Supporting Self-Sufficiency: Considerations for refugees’ transition out of sponsorship and complementary pathways programmes

of countries worldwide have been investing in path- ways for refugee protection that engage volunteers A smooth transition to autonomous living and to support the welcome, settlement, and integration phase-out of volunteer and programme support is of refugees, albeit to varying degrees depending thus key to the long-term success of refugees and on the programme. [...] usually try to promote the following:10 These can include mismatches in expectations around this phase and how to navigate it, difficulties ► Both refugees and volunteers should managing volunteer–refugee communications and understand the limits and duration of support relationships, and structural issues that hinder or and how to plan for the transition. [...] This includes a lack of awareness about what sponsorship programmes and complementary refugee–volunteer relationship pathways exist in a particular context and how they work, local stakeholders’ potential roles in them and Even when refugees and volunteers have a good un- how to support refugee beneficiaries, and the rights derstanding of what to expect and how to manage of refugees during and fol. [...] The mediators’ ganisations invest in pre-arrival and programme-de- familiarity with the situation in refugees’ sign planning, the better programme results will be country of departure and knowledge of their for refugees and volunteers.76 Two important areas language have helped bring proximity and of focus are: trust to the relationship and facilitated the collection of feedback.71 In a similar ef. [...] 12 Author interview with a representative of Reset, 3 December 2023; author interview with a representative of HIAS, 14 December 2023; author interview with a representative of Caritas Belgium, 19 December 2023; author interview with a representative of FEP, 20 December 2023; author interview with a representative of MCC in Canada, 8 December 2023; author interview with a representative of the Glo.