Camille Biner, social worker at the Social Integration Centre for Refugees (CSIR)

Since January 2021, I've been a social worker at the Centre Social d'Intégration des Réfugiés (CSIR) in Lausanne. The CSIR, which is part of the General Directorate for Social Cohesion (DGCS) of the Department of Health and Social Action (DSAS) of the Canton of Vaud, is the body responsible for providing financial (Revenu d'Insertion - RI) and social assistance to refugees (refugee B permits and refugee F permits) in the canton of Vaud. Each person is monitored by a case manager, who is responsible for all financial matters, and a social assistant, who works closely with the "beneficiaries" on their social and professional integration. As a social worker, my role is to support people who have been granted refugee status on the road to social and professional integration. This involves working on language learning, by enrolling them in French classes, and then putting in place socio-professional integration measures to build a realistic and achievable career plan (employment or training). I also work to empower the people I support, by explaining to them how the Swiss system works in its entirety (health insurance, family allowances, rent, various bills, etc.). The aim is to provide people with the keys and tools they need to regain their independence, be it social, administrative or financial. In practical terms, I'm the social worker for around sixty-seven people (including children and young people under the age of 16) whom I see once a month for an interview. These monthly working meetings enable me to respond to the urgent needs of the 'beneficiaries', to work on their understanding of the Swiss administrative system, their search for accommodation, their health problems, their language learning or their career plans, to name but a few examples. Apart from the monthly interviews, there are also tripartite meetings with the integration measures, the children's schools, doctors and psychologists, and so on. There are also numerous administrative tasks to be carried out and day-to-day emergencies to be dealt with.

One of the special features of my work at the CSIR is the close and essential collaboration with the other team: the case managers. Each case is handled by a case manager and a social worker, and working in pairs is not always easy. It requires communication and organisation to ensure that the follow-up goes as smoothly as possible. As a result, some cases go well, while others are more complicated. I might also add that one of the difficulties in my job is managing emergencies. I sometimes feel like a fireman, having to put out fires when I'd like to be able to act beforehand. Every social worker has to manage a large number of cases, so emergencies take up a lot of space. On the plus side, it's an interesting, rewarding and varied job. I work in a lot of different areas, I meet a lot of different people (beneficiaries and professionals) and no two days are the same. I also have the freedom to manage my diary and appointments.

In 2013, I started a Bachelor's degree in the Faculty of Arts at UNIL, with three main subjects to choose from. I chose History, History and Religious Studies and Political Science. In the 2nd year of my Bachelor's, I decided to continue with History and History and Religious Studies; my third subject, Political Science, became an optional programme. After my Bachelor's degree, I started a Master's degree in History and Religious Studies, specialising in Islam and Judaism.

During my Master's degree, I followed a specialisation programme entitled 'Enlightening interculturality', in which theory was combined with practice. I had the chance to do a Masters placement at the PROFA Foundation, working on the Migration & Intimacy programme, and to support the action managers in their work on prevention, communication and information on sexual and reproductive health for people from migrant families in the canton of Vaud. This placement made me realise that I wanted to work in the social field in the future, and in particular with people from a migrant background. While I was looking for a job, I applied to the Centre Social d'Intégration des Réfugiés (CSIR) in Montreux. The initial response was negative. A few months later, I was contacted by my current team leader at the CSIR in Lausanne. It turned out that one of my former colleagues (whom I'd met on a work placement after I'd finished my studies) had re-sent my application to one of her friends working at the CSIR. The way I found my current job showed me the importance of a professional network.

In terms of my professional practice, I'd say that the main qualities we're looking for are flexibility and adaptability, stress management and dealing with unforeseen events/emergencies, efficiency, inter-institutional cooperation and cooperation with other professions. I would also add open-mindedness and, above all, openness to others: being prepared to give, but also to receive from others (which is not always easy in an asymmetrical aid relationship). In terms of educational background, some of my colleagues are graduates of the Haute Ecole de Travail Social, while others have university degrees in various fields (social sciences, literature, political science, etc.). There is a wide variety of staff profiles. In terms of skills, you need to have a combination of writing skills (because there are a lot of administrative tasks, despite the social work) and organisational skills, as well as the social skills of listening and openness. You also need to be able to stand firm, as my practice is governed by a set of standards. Some situations lead to warnings and/or financial penalties. There are quite a few job opportunities for young graduates. It's a sector that's constantly evolving and there are often quite a few vacancies to be filled or re-filled.

I'd advise them to go for it! You can do work placements in this field, but you can also find work as a social worker without necessarily having a social work diploma. You just need to be prepared to learn quickly and a bit on the job.