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We are sure that successful integration of foreigners living with us is in the best interests of us all. Whether they have come to work, study or were made to leave their home country, it is important that they are able to connect to the host community. The aim of our programmes is to help foreign participants to get to know their new environment, to be able to create new goals and values, to acquire the skills needed to integrate more easily and to find a place where they can stand still.
Current Projects
MH_UKR
In the framework of the MH_UKR project, Artemisszió Foundation aims to support the mental health of Ukrainian refugees in Hungary by organising programs and services to the target group directly, as well as providing training and supervision for those who are working with them.
The objectives of the project are:
- Provide timely and tailored mental health support for Ukrainian refugees at community level
- Provide mental health support to people in the communities that host Ukrainian refugees – staff members, social and healthcare providers, teachers, staff and children in schools, interpreters, volunteers, etc.
- Support the social inclusion of Ukrainian refugees in society.
The project will be implemented in 5 countries: Poland, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovakia and Italy.
The project is supported by EPIM - European Programme for Integration and Migration.
Mira Learning Programme: teaching Hungarian to refugee children and youngsters and involving them in the community
Artemisszió Foundation's Mira Intercultural Community offers Hungarian language courses for adults and children from migrant and refugee backgrounds. The main focus until 2022 was on teaching adults, but after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, a greater need for tutoring children emerged as well. We successfully strengthened this activity through a United Way Együtt Ukrajnáért („Together for Ukraine”) grant.
Before the start of the project, in September 2023, 5 children and 5 teenagers were learning Hungarian with us, which number raised to 5 children and 12 teenagers at February 2024. We also organise community activities 1-2 times every month for children and their families, such as excursions, museum visits and craft workshops. We also managed to involve many Hungarian high school volunteers in the community events and tutoring, which was a specific objective of the project.
The project was supported by United Way Hungary.
Voice of mira
Our Voice of MIRA project was created to counter the mainstream narrative about foreigners living here. The volunteer editorial team, created within the MIRA programme, captures moments from the life and community programmes of the MIRA community and explores themes that personalise the themes of diversity, solidarity and inclusion for the audience. Our aim is to empower the groups concerned to shape their own narratives, counter the effects of disinformation and influence attitudes towards the foreigners living here in a positive way.
We provide community reporter training and ongoing professional mentoring for volunteer foreign participants in the project. Our tool is participatory communication, which means that we support our participants, migrants and refugees living in Budapest, to produce their own media content that showcases the life of the community. The support and knowledge provided to participants creates opportunities for self-expression and visibility, thus enhancing self-confidence and social integration. The authentic, personal communication content created by the project provides a unique and human perspective, leading to deeper understanding and positive change in society. Showing reality from multiple sides makes people more aware and critical of disinformation, especially disinformation and hate speech about the refugee crisis in Ukraine.
Powered by TechSoup Network’s Digital Activism Program.
Mentoring Program
MIRA is an intercultural community we have created to help refugees and each other by building a stronger, more cohesive society together. A key part of the organisation is the mentoring programme, where volunteer mentors help immigrants and refugees integrate.
The most important role of a volunteer mentor is to provide personal support to their mentee by being a safe point of reference in our often unpredictable and chaotic world. In addition, the mentor will help the mentee through day-to-day problems in the maze of bureaucracy.
A mentor’s tasks include following:
- Regular (weekly) face-to-face meetup with the mentee, according to their needs. The meeting's main purpose is to provide personal, friendly support in everyday life, (e.g. a tour, explaining how services work, finding what they are looking for in the city, help with school starting, etc.)
- Help with administration face-to-face or by phone (in most cases, offices are open during working hours)
- Participation on weekend MIRA family programmes with the mentee family
- Other language assistance, if needed
Volunteers interested in mentoring can enroll in our preparatory training, in which we provide practical information, improve skills and communication, and practise roleplays presenting cultural differences. After the training, our mentors become part of a supportive, professional network where they are free to ask questions, share their experiences, get advice in regular meetings, and benefit from an intercultural community and social experience.
