Young refugees and asylum seekers represent a group of displaced youth with specific needs and assets. Their situation urgently requires closer examination, and youth policies addressing their needs must be devised, taking into account their difficult past experiences and their often insecure or instable situation in host countries, including emotional, social and economic challenges.The aim of this report is to convey the main points of a training seminar organised in close co-operation with the UNHCR, Representation in Strasbourg, it brought together young forcibly displaced persons and other young people working in their favour. The organisers and participants of the seminar were driven by the strong conviction that all young people need to participate in building Europe, that social cohesion implies the inclusion of marginalised, minority youth and that nobody can talk about young refugees needs and assets better than young refugees themselves.This publication presents the most important ideas, reflections and recommendations formulated by the participants, it is a collection of testimonies and ideas from young people who have themselves experienced various situations, difficulties and successes as young refugees in Europe.
Statement by the Commissioner for Human Rights
Foreword
Introduction
1. Expectations, fears and needs
2. Lifelines: where does my story start?
3. A master's degree in living... life testimonies
4. Refugee protection under the 1951 Geneva Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights
5. Separated children seeking asylum
6. Home
7. Relationship with the host society
8. Cultural identity and intercultural learning
9. Human Rights Education in practice
10. Einstein was a refugee: what can be done?
Conclusions and recommendations
Future perspectives: after the seminar
Appendix 1: List of participants
Appendix 2: Final programme
