The Share Network has supported and funded 10 innovative and grassroots pilot actions located in rural regions in France, Greece, Poland and Spain in 2021 and 2022. Following an external evaluation, we share the results of this successful experience and reflections on the future of integration in small and rural areas.

Share’s new policy brief builds on the research and work carried out within the Share SIRA project, which piloted place-based, innovative integration actions in small and rural areas. It provides an overview of existing EU funding mechanisms, challenges to accessing these, and advocates for improved access to funding for better integration of migrants and refugees in rural areas.

This November, our Share SIRA transnational conference in Brussels offered a unique opportunity to gather rural grassroots stakeholders from different EU Member States to discuss recent policies, research and practices on migrant and refugee integration in rural territories.

Many countries across the world have introduced community-led refugee sponsorship schemes, and together have supported newcomers to rebuild their lives and feel welcomed. To deliver this support actors have developed useful resources and learnt a lot of lessons.

The Share Network and Entraide Pierre Valdo organised a Look & Learn visit in Notre-Dame de l’Osier and Grenoble (Isère, France) on 27 and 28 September 2022 to exchange best practices and bottom-up approaches for the reception and integration of newcomers in rural areas.

A leading example of regional engagement is the Auzolana (Basque for ‘Welcome’) pilot community sponsorship initiative that was launched in March 2019 to welcome five Syrian families in Basque municipalities: Bilbao, Arrigorriaga, Portugalete, Andoain and Vitoria-Gasteiz. The initiative is the first community sponsorship programme, organized and led by a regional government.

On the 6th of October ICMC Europe and the Share Network hosted the second of a series of meetings of its Refugee Sponsorship Mobilisation Platform. As the name indicates, this inclusive platform brings together a wide variety of stakeholders including civil society organisations, faith communities, volunteers, cities and regions, migrant-led organisations, universities, private actors and refugees - to exchange practices and develop strategies and advocacy initiatives to improve and expand community sponsorships under resettlement and complementary pathways in Europe.

Share’s new policy brief builds on the momentum of recent EU policy commitments and approaches for integration and participation in rural territories. It presents examples of inspiring participation practices and advocates for mainstreaming of participation for integration across the EU.

Fourth regional coordination platform for migrant and refugee integration in Mazovia

On 26-27 September, ICMC and the Canadian Embassy to the Holy See co-organized the hybrid workshop “Building the Future through Community Sponsorship of Refugees: comparing experiences and learning from each other”.

Fourth regional coordination platform for migrant and refugee integration in Vaucluse

Fourth regional coordination platform for migrant and refugee integration in Saône-et-Loire

Fourth regional coordination platform for migrant and refugee integration in Isère

Fourth regional coordination platform for migrant and refugee integration in Corrèze

The Multifaith and wider community engagement in refugee sponsorship conference took place in Cologne on May 25, 2022. Organised in partnership with DiCV Caritas Cologne, it provided the opportunity for relevant multi-stakeholder actors to exchange and share best practices on broadening engagement beyond Christian faith-based groups, across different faith groups as well as secular actors.

Fourth regional coordination platform for migrant and refugee integration in Lower Silesia

Fourth regional coordination platform for migrant and refugee integration in Karditsa

Fourth regional coordination platform for migrant and refugee integration in Guadalajara