Transcript Community Facilitators Team AMERA
CCIP Presentation - March 2011
Community Facilitators Team – AMERA
Basic stats
There were
43.3 million
forcibly displaced people worldwide at the end of
2009
, the
highest number since the mid-1990s
. Of these,
15.2
were
refugees
;
10.4 million
million who fell under
UNHCR’s mandate
and 4.8 million Palestinian refugees under UNRWA’s mandate. By
November 2010
, the UNHCR reported
39,461
registered refugees and asylum-seekers in Egypt. According to the UNHCR (2010) refugees and asylum seekers in Egypt come mainly from
Sudan (57%), Iraq (17%), Somalia (17%), Eritrea (4%), Ethiopia (3%) and others (3%).
AMERA’s History
In Cairo, the Legal Aid Project began in 2000 and in 2004 the provision of other services was formalized. Born out of the experience of these years of work in Kenya, Uganda and Egypt,
AMERA-UK aims
to support and stimulate the development of further
holistic refugee projects
throughout Africa and the Middle East. AMERA-Egypt was founded in
2003
to promote the development of
pro bono legal and psychosocial services
for refugees in countries where such services as non-existent and where legal representation and psychosocial support might assist them in
realising their rights.
AMERA’s Mission
Assist
asylum seekers and refugees
to ensure they are
treated
in accordance with their international
human rights
.
AMERA’s Objectives
To
inform
refugees and asylum seekers of their
rights and responsibilities in Egypt
, assist them in
acquiring these rights
, and strengthen their ability to
advocate for themselves
through the provision of psychosocial and legal assistance.
To advocate for the
respect, protection and fulfillment
of the
rights
of refugees and asylum seekers within
host countries
(Gov/community), and to promote
durable solutions.
To
build the capacities
of CBOs, NGOs, and other relevant bodies serving refugees by sharing
information, building an extended and solid network and offering training.
Refugees on AMERA database
AMERA continues to actively support refugees in their efforts of building new Lives with dignity through its different services. Over 4,000 refugees and asylum seekers were directly assisted by AMERA-Egypt in 2010.
Below is a breakdown of AMERA clients per service in 2010: The Community Outreach team assisted 1,037 through awareness raising workshops, in and out of office psychosocial support and social emergency situations through allocating temporary housing.
The Protection Team assisted 600 asylum seekers and refugees with their security needs, registration with the UNHCR, issuance of residency permits.
Psychosocial Team provided information about services as well as psychosocial support in an individual, family and group format to 2,232 clients.
The RSD team served 2,571 through its diverse services, advice and representation for first instance interviews, reopening and appeals in an individual and group format.
SGBV in collaboration with its partner organizations provided legal and psychological support using a “four pillars” approach (medical, psychological, social and financial assistance) for 102 SGBV victims.
159 Unaccompanied Minors and 100 Young People (18-21) were assisted with specialized tandem social and legal services.
Services offered to Refugees and AS
Psychosocial Team - Unaccompanied Minors Focal Point ( UMs ) - SGBV Focal Point RSD Team - Unaccompanied Minors Focal Point Community Outreach Team Protection Team All teams have three main areas of work a) Direct work with beneficiaries – individual and group, b) networking and c) Advocacy – individual and policy level. AMERA provides services in 16 different African languages thanks to our CFs team. (composition: 37 CF, 32 Staff and 36 Volunteers)
Case Ex. 1
A pregnant 17-year-old Eritrean female (Sawa military deserter) was raped in military camp and later kidnapped in the Sinai, whilst trying to cross to Israel. She escaped her kidnappers but soon became a victim of domestic violence. Referred to AMERA by an Eritrean community member, the AMERA-SGBV Focal Point accompanied her to register with UNCHR and started the process of taking her testimony. After some sessions the client disclosed the violence she was experiencing with her partner and requested support in order to move to a safe place, away from him. She was referred to a safe house where she finished her pregnancy. Later, AMERA-Egypt supported the registration of her newborn baby and access to the required health services for her and her child. This client continues to receive social and psychological support from her AMERA Eritrean case worker while in the safe house and attends to the group support.
Case Ex. 2
A homeless family (single mother and three children) from South Sudan came to the office asking for reopening her file, FA and help to put children in school. The mother disclosed that she is alcoholic and has mental health problems. For the current circumstances, reopening her file was not possible. The PS team helped her to access a women’s shelter for families at risk. The mother is receiving social and psychological services while recovering from her alcohol addiction. The children are safe and access to education and proper care is ensured. Protection team is helping the kids get a birth certificates. During this recovery period, the relatives of this family in the US and South Sudan are being contacted in order to try to find a durable solution for this family.
Registration UNHCR Legal Submission Accompaniment to UNHCR Legal Advisor Family Tracing
What do we do?
Registration Psycho-Social Worker Referral to SGBV Access to Medical Care Access to Education Access to Financial Assistance Accompaniment to Services Psych Support RSD Legal Submission Family Reunification/ Resettlement BID BID Advocacy Protection Advocacy
Community Facilitators Team: 36 mambers
Sudan, 11 Burundi, 2 Eritrea, 8 Somali, 4 Others, 3 Ethiopia, 6
Our duties & responsibilities:
To apply effectively community facilitator's roles To work effectively with other colleagues within AMERA To participate in the ongoing training and clarification for staff and interns about the role of Community Facilitators.
To carry out tasks in accordance with AMERA Egypt’s policies, procedures and standards, in particular ethics, health and safety, confidentiality, anti-discrimination, and sexual harassment.
Our Code of Conduct
Professionalism Non-discrimination Acceptance of Assignments Impartiality and Neutrality Completeness Confidentiality and Clarity Conflict of Interest Compensation Ethical Violation
Our Roles:
To facilitate the delivery of the legal and psycho-social services for clients, through: Interpretation Translation Client advocacy / representation – in cooperation with all other teams.
Community outreach – in cooperation with the CO Team.
Training new interns, staff, and new CFs.
Opening Statement for individual sessions
My name is I will interpret everything you say as if they were my own words; please do not say anything you do not want to be interpreted. I'm not allowed to clarify or explain anything but language related culture-specific concepts. If you have any questions direct them to each other, and I will interpret for you. When you are asking or answering a question please pause frequently to allow me to interpret phrase by phrase and be accurate. Please note that everything I interpret for you will be regarded as a confidential.
Do you have any trouble understanding me? Do you have any question?
Opening Statement for group sessions
My name is ___________, today we are interpreting between _______ and English, and this is because we have speakers of those two languages.
To make the interpretation as inclusive for everyone as possible, we want to ask you to please keep the following in mind: Speak at a moderate pace, not too fast or too slow.
Speak in a loud voice, so you can be heard across the room.
Speak directly to your fellow participants, no need to look at the interpreters.
One person talk at a time, interpreters cannot choose which one to interpret for.
Are there any questions?