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ERSO – European Reintegration Support Organisations

The European Reintegration Support Organizations (ERSO) is a network of non-governmental organisations involved in return counselling and reintegration support. The objective of ERSO is to exchange information, collect expertise and develop best practices in the field of return and reintegration. Through working with ERSO via Caritas International Belgium, ERRIN ensures certification and quality monitoring of local reintegration partners, and creates opportunities for further development and implementation of capacity building agenda.

Caritas International Belgium (CIB) is a member of ERSO and an implementing parter for ERRIN-ERSO contracts. CIB is a non-governmental organization whose mission is to contribute to a humane and dignified return of rejected asylum seekers and undocumented migrants from Belgium and other European countries who have made an “informed” choice to return to their country of origin. The target group needs to have prospects for building up a sustainable livelihood, hence to become embedded in the society again upon return. To contribute to this, Caritas International provides post return reintegration assistance tailored to the needs of individual returnees through its local partner organisations. These national based partner organisations are mostly non-governmental organisations or consultancy agencies specialized in e.g. business creation and development.

Caritas International Belgium is a partner of the REAB program (Return and Emigration of Asylum seekers ex Belgium) implemented by IOM since 1984, putting forward efforts to support voluntary return. Since 2007, CIB implements the national government programme as service provider worldwide in the field of voluntary return. The reintegration team of Caritas International can be contacted by and for anyone who is considering a return. The regional case managers have a lot of experience with the different countries and the local partner organisations. They provide information and prepare the potential returnees for their return and reintegration back in the countries of origin.