RRF offers a range of complementary reintegration services to returnees who have departed from the RRF Member States, whether voluntarily or non-voluntarily. RRF services are complementary to basic reintegration assistance already available through the Frontex EU Reintegration Programme (EURP), MS national programmes and support programmes funded by the countries of origin.
Armenia
In Armenia, RRF provides reintegration assistance focusing on:
- Professional equipment
- Household equipment
- Medical and psychosocial support
Nigeria
In Nigeria, RRF provides complementary reintegration assistance in Edo and Lagos States for vulnerable returnees (single parents with children, elderly people, pregnant women, and persons who have been subjected to serious forms of psychological, physical or sexual violence) in the following areas:
- Accommodation/Shelter
- Psycho-social support and counselling (including family counselling/mediation)
- Legal support
Cameroon, Georgia, Ivory Coast and Senegal
In cooperation with the French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII), RRF implements innovative complementary reintegration services using a pilot methodology in Cameroon, Georgia, Ivory Coast and Senegal. The following pilot activities are currently under implementation:
- The Mentorship Programme covers 30 ‘mentors-mentees’ pairs in Georgia, Ivory Coast and Senegal.
- The Environment Action aims to test the effectiveness of (economic) reintegration projects with locally relevant environmental practices and relevant local communities of practice on environmental adaptation practices in Georgia, Ivory Coast and Senegal.
- The Psychosocial Support Action tests the application of a psychosocial approach in reintegration counselling for its effectiveness in identifying those returnees who could benefit from specialised mental health support. This action includes a referral procedure for further mental health support. It is implemented in Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Senegal, covering up to 10 returnees in each country.
- The local OFII office in Ivory Coast and Senegal provides financial and administrative support for returnees to access universal health coverage (Couverture maladie universelle CMU). This includes support with preparation and provision of relevant documents and paying the required financial contribution for the first year after return.
In addition to the pilot activities, OFII delivers training sessions to returnees on various subjects, including on digital marketing, business development, and accounting. Through these trainings, returnees strengthen their capacity to run successful micro-business projects in Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Senegal.
Iraq
Within the framework of the RRF grant Sustainable Reintegration in Iraq (SR.I) implemented by the Finnish Immigration Service, specific reintegration services are offered to returnees to Iraq:
- Customised post-arrival business training for up to 120 Iraqi returnees from EU MS.
- Psychosocial support for up to 75 Iraqi returnees through group support sessions and individual counselling sessions.