Projects in Progress
Proiectele ARCA aflate în derulare
UKRAINE NOW – Training for Youth
UKRAINE NOW Project for Ukrainian Refugees – Results On 9th of October 2024, ARCA – Romanian Forum for Refugees and Migrants, as partner of Mareena from Slovakia, Open Cultural Center Greece and Open Cultural Center Spain that cooperated within the project Ukraine Now, has held an online conference to disseminate the collaborative results of the current project, part of the Erasmus+ Programme and co-funded by the European Union. “UKRAINE NOW” was a KA2 Erasmus+ Project implemented from November 2022 to October 2024, aimed to respond to the arrival of refugees from Ukraine after the start of the war by training youth workers in the field of awareness raising and refugee inclusion. The project’s Key Objectives can be read below: Develop and test a methodology for raising awareness campaigns; Develop and test a methodology for raising awareness campaigns; Train youth workers to transfer educational methods from non-emergency into crisis contexts; Share best practices to adapt long-term educational services to a new target group; Engage European Youth in a response to this crisis through volunteering; Strengthen capacities of youth workers in the sector of refugee inclusion. During the direct implementation of the activities, the following tools and materials have been developed, as fruits of the common efforts of all project organizations: Communication of migration – a guide for small and medium NGOs; * Communication of migration – a guide for small and medium NGOs; * Report on Raising awareness about the Ukrainian refugee situation; * Report on Raising awareness about the Ukrainian refugee situation; * Report on How to adapt Education Services from short-term Emergency Response to long-term Inclusionary Services; * Report on How to adapt Education Services from short-term Emergency Response to long-term Inclusionary Services; * Report on the needs, interests & engagement levels of the target group of refugees from Ukraine. * Report on the needs, interests & engagement levels of the target group of refugees from Ukraine. * *click to download document You can also go through the online conference presentation shared with you here (link). For more information you can email us at office@arca.org.ro .
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Foreign workers
Foreign workers at the will of their employers Foreign workers have become a regular presence on the construction sites and on the streets of Romania. Although their number has increased spectacularly in recent years, contributing to the economic development of the country, we still meet them with insufficient laws to protect them from abuse, with unprepared authorities and unions that ignore them. Panorama talked to institutions, trade unionists and experts to explore the scale of labor migration, the problems they face and how it affects us. How many foreign workers work in Romania The number of migrant workers globally reached 169 million in 2019, up 19 million from 2013, according to a report published by the International Labor Organization (ILO). In other words, for every 100 workers, about five are immigrants. Of these, almost a third end up in Europe, and over 13 million in Eastern Europe. In Romania, the appetite for foreign workers has grown steadily in recent years. If in 2013, the Government approved 5,500 work visas, this is the third consecutive year in which 100,000 new visas for migrants are approved. Only half rights Just as we have a law that protects Romanian workers abroad, imposes transparency and information conditions on recruitment agencies, subjects them to the control of labor inspectors and sets fines between 5,000 and 40,000 lei for those who violate them, so we should have one for the foreigners who come to Romania, says the labor law expert. lthough foreign workers are taxed by the state, in practice they do not have the same rights as Romanian workers. They should have unrestricted access to health services. In reality, this right becomes tangible only after obtaining the unique permit, a procedure that can take over four months. At the beginning of the year, the press reported the case of a Filipino nanny who had no report card for half a year. After Immigration officials repeatedly postponed her appointment. Although she had been living in Romania for over five years. The lack of an identity document did not allow her to send money home and made her fear that she could be expelled from the country. “Romania is one of the few European countries that does not send workers home shortly after the termination of the employment contract. It gives them another chance to stay, precisely to prevent abuses by employers,” says the labor law expert, Felicia Roșioru. Foreign workers who come to Romania are left behind by the state and unions, in other words they are left at the mercy of their employers The content of this article is taken from the Panorama.ro website, click here to read the entire article.
