Job placement and Country Specific Activities

Within the Belgian AVRR programme, financed by Fedasil, IOM CO Belgium is running since 2015 the Job Placement and Country Specific Activities component to support returning migrants as they reintegrate socio-economically into their country of origin.

A selected number of IOM missions is being encouraged to develop partnerships with different local actors such as local governments, employment agencies, the private sector, development agencies. The aim is to strengthen referral mechanism and to develop additional services to enhance job market access for returning migrants via training, job placements and entrepreneurship support. This is done through mapping of returnees needs, individual assessments, strengthening job search skills, individualized counseling linked to career development and targeted group sessions on reintegration (psychosocial support, entrepreneurship and micro-business training, etc.).

In 2021, a number of interventions took place in Belarus, El Salvador, Georgia and Mongolia assisting 123 returning migrants.

Development of Job Search Manual and video testimonies in Belarus

Following their experience in the organization of entrepreneurship and job-skills trainings, IOM Belarus developed a job search manual, called “Guide to effective employment” which has been made available in Russian and English. The manual contains useful information for returnees with regards to job search (where to start, how to search), guidance on preparing for a job interview, drafting an effective CV and updated information on the legal aspects related to employment and starting your own business.

IOM Belarus also developed an informative video on reintegration support in Belarus including some testimonies from returnees from Belgium who received additional support to develop their skills and employment related activities.

Group trainings on reintegration, psychosocial care and entrepreneurship in El Salvador

Following an assessment in 2020, IOM El Salvador identified the need to strengthen the psychosocial and entrepreneurship support to Salvadoran returnees from Belgium. Beginning of 2021, an online group sessions on “Awareness-raising, Psychosocial care and Entrepreneurship” was organized. Feedback from participants showed a high satisfaction rate and strong interest in receiving additional training on psychosocial support and entrepreneurship related topics. Additional in-person group sessions were organized in July and August, taking into account Covid-19 measures.

The sessions use an active learning approach and content is provided by specialists, both in-house and via partners. Participants learn to identify their strengths and their areas for improvement via the psychosocial care and health education sessions, while also receiving knowledge and tools oriented to small business development during the Entrepreneurship sessions.

Check this video on the group trainings in El Salvador to learn more and to hear direct feedback from participants. These group sessions will continue to be organized in 2022.

Individual job counseling and Group sessions on career development in Georgia

IOM Georgia provides job counselling to returnees and helps them to look for long-term reintegration opportunities in Georgia. Extensive post-arrival counseling is provided by qualified IOM staff throughout the country. This is done through various methods including job counseling, skills assessment, referral to training and employment partners, etc.

A comparative analysis report among returnees from 2016 to 2019, conducted by IOM Georgia in 2020, showed that people who were supported with job counselling and job placement, measured a significantly higher well-being on the three reintegration dimensions (economic, social and psychosocial dimension). This effect was most pronounced in the economic dimension with for instance a twice as high chance of sustainable employment compared to returnees who did not receive that additional job placement support.

Learn more via the “Comparative Analysis of Belgian Reintegration Cases 2016-2019” report

In 2021, IOM Georgia organized two group sessions on Job Search and Professional Orientation, in partnership with an expert in Career Development and Professional Orientation from the State Employment Agency. In the video on the Group sessions on career development in Georgia, you can learn more on these sessions and hear direct feedback from the participants. These sessions will be continued in 2022.

Development of online training modules in partnership with the city of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia

In the framework of the Job Placement activities, IOM Mongolia discussed the possibility to develop an online training platform with the Ulaanbaatar municipality and existing services to allow beneficiaries to have access to online training from their computer or mobile phone remotely.

In 2021, IOM Mongolia developed 8 different training courses that were specifically designed and created to help migrants and the general public with reintegration, finding employment, and income generating activities: 

1. Orientation training for returnees from abroad 

2. Computer literacy and working in online environment 

3. Employability and job hunting skills 

4. Starting a sewing business

5. Starting a coffee shop business 

6. Starting a grocery store business

7. Starting a cleaning service business 

8. Starting a dining/ catering service business

These courses are free of charge and accessible via the Municipality Human Resource Development center online training platform (http://trc.ulaanbaatar.mn/moodle/login), the Skill-up online training platform (www.skillup.mn), or via the Tomyo Skills mobile application that can be downloaded via smartphone.

Upon completion of each course, participants can obtain a certificate issued by the Ulaanbaatar Municipality Human Resource Development center.

An informative leaflet on the Online Training courses in Mongolia is available in English and Mongolian.

For further information, please contact IOM Brussels, Mr. Karel Michiels, E-mail: kmichiels@iom.int, Tel: +32 499 64 80 94