Unaccompanied Minors in Finland

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• Unaccompanied Minors in Finland
• Estonian National EMN Seminar Tallinn
• 19-20 November 2009

HUOM Voit täydentää ylätunnisteen Näytä/Ylä- ja
alatunniste (Älä näytä otsikkokalvossa)
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Unaccompanied minors in Finland general facts

• 706 unaccompanied minor asylum seekers in 2008,
  which represented a huge increase compared to
  2007 with only 167 applicants
• In 2009, until the 30th October, the figure is
  485 persons and the total number is expected to
  stay below the 2008 level
• As with adult asylum seekers, the main countries
  of origin are Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan
• About 80 are boys

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ASYLUM SEEKERS Unaccompanied Minors
1.1.-31.10.2009, 485 applicants
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Unaccompanied minors in Finland study conclusions

• Unaccompanied minors generally arrive in Finland
  with the intention of seeking asylum on the basis
  of the overall security situation in the home
  country, membership of a religious minority and
  resulting fear of persecution, the association of
  a family member with political or other activity
  as well as the threat of honour-related violence.
  Asylum is typically applied for at an inland
  police department.
• Separate guidelines and form for interviewing
  minors
• No provisions yet on age determination, the use
  of age testing is investigated

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Unaccompanied minors in Finland study conclusions

• In 2008 a total of 228 decisions were issued for
  unaccompanied minors seeking asylum, of which 157
  were positive.
• In 2009 until the 30th October, 489 decisions for
  unaccompanied minors have been issued of which
  236 were positive. There has been a significant
  rise in Dublin-cases, which explain the higher
  number of decisions.
• It has been suggested that Section 87 of the
  Aliens Act should be amended to include so-called
  child-specific grounds for persecution.
• A successful project on integration of
  unaccompanied minors, the Nutukka project, was
  launched in 2005

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Nutukka project partners

• Viittakivi International Centre
• Turku Christian Institute
• Finnish Red Cross Turku Reception Centre
• Church Training College in Järvenpää
• The Federation of Special Welfare Organisations
• Reception Centres for Asylum Seekers in Oravainen
  and Perniö
• Ministry of Labour
• Partly funded by the European Refugee Fund

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The Aim and Challenges

• To support young asylum seekers and refugees who
  have arrived in Finland unaccompanied and need
  special support to become independent
• To develop working methods and networking
• In 2009 approximately one hundred 16- to
  17-year-old-asylum seekers attended the programme
• Prolonged processing times in the asylum process
  (6-12 months)
• Varying history of education

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Models and curriculum

• A) Daily model
• Classes in the Folk High School counselling
  organised in the Reception Centre
• B) Boarding school model
• Classes and free time activities. Counselling
  organised by special workers.
• Finnish language (150-170 lessons)
• Communication skills (25 lessons)
• Knowledge of Finnish Culture and Society (65-75
  lessons)
• Skills of every day life (75-140 lessons)
• Basic computer skills (24-30 lessons)
• Programmed leisure activities (70 lessons)

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Results

• Clear need for a special orientation programme
  for young asylum seekers and young immigrants
• The youngsters in the piloting programmes have
  managed to continue their studies either in the
  preparing courses for the vocational education or
  straight on the second level (secondary school or
  vocational school)
• Close cooperation between the Folk High School
  and Reception Centre is a fruitful model of
  organising education programmes
• Natural social networks vital for young
  immigrants programmes should enhance interaction
  with the Finnish youth