfactory, causing difficulties and sometimes frustrating the expectations of those who face this
complex process with great motivation. Discussion on this point was very intense in all focus groups,
resulting in a variety of proposals that do not necessarily conflict. Some focused on the fact that staying
in reception centres should be organized in such a way as to encourage applicants to learn Italian
as soon as possible and prevent them from interacting exclusively with their national community or
with people sharing the same mother tongue, especially in collective centres. For this reason, groups
coming from the same country or having a common language should not be allocated to the same
center. As much as possible, centres should instead promote external activities, possibly in contact
with local communities, to stimulate interaction in Italian.
“Yes, school is fundamental. However, to improve, to speed up the user’s linguistic ability,
the starting point is the reception centre. We all want to live in a community. But I think the
13REPORT UNHCR
strategy is wrong. I think integration starts there, in rooms: you should not group together
only French-speaking people, because as they have a common language, they will not speak
in Italian. You need to find other ways: through music, through art, through sport, going out.
This is where I think your speaking skills can quickly improve. You can go to school, learning
‘I am, you are’, but when you go home, and you speak only French, the ten hours you spent
in school are useless. But if you go back to your room (...) you must make an effort, because
Italian is the language you will use in the future”.
According to other refugees, language teaching should take place within the reception facilities only
in an initial phase, while later on courses should be organized in external facilities, to ensure that
applicants have regular contacts with Italian speakers.
“I think that, in the first phase, teaching in reception centres should never exceed
three months. In the second phase, Italian is taught within the facility and this is a
mistake, it separates the asylum-seeker from the citizen. Instead, it should be taught
in a place where, while you go to school, you hear three words, you can see two
people, you can interact with an Italian. In the second phase this is crucial, school
should not be in the centre
”.
The importance of adapting courses to people’s different needs, background and education levels
was also emphasized. Some refugees had to attend basic courses that did not meet their needs
and, in some cases, were designed for illiterate people or for people who did not know the Latin
alphabet. Even when this kind of approach is aimed at ensuring language learning for everyone, it
could have a strongly negative psychological impact, undermining the self-esteem of those who
have higher educational levels.
“At first I was ashamed; I taught nine years in my country, I came here and I was told to learn
‘a, b, c, d’. I felt I was on another planet. I said to myself: don’t they take me into account or
what? This is what I thought at the beginning. They could have told me, for example, to study
at a higher level, but that course was for illiterate people, people who have never studied”.
14 FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
RECOMMENDATIONS
UNHCR recommends that Italian teaching be considered a priority when planning services to
be provided during reception and integration actions for asylum-seekers and beneficiaries of
international protection.
UNHCR recommends language courses be taught by teachers specialized in teaching Italian as
a second language and be provided at different levels according to the educational background
of participants. UNHCR also suggests that teaching takes place, as much as possible, in
external facilities rather than inside in reception centres, so to promote interaction with the local
community.
UNHCR recommends that in addition to basic courses, initiatives be organized combining
language learning with participatory activities (such as cultural, sports or recreational activities),
in contact with Italian citizens. In particular, UNHCR suggests taking into consideration the good
practice, adopted in Sweden, of combining language teaching with vocational training courses
at the workplace.
6. INFORMATION
In describing their experience and integration process, many refugees pointed out that in some cases
the difficulties they encountered were linked to a lack of information about their rights, about how they
could exercise such rights and about the services that could have supported them.
Lack of information and guidance is, therefore, a barrier for those who are planning their own life
pathway, which is complex and difficult in itself, as it does not allow them to make informed judgments
on resources, concrete possibilities and individuals who can help them.
“Foreign people lack information. Many don’t know who to turn to
”.
Art. 21 of Legislative Decree No. 251/2007, as amended by Legislative Decree No. 18/2014
transposing the recast Qualification Directive 2011/95/EU , provides that applicants who have been
recognized international protection must, upon notification of the decision, receive an information
brochure setting out the rights connected to their status, in a language they can understand.
In the past, this provision was implemented, albeit not uniformly, across different territorial
contexts, by way of the Police immigration offices distributing a Guide for beneficiaries of
international protection, which had been prepared by SPRAR Central Service, UNHCR and
15REPORT UNHCR
ASGI (Association for Legal Studies on Immigration), and which had been translated into
ten languages4
. Today, however, beneficiaries of international protection hardly ever receive
information about their rights, thus leaving the above-mentioned provision unapplied. Those
who received the guide in the past continues to stress its importance, also symbolic importance,
and pointed out the difference with those who do not have this opportunity today and thus have
no adequate information about their rights.
