PISTE - Pilot Study and Assistance to Enhance the Reintegration Sustainability of Returnees in Algeria

IOM Algeria has been providing reception and reintegration assistance for Algerian returnees, mainly coming from Europe. Over time, IOM has noted several challenges to achieving sustainable reintegration. Firstly, migrants returning to Algeria may find themselves in difficult situations despite the reintegration assistance received, such as having insufficient means to cover for basic needs (housing, food), to cover for medical expenses, to enroll in higher education, high-level vocational training or professionalizing experiences, or a limited knowledge and awareness of the labour market needs in Algeria. Moreover, efforts to accompany the reintegration are hampered by the vast size of the country, and the limited resources available for close monitoring activities.

The Project aims to contribute to the sustainability of the reintegration of returnees from Europe to Algeria by providing targeted and complementary support towards the successful socio-economic inclusion in the Algerian communities and job market. To achieve this objective, IOM Algeria will implement a pilot initiative, working in synergy and complementarity with return and reintegration measures under different active reintegration programmes targeting Algerians returning from Europe.
 

• The Project objective will be achieved, firstly, by developing a more comprehensive understanding of the skills, aspirations and concerns of returnees to Algeria through an in-depth study, targeting returnees whose reintegration package, based on an initial counselling, is not sufficient to provide for the returnee’s needs. The study will include skills mapping, vulnerability assessment and psychosocial counselling.
• The second pillar of the action will focus on providing direct assistance to beneficiaries, informed by the outcomes of the study. In particular, migrants in need of medical or psychosocial specialized assistance will be referred to the relevant services and/or assisted through active reintegration programmes. Migrants will be provided targeted assistance to help them be linked to the job market or to enroll in education, in cooperation with local stakeholders. This type of assistance will be given primarily, but not exclusively, to migrants with specialized skills, in order to better understand the challenges and opportunities they face upon return to Algeria.
• Thirdly, IOM Algeria will undertake systematic monitoring and evaluation missions in key areas of return, in order to gather directly relevant and detailed information from returnees on all aspects of their reintegration.
• Finally, IOM will engage with reintegration partners at local level and build the local capacity to support reintegration efforts in the long run.