More information about the current mentor training and how to get involved is available here:
Application:
PREVIOUS PROJECTS
SHAPE -SHaring Actions for Participation and Empowerment of migrant communities and LAs
The SHAPE project, funded by the European fund AMIF, aims to foster the participation of people with a migratory background in democratic processes and in the design and implementation of integration policies and practices at the local, national, and European levels. SHAPE promotes dialogue between local authorities and migrant communities and aims to create a cascade effect to increase inclusion.
To involve and support communities with a migratory background and local authorities, the project designed and structured the SHAPE Academy. The project’s goals through the SHAPE Academy are:
- Empower migrant communities to actively participate at the local and national levels
- Increase the capacity of local authorities to build participatory processes with migrant communities
- Bring together citizens with a migratory background and representatives of local authorities to co-design a pilot project and to create a structured and formalized method of consultation in different fields (housing, employment, education, health, and gender equality);
- Raise citizens' awareness in Italy, Hungary, Croatia, Germany, and Portugal about the positive contribution of migrant communities to EU societies.
The project has a duration of 24 months (from January 2022 to December 2023) and sees the participation as partners of:
- Municipalities of Lousada and Stuttgart
- 1 international network: ALDA
- 5 NGOs: Artmisszio Foundation (Hungary), WeWorld (Italy), RightChallenge (Portugal), Jesuit Refugee Service (Croatia), LAKA (Germany)
- The association CONNGI - National Coordination of New Italian Generations
PAPIRI: Pedagogical approaches, provision and innovation for young refugees and immigrants
The main objective of the project is to produce a handbook which is a collection of tools already used and tested by the partner countries: various tips and advice for working with the target group, non-formal, practical and ready-to-use exercises on language learning, interculturality, psycho-social support, cultural sensitisation, social cohesion and integration, which will serve to broaden the toolbox of professionals working with the target group (teachers, trainers, youth workers), deepen their knowledge and competences and can be used directly with the target group.
The project partners, all working with people from refugee or migrant backgrounds, will share their experiences not only in the handbook but also in a one-week training course for youth workers in November 2022.
The partner organisations are:
Prosec (Spain)
Welcome Home International (Belgium)
KANE (Greece)
IYACA (Turkey)
Building Bridges
The Building Bridges programme was designed to effectively combat the high levels of xenophobia in our country and to support the social integration of refugees, asylum seekers and residence permit holders living in our country. The main idea and methodology of the project was to provide a space for our participants with different cultural and social statuses to meet each other in a meaningful way and to talk and learn from each other.
The programme started on 1 March 2016 and ended on 31 December 2016. During this period, 62 people were involved in the programme: 36 refugees, 8 asylum seekers and 18 holders of residence permits.
We organised regular programmes for an international group that grew throughout the year. The programmes were organised with a focus on cultural learning, intercultural sharing, team building and relieving stressful situations through sports and arts activities. In October, a football team was formed with migrants and Hungarians, which has been holding weekly training sessions ever since.
In addition to the programmes organised for the group, we organised open events every month or so: these were occasions, talks, picnics, etc., to show ourselves and the programme to the outside world and to encourage people to engage in dialogue. In September, we organised a week-long festival to celebrate the 18th anniversary of Artemission, with the involvement of Building Bridges participants, with 1 special programme each day: a discussion evening, a sound bath concert, an intercultural evening, methodological presentations, etc.
The indirect target group of the project were members of the host community. On the one hand, we were able to reach them through the open programmes, and on the other hand, the programme also targeted them: 35 people participated in the project as volunteers, mentors or tutors. In addition, 10 other foreigners volunteered in different roles (mentor, teacher or other). Mentors and teachers were prepared for the task in a training course lasting several days and supported by case managers. The mentors' work is very complex: they provide personal, comprehensive support to their assigned mentor, listening to the specific needs and questions of the mentored person, in an informal and friendly way. Originally, the mentors' remit did not include social assistance, but in 2016, as changes in the law created an impossible situation for asylum seekers and refugees, the mentors' assistance was extended to include housing and job search management and other crisis tasks.