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Interview with Tetiana
Interview with Tetiana Havrylkova Our beneficiary | Please tell us a little bit about yourself. My name is Tatiana Havrylkova, I am 48 years old. I am from Kharkiv, Ukraine. How did you arrive in Romania? Who joined you? On March 16, 2022, I came to Romania with my son because I was forced to leave Ukraine to escape the war, as the city of Kharkiv was the first to come under fire. And it was dangerous to be there. What interesting and valuable things did you discover and what difficulties did you encounter in Romania? Romania is a beautiful country, rich in history and beautiful nature. We faced many difficulties. It was difficult to find housing, we didn’t get used to food, there were not enough funds to buy clothes, since we left Ukraine with only the most necessary things. And the main problem we faced was lack of knowledge of the Romanian language. Without knowledge of the language, it is difficult to find a job. How did ARCA support you particularly? ARCA, or rather, its employees helped me make a CV, called employers and various organizations, accompanied me to an interview, and I am very grateful to them for that. Thanks to ARCA, I found a job and got the opportunity to provide for my family. Describe your experience with finding a job in Romania. It was very difficult to find a job without knowing the language. However I tried to find it myself, but it did not lead to success. Thanks to cooperation with the ARCA organization, they found a vacancy for me as a cook in a restaurant. ARCA employees arranged a meeting and accompanied me to the interview. Thanks to the support of the ARCA, I was accepted and I have been working for more than 3 months. What did you wish to find in Romania and you didn’t find? In Romania I hoped to receive protection and help. Of course, I did not find support from the state from the first days of being in Romania, I also cannot expect help from the state, benefits are not paid, and housing is very expensive. You have to rely only on yourself. Unfortunately, I believe that Romania does not fulfill its obligations to the European Union by accepting Ukrainians. Only certain non-governmental organizations, like ARCA, provide assistance. What are your plans for the future if returning to Ukraine would not be an option? Do you think about staying in Romania or going to another country? I cannot answer this question. In Romania, people are not valued, their work is not valued, the laws do not work, and I am convinced of this, because I have been here for almost 2 years. And I’m thinking about changing the country. The current article is part of a series of communication materials with the overall objective to increase awareness around migration-related issues through #constructive narratives. The project #UkraineNow is co-financed by the European Union through Erasmus+. The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content, which reflects only the views of the authors. The Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
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Christmas Event
How celebrating together can be seen as a step towards local integration On the coming Christmas Holidays in Romania, we found the perfect occasion to celebrate together with the Ukrainian community. Brings the spirit of Christmas On 19th of December ARCA organized a cultural event at the intersection of multiple relevant events, both international and national, Ukrainian and Romanian. We met on this day with the occasion of International Migrants Day (18th of December), St. Nicholas Day in Ukraine (19th of December) and Christmas on 25th of December in both Romania and officially also in Ukraine since the legislative change took place in Ukraine in the middle of 2023. Since 2017, the date has been one of the official state holidays. Before that, Christmas was celebrated by many on January 7 by the Julian calendar. We made a public invitation to Ukrainian families, but places were limited. So mothers and children who called first were given priority to participate. The event gathered 111 participants. It was definitely a challenge for our team members to manage all people’s kind requests, while cramming in a reasonably sized office space. Drawing on the board was a leisure activity keeping children preoccupied and enthusiastic about the Christmas holidays, some moments to unleash their creative potential. Adults also assisted children with drawing, becoming not just a source of joy for children, but an opportunity for parents to guide children in their artistic expression. Gift sharing was also on our agenda Christmas presents for young children were prepared before, ready to be offered by Santa’s assistants to the little ones. The packages included fruits, sweets and snacks, as well as stationary in case they enjoyed drawing and coloring. This opportunity was used to provide assistance to other organizations, special presents for teens over the age of 15 were distributed also, Romanian Angel Appeal being the organization who offered them to ARCA to be assisted with one of their specific activities addressing youth. 