Get Together

The project consists in a mentoring program designed to support young people with a refugee background to include faster and easier in Croatia and seeks to activate the local community as part of the process by offering volunteering opportunities as mentors. Mentoring pairs meet on a regular basis to work on language acquisition, job search, understanding the country and the culture, and more, according to what the mentees wish to accomplish. The project’s goal is to empower young people to fulfill their potential and become independent from institutional help.

As the number of asylum seekers in Croatia increases, so do the challenges to their social integration, especially for young people who face language and cultural barriers, loss of support, access to rights and lack of information. At the same time, the involvement of the local community in the integration of newcomers remains insufficiently addressed. 

The Get Together project promotes links between young refugees and local volunteer mentors. Over six months, mentoring pairs meet regularly to work towards set goals. Mentors provide both practical and emotional support, guiding their mentees towards independence, helping them to realise their potential and increasing their chances of successful integration. 

To date, over 30 volunteers have mentored 39 young people, focusing on language practice, cultural education, job search, educational guidance and socialisation. A dedicated social worker trains and supervises the mentoring pairs to ensure that objectives are met, while the rest of the team assists with project implementation and communication. 

Mentoring relationships improve young people's language skills, cultural awareness, labour market integration, educational progress and self-confidence. At the same time, the project benefits the local community by highlighting the importance of inclusion and motivating community members to participate in the inclusion process. 

The mentoring programme is replicable across European host communities and can be adapted to the specific challenges, needs and aspirations of the refugee community in each country. Its flexible and empowering framework allows it to be tailored to different groups vulnerable to or at risk of social exclusion, making it a versatile model for promoting inclusion.