FOCUS · Forced displacement and refugee-host community solidarity

In 2015 and 2016, the EU experienced an unparalleled influx refugees and migrants. This situation poses multiple challenges for social- and health services and labour markets in host communities as well as for the lives of the refugees. In response to this situation, the vision of FOCUS is to increase understanding of, and provide effective and evidence-based solutions for, the challenges of forced migration within host communities and thereby contribute to increased tolerance, peaceful coexistence, and reduced radicalization across Europe and in the Middle East. Based on a comprehensive mapping and trans-disciplinary, multi-site field research conducted in Jordan, Croatia, Germany and Sweden, FOCUS explores the socio-psychological dimensions of refugee- and host-community relations and analyses the socio-economic integration of refugees and the consequences of this in host societies. The research sites have been selected to ensure that insights and lessons are derived from medium- and long-term experiences with forced displacement and local integration.This knowledge is used to transform and strengthen existing promising solutions for social- and labour market integration. The integration solutions will be pilot tested in at least five European countries by governmental and non-governmental end-users. The solutions are finally brought together in the Refugee and Host Community Toolbox, which will support policy makers, municipal actors, civil society organisations and other stakeholders in responding to the needs of both refugees and host communities and thereby act as agents of change in this field.In addition, FOCUS undertakes an ambitious programme of engagement with policy makers, end-users, host communities, refugees and other stakeholders. This will ensure that FOCUS research and solutions are acceptable and useful for policy makers, while meeting the needs of end-user organisations and ultimately refugees and host communities.