Reception centres give asylum seekers support and a sense of safety
Asylum seekers feel safe in Finnish reception centres. They also trust the staff and feel that employees work in an unhurried and friendly manner. However, clients consider lack of activity and the periodic feeling of loneliness to be problems.
The Finnish Immigration Service conducted a client survey among adult reception centre clients. The survey was conducted in 17 reception centres, and 692 asylum seekers responded.
The purpose of the survey is to prevent problems and develop reception centre operations
The client survey consisted of 20 questions or statements. On the basis of their own experiences, the respondents assessed each item on a scale of one to five. A rating of one meant that the client was highly dissatisfied with the issue in question, and a rating of five that he or she was very satisfied with it.
The purpose of the survey was to identify which issues the reception centre clients consider problematic and which, in their view, already function well. With the help of the survey, it would be possible to develop reception centre activities in order to better meet the needs of clients.
The results of the survey show that reception centre employees succeeded in creating a safe atmosphere built on mutual trust for clients living in an uncertain situation. Clients consider lack of meaningful tasks and activity as a problem. Activity would provide opportunities for clients to develop their own competencies and would help them to cope better with the long asylum seeking process and their feelings of uncertainty about the future.
Football can bring variety to everyday life
The results of the client survey reveal that asylum seekers yearn for social support, particularly from people other than reception centre employees. Social activity with external parties would also help them to become part of Finnish society.
The Finnish Immigration Service and reception centres have made efforts to respond to feedback received from clients. For example, this summer, the Finnish Immigration Service, reception centres and the Football Players Association of Fin-land arranged a “Football belongs to everyone” tour. The intention was to bring greater activity to the everyday lives of asylum seekers with the help of the world’s most popular sport and to bring an anti-racism and anti-discrimination message to reception centres.
The questions and a summary of the survey on the Internet
A summary of the survey, and the questions asked presented in table format, can be found on the Finnish Immigration Service’s website at:www.migri.fi/tietoa_virastosta/tilastot/vastaanottotilastot(in Finnish)
Further information for the media
Olli Snellman, Senior Adviser, reception unit, tel. +358 71 873 0431, e-mail: firstname.lastname@migri.fi