“I arrived in 1997. Fortunately, in that period procedures were not very long, and therefore we
didn’t wait long to receive an answer. I will always remember that day and the policeman who
gave me a long document together with a letter and the positive answer, telling me: ‘These
are your rights’. I have asked many others, but no one else has ever received a document
explaining their rights”.
To meet this need, the possibility of using diversified tools should be considered, as it already happens
in other contexts where special multimedia applications have been created providing applicants with
timely information on their rights and advising them on how to access public services.
RECOMMENDATIONS
UNHCR recommends that Art. 21 of Legislative Decree No. 251/2007 be implemented and
that, upon being issued with a positive decision, all beneficiaries of international protection be
adequately informed on their rights through an updated and specifically prepared information
brochure.
UNHCR also suggests investigating the possibility of using innovative information tools,
through social media and new technologies.
7. POST-RECEPTION SUPPORT
As we have seen, reception can abruptly come to an end as soon as a person is recognized
international protection, or within the following six months in the case of a person who has been
accommodated in a SPRAR facility, unless a further extension is needed. All refugees, however,
must be supported in this transition phase, which is often very difficult. Proper management of this
transition is key to integration.
As discussed in the focus groups, for many refugees the end of their time in reception and the lack of
initial support can quickly result in failure, forcing them to turn back to the social assistance system,
with the risk of duplicating efforts and increasing the use of resources.
4
SPRAR, Guidelines for refugees, beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and of humanitarian protection holders. Instructions for access to territorial services, 2009.
16 FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
“Reception lasts six months and then you have to leave the centre. But where
shall I go - this is the question – if I’m not integrated into society? No, it’s over,
you have to go away! If I have nothing, if I don’t work, how can I rent a house? You
need to pay the letting agency in advance, but you don’t have the money. Where
can you go?
”.
Other refugees recounted personal experiences or those of friends, pointing out how little support,
such as reimbursement for the internship done, was helpful to become more confident.
“There are some cenrers (...), not so many, I don’t know the exact number, that help children
and those who leave the centre to get a part time job or an internship, where they can earn
300, 400, 500 Euros a month (...). It’s not much to rent a house. But they have a chance of
survival”.
For many, therefore, the opportunity to plan a gradual exit from the reception system, even through
specific forms of support, is essential, and in some cases it represents a real incentive. In this regard,
refugees themselves suggested alternative solutions, already partly used with success in many
SPRAR projects, such as, for example, receiving a rent subsidy, even as a security deposit, for the
initial period.
“This idea of semi-independence would already be a good thing: it gives a person
the chance of becoming self-sufficient. Because if you teach someone to walk and
then you say ‘run’, it’s impossible. So you should gain semi-independence at the
(reception Ed.) centre and then maybe you can leave
”.
RECOMMENDATIONS
UNHCR recommends that a support programme for beneficiaries of international protection
be set up as they leave the reception system, to help them in the initial transitional phase
towards full independence.
17REPORT UNHCR
8. EMPLOYMENT
As already pointed out, everyone thought that difficulties in finding a permanent job represent the
main problem, as this impacts on all other areas of the integration process and of one’s life. Lack
of income makes it impossible for many to find or maintain a stable house and, in some cases,
it even prevents them from accessing appropriate medical care. Lack of employment, moreover,
often has a negative impact on one’s self-esteem and self-respect, with inevitable consequences for
socialization, including with the local community.
Employment is one of the key elements for successful integration into the host society. Even the
Common Basic Principles for Immigrant Integration Policy in the EU underline that “employment
is a key part of the integration process and is central to the participation of immigrants, to the
contributions immigrants make to the host society, and to making such contributions visible”.
Such difficulties are certainly due to the current labour market conditions and the high unemployment
rate, but they are also due to some specific critical situations. It should indeed be noted that, due
to a number of circumstances, the condition of refugees is more problematic than that of the host
country’s workers and of other third-country national workers5
.
Compared to other migrants, refugees often have to quickly flee from their country of origin and
therefore cannot plan their journey and their destination. Furthermore, they have no social support
networks like locals or other categories of immigrants, whose national communities have been
residing on the territory for a longer period.
Finally, refugees are a particularly vulnerable group, partly because of the traumatic experiences
they underwent in their country of origin and during the journey. Recent data reveal that finding a job
is more difficult for refugees than for Italians or other immigrants. The Bank of Italy estimates that
“five years after arriving in Italy, asylum-seekers and refugees have a lower chance of finding a job
compared not only to native Italians, but also to other immigrants (respectively 16 and 12 percentage
points); the gap is reduced, but not cancelled, ten years after their arrival”6
.
