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Principles and values
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Reducing Discrimination Initiative National Society Activities Iceland has been welcoming refugees for resettlement since 1956. Since 1995 refugee resettlement has been handled by the Ministry of Social Affairs, with input by the Red Cross. Volunteers prepare beforehand for the refugee’s arrival as well as during the integration period by supporting the refugee families. Icelandic Red Cross is spokesman for refugee issues and of the refugees themselves. Icelandic Red Cross and the Refugee Council prepare the practical things for the refugee’s arrival in cooperation with UNHCR and IOM. Icelandic Red Cross branch volunteers participate in this program, to collect furniture, utensils and clothing, decorate the apartments for the refugees and sign up for being active support families. The role of the support families is to help with the integration of the refugees by acting as their main point of social and cultural contact with Iceland and Icelandic culture. Each refugee family has 2-3 support families and all the support families go through a course on their role in this voluntary work, including a course in Psychological First Aid since many of the refugees have gone through a traumatic experience. The support families programme has been
very sucessulf and has received due international recognition.
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