Raphaels-Werk
1. General activities of the organization:
Raphaels-Werk is a German Catholic relief agency founded in 1871 by the German Catholic Bishops to assist emigrants before, during and after their departure. It has independent legal status since its foundation. Raphaels-Werk is an affiliate of the German Caritas Association.
Raphaels-Werk maintains its central office in Hamburg. A network of 15 counseling services throughout Germany each year assist thousands of migrants by providing reliable and up-to-date information on living and reception conditions in destination countries and individual help with paper work and assistance programs. With regard to refugee clients, the main areas of work are: voluntary return and third country resettlement counseling and assistance. In the last four decades Raphaels-Werk has assisted tens of thousands of refugees from Poland, Afghanistan, Iran, Romania, Ethiopia, Chile, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other countries in their individual resettlement or repatriation needs. Many thousands of them have resettled in the United States, Canada or Australia. Others, after a sometimes lengthy stay in Germany, have chosen voluntary repatriation.
Raphaels-Werk cooperates with voluntary agencies, international organizations and with government authorities. It is linked to domestic, and to foreign relief agencies through the Caritas network and the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC).
Raphaels-Werk’s counseling services on site are operated by local and diocesan Caritas organizations which strengthens its role in a large national network of refugee and migrant services. Its staff have a long-standing experience in counseling individual returnees since some have focused on this field of work.
At the political level our work is recognized by the German federal authorities. Under the Federal Law for the Protection of Emigrants (“Gesetz zum Schutz der Auswanderer”) of 26 March 1975, Raphaels-Werk has been authorized by the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs to provide information and assistance to potential emigrants from Germany, whether German citizens or foreigners residing in Germany.
2. ERSO member is funded by:
Raphaels-Werk e.V. receives funds from the German Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs. Raphaels-Werk counseling services are basically funded by the Catholic dioceses and additional project funds.
3. Target group of the ERSO member (in the context of return and reintegration):
Migrants in general, recognized refugees, and failed asylum applicants who want to return to their home country or resettle in a third country.
4. Does the ERSO member offer pre-departure counseling?
The focus of Raphaels-Werk’s returnee services is on pre-departure counseling and assistance to individual clients, i.e. provision of up to date and reliable information (e.g. on housing, health care, education/schooling, employment, security issues, social services, etc.), relevant contacts in Germany and in the country of return as well as assistance with paper work, procedures, travel and reintegration preparations, etc..
In Germany, refugee matters are dealt with at the local (Laender) level. Unlike in other countries, each refugee arriving in Germany is assigned by the German authorities to a designated area of temporary residence, beyond which he or she does not enjoy freedom of movement. The structure of Raphaels-Werk reflects the decentralized situation of the refugee population and the governmental policies of the Laender thus, ensuring that each potential client is afforded access to its services. Generally, refugee clients are referred to Raphaels-Werk services on site by other migrant and refugee services.
5. What kind of reintegration assistance does the ERSO member offer to returnees?
Beside individual pre-departure counseling (see 4.), Raphaels-Werk offers assistance with:
- Travel and start-up assistance programs funded by the federal and German states’ governments and the European Return Fund (RF);
- On a case by case basis, in-cash or in-kind assistance may be funded by the local or regional authorities, church funds, etc..
Immediate reintegration assistance on site after return is not provided by Raphaels-Werk itself.
6. Partners in the context of voluntary return and reintegration:
National level: Raphaels-Werk closely cooperates with other organizations and stakeholders in Germany working in this field: Caritas and other welfare organizations, lawyers, volunteers, faith-based groups, government authorities, and administrations. Cooperation with IOM focuses on the government and RF co-funded travel and return assistance program REAG/GARP.
EU level: Caritas and other welfare agencies, and ERSO project members.
Countries of origin: Caritas organizations and Caritas project partners on site as well as the ERSO members’ partner organizations.
7. Top 5 of returnees by country of origin assisted by the ERSO member in 2011:
Top 5 counselling contacts by country of origin
- Serbia 73
- Iraq 62
- Macedonia 38
- Turkey 36
- Russian Federation 27
Total number of counselling contacts 2011
1719
