The aim of the project “Conducting a study to evaluate support services for asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection” was to gather information, analyze and evaluate support services for Estonian asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection, including comparisons with good practices in other Member States. The direct target group of the study was asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection (refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection); Services provided by the Illuka Asylum Seekers Reception Center and local authorities, job search service, etc.
The final report of the study provided an overview of the support services available to asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection in Estonia and an assessment of their necessity and effectiveness. Best practices of support services in Estonia and other Member States of the European Union were compared. It also assessed the interaction between different support services and the cooperation and information exchange between support providers. The survey report showed the readiness, capabilities and bottlenecks of service providers in providing support services. The last part of the report consisted of proposals to strengthen and improve the support system.
The project was carried out and coordinated by NGO Estonian Assistance Centers. Kristjan Kaldur participated in the project as an expert from the Institute of Baltic Studies.