Established in March 2012 and led by ICMC Europe, the SHARE Network provides a platform for mutual exchange and learning amongst local and regional actors to foster inclusion and integration of newly arrived refugees and migrants across the European Union.
The SHARE Network was developed as a platform within the wider European Resettlement Network (ERN), focusing on engaging local stakeholders working in resettlement, as well as those working within the context of complementary pathways and relocation.
The SHARE Network is therefore built on partnerships, and works together with European and global networks, projects and initiatives toward a common goal of building the capacity and sustainability of resettlement and inclusion. To date, the SHARE Network has engaged over 4,000 stakeholders across 27 EU countries in dialogue, capacity-building and advocacy, ensuring regional and local actors have a voice and a presence within resettlement and inclusion processes.
Over the years, the network has expanded to include approaches that benefit all newcomers—refugees and other beneficiaries of international protection, as well as asylum seekers, migrants, unaccompanied minorsand victims of trafficking— with a particular focus on smaller municipalities (less the 150.000 inhabitants) and rural areas. Through its engagement with these individuals, the network serves as an evidence base for successful integration practice.
For the upcoming project implementation period of 2021-2023, SHARE focus is on resettlement and private sponsorship schemes, as well as on inclusion in rural areas. Both areas of work require a comprehensive multistakeholder approach connecting many actors at different level of governance and a strong territorial approach acknowledging the importance of the regional and local level for successful settlement and early integration. SHARE thus advocates for ‘inclusive territories’ that foster social cohesion, while building and reinforcing the capacity of local stakeholders. This is accomplished through connecting them together under networks and alliances and seeking to explore synergies between short-term (e.g. AM(I)F) and long-term funding (e.g. ESF+).
In addition, the SHARE Network strongly advocates for refugee and migrant participation in regional and local integration frameworks, especially in the evaluation of practices and piloting of co-design in local integration programmes. As practice often precedes policy change, local communities are some of the most efficient actors in leading this shift to more effective inclusion integration services.