“When I arrived in Italy, I tried to integrate, I studied. I did the training course and
everything, but I have not enough to live on, like many refugees who are here and
don’t have a job. Work is the first thing. If I work, I can be independent. If there is no
work, how can I be independent
”.
Without a stable job, the only viable options for many are either working in some rural areas of Italy –
where for years now people have been intensively exploited during the harvest seasons - or resorting
to gimmicks, as this refugee clearly explained during the focus group in Turin:
5
European Parliament, Labour Market Integration of Refugees: Strategies and Good Practices, March 2016.
6
The Bank of Italy, Annual Report 2015, Rome, 31 May 2016, page 92.
18 FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
“Four buildings are occupied, more than 500-600 asylum-seekers and refugees live there.
But in what conditions! There are two main jobs: one is during the fruit harvesting period,
like now; they go to Saluzzo, to Naples, or to Foggia; they work for two or three months and
then wait for the following year. The second job is done at night. What does it mean to work
at night? It means taking the bike, turning on torches and starting to look for things in the
rubbish to be sold on Saturday”.
These problems are heightened for refugee women refugee, who have to face not only the difficulties
linked to their status as refugees, but also those relating to their status as women and parents, often
alone.
“I do many things, I am very busy, I’m not just making speeches against racism or nonintegration.
I work as an interpreter; I work as a cleaner; I teach in language courses. People
want to learn French and also Swahili, which I speak; I can do everything: caregiver ... I mean,
no matter what, just to be able to get a living, to support my son, make him feel that he also
has a right to life. This is my role as a woman. When my female side comes out, I feel like
saying: ‘I will not wait, because if I wait, I will feel empty’. But eventually you kind of disappear.
I feel like I’m disappearing”
Another aspect highlighted by many refugees, in particular refugee women relates to employment
levels, which are often well below individual qualifications. Many pointed out that in Italy it is very
difficult to get a more prestigious job or at least one in line with individual skills and education
levels.
“It’s for our children as well, if you go to school, you work well, you have good marks, and in
the end you get a diploma”.
“All that we can do here is working as caregivers, because finding a job as a cleaner is not so
easy. Why can’t we work in an office?”
If finding a job as employees is difficult, even setting up a business is hard. Many refugees and
refugee women expressed legitimate aspirations to become self-employed, both because it is difficult
to achieve career progress as an employee, and because it is seen as a mean for self-realization.
However, there are two obstacles to setting up a business: firstly, having access to credit, when it is
not possible to provide adequate guarantees; secondly, receiving support in the start-up phase and
immediately after, as relevant institutions and private organizations often lack the necessary skills and
resources to meet refugees’ needs.
“For us refugee women, who have experience in business, you can give us financial
goodwill. But it’s not enough; after we have started an activity you have to support us,
until you see that we have become independent (...) You have to encourage creativity,
compatibly with the available market
”.
19REPORT UNHCR
8. VOCATIONAL TRAINING
In recent years, part of the strategy to support access to the labour market has rightly focused
on vocational training and grant-assisted jobs. The strategy has been implemented locally
through SPRAR projects and centrally by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy through some
pilot projects (such as the In-side project). Many participants in the focus groups accessed the
labour market through on-the-job training programs; their views on such programmes, however,
greatly differed.
Many refugees have doubts on how on-the-job training projects have been selected by those who
are tasked with providing this kind of service, as in many cases legitimate aspirations were not taken
into account and previous skills were not given adequate value.
“For example, if you are given a grant-assisted job, you can’t choose where to work. Selfrealization
counts for nothing; I have never cut a tomato in my life, why did I have to help
a cook? I had other skills that could have been easily employed here: I could have been a
computer technician, or other things. But this was not very important for the staff member
who was there in front of me, he thought I knew nothing. I could instead have also realized
myself, I could have had that opportunity or done another internship in a place where I could
have been helpful; I have skills”.
In other cases, refugees complained about the lack of a labour market analysis, which makes
it impossible to assess the real chances of finding employment. Many refugees stated they had
attended unnecessary and useless vocational training courses.
“I spent six months in school studying to be an electrician, but I ended up in a
kitchen. So my point is: there should be a real effort to understand what students want
and what the labour market needs
”.
RECOMMENDATIONS
UNHCR recommends that, for the first two years after having been recognized international
protection, refugees be included in disadvantaged workers categories, as provided for by
social cooperatives legislation (Law No. 381/1991).
