On 3-4 May, 18 representatives from Eurodiaconia member organisations gathered in Brussels to discuss the issue of integration of third country nationals. The meeting, hosted by The Salvation Army’s EU Office, aimed particularly at facilitating the exchange of experiences and best practices among members, but also at providing input to the Eurodiaconia Secretariat for upcoming policy activities.

At the centre of the meeting were presentations from some of our members in Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic. They illustrated different types of projects to support housing, education and labour market integration, as well as social inclusion of third country nationals. These presentations provided interesting input for several group discussions on best practices for education, labour market integration, access to social services and active participation of third country nationals.

The programme was completed by a discussion with a representative from the European Commission (DG HOME) and a visit to the Foyer Bodeghem, a reception centre for asylum seekers and homeless men managed by The Salvation Army in Brussels.

To know more about the Migration Network Meeting, read the report here.