People with no right to stay in the EU are generally given a
period for voluntary departure during which they should return following a
return decision issued by national authorities.
Returnees are assisted throughout the process by
professional return counsellors who discuss with them different return options
and their consequences. In addition, the counsellors offer information about
the situation in the country of origin and advise the returnees on possible reintegration
support for people who decide to return voluntarily.
Frontex has recently launched a pilot training on return and reintegration
counselling (RRC). During the pilot phase, the agency trained 14 return specialists
from the Frontex standing corps.
During the
training, return counsellors refresh their knowledge of EU legislation in the
area of returns, practice cross-cultural communication and learn how to address
special needs of vulnerable groups. The course also covers EU and international
fundamental rights law, psychological aspects of the work, knowledge of
national and European reintegration programmes, and other practical aspects of
return counselling.
Ifigeneia,
counsellor from Greece working in Cyprus: “This training was extremely valuable
and useful. It helped me understand the role and responsibilities of return
counsellor as a Frontex officer, and I feel better equipped for future
challenges. It combined both theory and practice, and the provided materials
about the EU strategy and Frontex Workplan on RRC were vital for my work as a
counsellor. We were able to enhance our communication skills, self- and
cultural awareness to be efficient in our daily activities. This training was
one of a kind and I feel privileged that I was able to participate in it. I
look forward to applying the skills I gained in my everyday work and my career.”
Andrej,
counsellor from Slovenia working in Iceland: “One of the key skills a return
counsellor must have is the ability to adjust their communication to each
individual person. They need to be able to approach people of different social
status, age, gender, or country of origin without personal biases and
prejudices.”
This training is very important, as it helps to
align the knowledge and skills of counsellors in all EU countries, and in
effect, increases the number of people who return voluntarily to their
countries of origin. After the
completion of the eight-day course, the trainees are able to start as Frontex return
counsellors.
Returns are
an essential part of border management and Frontex is playing an increasingly
important role in this area. In 2022,
the agency helped to return a record number of people who were staying
illegally in the EU. Out of the 24 850
people Frontex helped to return last year, 40% returned voluntarily.
Soon, the agency will launch curriculum on
Return and Reintegration Counselling for Member States and will offer trainings
to experts from Member States. The curriculum will consist of a training which
can be adjusted with extra modules based on the national requirements and needs
of a specific country.