UNHCR recommends that a common system of skills assessment be promptly adopted
in order to ensure that beneficiaries of international protection can find adequate
employment.
20 FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
UNHCR recommends that a local network be set up to bring together individuals involved in
assistance and support programmes, institutional and non-institutional actors dealing with onthe-job
training and recruitment, trade unions and employers’ associations, in order to develop
common strategies for the benefit of beneficiaries of international protection.
UNHCR recommends that adequate measures be implemented to help beneficiaries of
international protection who wish to be self-employed, in particular by promoting access to
credit and by improving support services for the start-up of businesses, in a multicultural
perspective, providing staff with specific training on asylum issues.
9. ACCOMMODATION INDEPENDENCE
Accommodation independence is another significant issue, a key precondition to regain confidence
and begin a process of social inclusion.
Many refugees highlighted the difficulties in finding a place to live, especially in the post-reception
period; as already stated, reception may abruptly come to an end after that a form of protection is
recognized or later, depending on the type of facility where refugees are accommodated pending the
outcome of the refugee status determination procedure. Accommodation problems, however, are
different across different regions. In southern Italy, finding a stable and regular job is harder, whereas
it is easier to find accommodation, thanks to lower costs and fewer guarantees requested; on the
other hand, in large cities in central and northern Italy, even those who have an income at times
struggle to find stable accommodation and must resort to precarious solutions.
Even many refugees participating in the focus groups who have resided in Italy for a number of years
are still living in very precarious conditions, often in overcrowded or illegally occupied houses.
“Here (in Turin Ed.) there are people belonging to African communities, even Somali,
who sign a lease for a four-bedroom house, and then rent it to other people in the
community. (...) I was paying 100 Euros a month. (...) But the room is not a room just
for myself. There are five people in one room, until now
”.
Such difficulties are confirmed by recent research, which shows that a very significant and steadily
increasing number of asylum-seekers and beneficiaries of protection live in precarious situations,
such as in squats or informal settlements7
.
7
Doctors without Borders, Leftover. Asylum seekers and refugees in Italy: informal settlements and social exclusion, March 2016.
21REPORT UNHCR
While in the past these situations seemed to occur only in large urban areas and in some rural areas
of southern Italy, as they related to seasonal jobs, the aforementioned research reveals that the
phenomenon is rapidly expanding in other areas of Italy too.
Some interviewed beneficiaries highlighted that landlords’ distrust, and in some cases discrimination,
are often insurmountable obstacles in finding accommodation.
“Renting to a foreigner? ‘Where are you from? You’re not Italian? No, I’m sorry’. Lately I’ve
seen it happen very often, because I help my friends looking for a house. ‘You go, now you
speak a little Italian... you speak better than us, come on, call, maybe they will trust you’.
However, anyway when they ask: ‘Where are you from?’, there it ends. I’m sorry, two minutes
earlier the house was available, we were making an appointment, but when they ask: ‘Oh,
where are you from?’ and anyway the accent gives you away, they say: ‘Foreigner? Where are
you from? Oh no, sorry, it’s already ...’”.
“One day I was with a friend, we saw a house that was up for rent, I stopped to take
the number and call the owner. A lady leaned from above. She saw that I was noting
down the number. She stopped me: “No, no, no, this is for Italians only
”.
To facilitate access to housing, refugees suggested, inter alia, to include beneficiaries of international
protection in underprivileged social categories when drafting calls for tenders for social housing,
giving beneficiaries of international protection a specific score.
“Having a house is a basic right, isn’t it? If you look at the bid for tender to get a social flat
in Rome, there are no points for refugees. But a refugee can never return to his or her own
country. How is it possible? A point, just a little point”.
RECOMMENDATIONS
UNHCR recommends that refugees be supported in finding suitable accommodation after
being granted asylum and that all possible measures be taken to prevent social disandvantage
and to ensure that they do not become homeless.
UNHCR suggests considering the creation of a housing guarantee fund for beneficiaries of
international protection, allowing them to access funds aimed at settling down in the early
period after having been recognized international protection.
UNHCR also suggests that competent authorities carefully consider the specific situation of
beneficiaries of international protection when drafting bids for tender to allocate resources for
social housing assistance and rent support.
22 FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
10. HEALTH
Health can be a very serious obstacle for the integration of beneficiaries of international protection.
Besides common problems that may arise in the course of life, many have to face specific health
conditions resulting from traumatic experiences, such as persecution in countries of origin, or from
deprivation and violence suffered in transit countries during the journey to Italy.
