HERE’S YOUR
CHANCE TO MAKE
A DIFFERENCE
IN COLLABORATION WITH:
SUPPORTED BY:
STARTER KIT
FOR PARTICIPANTS
Deadline for submissions:
1 May 2016
JOIN THE #REFUGEECHALLENGE
WHATDESIGNCANDO.COM/CHALLENGE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | CONTENTS
CONTENTS
01 INTRODUCTION
4 – 5
02 BACKGROUND
6 – 10
03 BRIEF
11 – 18
04 PROCESS
19 – 21
05 CONDITIONS
22 – 23
06 RESEARCH
24 – 41
07 CREDITS
43
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | INTRODUCTION
4
01. Introduction
SHARED SPACE,
SHARED FUTURE
How can design help cities and
refugees adapt to each other?
With more displaced people than ever since World War II,
it is clear that we need bold and inspiring solutions to the issues
involving the reception and integration of so many refugees.
Everybody who flees from war, violence or human rights infringements deserves shelter and solidarity. Yet the receiving communities are ill-prepared for the sudden arrival of so many people who
are often distressed, traumatized, and bereft of all possessions.
The What Design Can Do Refugee Challenge is a global design
competition that calls on the creative community to come up with
game-changing ideas for accommodating, connecting, integrating
and helping the personal development of refugees. The challenge
specifically focusses on refugees in urban areas, as nearly 60 per
cent of the world’s 20 million refugees now live in urban areas.
What Design Can Do (WDCD), the UN Refugee Agency
(UNHCR) and the IKEA Foundation invite designers, creative
thinkers and imaginative trouble-shooters from all countries and
disciplines, to take part. Refugees are actively encouraged to
participate. After all, the extensive refugee community includes
many creative professionals with first-hand experience of the
problems at stake.
The call for ideas is open until 1 May 2016. An international jury
will select five winners, who will receive up to 10,000 euros and
expert support to develop their ideas into feasible plans, ready
for implementation.
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | INTRODUCTION
How design can help
Nearly 60 per cent of the world’s 20 million refugees
live in urban areas, and that figure is expected to rise.
This means that both the receiving cities and the
incoming refugees must adapt to a new reality. Lasting
solutions are needed for problems related to housing,
healthcare, education, work, cultural integration
and many other areas. That’s why the brief for this
challenge can be broken down into five areas that
address specific questions.
Designers can contribute daring and innovative ideas
needed to deal with the long-term needs of those newly
arrived. The WDCD Refugee Challenge will engage
creative doers and thinkers from all disciplines and
foster collaboration with refugees, NGOs, and national
and city authorities to identify needs, come up with
responses and test solutions, which could take the
form of products, services, and / or technologies.
5
The challenge process
The WDCD Refugee Challenge runs throughout the
year of 2016. The process is divided into seven phases.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Initiate: the call for proposals (19 Feb–1 May 2016)
Contribute: feedback (1–14 May)
Improve: time to refine entries (15 May–1 June)
Nominate: public voting (2–14 June),
selection by an international jury and
announcement of finalists (1 July)
5. Accelerate: the finalists receive funding
and expert support to develop their ideas
into a working prototype (2 July–2 October)
6. Pitch: the elaborated plans are presented
to possible implementation partners
(3 October–3 November)
7. Make it happen: implementation of plans
(from December 2016 onwards)
Why should you enter?
You are concerned about the refugee crisis and want to
make a contribution to possible solutions. By participating in the WDCD Refugee Challenge you can use your
skills, creativity and expertise to benefit the lives of
refugees. You will be part of a global creative network
and can benefit from its combined knowledge and
creativity. You’ll also have access to the expertise and
support of renowned humanitarian organizations such
as UNHCR and IKEA Foundation and will have the
chance of receiving exposure for your ideas through
our communication channels and media partnerships.
If you are one of the finalists, you’ll not only receive a
grant of up to 10,000 euros, but will also join a special
design lab and master class with renowned designers
to help develop your ideas further, resulting in concrete
prototypes and / or business plans. Finally, you’ll be
connected with potential implementation partners.
Who can participate?
The WDCD Refugee Challenge is open to designers
and creative thinkers of all disciplines across the
world. WDCD advocates the game-changing abilities
of design. Hence this competition seeks innovative
ideas that really will make a difference. Proposals
will be judged according to creativity, relevance,
feasibility, scalability and potential impact.
All entrants retain full ownership of their ideas.
