One Stop Shop

"For the first time, institutions in various capacities involved in the process of inclusion of refugee people will operate in the same place, to offer an integrated response. The person and their needs will be at the center."

The project in brief

The project is implemented by Mosaico-azioni per i rifugiati in Italy. It began in May 2022 and is currently ongoing.

The Spazio Comune (One Stop Shop) in Turin has been developed by UNHCR and Mosaico (as implementing partner) in close cooperation with the Municipality and other institutions, as part of UNHCR strategic priorities 2021-2024. The project seeks to facilitate coordinated acces to legal, psychosocial and administrative services to support asylum seekers and refugees in the process of integration and social inclusion.

The goals of the project are:

• Enhancement of the Front Office of the Servizio Stranieri (Foreign citizens department) of the Municipality.
• Provision of comprehensive and easily accessible services, support, and information to beneficiaries of international protection around the city to enhance their social inclusion, integration and self-reliance.
• A tool for creating and repairing social ties to prevent conflicts and discrimination, which allows the awareness and dissemination of information, promoting access to rights and awareness of the duties of citizenships.
• A bridge between refugees and local services, institutions and civil society.
• Promotion of refugee rights through information in a multifunctional help desks that supports the actions already undertaken by the institutions and that represents an additional point of reference on the territory;
• Dissemination of knowledge and timely information on the subject of forced migration, through moments of meeting, awareness and deepening of global citizenship.

The One Stop Shop approach is based on the provision of services by public and private entities under the same roof bringing together in the same building the majority of institution that refugees and asylum seekers need. implemented by a refugee-led organization (Mosaico) is added value to the project and it facilitated communication and social mediation with the beneficiaries.

Partners involved

• UNHCR
• Municipality of Turin

What challenges were encountered in delivering the project and how were they overcome?

Challenges

• Institutions are not effectively engaged/responsive
• Inadequate written policies and procedures.
• Trust of POCs in the institutions

How they were overcome

• to strengthen the presence of institutional actors at Spazio Comune, in particular by involving new institutions (Agenzia delle Entrate, INPS) and better engaging those already present and already partnering with the Municipality (Agenzia Piemonte Lavoro, ASL Città di Torino, Prefecture, Questura, etc.)
• to reinforce the synergy and coordination - in close collaboration with the Servizio Stranieri – between the available services, UNHCR programmes, other Mosaico Social Mediation projects and activities, and new services (integration desk, legal support, etnopsy support) provided by those NGOs that were selected to boost refugees’ integration on behalf of the Municipality under the SAI and FAMI project.
• to communicate and promote Spazio Comune services and concept, through the new-designed official web page, online and offline multilingual communication, and specific outreach action.

Results of the Good Practice

More inclusive spaces, services and accelerated integration practices provided to asylum seekers, beneficiaries of international protection (BIP), beneficiaries of temporary protection (BTP) and other beneficiaries (e.g. Unicore students), hosted in reception centers or living independently in Turin and its metropolitan area:

• Total population reached by the services: 500 POC will be reached through the project out of a total of 9786 refugees and asylum seekers present in Turin Area.
• Socio-demographic profile of reached beneficiaries (estimates). Gender: 26% women and 74% men for BIP and 72% women and 28% men (about 30% under 18 y.o.) for BTP; Main nationalities: Ukraine, Nigeria, Mali, Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan.

In what way does the good practice meet one or more of the four objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees?

Objective 1: Ease the pressures on host countries

Mosaico innovative projects aims to ease social inclusion and integration process in the host countries, and provide our expertise and lived experiences.

Objective 2: Enhance refugee self-reliance

Our approach as a refugee-led organization, all our staff are persons with lived-experience, who are trained in social mediation technics. as empowerment and refugee self-reliance.

Next steps

UNHCR is planning for continuations for 2024.

Are there areas in which support would be required to continue and/or scale up your good practice?

Mosaico should start research for sustainability for the future.