Although there are no statistical data on the number of beneficiaries of international protection who have
been victims of torture or serious violence, some recent research gives evidence that the phenomenon
is quite widespread among people arriving on the coasts of southern Italy8
.
Poor health, particularly mental health, may adversely affect other important aspects of the integration
process, such as language learning, the search for a job or for accommodation. In turn, failure to
integrate and social distress may lead to vicarious traumatization. For these reasons, emerging
vulnerabilities relating to health conditions should be promptly identified in order to adequately address
them and prevent them from becoming chronic.
When there are potentially significant health needs, beneficiaries of international protection are granted
full access to health care at the same conditions as Italian citizens. Art. 27, paragraph 1 of Legislative
Decree No. 251/2007, provides that beneficiaries of international protection “are entitled to the same
treatment granted to Italian citizens in social and health care”.
Vulnerabilities, especially in connection to torture or serious violence, were not discussed during focus
groups as they relate to a very intimate aspect of an individual’s experience. Participants, however,
highlighted some critical aspects in effectively exercising their right to health due to economic problems
and in particular due to lack of sanitary tax exemption. Both asylum-seekers, when authorized to
work, and beneficiaries of international protection, including those lacking a job and a salary, are not
considered unemployed but are rather described as ‘not in employment’, just like Italians looking for
their first job: as such, they are not entitled to sanitary tax exemption.
“Many can enjoy sanitary tax exemption, at least under current regulations, but this should be
given to the unemployed. Asylum-seekers in Italy are not considered unemployed and therefore
have to pay sanitary taxes. And paying them is not so easy”.
“At the beginning, sanitary tax exemption was always granted: (Code Ed.) 92. Then, at
the very last minute, code 92 was canceled and replaced with code 02, which means
unemployment. But how can someone who has never worked be considered unemployed?
It’s difficult. Children and sick people still enjoy exemption, then the health problem is that
there is nowhere to go when there are problems
”.
8
Medici per I Diritti Umani (Physician for Human Rights), Migratory Routes from Sub-Saharan Countries to Europe, July 2015.
23REPORT UNHCR
RECOMMENDATIONS
UNHCR recommends that guidelines for assistance and rehabilitation of beneficiaries of
international protection who are victims of torture, rape and other forms of serious violence be
adopted and implemented as provided for in Art. 27, paragraph 1-bis of Legislative Decree
No. 251/2007.
UNHCR recommends that, given their specific vulnerabilities and lack of resources, asylumseekers,
including those who are allowed to work, and unemployed beneficiaries of international
protection be exempted from sanitary taxes.
11. RECOGNITION OF QUALIFICATIONS
As pointed out by some participants in focus groups, difficulties in finding a job or in having career
advancement opportunities are in many cases due to problems in getting qualifications, professional
skills or work experiences recognized.
“We fled, that’s true. But many of us studied. For example, I have a university degree, you
understand? And I feel like I threw it in the bin, because it’s useless. So here there is no
integration”.
The impossibility of having past experiences recognized is certainly a source of great frustration for
refugees, as they cannot draw on their personal capabilities to adequately contribute to the host
society’s development; it also represents a limit for the host country, as it does not satisfactorily value
available human resources, nor does it support them or enable them to contribute to social and
economic life.
“I’ve got two diplomas, in my country I was a professor of music and dance. I worked
as a deputy headmaster in a high school, but to get a job these two certificates are
completely useless
”.
“I’ve got a diploma and a law degree, I worked nine years before arriving in Italy and here, up
to now, my qualification has not been recognized”.
“I’ve been here almost five years and I studied in my country of origin. Unfortunately, our
qualifications are not recognized in Italy, so I had to start all over again. That is, lower-
24 FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
secondary school, higher-secondary school, and then university. [...] Despite knowing other
languages, Arabic, English, my language… but to integrate here in Italy, I never happened to
have a steady job, which unfortunately is hard to find”.
Participants in focus groups discussed different types of critical issues. For a refugee who already
faces daily hardships and difficulties in meeting basic needs, the procedure is highly discouraging
because of its length, costs and bureaucracy. Furthermore, procedures for the recognition of
qualifications greatly vary depending on the reasons why such recognition is needed and on the
competent authority with responsibility over the specific degree. The specificities linked to refugee
status are not always taken into account, especially when it comes to the possibility for a refugee to
liaise with the authorities of his own country of origin.
Paragraph 3-bis of Art. 26 of Legislative Decree No. 251/2007 (introduced by Legislative Decree No.
