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EUROPEAN PARTNER NGO

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Our PIC: 913700522

Organization full legal name
Support Group Network

Acronym
SGN

National ID
802503-7097

Address
Kungsladugårdsvägen 5, 462 54 Vänersborg, Sweden

Contact Person

Name
Bilal

Surname
Almobarak

Position
National Coordinator

Email
Bilal.almobarak@supportgroup.se

Telephone
+46 79 304 64 28

 

Brief description

Support Group Network (SGN), is a non-profit organization initiated by refugees and collaborates with local societies to improve integration and inclusion of asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants, for whom SGN provides psychosocial support through creating need-based activities and projects aiming to enhance their future in Europe or home countries if they go back.

Vision: SGN functions as an umbrella that gathers associations and individuals efforts aiming to help and support asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants to be included in the hosting countries through need-based activities and projects.

Mission:
1- Empowering and encouraging asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants’ own initiatives and support them in fields of: (social, cultural, educational, sports, health and psychological care).
2- Encouraging communities to explore skills and expertise of refugees and immigrants for the sake of better and colourful multicultural communities that help achieving social sustainability.
3- Making refugees actors and main stakeholders for their own matters.
4- Promoting the understanding of society’s norms to create a better integration and inclusion of children, youth, adults and families and provide them the tools to become active members in the society, with main focus on: diversity, gender equality, women and youth empowerment and Children Rights safeguarding.
5- Cooperating with other organizations and initiatives in Sweden and Europe that share the same objectives.
6- Gathering advocacy for asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants’ cases at all levels.

Targeted Audience: Asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and immigrants, third-country nationals, local societies and associations and NGOs, municipalities, governmental institutions and international organizations.

Approach: Self-organization and strategic cooperation for improved integration.

Biography:
– In August 2014 Support Group Network SGN started.
– In July 2016 and after two years of performing activities and projects at the biggest refugee camp in Sweden (Restad Gård camp with about 1500 residents) in Vänersborg city, SGN became officially registered as a non-profit organization in Sweden holding organization number: 802503-7097 and EU PIC: 913700522.
– Being supported from “Save the Children-Sweden, The ReAct Project”, SGN has been established in other 13 cities and 16 camps in Sweden during 2016.
– More recently SGN’s concept started to spread to different European countries.

Awards:
1- Human Rights Award in 2016 for SGN from Västra Götaland Region, Sweden.
2-Lifelong Learning Award (LLLAwards) 2016 in category of Best Practice, when SGN was chosen one of the best ten inspiring initiatives in Europe.
3- Two of SGN projects have been chosen in two different occasions by SKL (Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions) as model example that all Swedish municipalities should follow.
4- 2019 Integration award for best integration project for (Strong Women Network Project)

Relevant experience

– We work mainly to change the approach towards refugees and asylum seekers (kids, youth and adults) from victim and crisis approach to opportunity and competent approach as we implement processes of welcoming and integrating refugees in Sweden.

– We did and still doing many projects and activities for refugees in fields of education, work and labour market, culture, social and sports. Currently, we have two big projects (Orbus and Double Cup Future) that aim to include newcomers in job market either as entrepreneurs or as employees.

– We launched and still operate the first Youth Centre for Asylum seekers youth with more than 350 members. – We have good experience in empowering and self-organization of unaccompanied minors and youth.

– We try to increase the knowledge of the EU approach towards refugees and asylum seekers based on the European Agenda for Migration.

– We exchange best practices at transnational level on focus themes like, education and schooling, getting ready to work, cooperation with civil society, youth and unaccompanied minors.