RISE project (Reinforcing Integration via Sponsorship Enhancement) was invited to share insights on the opportunities and sustainability of Community Sponsorship in Lithuania at the recent panel discussion on private hosting and community sponsorship, organized by Share Network in Brussels, Belgium on November 20, 2024. The event brought together experts and stakeholders to discuss the lessons learnt from community sponsorship schemes and private hosting initiatives, their synergies, the future of community sponsorship programs and their positive impact on refugee integration.

During the panel discussion, insights from the RISE project were shared, emphasizing the significant opportunities of piloting community sponsorship schemes in Lithuania. The presentation provided an overview of the current migration landscapes and highlighted the power of community support in offering housing and integration support for refugees.

"The feasibility of community sponsorship programs in Lithuania has become apparent after the quick response and strong citizen support demonstrated from the beginning of the war in Ukraine. It has shown that with proper support and coordination, community sponsorship can be an effective and sustainable model for integrating refugees and migrants, while enriching local communities through cultural exchange. The RISE project seeks to harness this societal willingness to help newcomers in their integration. With strong support from the government, RISE is provided with a solid foundation for piloting a community sponsorship program in Lithuania," says RISE Project Associate Gabrielė Urbonaitytė-Rondienė.

The roundtable connected 21 panelists from various NGOs across the EU, international organizations and governmental institutions in discussions on building synergies between civil society organizations, housing associations and local communities, adapting lessons from private hosting to community sponsorship schemes, and transitioning from crisis response to sustainable community sponsorship programs.

RISE - Reinforcing Integration through Sponsorship Enhancement - project aims to develop, finetune or expand Community Sponsorship programmes in Belgium, Italy and Lithuania, focusing on forced migrants. Community sponsorship is a solidarity initiative where host country citizens play an active role by offering social, practical and emotional support in forced migrants’ integration journey, including helping them find housing and settle in their new societies, complementary to integration measures provided by the state.  Find more information about the project HERE.

RISE project is funded by EU through the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2021-2027).