82 children received gifts from our sponsors and spent time with pleasure in a cheerful atmosphere. FOR A SUCCESSFUL CELEBRATION CONSIDER AN AGENDA THAT INCLUDES WILLINGNESS COOPERATION TOGETHERNESS BENEVOLENCE PLAYING SHARING JOY HOME COOKED FOOD GATHERING US ALL AROUND THE TABLE CHRISTMAS TREE & CAROLS FRUITS & SWEETS FREE TALKS LAUGHTER RELAXATION As members of the civil society we consider that by working on creating a welcoming environment and offering the migrant community a shared space of values and traditions more possible steps can be taken towards local integration, thus building on the existing commonalities while addressing the existing gaps and differences. The wellbeing of people is vital for any efforts to be considered further as required by any new society in terms of language, culture, employment prospects and social integration. In the end, a good human relationship with the other triggers the best results in any of us. Happy New Year! The current article is part of a series of communication materials with the overall objective to increase awareness around migration-related issues through #constructive narratives. The project #UkraineNow is co-financed by the European Union through Erasmus+. The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content, which reflects only the views of the authors. The Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
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Interview – Insights on integration in Romania
Interview – Insights on integration in Romania Please tell us a little bit about yourself Anastasiia My name is Anastasiia. I’m from Odessa, Ukraine. I’m 38, married with a child. I like to travel and have visited a lot of interesting places. Like to watch people and learn new cultures. Worked at the Medical University for 15 years at the department of Foreign languages. I have a lot of relatives and friends. I’m an open-minded, communicative and responsible person. Have a lot of experience working with people and teaching. How did you arrive in Romania? Did you come alone or together with your family? I came to Romania in December 2022 with my husband, daughter and our dog. My daughter and I were in Ireland before, but decided to move closer to our homeland. My husband joined us. How were you greeted by the Romanian community? I had a good experience with Romanian volunteers that I met in May 2022, when I first came to Romania. First I crossed the border with Romania on a ferry. We were met by wonderful hearty people from the Red Cross who made shelter in Isakcha and greeted Ukrainians. They helped us to get to Bucharest where we had a flight to Dublin. When I rejected the Irish Protection and came to Romania in December it wasn’t easy to collect all the information and receive Temporary Protection here. We found different resources online with explanations of where to go and how to organize our documents. What difficulties did you encounter? First of all is a language barrier. I was sure that it wouldn’t be a problem to communicate in English, but lucky me, I often face people who don’t speak English, especially in day-to-day life. Second problem was accommodation. It was difficult to find a flat. We changed several places. Hopefully, we found a nice owner and have been renting a flat for a year. And the last difficulty is laws and procedures which are not usual sometimes and take too much time to solve. How was your integration process for you and your family? I easily found an educational hub for my daughter. Unfortunately she doesn’t receive a complete education in Romania. She doesn’t know Romanian well enough to study in local schools and we decided to continue her education online in Ukrainian school and offline here in the hub for socialization. She also plays basketball in a local team with Romanian children. And visits different clubs here. As for me, I found a job one month after my arrival in ARCA Romanian Forum for Refugees and Migrants in a position of translator. And now occupy the double position of a translator and database operator. How did ARCA support you particularly? I work in a good team. My colleagues are very supportive and always ready to help. We often eat together and share differences in our cultures. One of my colleagues, Mihaela, helped to find a place for my daughter in a basketball team. My daughter participates in different events which ARCA performs, not because she is my daughter, but as a beneficiary of ARCA’s Club. And we also received some financial help as well as other beneficiaries of ARCA. The most that I appreciate is that ARCA gives me the ability to help Ukrainians. We receive a lot of requests from our beneficiaries and try to solve their issues together. What did you find valuable in Romania? Romania looks like my Ukraine, similar culture, history, religion, traditions and weather. For me it’s valuable that I can watch movies in the cinema in English. Nature is valuable to me and I like to travel around Romania and visit its authentic cities. And I appreciate that Romania accepted so many Ukrainians, but I’m disappointed that the Government doesn’t fulfill its obligations regarding EU support programs. What are your plans for the future if returning to Ukraine would not be an option? Do you think about staying in Romania or going to another country? I was always a person who made plans and tried to achieve them. But our War in Ukraine taught me that everything could be damaged in one second. Now I don’t make plans in advance. I live in a flow. Until I have a job here I feel safe, because I know that I can pay my rent, bills, and food. Until circumstances don’t push me to the next step I won’t plan. My favorite quote is “I can’t think about that right now. If I do, I’ll go harmful. I’ll think about that tomorrow.” by Scarlett O’Hara from Gone with the Wind. The current article is part of a series of communication materials with the overall objective to increase awareness around migration-related issues through #constructive narratives. The project #UkraineNow is co-financed by the European Union through Erasmus+. The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content, which reflects only the views of the authors. The Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
