The Supreme Audit Office report (2015) indicates the lack of the national system for refugee integration. Based on experiences of the project team, it can be concluded that not all existing legal solutions are used and that to evaluate the functioning of the system we should focus on local practices of assistance for persons residing in refugee centres and for persons granted refugee status/subsidiary protection.
The aim of the project was to diagnose problems and expectations connected with receiving refugees and to prepare two municipalities for their integration through developing local and school integration systems, and through creating a system of cooperation between local institutions that can be used by other municipalities.
In cooperation with local institutions and refugees, a report was prepared indicating necessary changes in the system of receiving foreigners, two school integration systems (one used in schools participating in the project, and a model one that can be adapted to the needs of any institution) were developed, as well as local systems for integration of foreigners for two municipalities and an analysis of systems implemented in Sweden and Germany as examples useful for national solutions in this field. The activities were summed up in a publication (200 copies), and the research results and developed tools are also available on the web page wieloglos.emic.com.pl.
45 questionnaire interviews were conducted, as well as 10 individual and 2 scenario interviews, 18 individual interviews with representatives of institutions on various levels (from a centre for refugees to a ministry), 4 eight-hour workshops for workers of institutions in Słupsk (20 persons) and in Dragacz (10 persons) municipalities, 3 trainings preparing for work with foreign and refugee schoolchildren attended in all by 29 teachers (15 persons from Grupa, Michala and Grudziądz in 2 trainings, and 14 persons in one training in Słupsk).
The developed integration systems benefited 2 municipalities: Dragacz where a centre for refugees is situated and Słupsk that is willing to receive refugees, 100 recipients of publications (NGOs, municipal and central institutions). They can be also useful for municipalities and institutions that will benefit from materials made available on the Internet.
Partners supported the project with their experience in surveys and group processes (the Sustainable Development Unit) and in education activities (the Polish Humanitarian Action).