“Mi Integro”: job placement for refugees in Italy

From the collaboration between Fondazione AVSI, Caritas Diocesana Vicentina, and Associazione Diakonia Onlus, the project Mi Integro – Job Integration Paths for Refugees was created. Funded by the Italian government, the initiative aims to support refugees and unaccompanied foreign minors in their integration journey.

The goal of the project is to connect companies looking for workers with refugees and help them integrate into society through employment and professional training.

"The participants - explained Stefano Comparin from Caritas Diocesana Vicentina - will gain the necessary skills to work in the mechanical sector, including basic manufacturing, assembly, and technical drawing. They will also take part in three-month internships in local companies, with the hope that this experience will lead to stable job opportunities".

The project will take place in the provinces of Vicenza, Enna, and Milan. Already in 2021 and 2022, the collaboration between AVSI, Caritas, and Diakonia helped migrants access professional training and job placement in local companies, aiming to support their social and work integration. As a result of this first initiative, 70% of the participants found employment.

In this new edition of the project, participants will also receive workplace safety training in addition to their internship.

"We are proud to launch this new project together with Caritas Diocesana Vicentina and Associazione Diakonia Onlus. Through this initiative, we are addressing a real need of Italian companies while focusing on human dignity, offering both professional and personal growth to those joining our job training programs," concludes Franco Argelli, project manager at AVSI Italy.