Frequently Asked Questions

AWAS provides a food and transport allowance to unemployed residents of open centres. Accomodation and related welfare services are free. Once the person can move out to independent living he or she can apply for social assistance which is at par to what nationals receive.

Accomodation in an open centre is temporary until the person is able to live independently. In general one can live in an open centre for a maximum of twelve months

The procurement of mobile homes has been a big investment which was made through European funding. The numbers of arrivals have been very high. Accomodation in mobile homes is practical. AWAS still ensures that each resident is provided with a good enough space as a living arrangement.

Each case is evaluated on its own terms. Due consideration is given to the service-user’s specific needs and any particular vulnerabilities.

AWAS refers to mainstream educational courses and training. Internally we provide information related training sessions and volunteers and NGOs provide different courses on an ad hoc basis and upon requests from the service-users themselves.

Open centres are open for residents and staff. We emphasize this to ensure privacy of the residents and for security purposes. Having a daily record of who is in and out of the Centres is essential in case of any emergency within the Centres.

Unaccompanied minors asylum seekers under a Care Order are the only service users who are given a curfew time. This is due to the protection regime that accompanies a Care Order.

AWAS age assessment is well received by the European Asylum Support Office. We use a psychosocial interview tool to conduct a semi-structured interview by a team of professionals. AWAS provides benefit of the doubt and resorts for a hand and wrist x-ray as a means of further age verification only as a very last resort.

There is a very tight cooperation between AWAS and NGO’s . AWAS liaises with NGOs on different levels according to the NGO’s functions.

Malta has continuosly received funds from Europe to ameliorate the situation both through the European Refugee Fund and through Emergency Measures. This funding has ranged from investment to the physical infrastracture of the Centres to services-related measures. Obvioulsy Malta continues to insist for a coherent and far reaching support mechanism for this phenomenon to be tackled at large.