Short description: The project “Supporting vulnerable persons among third-country nationals in return procedures through case management and alternatives to detention” is implemented under the National Programme of Bulgaria under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund 2014-2020 in relation to the “Measures implementing the EU Action Plan on the Integration and Return of Third-Country Nationals”.
Period – 9 October 2020 – 9 October 2022 (24 months)
Name – BG65AMNP001-2.007-0005 Support to vulnerable persons among third country nationals in return procedure
Donor – Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund 2014-2020 (AMIF)
Partner – Mission Wings Foundation
Total value – EUR 127,938.97
The implementing organisations were Center of Legal aid -Voice in Bulgaria in Sofia as the lead organisation, and Mission Wings Foundation as a partner in Stara Zagora and in the region of Harmanli and Lyubimets.
TARGET GROUP:
Foreign nationals who for one reason or another have ceased to meet the requirements for legal residence (usually persons with rejected applications for protection), have been subject to a return procedure which has not yet been implemented, and at the same time meet the legal definition under our national and European legislation of belonging to vulnerable groups – minors, NPAs, persons with disabilities, elderly persons, pregnant women, single parents with minor children and persons who have been subjected to torture.
ACTIVITIES:
1. CASE MANAGEMENT – the main activity of the project, which was implemented by a team of 4 case managers on the territory of Sofia and Harmanli (two each from the lead and partner organization), two psychologists at the partner organization, two translators – social mediators at the partner organization and additional translators. A small emergency needs fund was provided to fill a vacuum of availability of health, social, humanitarian needs and accommodation options for the individuals.
2.LEGAL ASSISTANCE – providing legal advice and procedural administrative and judicial representation to a maximum number of persons to guarantee their basic rights and empowerment.
3.COMMUNICATION – the development and implementation of a specific communication strategy to promote the activities and results of the project and the publication of 7 targeted interviews “The faces of our voice”, introducing the activities of the project by presenting the members of our working team themselves.
OUTCOMES:
Of the project participants, only 1 person was involuntarily returned. 7 persons left voluntarily. In 91% of the cases, the individuals maintained communication with the case management team and the migration authorities. In 44 cases we continued working after the end of the project.
The project involved 80 persons from 24 countries. At the end of the project, 28 persons were granted status or had an open protection procedure. 10 persons returned voluntarily. We reported a 47.5% success rate in completing cases where alternatives to migration detention were applied and maximising respect for individuals’ rights and the effectiveness of case resolution.
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