The Building Bridges programme was the forerunner of our MIRA Intercultural Community programme, and the experiences and initiatives from this programme are still alive in MIRA.
Donor: UNHCR
KARAVÁN
In the framework of the KARAVÁN project, we provided intercultural and leisure activities for asylum-seeking children and adults living in the Vamosszabadi reception centre for half a year, every two weeks, for a total of 13 sessions. The aim was to alleviate tensions and frustration during the period of uncertainty and isolation, to reduce hospitalisation, and to develop intercultural and communication skills for integration, to maintain activity levels and to facilitate and facilitate integration in the long term.
The activities were carried out with the help of volunteers, external facilitators and Palantír Film Foundation staff: creative activities, board games, Hungarian language workshop, film club, social circus activities, singing and dancing activities, sports activities.
We took special care to make the camp spaces welcoming: with the help of Open Doors Hungary's facilitators, we painted the long walls of the first and second floor common rooms with the involvement of the asylum seekers, painted a outdoor games and a large amoeba board in the outdoor area, and planted flowers.
We closed the project with a project presentation event in Győr. The aim of the cooperation with the volunteers and the final production was to build better relations between the camp residents and members of the majority society, to reduce fears and prejudices about refugees and to strengthen social cohesion.
Donor:
European Refugee Fund, Ministry of the Interior
Our Partners:
Open Doors Hungary, Palantír Film Alapívány
Körítés
The project approached the situation of refugees arriving and living in Hungary in a new way, embedded in culinary culture. For one week, the 10 restaurants involved in the action extended their menu with a daily menu reflecting the flavours of Eritrean, Syrian, Afghan and/or Somali cuisine. The creative materials accompanying these menus featured eye-catching infographics and personal stories about the nationalities.
The aim of the project was to reduce prejudice and encourage a more balanced opinion in the majority society, and to strengthen intersectoral cooperation.
Donor: Norvég Civil Támogatási Alap
Nem a Gyengébbik (Not the weaker sex)
In the "Not the Weaker Sex" programme, we organised integration services for immigrant women from non-EU countries living in Hungary. The target group of the project were migrant women from third countries living in Budapest who are disadvantaged in some way (because of their role in the family or in the labour market).
One of the project elements (the only one with an individual focus) was the MOMAP mobility counselling. Its aim was to raise awareness of the advantages, disadvantages and competences of the mobility situation through a process of 4-8 individual counselling sessions, and ultimately to turn the mobility experience into a positive one.
An important element of integration is the possibility of regular contact with the majority society. Accordingly, the most important project element of the project was the community programmes, which supported the participants in their cultural and political orientation. Both the choice of topics (exploring the squares of Budapest, joint intercultural club activities, professional lectures, visits to organisations) and the means used (offering opportunities, democratic choice of topics, encouraging active participation and suggestions) were aimed at making foreign participants active and responsible members of the project.
Individual development was also supported by a self-awareness drama group. The aim of the self-awareness group was to explore the issues and problems faced by the women participants and to raise awareness of the difficulties and benefits of migration, while creating a supportive and empowering environment, and to create a performance from their shared experiences. Volunteers also participated in the community activities and drama group.
In addition to a stage presentation of the migrant women, the closing event included a photo exhibition, a short film screening of a project that was made on the initiative of the project, a workshop on MOMAP individual counselling, concerts, children's groups, dance and workshops.
Supported by: European Integration Fund, Ministry of Interior
Period of implementation: 1 January 2014 - 31 December 2014.
SKILLS ON
The project supported the labour market integration of third-country nationals through the provision of targeted services. The aim was to design and deliver a complex labour market programme that contributed to the social integration of migrants based on their individual needs.
