Caritas Austria
1. General activities of the organization:
Caritas Austria realises non-profitable, charitable projects in Austria as well as in other countries (Development Cooperation, Emergency Aid, Migration & Development). The aim of Caritas Austria is to help people in need and offer social services. Supporting migrants in all stages of their stay in Austria is integral part of our work.
Social aid: Caritas Austria considers itself as a partner and advocate of the poor and marginalised. Caritas therefore addresses the basic needs of the vulnerable taking also into consideration their social and cultural background.
Support in the field of Migration:
•supporting migrants in Austria and advocating for their rights on all levels and in all stages of their stay
•assist migrants before and after their return to the country of origin
Promotion of integral human development: Sustainability as a result of assistance given is one of the key purposes of Caritas. Emphasis is put on enabling the beneficiaries to help themselves. Caritas rejects the approach of making the poor objects of pity, but considers them subjects of their own development and agents of change. Caritas expects the beneficiaries to assume an active role in building better living conditions for themselves and encourages them to take on co-responsibility and initiative.
Capacity & institution building: Caritas seeks to promote capacity-building and development of those organisations which are lacking appropriate structures in order to serve the poor in an efficient and professional way. Caritas understands capacity-building also as strengthening local communities in the countries of origin to follow the ideas of the “Migration & Development”-approach.
Annual Report Caritas Austria 2010
2. ERSO member is funded by:
CARITAS Austria receives funds from private Donations, governmental subsidies or cost refunds (social work), different EC funds or other international donors.
The Voluntary Return Program is co-financed by The European Return Fund and the Federal Ministry for Interior.
3. Target group of the ERSO member (in the context of return and reintegration):
The target group are aliens in need, regardless of religion, political or ethnic affiliation, who are staying in Austria and wishing to return voluntarily to their home country. The main group of clients are (rejected) asylum seekers, Convention refugees, people holding a subsidiary protection or temporary protection status.
4. Does the ERSO member offer pre-departure counseling?
Pre-departure counseling is a very important part of our work. We counsel and assess prospects in asylum procedures and procedures of aliens’ legislation in Austria/Europe. We ascertain the social prospects in Austria/Europe and point out the various ways in which we can offer assistance in case a return to the home country is considered. The comprehensive counselling offered in six return counseling offices and three detention-centres around Austria enables clients to decide freely and well-informed over a return to their home country.
5. What kind of reintegration assistance does the ERSO member offer to returnees?
Caritas offers assistance in the home country, contact to the family, contact to aid-agencies, and financial support (max 370,- Euro). Especially through the long field experience for a long time in the countries of return and the international Caritas network we facilitate the return and the reintegration of people returning home.
6. Partners in the context of voluntary return and reintegration:
National level: Ministry of Interior, IOM, NGOs , Youth Welfare Departments,Public authorities, Aliens´ Police. Municipal Administration Units, Municipal Migration offices, Social Welfare Departments.
EU level: International Network - Caritas can resort to a global network of Caritas-Organisations and other NGOs working in the field of return and reintegration.
Countries of origin: We cooperate with all foreign representations and embassies in Austria and look back to a long history of implementing reintegration – and other projects in countries of origin.
7. Top 5 of returnees by country of origin assisted by the ERSO member in 2010:
Top 5 actual returns by country of origin
- Kosovo
- Russian Federation/Chechnya
- Serbia
- Turkey
- Mongolia
Total number of returnees 2010
1554
