On July 6th/7th , 2017, the partners met for the 2nd time in Roubaix, France. Main focus of the meeting was to gather the preliminary results of the stocktaking in every participating country and derive the content and topics for the REST support system.
Every partner had already conducted a desk research to identify successful integration measures in enterprises as well as various interviews with employers and integration experts. In extensive discussions the frameworks in all participating countries were analysed and compared. The team was able to identify common topics of interest in every country. These are related intercultural competences, legal aspects and mentoring. Nevertheless, it was obvious that the REST support system with its modular approach needs to allow for national specifications to meet the specific local needs and challenges. As a result the REST team drafted and agreed on a vision and mission statement for the project.
The project has officially started in March with the kick-off meeting in Kassel, Germany. The meeting was a great opportunity for the partners from Germany, Austria, Greece, Italy, France and Bulgaria to get to know to each other. In a friendly and open-minded atmosphere the partners summarized the project objectives and planned the first steps for REST. These will include a comprehensive stocktaking and needs analysis phase in order to identify the barriers enterprises face in their attempt to employ refugees. Respective training modules and counselling shall help overcome these barriers.