Community Sponsorship
Public-private partnerships between governments that facilitate legal admission for refugees, and private or community actors who provide financial, social and/or emotional support to receive and settle refugees in communities.
What
The current European model of community-based sponsorship is a flexible concept that often overlaps with complementary pathways such as resettlement and humanitarian corridors. It emerged in 2015, as increasing numbers of refugees escaping the worsening conflict in Syria made their way to Europe.
How
Community sponsorship is characterised by the sharing of responsibilities, costs and welcoming, between governments, private (non-state) actors and local actors. Mutual responsibilities are defined in specific frameworks that outline obligations and programme duration, and set out national and local implementation frameworks.
Why
This form of sponsorship offers citizens an opportunity to actively engage in integrating refugees by hosting and supporting a refugee or refugee family.
Models such as these that engage community members in welcoming newcomers can have a transformative impact on local communities, promoting social cohesion and creating more welcoming societies.
Community sponsorship in context
Community sponsorship = admission + integration support
Our Action for Community Sponsorship : Quality Sponsorship Network (Share QSN Project)
Share QSN supports pilot and ad-hoc sponsorship initiatives to develop into sustainable, community-driven programmes. It is implemented from January 2021 to June 2023, and is co-funded by the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).