• Migrants in the Spotlight

Objective: to contribute to improved understanding, awareness and reporting on migration issues, third country nationals, integration and related topics among media and students of journalism, including immigrants themselves, in order to facilitate more effective and accurate reporting on migration issues in Hungary, Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia.

Duration: 14 month (1 November 2010 – 31 December 2011).

Project website: www.mits-eu.org

 

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• Dialogue for Integration: Engaging Religious Communities (DIRECT)

The project "Dialogue for Integration: Engaging Religious Communities" (DIRECT), implemented in seven EU countries, aimed at exploring this role in more detail by conducting research and through the promotion of an active dialogue between representatives of religious communities and host societies. DIRECT emphasized genuine two-way dialogue and integration, while employing a multifaith approach that seeks to include all religious denominations.

 

Project duration: December 2009 - June 2011.

 

Funded by: European Community under the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals, Community Actions for 2008.

 

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• Prevention and Improved Assistance to Victims of Trafficking in the Kaliningrad Oblast (PIAVKO)

The main purpose of the project was to build the capacity of NGOs and social workers dealing with trafficking in human beings in the Kaliningrad Oblast of the Russian Federation.

 

The key objectives were:

· To build the NGO capacity in dealing with trafficking in the Kaliningrad Oblast in order to provide a better service to people in need of information related to safe migration and trafficking;

· To increase the capacity of journalists so that they can provide more accurate information related to trafficking in human beings issues;

· To raise public awareness about legal and safe possibilities to travel abroad and risks related to human trafficking and smuggling;

· To pilot empowerment training sessions with three groups of vulnerable girls;

· To provide direct assistance to up to ten victims of trafficking.

Project Duration: March 1, 2008 – March 1, 2010 (2 years)

 

Funded by: the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

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• Return Home II

Project duration: 1 July 2010 – 30 June 2011.

 

Funded by: European Return Fund, Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania.

 

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• Voluntary Return for Vulnerable Persons II

Project duration: 1 July 2010 – 30 June 2011.

Funded by: European Return Fund, Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania.

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• Reintegration in Countries of Origin

The project “Reintegration in Countries of Origin” was implemented by IOM Vilnius under the European Return Fund (RF) 2009 Annual Programme. Within the framework of the project, the results of pilot reintegration projects were assessed: the reintegration processes of two beneficiaries of IOM Vilnius reintegration assistance in Moldova and Azerbaijan were monitored. Based on findings, an evaluation report was prepared containing guidelines for the improvement of the reintegration assistance mechanism. An international seminar "Reintegration Best Practices and Lessons Learned: From Italy to Iraq" was organized in Vilnius in April 2011. Reintegration assistance was provided to six more assisted voluntary returnees from Lithuania (4 Georgian and 2 Iraqi citizens). 

       

Project duration: 1 July 2010 – 30 June 2011.

 

Funded by: European Return Fund, Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania.

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• Practitioners' Capacity Building

Project duration: 1 July 2010 – 30 June 2011.

Funded by: European Return Fund, Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania.

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• Return Home

Project duration: 1 January 2010 – 30 June 2010.

 

Funded by: European Return Fund, Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania.

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• Voluntary Return for Vulnerable Persons

Project duration: 1 January 2010 – 30 June 2010.

 

Funded by: European Return Fund, Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania.

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• Reintegration - A New opportunity in Homeland

Pilot project “Reintegration – A New Opportunity in Homeland” was implemented by IOM Vilnius under the European Return Fund 2008 Annual Programme. The project was aimed at ensuring the sustainability of assisted voluntary returns and minimizing the possibility of further illegal and/or unsuccessful migration through the provision of reintegration assistance to AVR beneficiaries in their countries of origin. Within the framework of the project, a research study on best practices in reintegration was prepared, containing guidelines for the provision of reintegration assistance to returnees from Lithuania. Reintegration opportunities in two selected countries of origin (Georgia and Moldova) were assessed and contacts with IOM Offices in other countries to which the number of returnees from Lithuania is considerable were also established. A number of AVR beneficiaries were consulted on reintegration possibilities prior to their departure from Lithuania and two returnees were provided with reintegration assistance in their countries of origin (Moldova and Azerbaijan).