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | BACKGROUND
6
02. Background
A GLOBAL
CHALLENGE
TOO BIG FOR
GOVERNMENTS
AND NGOS
ALONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
The year 2015 confronted the world with heartbreaking images
and stories of hundreds of thousands of refugees packed into
unseaworthy boats, trying to reach safer shores across the world.
In most cases, for those who made it, the journey overseas was
just the beginning of a long trek overland, pictures of which
have also touched us.
In 2015, UNHCR revealed that the number of global forced
displaced people topped nearly 60 million for the first time
since World War II. Tens of thousands of newly arrived refugees
wandering across Europe, moving from one border opening
to the next, triggered numerous volunteer efforts and citizen
initiatives aimed at providing immediate relief.
Yet a willingness to provide long-term help is tempered by
concern about the impact of mass immigration. Caught between
showing solidarity and acknowledging public anti-immigrant
sentiments, the European Union and individual countries are
struggling to find answers to the refugee crisis.
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | BACKGROUND
7
EU policy
Fleeing war
The most recent figures from UNHCR show that 84
per cent of the 1 million immigrants entering Europe
from the Mediterranean Sea in 2015 came from the
top ten war-affected, refugee-producing countries,
among them Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. This
contradicts the suggestion that many newcomers
are not entitled to the status of refugee.
In recent years UNHCR has observed that refugees
are increasingly settling in cities. Today, over half the
world’s 20 million refugees live in urban areas, and
that figure is expected to rise. Only 10 per cent of the
4.7 million Syrian refugees registered are currently
living in camps. All others reside in urban, peri-urban
and rural areas.
After intensive debating and negotiating, the EU
agreed to fund Turkey with 3 billion euros to help
improve the accommodation of people seeking refuge
in the country. Better living conditions for these
refugees, as well as intensified border controls, should
subsequently prevent people from undertaking an
uncertain journey to Europe.
After more than five years of war, and with no sign of
any improvement in the foreseeable future, Syrians
are seeking safer havens to continue their lives.
Refugees are often forced to abandon everything to
escape bombs, destruction, violence and atrocities
in their home countries. These people deserve the
solidarity and support of the world as they are faced
with the difficult decision of leaving their homes.
This development prompted UNHCR to refocus and
develop new policies to assist refugees living in urban
areas. Refugees in cities are more dispersed than in
refugee camps, creating all kinds of new challenges.
Lasting solutions are needed for problems in housing,
healthcare, education, work, integration and many
other areas.
The European Union is working hard to find ways to
deal with humanitarian problems. The Dublin Treaty,
which determines that the Member State through
which an asylum seeker first entered the EU is responsible for examining his asylum application, is under
pressure, just like the Schengen Agreement for free
movement of residents and tourists across borders.
In the meantime, the EU continues to enforce the
Dublin Regulation, while agreement was made on the
redistribution across the EU of 160,000 immigrants
residing in Italy and Greece.
From camps to urban areas
KOSOVO
ERITREA
Europe is also planning to register asylum seekers
in the Middle East or in so-called ‘hot spots’ along
Europe’s borders (mainly in Italy and Greece).
PAKISTAN
ALBANIA
SYRIA
IRAQ
SERBIA
AFGHANISTAN
European migration crisis 2015
Top countries of origin
Source: Eurostat dataset
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | BACKGROUND
8
WE NEED
BOLD IDEAS
HUNGARY
UK
These problems are clearly too complex for one
institution to address alone. Bold and innovative ideas
are needed for enduring solutions. What can designers
and other creatives do to help both refugees and cities
adapt to each other? This is the central question behind the What Design Can Do Refugee Challenge, for
which UNHCR, IKEA Foundation and What Design
Can Do are pooling their expertise and resources,
and calling on the global creative community to
make a difference. We want the designer’s input for
a better future for all.
FRANCE
“Designers increasingly demonstrate their ability to act
as pioneering game-changers, able to use their skills to
recognize the problems and come up with unexpected
solutions,” says Richard van der Laken, who founded
What Design Can Do in 2011. Started as a two-day
conference in Amsterdam, WDCD has developed into
a platform that champions the impact of design on
social innovation. “IKEA Foundation’s Better Shelter
project is a good example of what design can do for life
in refugee camps. Now designers have an opportunity
to show exactly what they can do for refugees who
reside in cities. Share the best you have!”