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Ukraine Now
Ukraine Now – Transffering skills în an emergency context During 5 to 8 September ARCA has participated in a 4 days training event held within the Erasmus project “Ukraine Now”. We participate on this training together with representatives of the partner NGOs’ Mareena Slovakia, OCC Spain and OCC Greece. During the whole week we have had discussions. On the situation of Ukrainian refugees in Romania. On impacts for ARCA and casework on how ARCA’s educational projects adapted. And also on what adaptations need to be done further. The same was presented by our colleagues from Slovakia, Mareena. We have also learned more about the activities of OCC Spain and Greece and visited the office of OCC Spain. Moreover, we discussed the updates on the raising awareness campaign we are undergoing within the project, as well as worked on designing an action plan towards the new adaptations considered within each organization. Ukraine now is one of our projects through which we try to make life easier for migrants and refugees from Ukraine. We consider that Ukrainian citizens fleeing the war deserve a softer fate. They also deserve a chance to integrate into European society. As a result, we decided to lend them a helping hand and for that we had to thank our Erasmus+ partner for the kindness of supporting our cause. This project is co-funded by the European Union. Under grant agreement 2022-1-ES02-KA220-YOU-000086377.
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Arca’s club keep going
Arca’s club keep going Thanks to our sponsor, Kindernothilfe, Arca’s Club keeps going with a new implementation phase 15.08.2023- 15.08.2024 thus our project continues for all humanitarian migrants with special focus on children. Activities such as social assistance, financial support, vocational counseling and mediation with employers, language classes, psychological counseling and regular workshops on human rights, childrens rights but also cultural events will be implemented throughout the entire period. Nevertheless, art therapy, arts and crafts classes, sport competitions and many other suprises will take place inside the Youth Migrant Club in Bucharest. Contact us at office@arca.org.ro to find out more!
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Survey to find out the needs of migrants
Survey on what people fleeing conflict need in Romania In April and July, ARCA launched a survey in which it asked questions to discover the vision and experience of humanitarian migrants regarding accessing essential services in Romania. The questions were designed to find out more about the need of people fleeing Ukraine for food, shelter, health services, acquiring language skills, accessing education and finding a job. Basic needs revealed by the survey: food/clothing/hygiene products People mentioned initially that the coordination between authorities and grassroots organizations ensured access to basic necessities, such as food, clothing, hygiene essentials, and no issues were reported in this regard in April. shelter The emergency government ordinance 15/2022 implementing such humanitarian assistance measures was amended in May 2022. Its housing programme created to sustain a large number of humanitarian migrants suffered changes that are still undergoing implementation issues, as the monthly payments for housing and food expenses were not granted, thus creating imbalance and uncertainty for people in need of such supportive integration measures. This issue is awaiting resolution. While some people reported the need to move and find another place to live or even to return to the host country or move to another country, other people reported that mutual understanding and kindness were the foundation of their good relationship with the flat owners. healthcare services In the picture below, it can be seen how in April people fleeing Ukraine reported accessing healthcare services: When asked how they communicated with the doctor, 30.8% reported that they were helped by a translator, 26.3% used Google translator or similar online translation apps, 20.2% were speaking English or Romanian, 12.6% reported that the doctor was speaking Russian/Ukrainian. The remaining percentage of people did not need a doctor. In July, 31.7% of respondents mentioned that there is at least one member within their family with a disability, while 68.3% reported no disabilities. Out of the 31.7%, 11% are being offered social support, 21.7% remaining without assistance. language, access to education, finding employment language In our July needs