FOCUS Refugees

FOCUS policy note: MHPSS as part of dynamic integration

Christiane Abele — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 13:43:23 +0000

As FOCUS concludes its work, we are issuing a series of short policy notes which summarise key findings and outputs.

European and national integration strategies are increasingly acknowledging the importance of mental health and psychosocial support provision within programmes for refugees, with trauma being the principal lens applied to shape activity. The FOCUS Policy note #8 examines this area and recommends the need to take a much wider approach in relation to mental health and psychosocial support and to incorporate action within the various dimensions of integration work.

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FOCUS Triangulation report out

Christiane Abele — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 08:19:22 +0000

The FOCUS Triangulation report is out!

The European Union’s definition of integration as a “dynamic, two-way process of mutual accommodation by all immigrants and residents of Member States” builds the basis of the research conceptual understanding of the term.

FOCUS has used interdisciplinary, multi-dimensional and multi-analytical approaches – constituting the first attempt to operationalise and empirically analyse in the selected countries the concept of dynamic integration as outlined by Ager and Strang (2004, 2008 and 2010; Ndofor-Tah et al., 2019). Various methods were deployed:

quantitative analysis based on the project’s surveys developed following extensive reviews of the pre-existing research base,
secondary data gathering and analysis,
qualitative research in the form of focus group discussions (FGDs), and
policy analysis.

The Triangulation report is the final step of the FOCUS research stream. It integrates and triangulates the findings from the various research methods and sources and translates them into one coherent picture. This exercise involves a careful interpretation of the consistencies and contradictions manifested in the various streams by reflecting on methodological limitations and taking a stronger consideration of context.

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FOCUS approach and case study summaries available in seven languages

Christiane Abele — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 09:53:08 +0000

The FOCUS approach and case study summaries have been translated into seven languages: Croatian, French, German, Polish, Spanish, Swedish and Ukrainian and made available in the Living Well Together Resource.

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FOCUS policy note: Findings and policy implications of research in Croatia

Christiane Abele — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 09:57:03 +0000

The FOCUS research outputs range from detailed field surveys to a structured approach to promoting dynamic integration in this broad and diverse field. Research focused on post-2015 Syrian refugees and members of the communities where they now live. This included the first survey work to address, in a European context, both the socio-economic and socio-psychological dimensions of integration

Policy note #6 provides a general overview of the findings and policy implications of work conducted in Croatia.

Dostupan je i na hrvatskom jeziku.

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FOCUS final video

Christiane Abele — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 09:48:34 +0000

“When we want to, we can cope!”

Watch the summary of our key results and messages in the FOCUS Final Video.

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2 more days to go – FOCUS Final Conference – Living Well Together

Karin Rosenits — Mon, 30 May 2022 10:16:59 +0000

Only two more days to go and you are still able to register for the FOCUS Final Conference – Living Well Together! Join us on 1-2 June 2022 at La Tricoterie in Brussels or follow our live stream online.

The FOCUS Final Conference will showcase the FOCUS results:

findings from qualitative and quantitative research,
the FOCUS Approach to Dynamic Integration, and
the FOCUS Implementation Guidance.

It will take stock of the past decade of dynamic integration and discuss with other integration practitioners from civil society, academia and policy how the FOCUS results can be implemented in practice – also in the current context of increased migration from Ukraine.

On the agenda:

Different perspectives on dynamic integration
Findings from our comprehensive research study exploring socioeconomic and sociopsychological integration in four countries
Accounts from the FOCUS case studies
Workshops to experience our Living Well Together Resource and the FOCUS Approach to Dynamic Integration
A policy roundtable to discuss priorities of integration work in the EU
A marketplace to discover projects and initiatives

The event will take place at La Tricoterie, a unique event and cultural venue in the heart of Brussels (near Gare du Midi) and will be livestreamed. All information can be found after registration.

Attendance is free but upon registration only. Sign up here and exchange and network with other attendants via the event page even before the conference.

Speakers include:

Isabel de la Mata, Principal Advisor for Health and Crisis Management at DG Health
Katerina Dimitrakopoulou, Head of Sector for Integration, DG Home
Nour Abdulsalam, Board member, Support Group Network
Shoresh Ibrahim, Head of international projects, City of Stockholm
Guglielmo Schininà, Head of MHPSS section, International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Alison Strang, Senior research fellow, Queen Margaret University

The conference will be hosted by Maria Vincenza Desiderio, Senior Expert on Immigration and Immigrant Integration Policies.

Find the latest draft agenda and speakers’ list on the event page.

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FOCUS policy note: EU Action Plan on Integration & Inclusion 2021-27

Christiane Abele — Wed, 25 May 2022 13:21:13 +0000

During the progress of the FOCUS project the core integration policy documents of the European Commission and various programme mechanisms were revised. Of these, the most important document is the Action Plan on Integration & Inclusion 2021-27.

Policy note #5 links relevant FOCUS findings to this Action Plan.

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FOCUS policy note: Language and Integration

Christiane Abele — Thu, 19 May 2022 11:09:00 +0000

As FOCUS concludes its work, we are issuing a series of short policy notes which summarise key findings and outputs.

Policy note #4 points to some of the relevant findings and implications for policy and practice in relation to the role of language.

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Implementation Guide to Dynamic Integration released

Christiane Abele — Thu, 12 May 2022 15:12:33 +0000

To support dynamic integration programming, FOCUS has issued the Implementation Guide for Dynamic Integration: a practice-informed guide for policy makers, civil society organizations and communities, developed with the active engagement of end-user organisations and representatives, to help understand important dimensions of dynamic integration and how to implement them at all stages of the project cycle:

Assessment & design
Planning & implementation
Monitoring & evaluation.

The Implementation Guide is part of the Living Well Together Resource and can be accessed here.

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FOCUS policy note: Funding and Programming

Christiane Abele — Fri, 06 May 2022 08:22:51 +0000

As FOCUS concludes its work, we are issuing a series of short policy notes which summarise key findings and outputs.

Policy note #3 details some of the relevant findings and makes recommendations for how to use funding and programme development to promote effective practices.

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