The EVC Working Group

Each of the participating Developmental Partnerships discussed what they have done on a national level concerning the EVC.

Greece:

OUR PROCEDURE TO EVALUATE, VALIDATE - CERTIFICATEABILITIES AND COMPETENCIES

During the implementation of the course we have developed a Guide for the Evaluation, Validation and the Certification of abilities and competencies of asylum seekers.

We have put together a flexible guide in order to help asylum seekers recognize their formal, informal and non formal education and work experience.

The information we are looking for falls into four different categories:

  1. Information on their lives before coming to Greece (Roots, family, important dates of their lives, military service, living conditions in county of origin, the “diary” of their journey to Greece: reasons why they left/other countries they passed by…) as well as information on their living conditions in Greece.
  2. Information on their work experience: we are interested to acquire information on the profession/professions they held in their country of origin as well as information on the work they’ve had here in Greece or in countries on their way to Greece. We focus on work experience which can be proved in a formal way basically on work experience on which can not be proved due to lack of relevant documents. It is understandable that is the second category is dealt with in most cases. This kind of information should reveal certain qualifications competencies abilities which were developed both work and non work environment in order to utilize them as an additional advantage for social and vocational integration.
  3. Information on their education: we are seeking for all kind of information involved in their educational level (school/university/private schools/languages/technical education) regardless the place/country/institute in which this education was acquired. Since the majority of people are students of the interpretation course held in Ergon kek we specifically concentrate on their language and communication skills. We consider that those two categories of skills are prerequisite for their future development as interpreters.

HOW WE ACQUIRE THE INFORMATION:

We try to acquire such info through:

  • one to one interviews: During these numerous interviews, information on former education/work experience is brought about as well as personality traits and characteristics. In the framework of this procedure we provide individual support in order to develop a personal portfolio containing all the important information about them.

THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCEDURE WE TRY:

  1. To introduce them into a certain way of thinking. They will be able to evaluate their past experience (education/professional) and competencies and separate the useful from the non useful information on the basis of their employability.
  2. To find proof of their skills even from events/papers that seem irrelevant. We try to help them reveal and evaluate their skills or even create the proof of their skills in a way that it can be accepted by the state or by future employers in long term.
  3. To help them set a professional goal. In case they have already have one, we help them to define and realize the steps that they have to take in order to achieve it (for example we teach them “job searching” techniques”). In case they don’t have a specific professional goal we provide them with job orientation, counseling and we try to guide them to professional fields that might be capable of building a carrier based on previous experience and characteristics.
  4. To give them moral and psychological support, necessary for their integration in Greek Society. We deal with their personal problems, we support their efforts to become active members of society, we try to make them self confident, optimistic, capable of facing different future problems.
  5. To overcome the lack of information and past experience in Greek civil services concerning asylum seekers. We try to contact the right people, gather information and therefore activate awareness in such issues in order to facilitate the integration of asylum seekers in Greek society.

POINTS THAT CAME UP DURING THE PROCEDURE

  • It is very important to gain a high level of trust with them before starting the procedure. The have to know why they are participating in the portfolio building process as well as the final outcome of it.They have to understand the benefits that they’ll have, so that they are willing to cooperate. It is important to clarify these because they shouldn’t view our interviews as similar to the numerous interviews that they have already given to the Greek police, or other social services, because they aim at different aspects of their integration in society. That’s why our focus is not much on their journey here but on educational/occupational skills, competencies and experience.
  • We found out that we should deal with each case separately and individually although they share characteristics. Our guide should be flexible and adjusting to the needs of the participants. Baring that in mind, the different approach of each asylum seeker in order to obtain certain information is critical. Further more , the form and the contents of each portfolio varies according to their professional goals, their potentials and their employability. For example, for an asylum seeker is not willing to become an interpreter, we try to reveal his/her competencies in other field and guide him accordingly.

Conclusions

The project is innovative for the Greek standards and there is no previous experience in Greece on Recognition, Validation and Certification of Competences and previous experience based on Portfolio Building . So we try to develop and promote this model for current and future use. We are in an ongoing process hoping that it will be beneficial for the asylum seekers as well as the Greek community. We also hope it will be adopted as an official practice by Greek State.

