4. Workshop: Addiction as a challenge in the return process

The online workshop took place on the 3rd and 4th of November 2021. Offering assisted voluntary return and reintegration counselling to persons struggling with addiction such as alcohol addiction, drug addiction, medication addiction, etc. holds many challenges. Nevertheless, representatives of this vulnerable group want to return and ask for help. The workshop started with a short medical introduction to addiction and its effects on body and mind. Afterwards the participating counsellors were assigned to online working groups in which they discussed different scenarios of addicted clients who showed more or less willingness to discuss their addiction in the return counselling process and how they would work with the clients then. The findings from the working group were enhanced with the input by an addiction counsellor who spoke mainly about the counselling method "Motivational Interviewing” when counselling addicted clients throughout the lengthy decision-making process. Another round of discussions took place in the second working group focusing on when and how to end the counselling session when the client is too intoxicated. After addressing counselling topics of the pre-departure phase, IOM Germany held a presentation about the medical preparation for a fit-to-fly state of the returning migrant and the medical escorts who usually accompany addicts during the return flight. The return process, however, is not over after landing in the country of return. The partner organization to which the returnee is referred in many cases can inform about follow-up medical treatment and give psychosocial counseling. According to the experience of the reintegration partner Caritas Georgia, returning addicts usually do not manage to find a job or start their own business. It is rather a success, if the returnees manage to fight their addictions and reintegrate in their social networks. In a final working group session, the participants discussed the cultural influence on the willingness and openness to address addiction in the return counselling setting. The last input of the workshop focused on the nexus of (re)migration and addiction.

Field trip to Switzerland

The first field trip of the Transnational Exchange V could be successfully implemented despite of the ongoing pandemic. The field trip took place from the 20th to the 23rd of September 2021 with seven participants from the following countries: Austria, Denmark, Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Respecting the necessary hygiene and safety measures seven organizations were able to host the visiting AVRR counsellors and to explain to them the Swiss asylum and return counselling system. The Swiss Red Cross Bern gave a short introduction to return counselling in detention centers. After learning more about the asylum procedure from the Bern Legal Counselling center for people in need the group met up with IOM. IOM International gave a short presentation about the new Policy on the Full Spectrum of Return, Readmission and Reintegration and the IOM BAZ counsellors talked about their AVRR counselling offer in the federal reception centers (BAZ). The program of the second day was also filled with several appointments. After a short exchange with Caritas Switzerland the group was invited to visit an employment program in the Swiss hill moor for potential returnees implemented by Caritas Switzerland and financed by the Office for Migration Schwyz. The program of the field trip also included a visit to a reception camp and a meeting with the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) which oversees and finances the AVRR counselling in Switzerland as well as the return and reintegration assistance.

3. Workshop:  Impulses for a method-based AVRR counselling

The third workshop of the Transnational Exchange V project took place online on the 14th and 21st of July 2021. The 82 participants from eight European countries were first introduced to different counselling methods, tools and approaches. Afterwards they discussed its practicability in their respective and very divers working environments. The workshop started off with a presentation about the Method for Empowerment for Trauma Survivors (METS) which seems not directly linked to assisted voluntary return and reintegration counselling (AVRR). However, parts of the method can be used to help the client gaining hope and perspective for his or her future which then enhances the agency of the client. With more agency the client is able to determine better which next steps he or she wants to take in life and then actively pursue it. This is what we learned from the presentation of Goedwerk foundation which gave insights of the implementation of METS in an AVRR counselling setting.

The second presentation included insights of cultural approaches regarding decision-making which is essential for working with migrants. Considering different risk-avoidance tendencies, sense of time, the predictability of the future and the power distance can enhance and ease the counselling process. At the end of day 1 of the workshop, the participants were introduced to the Cockatoo toolkit by Solid Road which included materials for children, teenager, parents and counsellors to involve children better in the return counselling process.

The second day of the workshop was dedicated to the topics of meta communication - communicating about communication (the counsellor explains to the client why he or she is asking certain questions) and motivational interviewing (MI). Motivational interviewing suggests to apply simple tools like open and closed questions, affirmations, reflective listening and summaries during the counselling to support the client’s decision-making process. A short video by the Transnational Exchange V project will be published soon with a visual summary of the presented methods.

2. Workshop: Update and exchange on return and reintegration counselling in Europe

The second workshop of the Transnational Exchange V project took place online on the 17th of March 2021. The 85 workshop registrations from 10 European countries showed the great interest in understanding different AVRR counselling systems and the desire to connect with colleagues across borders. The workshop included 9 country presentations introducing the main counselling providers, the counselling system, the most recent return numbers, the return and reintegration budget and the latest news. The workshop ended with a presentation about changes on a European policy level and the growing role of Frontex. The summary of the workshop can be here: download.

1. Workshop: Assisted voluntary return to Latin America with a focus on El Salvador, Venezuela and Colombia

The first workshop of the Transnational Exchange V project about voluntary return to Latin America took place online due to the on-going Covid-19 pandemic on the 10th and 11th of November 2020. We would like to give you some ideas or hints on what to discuss with Latin American returnees during your AVRR counselling session as a result of our workshop. We hope that these four points can stimulate beneficial conversations with your clients and hopefully lead to a sustainable return. Please bear in mind that the return conditions and challenges differ greatly depending on the country of return.