18/2014) provides that: “To recognize professional qualifications, diplomas, certificates and other
qualifications obtained by refugees or beneficiaries of subsidiary protection abroad, competent
authorities shall identify appropriate systems of assessment, validation and accreditation allowing for
the recognition of qualifications under Art. 49 of Decree of the President of the Republic No. 394 of
31 August, 1999, even when the country where the degree was obtained will not issue a certification,
provided that the person concerned will prove his/her impossibility to acquire such certification”.
The regulation, which could potentially have a very significant impact on the integration of beneficiaries
of international protection, has been implemented on an occasional basis until now, mostly by
single universities thathave autonomously recognized qualifications even in the absence of original
certificates.
RECOMMENDATIONS
UNHCR recommends that refugees have their academic and professional qualifications
recognized, through swift and certain procedures. To this end, UNHCR recommends that Art.
26 of Legislative Decree No. 251/2007 be implemented and that all competent authorities
adopt a standard procedure for the recognition of qualifications, even in the absence of original
certification.
12. RESIDENCE
Many refugees participating in focal groups confirmed a fact that has already been well documented
in studies and reports on human rights and on the situation of refugees in Italy, that is, the difficulties
in being included in the civil registry of the municipalities where they habitually reside9
.
9
ASGI, CESPI, Caritas Italiana, Consorzio Communitas, AICCRE, The right to protection, June 2011; Caritas, Cooperativa Roma Solidarietà, Centro Astalli,
Caritas Ambrosiana, Metropolitan mediations, 2012; CIR, Roads of integration, 2012, Juss-Buss, Swiss Refugee Council, Asylum procedure and reception
conditions in Italy, May 2011; Nils Muiznieks, Report on the visit in Italy from 3 to 6 July, Strasbourg, 12 September 2012; Pro Asyl, The living conditions of
refugees in Italy, February 2011.
25REPORT UNHCR
Residence is an essential prerequisite beneficiaries of international protection to effectively exercise
important rights10
. Without residence, for example, they cannot obtain an ID card or access local
social services and apply for housing support. In some cases, it is difficult even to register with the
National Health Service.
The issue, which was mainly discussed in the focus groups held in Rome and Turin, is closely
related to the housing problem and the lack of support when leaving reception facilities. Difficulties
in finding stable accommodation are the main obstacles to being included in the civil registry. When
beneficiaries of protection leave the reception centre, their names –that had been entered on the
register with the centre’s address-are taken off the register, but in the absence of another address
they can live at, their names cannot be re-entered on the register.
“When you leave the reception centre, there is a big problem, because after a
few months your surname is deleted from the list of the centre’s residents and
you become untraceable; if you don’t have a place to be registered at, you are
deleted
”.
Those who live in precarious housing conditions, such as informal settlements or occupied buildings,
cannot be granted residence pursuant to Art. 5 of Decree Law No. 47 of 28 March, 2014, converted
into Law No. 80 of 23 May, 2014. Likewise, those who are compelled to resort to precarious solutions,
such as subletting or illegal renting, cannot demonstrate legitimate possession of the property and
thus cannot be entered in the civil registry.
“I wish to speak about residence because we live in the ‘Selam’ building. There are many
occupied buildings where you cannot prove to be resident. I cannot prove to be resident in
the Selam building. I applied for it, but my request was rejected. What shall I do? Now it’s
ok, because my former partner declared this as my place of residence, for my son’s sake.
If I hadn’t had my former partner, where would I have gone? (...) This thing is a problem. My
son lives in the Selam building; near the building there is a school, but his place of residence
is somewhere else. So I’ve been told he can’t go in that school because he doesn’t live in
that area. What should I do? I asked the social worker and I was told: “You must send him
to a school in the same area where your place of residence is”. I’m not living with my former
partner, I’m living with my son, I am a single mother. What should I do?”
“The gentleman who rented me the house said: ‘I do not give anyone residence. If
that’s not ok with you, you can go
”.
10
ANUSCA, ASGI, SPRAR Central Service, UNHCR, Guidelines on the Right to residence of applicants and beneficiaries of international protection, December
2014.
26 FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
Many municipalities have tried to find specific solutions, for example using virtual addresses, as for
the homeless, or accepting residence at institutions’ or associations’ addresses. These solutions
are temporary and in some cases fail to ensure that beneficiaries of international protection can
effectively exercise all their rights.
