Context
Turkey has taken in more than 2.7 million refugees from neighbouring Syria since the start of civil war there in 2011 (source: UNHCR, June 2016). Providing for and housing these refugees in the long term is placing huge demands on Turkey’s public institutions.
At the beginning of 2016, Turkey amended its legislation so that refugees could legally take up employment. Syrian refugees are now able to obtain a work permit and gain access to the vocational education and training system. By earning a living or acquiring a professional qualification, refugees have the opportunity to become active members of the Turkish economy rather than remaining as aid recipients.
So far, however, neither the labour market institutions nor the vocational education and training colleges are offering services adapted to the needs of refugees. Many refugees do not have the necessary knowledge of Turkish. As a result of the war they were unable to complete their training and are no longer in possession of their course certificates. Furthermore, they are not familiar with the Turkish labour market and the available advisory services. This situation is compounded by the fact that, even before the civil war, the most significantly affected Turkish border provinces were already economically weak. Absorbing a large number of refugees into the labour market therefore poses a major challenge for these provinces.
Objective
Syrian refugees and the local Turkish population in the border provinces of Sanliurfa and Gaziantep have better access to vocational education and training and to labour market services.
Approach
The project objective is being achieved by means of activities in three different areas.
1. The project is working in collaboration with ISKUR (the department of the Turkish Employment Agency with special responsibility for Syrian refugees), non-governmental organisations and private sector partners to improve provision of labour market services. This includes supporting business start-ups and adapting job placement and careers advice services to the needs of Syrian refugees. Reducing their dependence on aid and creating opportunities for them to earn an income will make it easier to integrate refugees into the Turkish labour market.
2. The project is supporting the development and implementation of measures that will enable Syrian refugees to enter the Turkish vocational education and training system. Language and assimilation courses will prepare refugees for education and training in the mainstream system. Teachers and institutes will also be given training to help them manage conflict and improve their intercultural skills. Psychosocial counselling services are being developed to counteract potential conflict between Turkish and Syrian trainees and to ensure that traumatised young people can benefit from professional support.
3. Cash-for-work measures are being created in collaboration with public bodies and institutions to offer refugees direct opportunities to earn income. Employment programmes are used, for example, as a way of rehabilitating public utilities and facilities and of carrying out information campaigns and social initiatives.