 

Project duration: 15 December 2009 – 30 June 2010.

 

Funded by: European Return Fund, Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania.

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• Effective Return Mechanism: Officials' Capacity Building

Project duration: 1 January 2010 – 30 June 2010.

 

Funded by: European Return Fund, Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania.

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• Towards Understanding

 

The project "Towards Understanding” was committed to workers of Lithuanian public service sectors, in which they are directly serving and counselling third-country nationals.

 

The aim of the project was to improve diversity management knowledge, intercultural competence and to strengthen the capacity to provide services to third-country nationals of civil servants and service providers.

 

The project consisted of the following main activities:
 - specialised education programmes and pilot trainings for officers and public servants, to develop specific knowledge and skills needed to provide services for the third-country nationals;
- capacity building  of the municipality workers  by preparing and disseminating the "Integration implementation guide” throughout the whole territory of Lithuania.

 

The specialized Training Programme, was developed together with project partners (University lecturers) and was dedicated to deepening cultural diversity knowledge and strengthening the diversity management skills of Lithuanian officials.

 

Project duration: 1 January 2009 - 31 December 2009.

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• Accessible Information - Guarantee of Successful Integration

 

The aim of this project – better integration of third country nationals to Lithuanian society. Through better and targeted information for immigrants, including potential immigrants; the project seeks to decrease cases of unsuccessful migration and violation of immigrant’s rights. 

 

Main activities of the project were personal consultation/ counseling of third country nationals residing or seeking residence in Lithuania and information spreading regarding the rights of migrants. Also, a specialized information handbook for immigrants was created, printed and disseminated.

 

In parallel this information was spread among migration and other relevant specialist who are working directly with migrants, so they can refer them to the project.  A special electronic newsletter was prepared in which the experiences of other countries was presented as well as recommendations for Lithuania on how to organize the integration process.

 

By improving the knowledge of third country nationals on labour, education, and other welfare systems, the public and private services project seeks to facilitate better access for these relevant services, thus creating better conditions for integration.

 

Project duration: 1 January 2009 - 31 December 2009.

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• Make the right choice: youth empowerment campaign against human trafficking

 

Project Objective - to inform and empower youth in the Kaliningrad region in minimising the risk of involvement in human trafficking

This project presents the human trafficking problem to the youth in a wider human rights context. The project is dedicated to warning the youth on how to avoid the threats, as well as, informing them how to choose a safe way to migrate, either when searching for employment or study possibilities abroad or in other regions of the Russian Federation. In order to achieve best results parents, teachers, NGOs, local and central education institutions were incorporated into the project.

Project Duration – 30 months ( June 6, 2006 – December 31, 2008 ).

The following tasks are implemented:
- We've enlarged the network of project partners and created the implementation strategy; 
- We've prepared training material and methodology;
- We built NGOs capacity in counter-trafficking;
- We ran an awareness raising educational campaign regarding the threats of human trafficking;
- We organised summer camps for youth; 
- We trained pupils how to write, manage and implement projects and we did practical workshops; 
- We organised various competitions for pupils.

Project partners: NGOs, central and regional governmental institutions of the Russian Federation (particularly from the Kaliningrad region ), schools and youth organisations.

The project is funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida).

 

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• Safe return home: good practice and development of an effective voluntary return mechanism

 

Summary: Project "Safe return home: good practice and development of an effective voluntary return mechanism “ is managed by the Vilnius office for the International Organization for Migration. The project builds on previous voluntary assisted return projects implemented in previous years. Project Safe return home pursues to ensure the rights and possibilities of asylum seekers to return to their country of origin and to "soften" their reintegration in at home. Such assistance is necessary for refused asylum seekers in Lithuania who are eager to return, but lack the resources to do so.

 

Project duration: 12 months (January - December 2008)

 

Funded by: European Refugee Fund

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