Refugee Integration Courses

What is Refugee Integration?

The United Nations defines a refugee as “someone who fled their home and country owing to “a well-founded fear of persecution because of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion”. The definition also includes people fleeing natural and manmade disasters..

Immigrant Integration is a dynamic, two-way process in which immigrants and the receiving society work together to build secure, vibrant, and cohesive communities.

Local integration occurs when refugees seek to attain rights similar to those enjoyed by the citizens of the country in which they have sought refuge. Some but not all are able to gain citizenship.

What 3rd level courses are available?

Universities and colleges in Ireland are offering courses in Refugee Integration in the following subject areas:

• MA In Refugee Integration – Develop in-depth, multi-faceted knowledge of issues raised by the arrival of asylum seekers and refugees in different jurisdictions.
• Certificate in Immigration Law and Practice – The study of immigration law and practices such as the principles of asylum, subsidiary protection and forced migration.
• Diploma in Immigration and Asylum Law – Diploma in Immigration and Asylum Law course is designed for a range of working professionals. The course provides a detailed overview of the Irish Immigration and Asylum Law landscape

Studying Refugee Integration 

There are many courses in Refugee Integration that may take place over a few days, weeks or even 1 year to 4 years depending on the course and modules selected. There are also part-time courses and night courses available so you can be sure to fit in your studies no matter what your schedule is like.

Courses will cover theory work through lectures, assignments, tutorials and taught modules. Assessments will take place on a continuous basis with written examinations and practical assignments combined in order to achieve a qualification.

You could also consider work experience or a work shadow in the industry. Look for volunteering or work experience opportunities with organisations and businesses that you’re interested in working for, or that will help you develop the skills relevant to your career interests. If you’re looking for a career in an area such as law or the Civil Service, internships offer the chance for more structured work experience. Relevant work experience is a good way of demonstrating a genuine interest in the field and is regarded favourably by employers.

Work Experience will not only give you the opportunity to obtain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the industry, it will also give you a chance to do some essential networking with other industry professionals and gain valuable contacts for the future.

Career options

After completing a Refugee Integration course you will be able to get started in a career that uses specific knowledge of International aid and development to provide assistance to people in need.

If you are interested in a career involving Refugee Integration you may be thinking of areas within social welfare or a range of other employers throughout the public and private sectors such as charitable, counselling and voluntary organisations; law firms; local and central government; media companies; police and probation services; schools, colleges and universities or social and market research organisations.

You may work with developing countries to set up long-term, sustainable solutions to problems within the refugee crisis such as education, sanitation, health and agriculture. You may also be involved with the development of urban and rural areas and small businesses. You could work on the frontlines with humanitarian aid work which also often involves responding to emergency situations and helping those affected by natural and man-made disasters, such as earthquakes and war.

Work in this sector is diverse and encompasses conflict, disaster preparedness, economics, education, environment, forced migration, gender equality, governance, healthcare, human rights, infrastructure, livelihoods and security.

You could work within administration, research, fundraising, training, consultancy, advocacy, relief work, economist roles, medicine, engineering or planning.

Working hours will depend on whether you are self-employed, employed by a facility with set business hours or if you are contracted to various businesses or companies.  Overseas working hours may be long and unpredictable, particularly in emergency relief situations.

Part-time work is unlikely for overseas posts. Fixed-term contracts, ranging from a few months to three years are more typical for overseas postings.

Related jobs include:

• International aid/development worker
• Immigration HR specialist
• Family support worker
• Social worker
• Human resources officer
• Paralegals
• Legal executives
• Solicitors
• International Student Officer
• Relocation advisor
• Immigration Advisor
• Civil Service fast streamer
• Diplomatic service officer
• Government social research officer
• Intelligence analyst
• Policy officer
• Political risk analyst
• Public affairs consultant
• Advice worker
• Community development worker
• Housing manager/officer
• Police officer
• Social researcher
• Youth worker
• Charity officer
• Life coach
• Broadcast journalist
• Newspaper journalist
• Probation officer
• Public relations officer
• Special educational needs coordinator
• Armed Forces operational officer
• Border Force officer
• Risk manager

Further study

After completing a course in Refugee Integration you may choose to pursue further study in a specialist field to increase your knowledge base and skill set. Postgraduate study can also be used as a means to change career focus or to gain professional qualifications required to practise in certain career areas such as Economics, Human rights, International development or development studies, Languages, Logistics, Medicine, Social policy and Water or sanitation engineering.

FAQ

What is the importance of Refugee Integration?

Recognised refugees and persons with subsidiary protection are very motivated to integrate into society.

By providing refugees with the right to work, health and to education, refugees can start productive lives in their host countries. The faster they can integrate into the labour force, the faster they can become productive members of society.

Are there different types of refugees?

While refugee is a generalised term for people who flee there are a couple of different types of refugees to define:

• Refugee – The UN Refugee convention held in 1951 determined that a refugee is a person who flees their home country because of their fear of being persecuted because of national origin, race, and religious or political affiliation.
• Asylum Seekers – An asylum seeker is another type of refugee who has not officially been recognized as a refugee by the country they have fled to.
• Internally Displaced Persons – Internally displaced persons are those who have been pushed out of their homes but remain in their home countries.
• Stateless Persons – These are people who are forced to live without a nationality. This means that they do not belong to any country and therefore live without any identifying documentation.
• Returnees – These are former refugees and have now returned to their country of origin.

Where can I study Refugee Integration?

Explore your options here

 Did You Know?

• According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), today there are more than 51 million people who have been displaced by violence and conflict.
• The world’s refugee population is greater than that of Spain, Canada, or South Korea.
• 50% of refugees, internally displaced, or stateless populations are women and girls.
• As many as 35% of the world’s refugees are torture survivors. In addition to dealing with physical injuries caused by the trauma, these people often suffer from multiple mental health issues that can make recovery incredibly difficult. Particularly within the stressful life of a refugee.
• Refugees often find it incredibly difficult to integrate into their new home with language and cultural barriers weighing them down.