Organisation for Aid to Refugees with support of the European Fund for the Integration of third-country nationals has lounched a project "Seminars for foreigners in selected regions" The project reacts on the critical situation of legal migrants in the Czech labour market as well as on the fact that governmental and nongovernmental sector is unable to approach the foreigners in crisis situation and offer them suitable solutions in their problems. Legal (and illegal) immigrants are increasingly victims of exploitation from labor agencies and intermediators forcing them to live in degrading and undignified conditions of labor and accommodation. Many foreigners have already lost their jobs and accommodations due to the exploitation and economic crisis. This particular group if migrants is very hard to be addressed by GO and NGO programs because we are talking about new immigrants (years 2006-2008), from remote countries (Vietnam, Mongolia), not speaking Czech language, who are not integrated into the Czech society. Their critical situation might be even worse because only the most striking cases of exploitation and poor living conditions become visible. The project aims at approaching isolated groups of foreigners in selected cities with the highest numbers or increases in numbers of immigrants, offer them courses of cultural and legal orientation and thus open a way for them to participate in NGO and GO programs. We want to achieve this goal by engaging streetworkers, including Vietnamese and Mongolian ones, to approach the immigrants and distibute the information in places of their current stay. We also want to help immigrants to leave the grey zone of intermediators and prevent them from joining criminal networks. For more information see the leaflet (in Czech language).
New developments in the Common European Asylum System EU
Invitation to a Lecture on Czech-Mongolian Relations
In the frame of the project NROS - Block Grant OPU invites you for the next lecture with a multicultural theme - Czech-Mongolian relations. The event will be held on 12/10 2009 at 6 p.m. in Escape the Castle Cafe at Chateau Kuřim. Speaker will be Peter Smith. We look forward to seeing you! Invitation
Become an OPU volunteer!
At present, we open our gates to new volunteers, who would like to participate at the OPU programs. One-day schooling for volunteers is scheduled for 3 September 2009. You will learn there about a very interesting topic of refugees (legal and social position of refugees in CR, life in sanctuary establishments, inter-cultural barriers in refugee oriented activities, and so on, and so forth). This schooling will form a basis for your decision, whether you really want to play an active role in the region, we offer. If you are interested in the schooling, kindly contact Jirina Rezankova, volunteer activities coordinator, e-mail:
. More information to be found here (in Czech language): informace o náboru dobrovolníků
New home - New Rights and Responsibilities – Assistance in Integration of Refugees
In the last quarter of the year 2009 is realized the project of assistance during the period of six month after moving into integration flat by OPU Brno in the region of Southern Moravia and Zlín region. This project is supported by resources of European Refugee Fund and the Ministry of Interior of Czech Republic and is called NEW HOME – NEW RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES – ASSISTANCE IN INTEGRATION OF REFUGEES. Within the frame of the project is offers social - legal councelling concerning to moving into an integration flat (registration of electricity, gas, residence, registration in labor services, schools, doctors etc.), assistance in the process of changing all requirements to recognized refugees. OPU also offers mediation of contact among refugees and relevant subjects in the process of moving into integration flat. We ensure lectures of social – cultural orientation in the new environment. Very interesting activity of the project is refunding of selected re-qualification courses for refugees. Project is very closely tied with the project Self-Improvement through Work, which helps to recognized refugees with orientation and claiming to the labor market.