from the Employability Service   

K.L.: Good morning, I would like to book an appointment to open a payroll bank account. 

Employee: Of course, according to our schedule, there is availability for this Friday at 11.00 a.m. Would that be convenient for you? 

K.L.: Very much, thank you, let’s go ahead with it. 

Employee: What name do I schedule it at? 

K.L.: Hassan Ibrahim… 

Employee: Oh! Now that I’m checking the program again, we’ll have to move it a little later, are you available at the end of the month?

The above dialogue has been repeated many times, both in banks and in public services. Often, the Social Service professionals at the SolidarityNow Blue Refugee Centre is called upon to deal with tension, negative or distrustful attitude from the employees, or other social commentary. 

Let’s think for a moment.

Suppose we worked in an office, where we repeated the same procedures with mechanical precision every day, using the same or similar data to reach a particular result. If someone came along and asked us to carry out the same procedure but brought in new data that we had never seen before, speaking a language we did not understand, we might experience instant stress or even get a little angry for surprising us like that.

In an ideal scenario, the employee at the end of the line would have access to support, training on cultural pluralism, and clear instructions to get the job done without any loose ends, insecurity, and a sense of disorientation.

Integration takes a collective effort to be achieved and it needs to be supported by all, but also to be supported within it. It is therefore equally important, both for the bank employee to be effectively informed and for the social worker to be willing to mediate and make a bridge over a good synergy.

And who knows, maybe Hassan will get a chance to be served this Friday.

*SolidarityNow implements the “BRC Livelihoods” program funded by the UNHCR GREECE since April 2023.