NETHERLANDS
BELGIUM
SWITZERLAND
ITALY
AUSTRIA
GERMANY
SWEDEN
European migration crisis 2015
Top countries of reception (in number of
asylum applicants per 10,000 inhabitants)
Refugees estimated in 2015
Source: Eurostat dataset
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | BACKGROUND
9
THREE PARTNERS,
ONE PURPOSE
The What Design Can Do Refugee Challenge is
a joint initiative of design platform What Design
Can Do, the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and
IKEA Foundation. Together they challenge the
international design community to come up with
ground-breaking ideas for the current refugee crisis.
What Design Can Do
What Design Can Do (WDCD) is an Amsterdam-based design platform
that advocates the social impact of design. WDCD raises awareness among
professionals and the public of the potential of creativity and calls on designers
to take responsibility and consider how their work can benefit society. It does
so by showcasing best practices, raising discussion and fostering collaboration.
Since its launch in 2011, WDCD has hosted six successful international design
conferences in Amsterdam and São Paulo.
Learn more at whatdesigncando.com/challenge
UNHCR and UNHCR Innovation
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established
on 14 December 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is
mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and
resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights
and wellbeing of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right
to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home
voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country.
UNHCR Innovation is a multi-departmental unit established within UNHCR to
work collaboratively with refugees, academia, and the private sector to creatively
address challenges faced by uprooted or stateless people worldwide. UNHCR
Innovation aims to empower staff to work together with refugee communities
to design innovative solutions to the challenges they face.
For more information about UNHCR Innovation and its work,
visit innovation.unhcr.org
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | BACKGROUND
10
IKEA Foundation
The IKEA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of INGKA Foundation,
the owner of the IKEA Group of companies. IKEA Foundation aims to
improve opportunities for children and youth in some of the world’s poorest
communities by funding holistic, long-term programmes that can create
substantial, lasting change. It works with strong strategic partners,
applying innovative approaches to achieve large-scale results.
Learn more at ikeafoundation.org
IKEA Foundation & UNHCR Partnership
Since 2010, IKEA Foundation has partnered with UNHCR to help create
better lives for thousands of refugee families and children in Asia, Africa
and the Middle East.
In 2015, the UNHCR, IKEA Foundation and BetterShelter.org launched
the so-called “flat-pack refugee shelter”, a safer, more durable emergency
shelter for refugee families, which has received widespread attention for
its innovative design.
Learn more at ikeafoundation.org
Support by Art of Impact theartofimpact.nl
and BankGiro Loterij bankgiroloterij.nl
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | BRIEF
11
03. Brief
SHARED SPACE,
SHARED FUTURE
How can design help cities and
refugees adapt to each other?
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
Refugees who seek asylum in a host country are limited in their
possibilities. They have restricted access to work, not much money
to spend, and sometimes even their freedom of movement is
restricted. Families are torn apart and asylum seekers live under
difficult circumstances that allow for little if any personal privacy.
As a result, if asylum is finally granted the big task of integration
still has to properly start, many months if not years after arrival.
Feeling human is hard under such circumstances.
A familiar design mantra asserts that “restrictions breed
creativity”. Designers excel in finding creative solutions and
opportunities within given limitations. Designers are also
great collaborators, accustomed to tackling complex situations
together. Given de complexity of the refugee crisis, the question
is What Design Can Do?
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | BRIEF
AVAILABLE
RESEARCH
To shape the briefs, extensive desk research and
field research was done to identify what experts say
urgently requires attention, and to find out how these
issues relate to the experience of refugees themselves.
These two perspectives led to the identification of
12
important themes such as work, health and education,
which were then used to compile relevant background
articles and personal stories. All this information is
available at whatdesigncando.com/challenge, enabling
you to make a quick start with your own research and
get an initial impression of the context.
themes at the same time, as indicated in each brief.
You are encouraged to take a holistic approach,
research several themes for the brief you choose,
and figure out how the themes connect around your
chosen brief. The best solutions will probably respond
to several themes.
Although it would be tempting to present briefs
dedicated to each theme, in reality they overlap and
are interrelated. Indeed, the most pressing issues
facing refugees are inextricably linked to several
We hope you enjoy continuing the research. It will
strengthen your ideas, solutions and interventions
and those of others. The briefs are outlined on the
following pages.
