International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the coordinating partner in GuardianXchange : Strengthening guardianship in the EU through capacity building, knowledge exchange and peer learning, funded under the AMIF-2023-TF2-AG-CALL and running from 1 April 2024 until 31 March 2026.
The project aims to reinforce guardianship services in Belgium, Poland, Portugal and Slovenia through knowledge sharing, capacity building and good practice exchange (i.e. the Netherlands) to benefit the well-being, safety and integration of UASC in the EU.
Partners
- International Organization for Migration (IOM) CH -leading partner
- Stowarzyszenie Interwencji Prawnej PL
- Conselho Portugues Para os Refugiados (CPR) PT
- European Guradianship Network & Stichting NIDOS NL
- Skupnost Centrov za Socialno delo Slovenije (SIP) PL
- BELGISCHE RODE KRUIS (BE)
- Ministere de la Communaute Française de Belgique BE
- Fundacja Save the Children International (Poland) PL
Aim and target group
The project aims to reinforce guardianship services in the involved EU Member
States (i.e. Belgium, Poland, Portugal and Slovenia) through knowledge sharing, capacity building
and good practice exchange,which will ultimately benefit the well-being, safety and integration of UASC in the EU. This will be achieved by (1) strengthening the capacity of guardianship institutions to better protect and assist UASC, (2) increasing the knowledge and skills of guardians on protecting and caring for UASC through the roll-out of trainings and capacity building activities, (3) supporting guardians and social services in empowering UASC who are transitioning to adulthood, and (4) encouraging (inter)national exchange and mutual learning on guardianship systems and the lessons of the innovative project activities to safeguard UASC’s well-being and protect their rights.
The first target group of the project are care providers for UASC, more specifically professional and volunteer guardians caring for UASC involved in the project activities in the different countries. This target group will benefit from capacity building activities and access to tools and strengthened systems, which will help to improve the care guardians provide to UASC. Secondly, country teams will formulate and present recommendations to the involved national guardianship service to improve the system for UASC in the national context. The project will also raise awareness with the policy makers, local/regional/national public authorities and relevant child protection actors, through dissemination efforts, knowledge exchange and peer-to-peer learning within, between and beyond the participating EU MS.
Activities
-Enhance capacity of guardianship institutions to better protect UASC through legal representation and guardianship: the development and/or strengthening of guardianship systems and frameworks (i.e. recruitment strategy, training needs) in Poland, Portugal and Slovenia through lessons
exchange and innovative pilots.
– Increase knowledge and skills of guardians on better protecting and caring for UASC through needs assessment, training and capacity building activities in Poland, Portugal and Slovenia
– Expand international awareness and knowledge among guardians and social services on dealing with UASC’s transition to adulthood: through strengthening and exchanging knowledge on smoothening the transition to adulthood phase for both the guardians/social services and UASC in Belgium, and disseminate this knowledge internationally.
– Inter)national exchange and dissemination on guardianship and caring for UASC
Contact details
Terry Smith
Project Manager European Guardianship Network
t.smith@nidos.nl
Marjolein Groen
Project Manager European Cooperation Nidos
Phone: +31 (0) 6 57493994
Email: m.groen2@nidos.nl