13 asylum seekers participated in the language course. In the language course a number of issues is touched upon (citizenship, employability etc.). Some of the participants will also be proposed to participate in ITC courses. The participants have very different levels of education. A maximum of 5-6 people will participate in the EVC model.

Portugal:

They do not have a model for asylum seekers. They have two asylum seekers in the process. The two asylum seekers are assisted financially. Their educational level of the two asylum seekers is low (twelve and six years of schooling). They apply the skill audits methodology and life history. They started the application of the model for leisure activities.

The area of life experiences, training (all areas) and project plan.

Instruments:

The normal in Portugal is to have the first three interviews almost every week or twice a week. The first interview has the introductory things. The second and the third interview may include skill auditing, diagnosing needs, counseling etc. The first three interviews generally include the experience of asylum seekers on training, employment, voluntary work, formal/ informal experiences and any other thing the asylum seeker decides to tell us.

There is accreditation of entrepreneurship and many other specializations (such as hairdressers, medical professions etc.). The Social Ministries are presented the portfolio and give accreditation.

The third or the fourth interview with the asylum seeker was a group interview. Overall, two of the interviews were group interviews.

The life story is not included in the process, since it is difficult to gain the trust of asylum seekers. Now they are ready to understand the process and ready to talk about their livesw. They work a lot in the area of citizenship and employability, since they have two reference guides from the Ministry of Employability. They try to help them understand that their organizations try to help them. They will try to develop a new instrument to be used by trainers to analyse needs, life competencies. They try to built instruments to be used by any trainer. As for the project plan they have not defined the area.

Germany:

They have two groups. In the second group they try to apply the model they have small groups and use translators. They deliver 3-5 interviews. 40 people have opted to apply the EVC model. The educational level of the participants is of all levels (doctors, engineers and technicians). They need the same instrument, but for every person. The think they will finish the application of the EVC by July 2007.

Christa: The EVC will be applied more

The German DP used group interviews, which was not the first interview. Support Mechanisms: They have a special office for informing and offering social support to asylum seekers, so as to help them overcome the problems they encounter in their everyday life.

They started the second course which included language, qualification on occupation. Now they have the experience of the 1st group. They met candidates in small groups on their native language with translators language course.

Malta:

They had 90 students to choose 15. they has a very good grasp of English. The areas in which the Maltese DP works on are are Life Experiences, Employability, ITC skills They include hygiene, culture, diet, CV drafting, facing interviewers sessions. The life skills teaching will be over and they will go on to vocational training. Social workers are the people to employ the portfolio. This will end till the end of March. The target is to develop a very fgood portfolio up to the point they will go and ask for a job. Negative points are firstly the limited time span, not all people see the reasoning behind portfolio building. One of the positive points is the sensitization of the Maltese society.

Then the group defined which will be the common points that all EVC models in all participating countries and DPs share or should share. The common points are presented below:

The issue of financial assistance is very critical for asylum seekers to participate in the EVC and any other training process.

Profile of the Interviewer:

  • The interviewer should have a background in social sciences; he/ she should have a professional training so as to deliver the EVC interviews.
  • The interviewer should have intercultural sensitization and respect of foreign cultures.
  • Long experienced professional
  • Communication skills
  • Knowledge of foreign languages and preferably knowledge of the languages talked by the asylum seekers.

The Process of the EVC

Recruitment and Selection

  • Networking
  • We integrate Vocational Training into the EVC
  • Willingness
  • 18 years of age
  • Basic language skills otherwise enter a language intensive course and then built the portfolio. The use of translators/ interpreters in this process is not assisting the whole EVC process. It is better to use multilingual social workers, instead of interpreters/ translators who can communicate in common European languages or other languages understood by the asylum seekers. The multilingual social workers can also work as translators.

1. The First Interview

This is a narrative interview.

  • First Impression
  • General information about the person
  • Defining and Describing the Process and explaining what you want to help in. In the first interview we explain what the portfolio is and what the whole process is. Moreover, you have the first picture put in the first interview. Defining the specific areas where the expert will collect information.
  • The issue of trust: The interviewer should be the same throughout the whole process. After building trust then the process should go on very slowly. When the EVC is combined with training courses the issue of trust is more easily handled since the asylum seekers have a daily contact with the trainers and the vocational training centers and built trust on a daily basis. The issue of trust could be more easily handled if the trainers participate also either in the explaining of the EVC or in cooperating with the EVC social workers.
  • Background of the interviewer: people who really want to do it,
  • Application of Instruments

After the first interview we will have a series of interviews, either individual or group interviews. From this point on we begin the building of the portfolio. Thus the portfolio building process starts in the second interview.