BASIC NEEDS
CONNECTION
TO HOME
HEALTH
INTEGRATION
& CULTURE
EDUCATION
MOBILITY
REFUGEE JOURNEY
FINANCE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
WORK
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | BRIEF
13
THE FIVE BRIEFS
1. WHAT DESIGN CAN DO TO IMPROVE SHELTERS AND RECEPTION CENTRES IN SOCIETY
2. WHAT DESIGN CAN DO TO FOSTER PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT WHILE WAITING FOR ASYLUM
3. WHAT DESIGN CAN DO TO BRING REFUGEES AND HOST COMMUNITIES CLOSER TO ONE ANOTHER
4. WHAT DESIGN CAN DO TO EXCHANGE ESSENTIAL INFORMATION WITH REFUGEES
5: WHAT DESIGN CAN DO TO MAXIMIZE THE POTENTIAL OF REFUGEES
APPLY FOR
CITIZENSHIP
ASYLUM
GRANTED
VOLUNTARY RETURN
TO HOME COUNTRY
ARRIVAL
CLAIM FOR
ASYLUM
EMERGENCY RECEPTION
SHELTER
CENTRE
IRREGULAR
STAY
REJECTION
FINAL
REJECTION
APPEAL
FORCED RETURN
TO HOME COUNTRY
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | BRIEF
14
BRIEF 1
The challenge
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO
TO IMPROVE SHELTERS
AND RECEPTION
CENTRES IN SOCIETY
Large shelter areas are opening to accommodate all the refugees arriving in Europe
today. Old schools, offices and even prisons are being transformed into temporary
housing units. Refugees live in crowded conditions and face a lack of privacy, often
for months, if not more than a year. Also, though more than one in three of the refugees
seeking asylum are children, current facilities are rarely child-friendly. At the same
time, local communities are overwhelmed by the many refugees in their neighbourhood.
Often, the little interaction between the two groups is a missed opportunity for quick
integration. The upshot is that integration has yet to start once asylum is granted,
which results in additional frustration and costs for everybody involved.
The opportunity
Experts argue for the creation of decentralized and smaller shelters that facilitate
better integration within society from the start. Designers are capable of envisioning
solutions that take various and sometimes conflicting interests into account. The
multiple stakeholders affected by this problem can benefit from the co-creation
skills of designers. Can we imagine a shelter that is an asset for both refugees and
the local population? And how could such a shelter facilitate interaction between the
two? Think, for instance, of possible interventions within the realms of architecture,
interior design, service design or even public space design.
Consider how you can strengthen, build on or enhance
the best things already happening, or come up with
an entirely new and great idea!
SUBMIT YOUR IDEA FOR THIS BRIEF
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | BRIEF
15
BRIEF 2
The challenge
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO
TO FOSTER PERSONAL
DEVELOPMENT WHILE
WAITING FOR ASYLUM
When refugees seeking asylum arrive in their host country, they are eager to start
a new life. However, in most European countries, until asylum has been granted,
refugees are limited in what they can do. Laws and lack of financial means often
restrict asylum seekers in their possibilities to move around, to enter education,
find work or engage in other activities. There is often a lot of waiting during the
asylum seeking process. This waiting causes great stress as the months go by,
as refugees and their children are forced to kill time in shelters. This lost time
could be used more effectively by starting the process of integrating into the
new society. How can refugees continue to develop personally during this waiting
period despite all the imposed limitations?
The opportunity
Limitations stimulate creativity because they focus the ever-exploring minds of
designers. Creativity finds ways around obstacles such as laws that prohibit work,
by designing activities that may not make money but give satisfaction, build reputation
and generate appreciation. The waiting itself can also be redesigned to make it more
purposeful and pleasurable, enabling people to make new friends and feel more in
control and respected. Every human needs something meaningful to do. What can
refugees do alone, together, and with others to enhance their social integration?
Consider how you can strengthen, build on or enhance
the best things already happening, or come up with
an entirely new and great idea!
SUBMIT YOUR IDEA FOR THIS BRIEF
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | BRIEF
16
BRIEF 3
The challenge
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO
TO BRING REFUGEES
AND HOST COMMUNITIES
CLOSER TO ONE ANOTHER
Since few people in host communities actually know refugees, most opinions of
refugees are shaped by the media, rather than through first-hand contact or personal
stories. This has resulted in a polarized debate in which emotion runs high. The
repercussions for the integration of refugees in European society are huge. A limited
or distorted understanding, by Europeans and refugees alike, of the values important
in each other’s cultures can form barriers to acceptance and integration. So how can
we create better connections between cultures?
The opportunity
Cultures can be connected in many ways. From creating activities or spaces
where people can meet, to devising communication campaigns and experiences
that build empathy, designers can find ways to reveal prejudices and stigmas, and
address these on rational as well as emotional levels. If successful interaction can
be established, there is much to be gained. Local communities can discover value
in the diversity brought by refugees, while refugee communities can establish social
ties that are crucial to their integration.
