Seminário Internacional “Como apoiar pessoas refugiadas”

Refugees are one of the most vulnerable segments of the population, and therefore need safe and professional care and support. Volunteers’ contribution can be an important part of this as it is the collective work of people all around the world that can eventually make a difference if public institutions are not able and/or not willing to respond to the challenge. Volunteers support refugees in different ways. On the other hand, many of the refugees themselves have free time and skills which they can use to help their communities, and they may use volunteering as a step towards integration and paid employment.
The ways of how countries and cities across Europe are affected and deal with refugees differ greatly. This event addresses examples of volunteering for and with refugees, including how to recruit volunteers, the types of activities volunteers can undertake, the provision of adequate training and support to volunteers, and how to help refugees’ integration in our societies.
At the spotlight will be reports from activities from the three cities Lisbon, Barcelona and Berlin about experiences with spontaneous ad-hoc and creative helping, self-organized or central coordinated initiatives, and protests for taking in more refugees. Activists, specialists, researchers, refugees and volunteers will have different answers to the questions at stake: What are visions and obstacles for volunteer work? How to come from humanitarian support to integration of refugees into society?