Upcoming event
Conference: ‘Mentoring to work for asylum seekers: challenges and opportunities’
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In recent years, reception systems have faced a significant increase in asylum applications. This influx often leads to extended waiting periods for asylum seekers, resulting in the underutilization of their skills and delaying their integration into society once they receive a positive decision. Meanwhile, many countries, including Belgium, are experiencing significant labor shortages.
Fedasil is pioneering innovative solutions to transform this waiting period into productive time by equipping asylum seekers with valuable skills and competencies that facilitate their integration into the host society. For those whose applications are rejected, these skills can also be beneficial for their reintegration into their home countries.
Over the past two years, FMDO, BTH, CAI Namur, and HIVA-KU Leuven have collaborated on a mentoring-to-work project for highly skilled asylum seekers, funded by Fedasil. The program aims to guide and enhance the skills of asylum seekers during the waiting period.
At this event, we will present the first results of this project and discuss the challenges and opportunities of using mentoring as a pre-integration tool for asylum seekers. Additionally, since the status of asylum seekers often changes during the mentoring-to-work project, we will explore the added value of mentoring for those who receive a positive decision, as well as the challenges that arise from working with status holders.
SPEAKERS
Schedule
05 November 2024 (13:00 – 16:30 CET)
13:00-13:30 | Welcome and refreshments |
13:30-13:40 | Opening remarks Moderator: Artemis Kubala |
13:40-14:10 | Mentoring to work as a pre-integration tool for asylum seekers – how does it work and what are results by Peter De Cuyper (HIVA-KU Leuven) |
14:10-14:30 | Testimony from a mentee and a mentor |
14:30-14:40 | Mentor training as a success factor in working with asylum seekers: demo of a training by Fatih Yilmaz (BTH) |
14:45-15:30 | Panel discussion: challenges and opportunities of mentoring to work for asylum seekers |
Moderator: Artemis Kubala | |
Panellists: | |
Maria Calzada/Nora Katona (FMDO) | |
Nicolas Verkens (Cai Namur) | |
Fatih Yilmaz (Beyond The horizon) | |
15:30-15:45 | Coffee break |
15:45-16:30 | Inspiration from abroad: mentoring to work for status holders and the role of employers |
Moderator: Artemis Kubala | |
Jean-François Rase (One step forward & Université Gustave Eiffel) |
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Kim Verplancke (Tent Partnership for Refugees) Presentation: Tent Partnership for Refugees |
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16:30-16:45 | Closing remarks by Nicole De Moor, staatssecretaris voor Asiel & Migratie |
16:45 | Networking reception |
Project Partners
Beyond the Horizon ISSG (Belgium)
HIVA – Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium)
FMDO (Belgium)
CAI Namur (Belgium)
FEDASIL (Belgium)