Consider how you can strengthen, build on or enhance
the best things already happening, or come up with
an entirely new and great idea!
SUBMIT YOUR IDEA FOR THIS BRIEF
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | BRIEF
17
BRIEF 4
The challenge
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO
TO EXCHANGE ESSENTIAL
INFORMATION WITH
REFUGEES
Many countries are still adapting to the large numbers of refugees entering Europe.
Laws and procedures are adopted and amended at local, national and European
levels on an ongoing basis. Governments, bottom-up volunteer initiatives and NGO
programmes try to communicate this essential information. However, such information
reaches refugees more or less randomly, making it difficult for them to obtain
accurate, clear and relevant information about their rights and available services.
Moreover, there is often little opportunity for refugees to provide feedback, making it
unclear whether current services meet their needs. This is a missed opportunity for
service improvement and innovation. How can we improve two-way communication
with refugees?
The opportunity
Designers are good at packaging complex, dynamic information into understandable
and accessible communication. Think of visualizations, digital interfaces, search
engines, media campaigns or toolkits that explain the rights and duties of refugees
and the services available to them. How can essential information in different countries
at different stages of the asylum procedure be communicated better? And how can
a successful feedback loop be established that will allow refugees to get involved in
the redesign of these services?
Consider how you can strengthen, build on or enhance
the best things already happening, or come up with
an entirely new and great idea!
SUBMIT YOUR IDEA FOR THIS BRIEF
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | BRIEF
18
BRIEF 5
The challenge
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO
TO MAXIMIZE THE
POTENTIAL OF REFUGEES
Refugees arriving in Europe bring with them skills and professional experience.
Large numbers of the refugee population are highly educated and possess valuable
skills. However, this is not reflected in the integration of refugees who have been
granted asylum in the labour market, where participation is still low. Some formal
barriers like language proficiency, lack of diploma recognition and gaps in CVs exist.
But what is much tougher to deal with are the ‘informal’ barriers such as prejudices
and the lack of a social and professional network needed to find work. This is a
missed opportunity in both the short-term (refugees can positively influence their
host community by bringing new skills and generating income), and the long term
(refugees who achieve some degree of self-reliance during their asylum can be an
asset to their war-torn homelands once they return). How can European societies
recognize and reap the rewards that refugees offer?
The opportunity
Discovering and creating value and meaning is key in many design professions.
Designers excel at uncovering and tapping the potential that lies beyond the
obvious opportunities that most people see. What skills, knowledge, capacities
and capabilities do refugees bring? What could these contributions mean in the
host country? Finding ways to empower refugees and showcase their talents and
skills could benefit businesses and organizations, help combat prejudice and
expand the professional network of refugees.
Consider how you can strengthen, build on or enhance
the best things already happening, or come up with
an entirely new and great idea!
SUBMIT YOUR IDEA FOR THIS BRIEF
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | PROCESS
19
04. Process
The WDCD Refugee Challenge covers the entire year of 2016.
The process falls into seven phases, including the call for proposals,
feedback, time for improvement of entries, nomination, jury
selection and announcement of finalists on 1 July in Amsterdam.
TIME FOR
ACTION
After this the acceleration phase starts, in which the finalists
receive the budget and expert support to develop their ideas into
a working prototype, followed by the pitch phase in which the
elaborated plans are presented to possible implementation partners.
Finally, the outcome of the challenge is announced in December
and presented in an exhibition.
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | PROCESS
1
20
2
3
4
INITIATE
CONTRIBUTE
IMPROVE
NOMINATE
OPEN CALL:
19 FEBRUARY – 1 MAY 2016
FEEDBACK:
1 – 14 MAY 2016
REFINEMENT:
15 MAY – 1 JUNE 2016
SELECTION & PRESENTATION:
1 JUNE – 1 JULY 2016
The call to participate in the WDCD
Refugee Challenge will be open from
19 February 2016 until 1 May 2016.
Through the challenge website
whatdesigncando.com/challenge
designers and creative minds from
all disciplines will have access to
loads of background information
and inspiration. The same platform
allows participants to upload their
proposals, including a pitch video.
Ideas improve with feedback. In this
phase participants and other registered
platform users from the communities of
WDCD, UNHCR and IKEA Foundation
are invited to rate and comment online
on the proposals entered. The ultimate
goal here is to help one another and
get the best out of the proposed ideas.
This phase also offers participants
a chance to forge new collaborative
partnerships. Want to join another team
to strengthen their ideas? Just ask!
