The OFII territorial directorate in Strasbourg and its partnership resources
The territorial directorate in Strasbourg covers two departments, Haut Rhin and Bas Rhin. Besides its usual missions: family immigration, immigrants’ reception and integration, assisted return and reintegration…, it is committed to the development of local partnerships with signatories of the republican integration contract regarding integration through employment and accommodation.
Public Employment and Integration Service (SPIE)
The territorial directorate takes part to the public employment grouping with Pôle Emploi and the European community of Alsace ( departmental council).
Within the framework of the poverty plan, the European collectivity of Alsace (Departments 67 and 68) has established a Public Employment and Integration Service (SPIE) with a double-purpose:
- An appointment within 30 days at most for new applicants to the active solidarity income (RSA),
- A quick guidance towards an activity: employment, job search, training, charity work, etc. for a faster social and professional integration.
Chaired by the European collectivity of Alsace, co piloted by Pôle Emploi, all the main actors contributing to social and professional integration are members of this grouping. In order to increase its potential, theme working groups have been created: accommodation, health and French as a foreign language (FLE). The territorial directorate is in charge of this last group.
The OFII: major actor
As a major actor of the integration of “newcomers”, the OFII chairs and leads the “French as a foreign language for vocational purpose” working group. The purpose is to coordinate actions, inform actors in order for them to adjust the guidance of people according to their profiles and to promote different schemes offered by the OFII.
Active participation in the group establishes the OFII within a significant local partnership network awaiting collaboration. Contacts, including with family allowance fund (CAF), are therefore easier and more fluid.
Partnership with the Institution for employment integration (Epide)
Accommodation and employment integration for beneficiaries of international protection under 25 years-old represents a challenge for all accommodation providers of the national reception for asylum seekers.
The Epide is a scheme that can constitute an opportunity for some beneficiaries of subsidiary protection supervised in accommodation facilities (isolated or children over the age of majority). It helps young adults between 17 and 25 years old, women and men, without a diploma and who experience difficulties in finding jobs, to be professionally integrated. An A2 level is required upon entry. However, the institution is working to receive all young people volunteering and organises trainings to help them get integrated without having this level.
This partnership with the OFII territorial directorate in Strasbourg has been running since 21 September 2021.
During the half-day reception session at the OFII, at the end of which the newcomers sign the republican Integration Contract (CIR), the integration auditors as well as the asylum auditors in charge of the follow-up of people staying in a temporary accommodation centre (CPH) offer this scheme, or during arrivals or stay renewals in CPH.
Partnership with Pôle Emploi
The territorial directorate in Strasbourg has declined the national framework at the local scale on 22 September 2021.
Partners of Pôle Emploi Bas Rhin and Haut Rhin have met once again with the OFII director, her assistant, as well as with an integration auditor in order to narrow locally the missions and expectations of everyone to offer more employment prospects for signatories of the contract republican integration contract and also to provide potential recruiters with new candidate pools.
All these partnerships showcase the significance of the role and involvement of the OFII territorial directorate in Strasbourg for the employment and accommodation integration of migrants.