Delete search term

Header

Quick navigation

Main navigation

Improved Integration for Refugees in Switzerland (IMIRIS)

At a glance

  • Co-project leader : Dr. Rainer Gabriel, Prof. Dr. Morgane Kuehni, Stephan Steiner, Dr. Yann Vuillet
  • Project team : Elise Epiney, Maude Reitz
  • Project budget : CHF 463'867
  • Project status : completed
  • Funding partner : Innosuisse (Innovationsprojekt / Projekt Nr. 42644.1 IP-SBM)
  • Project partner : Association 1951
  • Contact person : Rainer Gabriel

Description

In 2017 86,3% of refugees living in Switzerland were supported by social welfare. This situation is problematic for the refugees themselves and represents a matter of general public concern. In order to increase their chances on the labor market, refugees often are required to attend training courses. Yet, given the consistently high welfare dependency ratio of refugees raises questions regarding their effectiveness. This project posits that an alternative approach to the existing training programs, as it is offered by the association 1951, improves refugee’s chances for integration on the labor market and enables them to acquire competences and skills that are of use beyond the labor market. A first trial of such training programs has been conducted with 72 participants over the past 4 years. The follow-up of participants has documented the important improvements in the areas of autonomy and empowerment and, most importantly, it suggests that the insertion rates on the labor market are higher than the existing training programs. The main aim of this project is to improve integration of refugees in Switzerland by utilizing this new training system. The project consists of five main phases : 1) identification of areas of improvement, 2) identification of resources and needs of the different actors in the integration process, 3) system improvement through training engineering, 4) validation of the improved system, notably whether it performs adequately for refugees with a more problematic profile, 5) development of the 1951 service activity. This laste phase concern three areas: training offers for the implementation of the system, evaluation of existing training systems regarding and finally, certification and quality management services. Future customers of 1951 are cantonal and federal integration bureaus and associations.

Publications