Evaluation of migration counseling for adults
Integration Department
Project head: Dr. Sarah Berndt , Dr. Niklas Harder
Project team members: Begüm Güngör
With approximately 500,000 people reached each year and 1,107 full-time positions funded across seven associations, the Migration Counseling for Adults (MBE) is a large federal program. The program is designed to target primarily migrants over the age of 27 who have been in Germany for less than three years. In 2020, however, about 75% of all those receiving counseling had been in Germany for more than three years. Against this background, the project evaluates the impact of MBE. The primary aim is to clarify whether the program reaches its target group, how effective the counseling is, and whether significant counseling needs were overlooked in the program planning. It will be examined how the program can be improved in order to support foreigners in the first and particularly important years in Germany. In addition, the need for counseling of foreigners who have been in Germany for more than three years will be identified.
The evaluation draws on three different data sources. On the one hand, process data will be used to illustrate the providers, the scope of counseling, and the composition of those receiving counseling. On the other hand, former counselors will be interviewed online to gain a better understanding of the counselors. As a control group, at least for the subgroup of refugees, respondents from the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) will be used. In addition, qualitative interviews will be conducted with counselors, providers and counselors.
Funding: Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Third-party funding)