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Description
The project will improve the identification of vulnerable groups (e.g. unaccompanied minors and youngsters separated from their families) early in the asylum procedures, assess their needs and prepare for the later stages of the asylum procedure.
The project will include the following main activities:
- Developing training curriculums;
- Developing indicators handbook;
- Developing e-learning platform;
- Training of first line Hellenic Police officers working within the Reception and Identification Centers in vulnerability identification, through the use of training simulators;
- Mapping and best practices exchange meetings with similar entities on relevant areas of
concern.
Summary of project results
A requirement identified was need for a holistic identification and protection procedure being gradually introduced into Greece, as in other EU Member States. This required knowledge and capacity building in Greek competent authorities so as to reach a more comprehensive approach regarding the basic needs and rights of UAMs within the national asylum and migration management system. In this regard, the development of a concrete and early identification system of UAMs to separate children and youngsters based on the input provided by the first line practitioners, who come into contact with migrants and refugees (Hellenic Police officers), is very important.
The project provided a good basis for the establishment of training activities within the Hellenic Police training system by using state-of-the-art technology especially focusing on trainings related to fundamental rights. Never in the past was there a case where simulation scenarios brought text and animation to the class rooms, making the training activity exciting and live. Fundamental Rights are often presented in a way that lacks visual or dynamic elements, which can make the material less engaging for trainees. Incorporating pictures, animations, or other visual aids could significantly enhance understanding and retention—particularly when discussing vulnerable groups.
The project provided and excellent opportunity to bring together operational staff from different actors from ministries and services that actively work on border and migration management, discovering common challenges at the spot and increase efficiency of the state actors on the management of vulnerable groups.
The project managed to bring together police officers from different geographical areas and border segments who shared information and experiences on fundamental rights and practices towards vulnerable groups, in an effort to better manage sensitive categories of people, in combination with the means that available for border guarding and management of migrants and refugees, since not all staff working at different operational areas can has the same mentality and understanding of fundamental rights and management of vulnerable groups, due to the particularities and volume of migration population at certain border segments This mixture of information and knowledge as well as the material which was delivered by the training team, has given a certain form of action that will eventually work for the benefit not only for the migrants and refugees and vulnerable groups but also for the staff operating at the borders. The project emphasized to all participants the critical importance of fundamental rights in border management, particularly in the context of migration management, where police authorities play a significant role in Greece.
The following activities were implemented:
a. Field Research: A field visit to a reception and identification center (hotspot) with the aim to facilitate the research team in reaching a concrete and clear description of the circumstances under which the police officers carry out their duties on the reception and identification line and of the specific training needs. Findings of this field visit supported the development of indicators in identifying persons in need of specialized treatment.
- One (1) three-day field visit in refugee/migrants'' facilities in Norway
- One (1) two-day study visit in FRONTEX Empirical Interviews with EU high-expertise officers of competent agencies
b. Training curriculum: The field research served as the basis for structuring the curriculum of the project''s training programmes aiming to provide police officers with knowledge and best practices to better perform their tasks concerning the identification and aiding of the extremely vulnerable and special migrant groups.
c. Handbook: The handbook was a concise and practical hard copy edition of curriculum.
d. Creation of two training simulation platforms: The simulation training platforms'' objective is to expose trainees to real-life scenarios including unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups. The platforms comprise software aimed at training and informing police officers in screening and identification of unaccompanied minors, as a priority, and persons of other vulnerable categories as well.
e. Creation of an e-learning platform: The e-learning platform was developed to support training needs in regard with communication between trainees and trainers, as well as access to training material and articles. The training material, handbook and simulation training platforms were integrated in this e-learning platform.
f. Train the trainers programme: The training course initiated with the training of 31 trainers who will serve as the core training team of the program.
g. Training programmes: The 31 trainers trained the 243 police officers to be deployed to reception and identification centers across the external maritime borders and more specific on the islands of Lesvos, Kos, Chios, Samos and Leros, as well as across the external land borders of Evros region, currying out duties related to the identification of unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups.
The protection of fundamental rights is a relatively new reality on border guarding and the implementation on border and coast operational activities is quite challenging. This reality can be rather challenging for a country such as Greece where thousands of migrants and refugees are being detected when crossing illegally the borders. The project has introduced a new dimension of the importance of fundamental rights and especially on the protection of vulnerable groups of people to all those who participated during its training activities. This is proven by the fact that when the call for participation was launched, there was a surprisingly significant number of police officers who expressed their intention and willing to actively participate to its courses.
The project revealed the necessity and mainly the need for training activities related to fundamental rights. Though the culture of fundamental rights has been integrated into the Common Core Curricula of the Police Academies, however the way that the training was delivered was innovative and has set the basis for adequate training activities in future, both at basic and post-training level.
The impact of the project was important also for the purposes of the evaluation mechanism of FRONTEX (EBCGA), since one of the findings/vulnerabilities for Greece was the luck of adequate training of Hellenic Police staff on fundamental rights. The fact that more than 250 Hellenic Police have been trained in the topic in subject, was an excellent opportunity to close one of the measures related to the Vulnerability Assessment of FRONTEX for Greece.
The project has delivered an important number of Police Officers who can be used as trainers for future training activities both at the Police Academies (basic level) and post-training activities at local and regional level. This availability is expected to reduce costs 9especially on post-training activities at local/regional level) since all trainings can be delivered at the spot, without creating administrative burden to the local authorities and units.
The project can be considered as completed, since the main target of the project was the production of good quality training material as well as the implementation of a training activity that would be delivered both to trainees and trainers (train the trainers). Both activities were successfully implemented. However, one of the foreseen field visits (Lampedusa, Italy) was not achieved, due to unavailability of some of the experts and scientific team (professors), in addition to the luck of time available before the deadline for the completion of the project. It must be also mentioned that some of the procurements (PCs, furniture) were not achieved as well, due to the bureaucratic procedures in place and the limited time available for the implementation of the project. It has to be noted however that these challenges did not affect the implementation and quality of the project, since the primary goals were achieved, according to the needs and requirements set out by the professors and the staff that participated to the activities in subject.
The staff participated to the trainings is now in position to better cooperate with civil society and EU entities/agencies in relation to the protection of fundamental rights, since all actors in the field can now share a common understanding of the importance of protection of vulnerable groups at border control activities and the referral procedures that should be in place at the borders.