Academic Centre
The University of Latvia's Centre for European and Transition Studies (UL CETS) team delivered a brief presentation on SIRM activities and progress. However, the meeting primarily focused on sharing good practices learned from European partner regions during the SIRM experience exchange visits (TLM). A discussion centred on the benefits of these practices and their potential adaptation to Latvia, particularly in addressing the socio-economic integration of refugees and migrants. Such topics as language barriers, cultural integration, support system for Ukrainian children in schools, fostering employment opportunities remains of a high importance.
Particular interest was expressed in a Polish subsidy scheme for social enterprises, where public institutions purchase products or services from local social enterprises to donate to Ukrainian citizens, either in Ukraine or Poland. This initiative supported around 30 social enterprises in Rzeszow region with a total amount of 280 000 EUR, benefiting over 2,000 Ukrainian refugees living in Poland or Ukraine.
Additionally, the mentorship programme 'Intercultural Assistant' was highlighted. It supports the integration of Chechen children in the Konyevas school complex in Poland. The intercultural assistant helps teachers with the support of foreign students.
Participants also reviewed Latvian good practices that could be further promoted within the SIRM partnership and the Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform. In addition to support tools like the “Social Mentor” (by the Social Integration Foundation), the one-time employment or self-employment start allowance (by the State Employment Agency), and the social initiative “Common Ground”, stakeholders proposed promoting the newly launched “One Stop Shop” (Vienas pieturas aģentūra). It offers advice and support services in one place for third-country nationals and beneficiaries of international protection who are legally residing in Latvia.
In the second part of the event, the synergy between SIRM and ReCoM projects was discussed. Professor Inta Mieriņa from the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the University of Latvia introduced the ReCoM project, which aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of the practice and experience of receiving migrants (including Ukrainian civilians) in various areas: education, work environment, municipalities, as well as daily interactions with various institutions and local residents. Prof. Mieriņa emphasized the importance of viewing migrant reception as a holistic system involving migrants, local society, employers, schools, NGOs, and municipalities. This research will use various actors in the process of migrant integration from local, and regional levels by using various quantitative and qualitative research methods such as surveys, in-depth interviews, statistical analysis, and others.
Participants engaged in a discussion to answer some of the prepared questions, leading to fruitful information sharing and a better understanding of the aspects, plans, and activities of various institutions involved in assisting refugees and migrants in Latvia. Representatives from the Society Integration Foundation, the Ministry of Welfare, the association "Gribu palīdzēt bēgļiem," the State Education Content Centre, Stockholm School of Economics, municipalities and other present organisations highlighted issues such as a lack of awareness about data and projects among stakeholders, difficulties in obtaining quality data on the refugee and migrant situation in Latvia, and the status of refugees.
More about project SIRM: https://www.interregeurope.eu/sirm;
https://www.facebook.com/SIRM.InterregEurope
More about project ReCoM: https://migracija.lv/projekti/recom/
Contact persons:
Denize Ponomarjova, UL Project Manager, denize.ponomarjova@lu.lv
Dāvis Vītols, UL Project Expert, davis.vitols@lu.lv
 team was engaged to discuss different aspects of Latvian policies concerning migrants and refugees and to explore potential research directions. ){kind=link}