On Monday 23 November 2015, the Association de Soutien pour les Travailleurs Immigrés (ASTI), the Advisory Communal Committee on Integration of Mersch and Mierscher Lieshaus held an informative evening for those wishing to engage as volunteers with asylum seekers residing at the Mersch centre.
The evening offered the chance to seize the many volunteering opportunities and activities put forward by the associations and organisations of Mersch, as well as by local people, to help asylum seekers who have been supported by ASTI since 15 September 2015.
The event was divided into two èarts: a short presentation on the asylum process, the rights and obligations of asylum seekers and information on the centre's inhabitants. Subsequently, five workshops were held on the following themes: learning and practicing languages; volunteers accompanying asylum seeker families; support courses for children, specific meeting and leisure activities; and a workshop for clubs and associations wishing to integrate asylum seekers into their activities.
These workshops helped explore the expectations of volunteers, as well as inform them of the needs of asylum seekers and help them organise the next steps to be taken. The Mierscher Lieshaus presented books related to topics discussed during the course of the evening.
The objective of the meeting was multi-fold: to facilitate the local integration of asylum-seekers through their participation in the activities of local clubs and associations, to promote contact between the inhabitants and asylum-seekers of Mersch to help them to get to know each other and to create a better understanding of the lives of each. Initiatives such as these will aim to take the first step towards a successful local integration of international asylum-seekers.
Photos by ASTI
