We started with the implementation of the program in August 2016. After hiring professionals (social workers, project manager, professional manager, financial manager), detailed information on the program and a call for participation were sent to partner organizations (civil and state organizations involved in migration, family support and child welfare services and the Immigration Office and its institutions). The registration of potential applicants followed. Unfortunately, as we received more than 100 applications for 60 vacancies, we were forced to make a selection from among the applicants. The selection was preceded by a personal interview, which helped us to determine each candidate’s exact needs, employment skills, language skills, motivation and intention to live in Hungary in the long term.
For each client enrolled into the program, we concluded a cooperation agreement, which includes both the rights and obligations of the client and that of the social worker and adds framework for the cooperation. After the selections had been made and the cooperation agreements put in place, we spent our time finding housing for our clients, moving them to suitable vacant accommodation. Where needed, in order to provide a certain level of comfort in the rented apartment, we supplied our clients with household appliances and furniture, obtained from donations. During the time the housing of clients took place, social workers mapped the social and mental condition of these clients, created a social work plan, and started the individual case management.
Social Work - Individual Case Management
Usually the first step is acquiring those documents (ID card, address card, tax card, health insurance card, etc.) that are indispensable for obtaining residence and work in Hungary. Where families with children are involved, social workers apply for family allowances and help enroll those children at a school or kindergarten who have reached the age for compulsory school attendance or who have to change their educational institution due to moving to a new address.
To support mental health we provide psychologists, organize individual and group therapy sessions as well as leisure activities. This promotes our clients’ participation and integration into society and helps them lead fulfilled lives.
We place high importance on our clients learning the Hungarian language, as knowing the language of the host country is one of the most important pillars of integration. With the help of our volunteers, we offer individual language training or tutoring, even in the home of our clients.
We actively support our clients in their job search, assist them in making a curriculum vitae, inform them about potential job opportunities, recruitment campaigns, partner organizations job search programs, and, if required, we accompany them to a job interview or first day on the job.
To enable our clients to maintain their own residence for long term, we organize life-management group sessions for them, where they can get information on loans, state housing support, family housing support, and ways of saving money. We discovered many of them would like to start some kind of business in the near future: for these clients we have started a group session on general knowledge of business and self-employment.
We try to meet with our clients in less formal settings. To facilitate this we organize events related to different occasions (Christmas, carnival celebration, Persian New Year, etc.) and leisure activities like a cooking club. We try to make the summer break more meaningful by organizing themed children and family programs (excursions, picnics, visiting adventure park, etc.). This helps families to create fond memories.