2. Next Interviews

There should be a minimum of three interviews. The next three interviews should generally include the experience of asylum seekers on training, employment, voluntary work, formal/ informal experiences and any other information the asylum seeker decides to tell us.

The expert should analyze the information she/ he has from the first interview and explain the way they will proceed. In the next interviews we collect information, in case the interviewee is ready to start talking to the interviewer.

  • Previous work experience
  • Educational attainments
  • Embassies
  • Age
  • Occupation
  • Main Goals and Future Aspirations
  • Previous life experiences/ Specific life situations
  • ….

This may be done with the assistance of a checklist, which is a rather strict way. There are different instruments and different ways to develop them. What is important is to have a competent interviewer to assist the whole process.

3. Analyzing the Information of the Interviews

After the ending of the interviews the social worker by himself/ herself or the social workers in a team with the experts in the field analyze the information gathered by the interviews, so as to find which will be the best project plan for the person. The information collected by the interviewers is assessed so as to depict the action plan of the asylum seeker, which is customized to his/ her specific knowledge, skills, etc.

We come back to the asylum seeker and discuss this process with him so as to have his/ her commitment and to go on with the project plan of the person.

4. Developing the Project Plan

The Project plan should touch upon at least one of the three following areas: employability, future training (language training, vocational training, recognition of degrees etc.) and/ or …………… The Project Plan is the product of the group of social workers and experts analyzing the information collected by the asylum seekers.

Instruments and Tools to Built the Life Story

They started with any material they had with them (e.g. school books).

In case they have no material at all they use the instruments that help people understand what you want to know.

Working in Groups

Group sessions help people remind them of their abilities and realize their potential. Working in groups is not the best method for all asylum seekers. Group working should be tried by the Developmental Partnerships so as to see the results of the application of this method.

Support Mechanisms

It is extremely important to have support mechanisms so as to help asylum seekers overcome their daily problems and participate in the EVC program on the one hand and on the other, to be able to lead a more easy and satisfying life. Asylum seekers are carrying so many problems with them that you need somebody to help them overcome their problems.

Adaptation of Instruments

Common Grid

Activity/Step
Type of Session (individual and Group)
Time spent in the session (minutes)
People involved
(ex: social worker, psychologist, trainers, AS, etc.)
Objectives/targets of the session
Type of tools and activities used (ex: questionnaires, group dynamic, etc.)
Changes made for asylum seekers

The group decided that the format of the Final Report on the EVC that should be drafted by the working group should have the following chapters, as had been agreed in the Malta Transnational Meeting.

Final Report on EVC

The outline of the final report of the EVC as had been agreed in the Malta visit

Introduction

What has been done in the EU and Equal Program

EVC Model and Philosophy

Asylum Seekers and the Evaluation, Validation and Certification of Competences

Country examples

Best practices

The group decided on the following things to be done till the next meeting.

Things to Do till the Next Meeting

Partner Country / Task / Deadline
Greece / Translation and exchange of instruments used in the EVC / December
The Final Report - What has been done in the EU and Equal Program / December
Country Report / March
Italy / Translation and exchange of instruments used in the EVC / December
Information about EVC models sent to Greece / 17th November
Country Report / March
Germany / Translation and exchange of instruments used in the EVC / December
Information about EVC models sent to Greece / 17th November
The Final Report - Asylum Seekers and the Evaluation, Validation and Certification of Competences / December
Country Report / March
Malta / Translation and exchange of instruments used in the EVC / December
Information about EVC models sent to Greece / 17th November
Template for chapter “Country Reports” / December
Country Report / March
Portugal / Translation and exchange of instruments used in the EVC / December
The Final Report - EVC Model and Philosophy / December
Information about EVC models sent to Greece / 17th November
Country Report / March

The EVC group along with the group of the coordinators decided that it would be useful for the EVC group to meet parallel to the Thematic workshop that will take place in Ferrara, in January 2006. The agenda of the Ferrara EVC meeting, shall be the following: