Welcome Kit for Refugees

Ensuring a better reception and facilitating the integration of refugees in Portugal.
Solutions

Welcome Kit for Refugees

Ensuring a better reception and facilitating the integration of refugees in Portugal.

Contact details

Submitted by: Paula Moura - Advisor, Cabinet of the Secretary of State for Integration and Migration, Portugal

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.acm.gov.pt/kitrefugiados

Social: https://www.facebook.com/ACMigracoes

Introduction to the project 

Country

Portugal

Duration

September 2016-Ongoing

Description

The Refugee Welcome Kit has information on Portugal, as well as relevant information for the refugees in order to ensure a better reception and facilitate their integration.

Project aims 

The main goal is to facilitate the welcoming and reception of refugees.

The Welcome Kit includes, in five different languages (Portuguese, English, French, Arab and Tigrinya):

  • a guide about Portugal, duties and rights, useful contacts and frequently asked questions;
  • a map of Portugal;
  • a dictionary tool and a basic dictionary with some transliterated sentences;
  • a t-shirt with useful icons to indicate immediate needs;
  • a SIM card with 15€;
  • an original welcoming drawing done by a child from a Portuguese school; and
  • a USB drive with different elements of the kit.

Resources used 

The fact that the entire Welcome Kit is on a USB drive and also accessible on the High Commission for Migration site, facilitated the implementation.

Main activities of the Good Practice

Objective 2 of the GCR: Enhance refugee self-reliance

Partners

  • Portuguese Government
  • Public services
  • NGOs and Associations
  • Private companies through social corporate responsibility.

Challenges and how they were overcome

The fact that the reception model involves more than 300 entities (municipalities and entities from the civil society) from all over the country, facilitated the distribution.

Refugees and organizations that work with refugees have been part of Focus Groups before the final decision about all of its components.

Results of the Good Practice 

The first impact, when refugees arrive at the airport, is mitigated because the Welcome Kit is delivered, in person, by the High Commission for Migration team. It represents also the commitment of the Portuguese authorities in welcoming refugees.

Also it is a very important tool for refugees in their relation with the system and the public services and for entities on their job regarding the integration of refugees too.

Next steps 

The Welcome Kit has been designed to be delivered at the airport, to refugees under the EU programs.

A next step can be done by adapting it to asylum seekers.

 

Related content