assessment, the most commonly identified language needs were related to employment (e.g., workplace communication, job interviews) and everyday interactions (e.g., shopping, public transportation). They also expressed the need for language support in healthcare settings, including doctor visits and medical terminology comprehension. When asked what their plans for the future are, some of them answered that they need English and Romanian for both short-and long-term stay in the host country. access to education In April, one participant in our focus group discussions outlined that adaptation to Romanian government requirements is necessary to benefit from facilities. However, proximity to Ukraine makes it more difficult to assume the integration process fully, consequently, to enroll children in the Romanian public educational system. If they had been located further away from their home country, they would have adapted faster to the new society. Also in April, our needs assessment concluded that 43,7% of respondents had their children enrolled in online Ukrainian schools, while 22,7% answered that their children are enrolled in Ukrainian educational hubs in Romania. 10,9% reported having their children included in the Romanian public educational system. In July, we addressed similar questions related to education: When asked about how many children there were in the family, 35,4% answered that they have 2 children. 32,9% have one child, followed by 14,6% with no children, and 9,8% with 3 children. While 2 respondents have 5 or more children, and 1 has 4. On enrollment, 48,8% answered that they did not enroll their children in school/kindergarten, but they are searching for one. 25,6% have their children enrolled in school for less than 4 hours per day. While 23,2% have their children going to school or kindergarten between 4 and 8 hours daily. 2,4% don’t have children. Out of the 48,8% above, 31,7% mentioned that they need support with identifying a school or kindergarten. 17% do not need such support. finding employment An average of 62,2% of people from our 2 assessments conducted in July are currently unemployed in Romania, while 16,8% are working part-time and 14,2% have a full-time job. The following roles were mentioned: teacher, interior designer, business manager, lawyer, realtor, machine operator, cleaning personnel, psychologist, IT, engineer, massage therapist. Among reasons for impossibility to currently work, our respondents mentioned: child care; enrollment in school; language barrier; disabilities; other serious health issues; being older people. 85.2% of respondents have at least one child in their care. Derived conclusions from the survey: on language acquiring needs The language support initiatives should prioritize developing tailored language programs that address the specific needs identified by migrants, implicitly a focus to be put on designing language courses that incorporate vocabulary and scenarios relevant to employment, healthcare, and daily life interactions. Efforts should be made to enhance the accessibility of language learning resources, including online materials. Flexible language learning options, such as morning, evening or weekend classes, both online and offline can accommodate the diverse schedules of migrants. Additional support, such as language buddies or peer tutoring, can be established to provide opportunities for practice and enhance confidence in speaking. on other essential needs Based on the findings of the report, it can be concluded that employment support, as well as support with identifying a school/kindergarten would be needed, especially during August and September, when the housing programme will impose employment as a prerequisite for receiving financial assistance for housing. With regards to any further financial assistance, it can be highlighted that the most vulnerable categories of people in need of such support will be mothers with young children in care and not able to work, as well as older people and people with disabilities. The current article is part of a series of communication materials with the overall objective to increase awareness around migration-related issues through #constructive narratives. The project #UkraineNow is co-financed by the European Union through Erasmus+. The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content, which reflects only
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Necessary steps in integration
NECESSARY STEPS IN INTEGRATION Brief overview of good practices on post-pandemic education and employment for humanitarian migrants to facilitate integration Once arrived in a new country, either forcefully or voluntarily, any human being needs to go through the process of integration. While the new society would make their services available to progressively assimilate them. Learning the language is the most important step for any newcomer into Romanian society. Having a common language is a prerequisite for further integration prospects, particularly for humanitarian migrants who have not chosen to leave their home country due to their own will. As a result of the pandemic period most organizations have adapted their services to the online environment. Therefore we have also developed online courses both for Romanian and English languages. Incertitudinea zilei de mâine – factor