When refugees arrive in a new country, it can be really hard for them to integrate at first. In the case of Geneva, many refugees do not speak French and find it difficult even to go to the supermarket or to open a bank account. Even as people become more comfortable with their language skills, they have many other obstacles to overcome during their time here. Finding employment and making friends is difficult, especially considering the long journey that most refugees have faced getting to Switzerland.
All around Switzerland, there are of associations and programs that help refugees get on their feet once they arrive in the country. Most of these programs start with language lessons and then move on to training that helps refugees find employment. From there, refugees have more options in terms of their working and living environments. However, despite the large amount of assistance available to refugees, there is still work to be done. Refugees still have a hard time interacting with native Swiss citizens and often feel isolated and lonely when they arrive here. At the same time, surveys show that the Swiss population wants refugees to integrate better into their host societies.
Each week, I volunteer for about four hours, teaching refugees French and having great conversations with them! We share meals prepared with food from each person's country. Sometimes, we play dominos and Scrabble just for fun. From my experiences volunteering, I think the best way to address the needs of both Swiss citizens and refugees is to create opportunities for these populations to meet and mingle.