The individual elements (our counselling methods such as DÉT - Digital Career Map or MOMAP Mobility Counselling; labour market training; work placements; and related language training; as well as individual case management; legal or psychological assistance) were optional and offered participants a complex and intensive labour market programme in a shorter time. The DÉT is an individualised tool for the preparation of a competency map and a personal development plan. MOMAP is a specific, individual counselling method to assess and develop the competences of the participant. The labour market training provides knowledge about the different stages of the job search and presents relevant information about working in Hungary from the perspective of an HR expert. Individual job search was possible with a social worker who was a staff member of the Menedék Association. The work placement programme offers the opportunity to gain work experience in a sheltered environment, where the placement is supported by a designated mentor. This support has contributed not only to the success and reference of the placement, but also to the development of a local professional network of our participants. Individual case management by the social worker and legal and psychological support are all designed to address the difficulties encountered, so that our participants can make the most of the opportunities offered by the programme in the time available. Language learning, in combination with and complementary to all the other elements of the programme, has contributed to overcoming language barriers and thus to more successful participation.
The project started on 1 May 2016 and ran until 30 June 2018.
Supported by: European Union, Ministry of the Interior
Our Partner: Menedék Association
Welcome Co-Housing Program
"Welcome" is the Artemisszió Foundation's accommodation programme for refugees, in which we work with individuals who offer refugees a room or a flat in their own home free of charge for 3 or 6 months. The aim of the hosting is to ensure that the refugees do not have to struggle with housing problems during this period, but can devote their energies fully to their integration plans.
The model for the "Welcome" companion programme is the French SINGA J'accueille reception programme, where 63% of the 530 persons admitted between 2015 and 2018 found a suitable housing solution after the programme, 27% returned to education or training, 28% found a job and 3% started a business. The "Welcome" co-housing programme was inspired by this, adapted to the Hungarian context and drawing on the existing knowledge and resources of Artemisszió and the MIRA Intercultural Community.
The programme is all about intercultural encounters, learning and learning from each other. Hosting and living together has many benefits: it raises awareness of asylum and helps to overcome stereotypes for the host and his or her environment, while it provides the host with a safe environment in which to implement his or her plans, eliminates isolation and contributes to the expansion of his or her personal and professional network. In short, by living in a shared household, "Welcome" above all encourages cultural exchange and mutual learning, with the aim of supporting the integration of the host person.
The detailed programme report can be found here.
What is "Welcome"?
"Welcome" is primarily an integration programme in which temporary (up to 6 months) and free hosting relieves the hosted persons of housing problems for a short period of time, but we emphasise from the beginning that they should actively focus on finding an independent and suitable housing solution beyond the programme during the hosting period. Welcome" is not only about providing accommodation, but also about hosting where hosts and recipients share part of their time together and engage in regular activities together (e.g. sharing meals or leisure activities). We welcome applications from both hosts and recipients.
Who can be a Host?
The host must have a free room or apartment available for 3 or 6 months, located in Budapest or its agglomeration and accessible by public transport (in order to enable the host to move around independently in their daily life). The application is a multi-step process, including: filling in a registration form (5 minutes), participating in an information event online or offline, a personal interview and completing a one-to-one intercultural training.
For more information on how to apply, please see the detailed programme brochure and find the registration form here.
Who can be Hostee?
The "Welcome" co-housing programme was originally set up for people and families fleeing the war in Ukraine. However, all foreign nationals who are legally residing in Hungary, i.e. who have a valid residence permit or refugee status or wish to apply for it, are welcome to apply. We welcome applications from potential Hostees who can be helped by the programme to temporarily solve their housing problems because they have a "project" for what they would like to achieve in the near future (e.g. finding long-term housing and employment, Hungarian language courses, continuing their studies, starting a business).
How to move in together?
Following the personal interviews, the "Welcome" programme animator will match potential Host-Hostee couples and help organise the first meeting. The move is always a voluntary and joint decision of the parties, if after one or more meetings mutual sympathy is established and the parties agree to move in together, the agreement is signed (Host, Hostee and Artemisszió) and the Host and Hostee receive the Cohabitation Document, after which the move can begin.
What does Artemisszió offer during the programme?
Framework, support, housing allowance for the Host, food allowance for the Host, training, follow-up, and other additional elements of the programme to help the Host to live together and get to know the community: community programmes, mentors on request, Hungarian language lessons for the Hostee, group supervision for the Hostee on request, mediation to resolve problems or conflicts.
For detailed information, read our longer programme brochure.
