Regional multi-stakeholder cooperation platform for migrant and refugee integration launched in Isère
The regional platform is set up in the framework of the Share SIRA project, our European project co-funded by the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, which aims at strengthening and expanding the social orientation and overall integration of newcomers in rural territories in Europe. Besides Isère, regional multi-stakeholder cooperation platforms have also been set up in 9 other rural regions in Europe. Click here to find out more about these regions!
“Social integration in rural areas evokes values of hospitality and networking in order to create initiatives”
Courtesy of Entraide Pierre Valdo
On 7 April 2021, Association Entraide Pierre Valdo and ICMC Europe, lead of the SHARE Network, organized the first roundtable of the regional multi-stakeholder cooperation platform for migrant and refugee integration of Isère, a department located in the French region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
The two-and half-hour event took place online and gathered 18 stakeholders active in the reception and integration of newly-arrived refugees and migrants in the region. This included regional authorities and agencies, mainstream service providers (such as training providers), numerous civil society organisations, as well as a few local volunteers.
Adopting a multi-stakeholder approach, the regional platform aims at fostering cooperation, coordination and knowledge sharing between these various stakeholders, as well as pilot innovative inclusive territorial approaches for social orientation and integration to foster social cohesion in Isère.
During the first roundtable, participants exchanged on migrant and refugee orientation and integration frameworks and practices in the region, and jointly reflected on the meaning of “welcoming territories”. They stressed the importance of networks and coordination between stakeholders working with migrants and refugees to improve social orientation, integration and overall social cohesion. Participants also identified challenges for the provision of orientation and integration activities for newcomers, pointing out - for example - that mobility can be an issue in the rural region, as public transportation is limited and not all people have access to a personal car. The conclusions from the first roundtable contributed to creating a strong evidence-base on social orientation and integration in the region, which will help shape upcoming activities.
The stakeholders involved in the regional platforms will gather on three more occasions over the course of 2021/2022. You can find more information on the activities in Isère on the regional webpage.