Immigration Directorate agreement: training of rejected asylum seekers

Rogaland Training and Education Centre (RKK) have signed an agreement with the Immigration Directorate to deliver courses to rejected asylum seekers. RKK claim that in the long run this will be a valuable and constructive effort that will provide a win-win situation for all involved parties.

RKK have after a competitive bidding process won a contract to provide training to asylum seekers who have had their asylum applications refused.

The Norwegian authorities have decided give this particular group an offer of short and goal-oriented qualification courses, where asylum seekers will be guided and helped towards personal mastery and development. The intention is that they will be stimulated to become more attractive on the employment market back home and thus given better conditions for paid work when returning to their native countries.
The measures are part of an overall strategy to motivate asylum seekers with rejected applications to want to return home voluntarily, and is a pilot scheme due for assessment in 2012.

RKK's unique requirements
RKK have a unique expertise and ability to deliver this type of service, as RKK can offer a wide range of subjects, often taken from science studies combined with knowledge of mental health and development of motivational programmes that serve to strengthen the individuals.

In particular schools like Møllehagen, Godalen secondary school and Bergeland Stord Training Centre have all helped to form a package of measures that UDI have found interesting and considered well above average in quality. UDI have recognised RKK's large international network and among other things, the framework agreement with the United Nations UNITAR in Africa and their cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We have a very good opportunity to follow-up in the country as a possible next step, and thereby contribute to a win-win situation for both the individual asylum applicant, their home countries and the Norwegian authorities.

RKK hope that they in time can get Norwegian schools contribute to a positive, competency-based development in countries where Norwegian foreign policy, aid and asylum policy can "go in the same direction" to the benefit of all.

Global development and local initiatives
RKK as a course provider, and with a heavy involvement in both Norway and a number of countries in Africa and Asia, are very pleased to be given a such opportunity to create links between their projects in Norway and abroad.

It is important that RKK as a provider of expertise and skills, use all their knowledge as a tool to build up individuals, regions and countries in order to become positive contributors in an increasingly global and interconnected world. We have in practice shown how local and regional centres of expertise can play a significant new role locally and which in turn can have a positive effect in foreign countries.

Controversial?
RKK acknowledges that asylum seekers can rightly have to be able to present their asylum case on requirements for protection and have it reviewed by the authorities. It does not mean that those who have been rejected to stay in Norway have committed a crime. The question is how we as a people and nation can assist people who find themselves in such difficult situations to move on in their lives.

RKK has faith in the government's strategy in the face of the target audience here, and we hope evaluations of the pilot phase will provide a basis for continued and increased cooperation with Norwegian authorities.