Entrants have two weeks time
to adjust their ideas based on the
feedback received in the previous
phase, and submit final proposals.
Registered website users can now
vote for the proposals they consider
the best. Based on the outcome,
the challenge partners WDCD, IKEA
Foundation and UNHCR Innovation
will establish a shortlist of 20-30
entries. This shortlist will then be
put before our international jury of
renowned designers / creatives from
all disciplines, together with a group
of refugees and experts from other
relevant fields. On 1 July, during the
WDCD Live Amsterdam conference,
the jury will announce the five finalists.
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | PROCESS
21
5
6
7
ACCELERATE
PITCH
MAKE IT HAPPEN!
DESIGN & PROTOTYPING:
2 JULY – 2 OCTOBER 2016
ASSESSMENT & FINAL PRESENTATION:
3 OCTOBER – 3 NOVEMBER 2016
IMPLEMENTATION:
STARTING DECEMBER 2016
This is probably the most important phase of the
challenge, in which design really must demonstrate
that it can be a force for social change. Each of the
five finalists will receive a grant of up to 10,000 euros
to develop their proposal into a working prototype,
supported by a business plan. A group of coaches
from various design disciplines will be available to
support the teams during this phase. IKEA Foundation
and UNHCR will host workshops with experts
and refugees to test the prototypes and help with
feasibility studies. This phase will be extensively
covered on WDCD and partner blogs and social media,
enabling the public to see the designers at work.
The finalists present their prototypes and business
plans to a group of potential implementation partners
and investors, brought together by the challenge
partners. This session should conclude with their
commitment to adopt one or more of the proposed
designs. The five solutions and the overall winner(s)
will be presented at a What Design Can Do event in
November / December 2016.
Although this phase unfolds beyond the remit of
WDCD, both WDCD and the challenge partners
will follow and report on developments relating to
the implementation of the finalists’ plans through
their established channels. Once the implementation
is a fact, WDCD and the challenge partners will
announce this in style!
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
PROCESS
CONDITIONS
RESEARCH
CREDITS
WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | CONDITIONS
22
05. Conditions
WHAT ARE WE
LOOKING FOR?
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
Millions of refugees deserve the best solutions the international
design community has to offer. We need bold, innovative,
disruptive, feasible and scalable ideas, which can be products,
spaces, services, programmes, systems or technologies.
Participants can choose to answer to one or more of the specified
briefs on the previous pages. They may propose new ideas or
come up with existing concepts that require further refinement.
A proactive attitude in collaborating with stakeholders (refugees /
asylum seekers, public authorities, NGOs, host communities,
companies) during the ideation process is appreciated. As is a
generous mind and willingness to share your ideas with specialists
and the general public throughout the Challenge (although you
can also submit ideas directly to the jury without disclosing
them to the public).
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New and improved ideas
For this challenge you can submit entirely new
ideas, but also improvements for existing concepts.
Collaboration is key in the entire challenge process,
so don’t hesitate to react to ideas of others.
How will the ideas be judged?
The proposals will be judged according the following
criteria:
• Creativity / originality
• Relevance (for refugees and other stakeholders)
• Feasibility
• S calability
• Potential impact
The decisions of the jury will be legally binding
and are not in any way contestable.
Who can enter?
• Designers, creatives and innovative thinkers &
doers of any age from all countries and disciplines
• I ndividuals, companies, agencies, institutions,
collectives, universities, art schools, high schools,
elementary schools, yes, even kindergartens
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
23
How to enter?
All proposals should be entered via challenge website:
whatdesigncando.com/challenge
Entrants who don’t have frequent access to internet or
don’t wish to share their ideas publically (for competitive reasons) can download this entry form and send
us their proposal to: [email protected]
Proposals should include:
• Max 250-word explanatory text
• One key image to illustrate your idea
• A PDF of maximum 5 A4 pages, with a further
explanation and visuals of your idea
• One-minute pitch video, introducing yourself
or your team and your idea
Why enter?
• You are concerned about the refugee crisis and
want to make a contribution to a possible solution.
• You will be part of a global creative network and can
benefit from its combined knowledge and creativity
• You have access to the expertise and support of
renowned humanitarian organizations such as
UNHCR and IKEA Foundation.
• You have the chance of receiving exposure for your
ideas through our communication channels and
media partnerships.
• I f you are one of the finalists, you’ll not only receive
a grant of up to 10,000 euros, but will also join a
special design lab and master class with renowned
designers to help develop your ideas further, resulting
in concrete prototypes and / or business plans.