“The city of Turin has created the so-called virtual residence, which does not exist. It is not
a real place. When you ask for Italian citizenship after five years (years spent at the virtual
place residence Ed.) they are not valid, you are a zero, you see. They are valid only to register
with the health service and to have the city bus ticket... Yes, and it’s called ‘Municipal House
Three’. If you go to the job centre, they say: ‘No, we can’t accept it, you do not live in a real
place of residence”.
RECOMMENDATIONS
UNHCR considers it essential that all asylum-seekers and beneficiaries of international
protection can be recorded in the civil registry of the municipalities where they have their
habitual residence or, failing that, in the municipalities where they have their domicile. To this
end, UNHCR recommends that the Ministry of Interior, which is the competent authority for
demographic services, sends specific instructions to municipalities regarding the registration
of asylum-seekers and beneficiaries of international protection.
13. SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC LIFE
Social integration is one of the most complex issues to deal with given its markedly subjective nature.
There are many aspects that can potentially facilitate or hinder this process: language proficiency,
cultural differences, uncertainty about social norms, concerns relating to the economic instability.
However, some commonalities were highlighted and shared by participants in the focus groups.
Many refugees expressed a positive opinion about Italians and their openness towards refugees,
giving specific examples of solidarity which they themselves experienced or directly witnessed. Many
said they have numerous Italian friends and underlined how important it is to increase interaction with
the locals and promote social networks with them.
“I think the state must create more networks. Networks that can truly guarantee the
rights of refugees and asylum-seekers. Facilitating for example the cohabitation of
Italian citizens and foreign citizens
”.
Those who socialized with Italians in a meaningful way recalled these interactions as an important
step in their own integration process. Thanks to such experiences, they could establish a relationship
27REPORT UNHCR
based on mutual and equal recognition with Italian citizens, other than the usual interaction with
institutional actors in charge of asylum procedures or with the staff at reception centers.
“Let me give you a simple example, which helped us. They (the managers of the reception
centre Ed.) took us to a picnic outside the centre. There was a group of Italian boys, peasants,
and they were doing other jobs. We were a group of guys and we stayed with them for two
or three days, we ate, we cooked, isn’t it? It was the first time I witnessed Italian hospitality, I
saw Italians closely, I talked to them”.
“Also when (the manager of the reception centre) came with the Legambiente team into the
centre, he brought all Italy to us, northern Italy and southern Italy. Students who had finished
school spent their summer holidays with us. It was a good experience, and in the end we
shared it with a final show”.
Strengthening mutual understanding is important also to fight some misrepresentations concerning
refugees, which are conveyed by the media and through public debate, making the interaction
between refugees and Italians more difficult. Some refugees highlighted how, in their experience,
Italians are not are given correct information on refugees and their status.
“There is great confusion between foreigners, migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers. There
is complete confusion here in Italy. And there’s a wall, like he said, between foreigners,
migrants and Italian workers, because they think that all those who come here, do so for
economic reasons”.
In all focus groups there was at least one refugee who reported specific instances where Italian
citizens have accused him or her of benefiting from disproportionate economic assistance, at the
expense of the neediest Italian population.
“Italians seem people with whom you can integrate. However, what happened to me many
times is that they say: you are given an allowance of 35 Euros a day. I told him: no, I’ve never
had any money in my life. But this perception exists, and it is strong. They think that all
refugees on the Italian territory have 35 Euros a day”.
To facilitate social inclusion, some of them stressed the importance of encouraging their participation
in the institutions, individually and through associations; their experience could make a valuable
contribution to the development of asylum policies and governance.
“Institutions, refugees, communities should participate more. People who have
suffered these problems can make significant contributions. It is a very important
issue; refugees should participate more in institutions, they have experienced
situations
”.
28 FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
“Refugees should participate more and refugee communities should be taken into account.
Refugees should not be excluded”.
RECOMMENDATIONS
UNHCR recommends that increased efforts be made to promote and enhance the creation of
social networks involving both refugees and Italian citizens. To this end, UNHCR recommends
that the civil society, and in particular sports, cultural and volunteer associations, be more
involved in policies supporting the integration of refugees.
UNHCR recommends that, in compliance with the Charter of Rome, public and private media
provide more correct information on asylum and refugees, in order to avoid misrepresentations
of refugees, which can fuel racism, xenophobia and discrimination.
UNHCR recommends that in developing asylum policies, particularly on the integration of
refugees, the contribution of refugees, as individuals or as part of a community, be enhanced.
