Migrants are offered private counseling at their apartments

Mobile Integration Support

The Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) offers mobile integration support based at their integration centers and integration houses. Integration counselors regularly visit recognized refugees and people granted subsidiary protection in the communities in which they live. The integration counselors are local contacts for their clients and community residents. ÖIF mobile integration support provides concrete advantages for recognized refugees, people granted subsidiary protection, and communities.

Mobile integration support is not a project, but rather an organizational concept of the integration centers and integration houses. Mobile support is currently being offered in Styria in the following areas: Judenburg, Leoben, Trofaiach, Eisenerz, Kapfenberg, Graz, Wagna and other select communities. The purpose of mobile support is to offer services directly in the communities in which refugees live.

Mobile integration support is provided by 7 integration counselors in Styria. This service includes support in a number of everyday issues (health, finances, children and family, language, work, housing, understanding Austrian values and legal system, empowerment, networking). A German teacher advises clients on language learning options and organizes course options in different regions (currently these are primarily mother-child courses and communications courses). One integration counselor focuses on supporting clients in their job search. This involves surveying training and career interests and professional goals, developing job application material, supporting the active job search, as well as occasional accompaniment to important appointments at the AMS or employers. Another integration counselor works in different community kindergartens and organizes projects and programs for children and adolescents such as the summer program. Learning support is available for refugee and migrant children in several communities.
Mobile support is provided by means of outreach, where the counselor visits clients directly in their apartments and offers counseling and support.

Mobile support has proved to be very effective. Because the support occurs regularly but no longer at such an intensity as in the integration houses, more clients can be reached, and the clients are called upon to resolve issues that are manageable for them. The organizations and institutions that work with our clients and cooperate with us are challenged to do this as well. Mobile support is designed to better distribute the burden among different players working in the field of integration.

An evaluation of support is carried out through surveys completed by individuals or families at the beginning and end of the support period.The project is financed by the Austrian Integration Fund.

Location:

Styria, Austria

Policy/practice area:

Socio-economic integration

Keywords:

Community building, Crisis and conflicts management, Culture and diversity, Education, Employment, Empowerment, Equal access, Ethnicity, Family and marriage, Gender, Health, Housing

Integration Practitioner:

International Organization, Regional Organization or UN agency

Name of Organization:

Österreichischer Integrationsfonds (ÖIF) (Austrian Integration Fund)

Website:

http://www.integrationsfonds.at/en/support/integration_aid/mobile_support/

Contact Information:

Schlachthausgasse 30
1030 Wien
Phone: +43 (01) 7101203195
Email: laura.neuper@integrationsfonds.at

Other stakeholders involved in this practice: