Integration of Refugees into the European Education and Labour Market

In this book various educational and professional backgrounds of refugees and asylum seekers in four European cities are analysed. The local contexts of the VET systems are evaluated as to whether they consider the particular educational needs of refugees as well as the individual resources they have, giving their transnational biographies.

For the first time in the history of the EU, from 2002 to 2007 asylum seekers and refugees had been explicitly considered in an employment programme trough EQUAL. Despite the success of this programme, EQUAL as a participant-oriented programme was not restarted after 2007. This book analyzes the results achieved by EQUAL with respect to the EU Council Directive laying down minimum standards for the reception of asylum seekers as well as for the promotion of access to education and employment. Based on case studies in four European cities, the question of access to education and training programmes as well as to the labour market for refugees and asylum seekers is examined. The legal, political, structural and individual conditions for the success of such measures are also highlighted.

Autorentext

Louis Henri Seukwa, Dr. phil., is Professor at the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences. He teaches and does research in the fields of migration, postcolonial theories, resilience and education as well as competence acquisition in non formal and informal sectors.

Inhalt

Contents: Louis Henri Seukwa: General introduction - Margherita Buchetti/Rita Cardini/Daria Franceschini/Chiara Trevisan/Maria Omodeo Nicola Solimano/Claudia Zaccai: The paradox of being a recognized refugee in Italy: Living in an open prison, Florence, Tuscany - Pamela Clayton/Paul McGill/Sarah-Jane Pretty: A life in limbo: Barriers to VET and labour market integration for asylum-seekers waiting for the granting of Leave to Remain - Maren Gag: Vocational integration of refugees and Asylum-seekers in Hamburg - roundabout routes from model to structure - Maren Gag/Joachim Schroeder: Refugee Monitoring: Research status, conceptual basis and implementation proposals, taking the example of the City of Hamburg - Maren Gag/Joachim Schroeder: Refugee Monitoring in Hamburg - first steps taken! - Eva Norström/Anna Norberg: The reception and introduction of asylum seekers and new arrivals in Gothenburg. Successes and failures in the development of a new system - Maren Gag/Paul McGill/Eva Norström/Maria Omodeo/Sarah Jane Pretty/Maike Schröder/Louis Henri Seukwa/Claudia Zaccai: Lessons learned: Recommendations on the European level and conclusive remarks.