Project Activities
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.