What happens to your ideas?
• A s an entrant, you retain full ownership of your idea
• Should you choose to publish your proposal on the
online platform, you give WDCD and its partners
the right to publish your idea on all possible media
channels throughout the challenge.
• Should you choose to make your proposal available
to the jury only, your entry will be presented publically if you are shortlisted or selected as one of the
five finalists.
• Should a potential implementation partner or investor
express an interest in developing or supporting your
idea (even if you are not among the five finalists),
you are free to decide how to share your intellectual
property. If desired, we can assist and advise you.
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06. Research
SUPPORTING
MATERIAL
AND ADDITIONAL
CONTEXT
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
From the moment we decided to start this Challenge, in May
2015, the refugee issue has developed into a full-blown crisis,
urging political leaders, NGOs and citizens to take action and
join hands.
Over the course of half a year we have gathered a lot of
interesting research through both desk and field research.
We won’t bore you with a huge amount of annotated data,
but we do want to share with you some facts divided into eight
separate themes. Furthermore, you can check our blog at
whatdesigncando.com/challenge where we will publish best
design and innovation practices, inspiring refugee stories and
thought-provoking ideas by leading thinkers.
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EXPLORATION
OF THEMES
25
To shape the briefs, extensive desk and field research
was done to identify what experts say urgently needs
to be addressed, and how these issues relate to what
refugees themselves experience. These two perspectives
led to important themes such as work, health and
education, which were used to collect relevant background articles and personal stories.
This information is accessible if you enter the challenge,
to make a quick start with your own research and get
a first impression of the context. Even though it would
be tempting to create separate briefs related to each
theme, in reality the themes overlap and are interrelated, and the most pressing issues facing refugees
relate to several of the themes, as indicated in each
brief. You are encouraged to take an holistic approach,
research several themes for the brief you choose,
and figure out how the themes connect around your
chosen brief.
The best solutions will probably respond to several
of the themes.
BASIC NEEDS
HEALTH
CONNECTION TO HOME
MOBILITY
FINANCE
WORK
EDUCATION & TRAINING
INTEGRATION
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THEME 1
The context
BASIC NEEDS
Basic needs, or a person’s livelihood, refers to their ‘means of securing the basic
necessities of life: water, food, clothing and shelter.
Upon arrival, refugees are generally accommodated in temporary shelters until
their request for asylum is processed. This can take several months or even years.
Families often get a private house unit, while refugees travelling alone get to share
a house unit with others.
Having a safe home is an urgent necessity for refugees. Refugee shelters, and
especially emergency shelters, provide for the minimum needs but often lack
privacy, meaningful pursuits, and freedom of choice (food, clothing). Refugees
are dependent on what is provided to them by NGOs and volunteers.
The quality of these shelters varies from country to country across Europe, and
can even differ within a single city. Refugees might hear about better conditions
somewhere else, but are, by law, not allowed to choose their shelter or move to
another one. They might, however, be moved to other shelters, as a result of
authorities trying to distribute refugees better across the available shelters.
After the status is granted, refugees can get access to social housing. This, however,
takes time, and the available housing can be in a totally different area to where they
have spent their time while their request for asylum was pending. From there they
can finally make a new start and try to become self-sustainable.
Amer:
‘When I arrived at Central Reception Centre I was very tired.
Unfortunately the centre was full. So during the first three
days I couldn’t shower and had to sleep on a table.’
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THEME 1
BASIC NEEDS
NGOS
B
REFUGEES &
CHILDREN
E
LOCAL
COMMUNITY
NATIONAL
AUTHORITIES
EU
AUTHORITIES
INTRODUCTION
A. Refugees & Children
• Create the best possible living space
for themselves and their family
• Regain independence and control
and become self-sufficient
• Need to adapt to people from various
nationalities and religions living
in the same shelter
B. Local Community
• I nvolvement in provision
of donations and support
• A pprehensive of the effect of
allocating social housing to refugees
C
F
Interests & needs
of stakeholders
D
E. National Authorities
• Distribute refugees evenly across
cities and neighbourhoods
• Discourage economic refugees
by keeping shelters basic
• Control costs related to the
provision of basic refugee needs
F. EU Authorities
• Distribute the refugees evenly
across countries
• Create standards
C. NGOs
• Coordinate efforts of volunteers
• L obby for change in policy
D. Local Authorities
• Open flexible shelters to
accommodate growing demand and
cater for periods of low occupation
• Distribute available social housing
• Control housing costs
(construction and management)
• Maintain a good atmosphere
among citizens
LOCAL
AUTHORITIES
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THEME 2
The context
HEALTH
Refugees seeking asylum may suffer from physical symptoms related to untreated
illness or wounds. Additionally, many refugees have suffered from traumatic
experiences and suffer from high levels of stress related to their past, and to their
uncertain future.
