Joint project to strengthen standards and structures in the asylum procedure and in the admission of refugees in particular need of protection
Since December 01.12.22st, XNUMX, the advice and support center for young refugees and migrants (BBZ sponsored by KommMit eV), the Berlin Center for Self-Determined Living for Disabled People (BZSL) and the Refugee Council Berlin eV have been running a joint three-year strengthening project of standards and structures in the asylum procedure and in the admission of particularly vulnerable refugees.
The project is co-financed by the Senate Department for Labor, Social Affairs, Equality, Integration, Diversity and Anti-Discrimination and by the European Union's Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund AMIF. After completing the approval process, the project partners can now continue to implement the planned measures with greater strength. This includes:
- Identification of deficits in the accommodation of refugees and the development of suggestions/concepts for improvement
- Orientation advice and information provision for underage target group members and their parents or guardians
- Orientation advice and information provision for target group members with disabilities/chronic illnesses
- Establishment and further development of a training program for volunteer and full-time multipliers, advisors and employees of the reception authorities
- Providing specialist information for the qualification/transfer of knowledge for civil society advisors and supporters involved in the asylum process
The following target groups in particular should benefit from the orientation and initial consultation measures:
- Accompanied and unaccompanied minor third-country nationals and their relatives
- Refugees with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses
- Ukrainian nationals and non-Ukrainian nationals who are enjoying or have applied for temporary protection within the meaning of Directive 2001/55/EC
The project work takes place against the background of dysfunctional reception structures in Berlin. The situation is particularly difficult for refugees with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses as well as for families with small children, as their special needs are hardly taken into account when it comes to accommodation, among other things. During the consultation, those seeking advice repeatedly discuss the accommodation situation as one of the main problems.
The current reception conditions are also not appropriate for minors and young adults coming to Berlin unaccompanied. The waiting times for an initial and clearing interview for unaccompanied minors are currently ten months on average - seven days are required by law. Until then, only emergency accommodation will be provided. School attendance, residence registration and the appointment of a guardian are on hold.
Through initial and orientation advice at the interface of young refugees with and without disabilities and concept development in the area of accommodation, the project aims to make a contribution to informing refugees about their rights and entitlements and to sustainably improving the reception conditions for the target groups mentioned.
12 employees are currently working on the project at three different locations. The contact details and office hours of the project partners as well as further information about the project content can be found here:
www.bbzberlin.de/portfolio/orientation-und-erstberatung-fuer-gefluechtete
www.bzsl.de/beratungs-projekte/amif
https://fluechtlingsrat-berlin.de/projekt/amif-projekt
Press contact: Jens-Uwe Thomas, project coordination,
Tel.: 030/ 666 40 727, email: j.thomas@kommmitbbz.de