CONCLUSIONS
The focus groups conducted revealed a consistent pattern of obstacles to the integration of
beneficiaries of international protection, especially due to the objective difficulties they face in gaining
a minimum level of economic independence that would guarantee them an acceptable standard of
living. In some cases, these difficulties force refugees to live as social outcasts, in occupied buildings
or in informal settlements, and to resort to welfare assistance again. This situation often leads to
misrepresentations about them, which fuel negative attitudes and make interaction with the local
population even more difficult.
Nevertheless, there are many examples of people, including among refugees attending focal groups,
who have managed to integrate in a satisfactory way, as they themselves argued, in some cases
thanks to the concrete support received.
On the basis of these examples, among other things, UNHCR believes that in the current asylum
system, integration policies should focus on supporting beneficiaries of international protection.
Gaining a sufficient degree of independence is a prerequisite for integration, however complex the
process may be. To this end, refugees should acquire useful tools to find a job and to access services
as soon as possible. They should attend adequate Italian courses and be informed about local
services already when applying for asylum. They should also be correctly informed about the rights
attached to their status, both during the refugee status determination procedure, and immediately
afterwards.
29REPORT UNHCR
In addition, UNHCR believes that all applicants should have the opportunity to stay in a SPRAR
facility after being recognized international protection, and be supported for the first few months in
their difficult process of integration.
In this phase, it would also be appropriate that a personalized integration project be developed for
all beneficiaries of international protection based on an assessment of their skills and aspirations,
through consistent methodologies and tools throughout Italy.
Besides integration tools, structural measures to support inclusion processes are particularly needed.
Finding a healthy place to live and a job are key issues and must be given priority in integration policies.
To this end, it seems therefore appropriate that all beneficiaries of international protection should
have access to support measures in the early phases after leaving reception facilities. Furthermore,
UNHCR believes that including beneficiaries of international protection among disadvantaged
workers for the first two years after they have been recognized protection should be considered, as
provided for by social cooperatives legislation.
That is why, when developing and implementing measures aimed at promoting independence,
attention should be paid to their social impact upon asylum-seekers’ entry into the territory. All
measures implemented, from language teaching to vocational training courses, should be carried
out outside reception facilities as much as possible and be an occasion for beneficiaries of protection
to interact with local people. For the same reason, all activities involving social interaction should be
promoted, such as voluntary work, or sports, recreational, cultural and even religious activities, even
though they do not have a specific educational purpose. Mutual acquaintance and the establishment
of relationships between people seem to be the best response to widespread opinions on refugees
which fuel suspicion, discrimination and, in certain contexts, xenophobia and racism. They are also
the best tools to facilitate cultural permeability in the host community and allow beneficiaries of
protection to feel part of it on a par with other citizens.
30 FOCUS GROUP ON INTEGRATION
UNHCR wishes to thank the refugees who took part in the focus groups,
whose surnames are not mentioned for reasons of confidentiality:
Adam, Ahmad, Akahel, Aratz, Bubakar, Chahide, Dembele, Efrem, Eromo, Fall,
Faty, Fiori, Hasan, Hector, Hooman, Ibrahim, Isshak, Katrisa, Khader, Kibrom,
Lancine, Lazar, Madhi, Malang, Mamadou, Marguerite, Momo, Musa, Nataliya,
Ousmane, Sussy, Silan, Ugur, Yossuf.
UNHCR wishes to thank, for the contribution and support provided
in the organization of the focus groups:
Simone Andreotti, Associazione Balon Mondial, Associazione Cittadini del Mondo,
Associazione Senza Confine, Associazione Mosaico, Centro Samifo,
Pietro Cingolani, Cooperativa Be Free, Consorzio Casa della Solidarietà,
Cooperativa Esserci, Cooperativa Orso, Cooperativa Sociale Tenda Onlus,
Francesca De Masi, Diaconia Valdese di Torino, Francesca Di Blasi, Valentina Fabbri,
il FIERI, Laura Gentile, Piera Gioda, Massimo Gnone, Alessandro Gordano,
InMigrazione Onlus, Valentina Itri, Laboratorio 53, Carlo Leone, Liberi Nantes,
Carla Mariani, Safia Moalin, Alessia Montuori, Parì Nayyere, Sara Negarville,
Non solo Asilo, Berthin Nzonza, Valentina Paciullo, Enza Papa, Ferruccio Pastore,
Angelo Patriarca, Irene Ponzo, Tommaso Pozzato, ProgrammaIntegra,
Giorgia Rocca, Marcella Rodino, Marjan Salchian, Ester Salis, Giancarlo Santone,
Francesco Tarantino, Sergio Troilo, Alberto Urbinati, Maurizio Veglio.
UNHCR
www.unhcr.it