Since March 2015 Armenian Red Cross Society implements the project ''Promoting Integration of Syrian Armenians'' which aim is to promote the integration of Syrian Armenians regarding economic activities and child education. The project is being implemented by the finance of European Union (94%) and Austrian Red Cross.
The project duration is two years and geographic area includes Yerevan city, Armavir, Ararat, Lori, Kotayk, Shirak and Aragatsotn regions.
Expected results of the project are;
- Capacities of civil society organizations and governmental agencies on Human Rights based integration practices strengthened.
- Awareness for labor, educational and cultural rights of Syrian Armenians raised.
- Access to labor market and income generation for Syrian Armenians enhanced.
- Integration to regular education system for Syrian Armenians enhanced.
The following activities within the project are planned;
Economic integration
- Conduct a basic survey among employment service agencies to identify labor market demands.
- Conduct a survey among Syrian Armenians to identify their professional skills and to create a database to make profiles available for employment agencies and enterprises.
- Provide consultations to Syrian Armenians related to labor market bureaucratic procedures.
- Provide job coaching with direct contacts to potential employers to prevent reluctances on working with refugees.
- Provide start-up funding for economic activities.
- Organize vocational trainings and classes on Armenian, Russian and English languages.
Socio-cultural integration
- Develop and publish leaflets on best integration practices and on history and culture of Syrian Armenians.
- Organize cultural events, educational trips to the historical places.
- Conduct advocacy trainings and consultations for Syrian Armenians related to education procedures,
- Procure school equipment, stationery and textbooks for 1.000 Syrian Armenian school children.
- Organize regional multiplier trainings on cultural, labor and children rights of Syrian Armenians with school pupils from higher classes.
- Provide peer support by ARCS youth volunteers to 100 Syrian Armenians.
Communication and coordination
- Organize national and regional trainings on refugee law and migration legislation for civil society organizations and governmental agencies.
- Conduct interactive panel discussions on Syrian Armenians issues in each targeted region and Yerevan.
- Conduct workshops on innovative integration policies for journalists and decision makers.
