Employment Assistance Services EAS

Employment Assistance Services

Ten years after the end of the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of the main obstacles to its continued economic and political development is the country’s weak economy and high unemployment. Often, the prospect of unemployment is the main reason why potential returnees choose not to return to BiH.

As employment is a central issue to the sustainable reintegration and stabilization of any returning population, IOM, in collaboration with the Government of Switzerland, has implemented the Employment Assistance Services (EAS) Programme. The EAS programme assists Bosnian asylum seekers from Switzerland, who choose to return and reintegrate in BiH, by helping to create a favourable environment for the economic and social development of the returnees and their communities through the provision of livestock and equipment, tools, training and educational grants.

IOM’s EAS PROJECT

The project aims to assist both the returnees and their communities by creating conditions for a sustainable return and for economic development.

IOM provides assistance to Bosnian nationals currently residing under the Swiss Asylum Law in Switzerland who voluntarily return to BiH. The EAS programme helps returnees find employment, start their own business or further their training/education. IOM’s business assistance also includes persons from the return community in the employment scheme. Specific attention is paid to the assistance of women, including female heads of households.

IOM provides assistance for residents in the return communities. This assistance is achieved through combined projects – returnees who receive micro-enterprise development assistance are asked to employ residents and residents are required to employ returnees in order to receive IOM support.

IOM tailors EAS assistance to the needs of each individual case. IOM assesses each case and identifies the services required for return and reintegration. Such support may include:

• Informing potential returnees about the economic and social conditions in BiH;
• Counselling and consulting with regards to employment and self-employment activities;
• Home-visits to returnees, as necessary, in order to assess their particular social and economic circumstances including: education, skills, work experience and possible employment opportunities;
• Direct assistance in the form of tools, equipment and livestock;
• Vocational training in State-recognized training centres or schools and on-the-job training in enterprises where there is the possibility of future employment opportunities;
• Support with the development of business proposals and plans by assisting in identification of suitable micro-credit loans;
• Linking the activities of the returnees with existing development programmes in their communities as feasible;
• Monitoring through spot checks and site visits to training and work places.

DONORS:

Swiss Government

Top