RISE - Reinforcing Integration via Sponsorship Enhancement in Belgium, Italy and Lithuania

In the project "RISE" - Reinforcing Integration through Sponsorship Enhancement - we respond to the housing needs of beneficiaries of international protection in Belgium, Italy and Lithuania. We do this through the alignment, development and implementation of Community Sponsorship programmes.

Based on literature research on existing knowledge, best practices and experiences in Europe, we conduct field research in the countries concerned. We then carry out pilot projects and design toolkits.

Mar '24 / Feb '26

AMIF (Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund of the European Union)

Housing needs of beneficiaries of international protection in Belgium, Italy and Lithuania

Providing extra housing thanks to 'Community Sponsorship'

In the project "RISE" - Reinforcing Integration through Sponsorship Enhancement - we respond to the housing needs of beneficiaries of international protection in Belgium, Italy and Lithuania.

We will explore the possibilities of 'Community Sponsorship' in Belgium, Italy and Lithuania.

On 15 and 16 May 2024, migration experts from Italy, Lithuania and Belgium met in Brussels for the official kick-off of the project.

In 2022, 881,220 people applied for international protection in the EU for the first time. This is the highest number since the peaks of 2015 and 2016. Moreover, around 4 million people who fled Ukraine after the Russian invasion received temporary protection in the EU.

This led to significant pressure on member states' reception systems and, in particular, on housing availability. Yet accessibility to housing is crucial for integration and inclusion.

It is in this context that 'Community Sponsorship' is seen as a way to increase the number of resettlement places while promoting integration. Countries like Canada, Australia, the UK and the US already have successful experiences with Community Sponsorship.

In Europe, this programme is relatively recently developed. In this project, we want to explore the possibilities of Community Sponsorship in Belgium, Italy and Lithuania.

Our objectives:

To enhance knowledge about existing Community Sponsorship programmes and contribute to the implementation of innovative housing solutions.
To increase the availability of and access to housing opportunities.
To increase the number of Member States implementing Community Sponsorship focused on housing solutions.
To promote transnational exchange and share lessons learned.