Germany's three-year-old refugee resettlement program NesT is here to stay. On Friday (July 1), Germany's Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration Reem Alabali-Radovan and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said the scheme will become permanent starting on January 1, 2023.

In the three years since its launch in May 2019 as a pilot project by Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) in cooperation with faith-based and social welfare organizations, 139 refugees have been taken in by 31 mentor groups, mostly in western Germany. That's according to news agency epd citing information provided by the Interior Ministry. The pilot project had a total of 500 spots.

NesT, which stands for 'Neustart im Team' ('a team for starting over'), is to provide a new home for mostly Syrian refugees who have sought refuge in Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Ethiopia, but cannot stay there. The refugees include victims of torture or rape, unaccompanied minors, pregnant women or frail people.

Beneficiaries of the resettlement program receive resettlement-refugee status and a residence permit for at least three years, which can be renewed. They are also entitled to a work permit, and welfare and educational opportunities including language courses upon arrival.

Easier conditions for mentors

After the refugees are selected in said countries based on UNHCR criteria, they are brought to Germany with the support of volunteers in Germany. Individual refugees or refugee families are then matched with teams of 'mentors' —individuals, associations and other members of civil society — who guide and support them in every aspect of life in Germany.

Volunteers can help migrants find work, schooling and an apartment. They also help run errands and foster social participation. They may cover the bulk of the rent for 24 months and offer advice to help the newcomers navigate their new lives.

From now on, mentors will only have to cover rent for 12 months, the Interior Ministry said. Moreover, the minimum number of mentors per refugee (group) is now four, down from initially at least five.

Mentors receive support through training from civil society groups like Germany's Protestant Church (EKD). During mandatory training conducted by 'civic contact points' ('Zivilgesellschaftliche Kontaktstelle,' or ZKS), mentors learn about challenges they might face. Here, mentors can also discuss expectations and concrete obligations.

Community sponsorship

A 'guided' approach with mentors will lead to faster integration, minister Faeser said on Friday. Refugee Commissioner Alabali-Radovan called the on-site mentoring groups the "key for the success" of the NesT resettlement program.

NesT builds on experiences other countries have gained in recent years, including Canada's 44-year-old private refugee sponsorship program and a six-year-old community sponsorship scheme in the UK. The Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative (GSRI) as well as campaigns such as 'Save me,' 'Start with a friend' and the 'Flüchtlingspaten Syrien' also served as blueprints.

More than two million refugees will be in need of resettlement next year worldwide, UNHCR said in June, the vast majority Syrian, Afghan, Congolese, South Sudanese and Rohingya. However, less than 1% of refugees are resettled each year, according to UNHCR.

If you're interested in becoming a NesT mentor, you can find more information (in German) here.

with epd, KNA, AFP