Integrated support for refugees from Ukraine

Nearly one year after the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, the social and professional integration of refugees is crucial for their overall integration and social cohesion. To address this issue, we have launched a series of stakeholder consultations aimed at improving livelihoods and fostering social and professional integration.

During these consultations, NGOs and representatives of local authoroties shared their experiences from the past year, highlighting the need for an integrated database of support services and information about beneficiaries, mixed community development centers, and day care centers for children. Other key recommendations included setting more realistic expectations for beneficiaries, coherent funding frameworks, and promoting collaboration between funders, as well as between public and private providers of social and employment services.

In addition to these consultations, on February 27th, we initiated Romanian language classes for displaced persons from Ukraine. To date, approximately 90 participants have enrolled in the program and are studying in six groups, with some classes taking place in sector 4 near Gheorghe Sincai High School. The courses are 120 hours in length and provide participants with basic language skills to facilitate their job search and integration into the community. Classes are offered both intensively (five days a week, three hours per day) and with a more flexible schedule (two to three meetings per week, each lasting one and a half hours) to accommodate those with limited availability.

Throughout our experience, we have observed that the inability to speak Romanian is one of the biggest obstacles to the integration of displaced persons from Ukraine. Without a common language, these individuals struggle to find employment and communicate their needs and rights effectively. For this reason, we believe that these Romanian language courses are essential for their successful integration into Romanian society.