demotivant If we can take into account the situation humanitarian migrants face such as the uncertainty of the short to long term perspectives of their future considering the geopolitical context, the loss and hardships of leaving home and the pressure to adapt to the new society with different language, social and cultural requirements, putting life on hold can not be an option for too long. One of the most difficult things observed in practice is how to adapt faster to the new situation in which humanitarian migrants find themselves in leaving fear, non-acceptance or denial of reality aside and to better understand how to support them on this path, by involving them also in the process. Creating a new scenario where the current situation can be used as a fuel for the future adds up to the need to consider the best ways in which education can be of use to humanitarian migrants. As the Romanian class can be of little or no interest for someone who considers its time in Romania is limited, English classes can be a way for learning a language of common use in Europe and its benefit stays longer regardless of the geopolitical situation herein. Other topics of interest related to education can be workshops and training on human rights, children’s rights, parenting, conflict resolution etc. The online environment does come with advantages and disadvantages extended accessibility less time and costs related to reaching classes flexibility of the programme (days and hours) multimedia resources available (visuals are a plus for learning) the need to have a good connection to the internet and access to the new technology (a prerequisite for online classes) minimum technological skills for learning optimization the need for self-discipline and less interaction with peers As each individual is unique we consider adjusting our services for both online and offline learning sessions in order to better address the needs of the people, highlighting the importance of the existing opportunities and focusing more on constructive perspectives for short to long term. Economic inclusion implies cooperation and communication. Financial resources represent an essential component in reaching self-sustainability and redeveloping the ability to support the loved ones. Having a secure livelihood and good health is the basis on which the other aspects of integration can be built. This process could be extremely strenuous. Especially if there is war trauma involved, family members to support, no savings available and limited knowledge or resources about the steps to be taken in achieving economic independence in the new country. This is where support measures, when correctly implemented, strengthen one’s power to move forward. Continuous coordination between human beings demonstrates the principle of interdependence and can be extremely beneficial to jumpstart the newcomer’s future. Such coordination requires some key steps to be followed: 1. Raising awareness brings up ATTENTION on the importance of the PROBLEM; 2. Creating the link between the main actors such as AUTHORITY – PRIVATE SECTOR – BENEFICIARY; 3. Willingness of the person to integrate – support structures can be successful in achieving their purpose only when humanitarian migrants make the effort to grow and overcome challenges; 4. Maintaining and developing the RELATION created; 5. Building up further opportunities. There are certain gaps in a society’s structure that can only be filled through common vision, trust and efforts from all sides involved in order for any human being, no matter their nationality, to have their dignity restored. The current article is part of a series of communication materials with the overall objective to increase awareness around migration-related issues through #constructive narratives. The project #UkraineNow is co-financed by the European Union through Erasmus+. The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content, which reflects only the views of the authors. The Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
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Communication on the subject of migration
Communication on the subject of migration A guide for small and medium-sized NGOs. Communication on the subject of migration is an aspect that cannot be neglected. The way in which this communication process is carried out can substantially determine the degree of awareness regarding the phenomenon of migration and implicitly the flow of refugees. At the same time, good communication can facilitate the inclusion of displaced people in local communities. In this sense, through the European project Ukraine Now, a guide was developed. This guide is primarily addressed to small and medium-sized NGOs. Implemented between November 2022 and October 2024, Ukraine Now brings together four European organizations active in the field of migration: Mareena (Slovakia); ARCA Romanian Forum for Refugees and Migrants (Romania); pen Cultural Center (Greece); Open Cultural Center (Spain). The project is co-financed by the European Union through Erasmus+ through grant agreement 2022-1-ES02-KA220-YOU-000086377. The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content, which reflects only the views of the authors. The Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
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