The access refugees have during the asylum request to national health services
differs across EU countries. Knowing what services are available in the host
country and how to access them can be quite a challenge. This is not just the
case for refugees; often, healthcare providers themselves are not quite sure
what rules and regulations apply to refugees seeking asylum.
During the asylum request period, there is a tendency to concentrate on acute
complaints. Attention for psychological help is insufficient. This short-term mindset
can cause problems in the long term. Also, language barriers and cultural differences
make interaction with healthcare providers difficult and cause misunderstandings.
As a result, refugees seeking asylum might feel their health and mental wellbeing
is not getting the attention it deserves.
Inas:
‘But it was only once I got to the asylum centre that I truly
realized what I’d been through. I felt awful. I spent entire days
crying, for my parents, for my country, my house, all that I had
left behind. And even though I was safe now, I was still scared.
That fear stays with you for a very long time.’
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THEME 2
Interests & needs
of stakeholders
HEALTH
A. Refugees
• K now where to go for help
• Get medical care or mental
support when needed
• Feel cared for: their health is as
important as that of other citizens
• Deal with language barriers and
cultural differences
NGOS
B
E
HEALTHCARE
PROVIDERS
REFUGEES
D
E. National Authorities
• Each EU country has different
rules regarding access to healthcare
for refugees seeking asylum
• Control healthcare costs
• Control the spread of diseases
B. Healthcare providers
• I mprove awareness of rules and
regulations regarding refugee
care and insurance
• Deal with growing demand
• Deal with language barriers
and cultural differences
C
NATIONAL
AUTHORITIES
D. Local Authorities
• Facilitate access to healthcare
C. NGOs
• Monitor the quality of healthcare
to refugees
• I nform refugees so they know
where to turn to in case of need
• I nfom healthcare providers
about rules and regulations
LOCAL
AUTHORITIES
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THEME 3
The context
CONNECTION
TO HOME
Often refugees travel alone because the journey is too dangerous to undertake
with their family. For considerable time, families are separated and live far apart.
The smartphone acts as a lifeline. It allows refugees to stay in contact with family
and friends, they can capture their journey and experiences, and through social
media, they can share information about areas to avoid and where to find support.
Reuniting their family as soon as possible is generally the most important aim for
refugees travelling alone, but this process can take long and the conditions are
strict. Until this has been achieved, staying in touch with their loved ones is not
only important from a personal perspective, but knowing the location of family
members is also crucial during the reunification process.
Finding a good balance between staying in touch with the home country and
integrating in the host country is key. Attention for integration in the host country
is important obviously. But keeping a connection with their home country and
culture is also important and meaningful.
Inas:
‘I joined my husband and my daughter nine months later.
I had not seen my daughter during all that time. She did
not remember who I was when I saw her. She didn’t want me
to hold her or pick her up. I had become a stranger to her.’’
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THEME 3
CONNECTION
TO HOME
Interests & needs
of stakeholders
A. Refugees
• Keep in touch with those left behind
• L ocate family members remotely
• Reunite the family as soon as possible
• Don’t lose touch with home culture
B. NGOs
• Support family reunification
procedure by informing and
helping refugees
• L obby for change in policy
• P repare for return
C
C. Local Authorities
• Mediate between refugees
and local community
D. National Authorities
• I nvestigate whether families
are entitled to be reunited
(can take long)
• Control costs
• P repare for future return
LOCAL
AUTHORITIES
REFUGEES
D
B
NGOS
NATIONAL
AUTHORITIES
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THEME 4
The context
MOBILITY
Mobility is a means of contact, discovery and freedom. One of the main driving
forces of refugees’ mobility is the wish to reach other family members and
friends hosted in other centres, cities and countries and get to know their new
living environment.
Refugees often encounter mobility friction on both a local and international scale.
These frictions are linked to their legal status, the place where they are hosted
(a remote village or city) and the cost and availability of transportation.
While the asylum application is being processed, a refugee can’t leave the country
where the claim for asylum was made. But he is, in theory, free to move in the
city and country where he is hosted. However, in practice this is often difficult
due to financial limitations. As a result, refugees often just stay in the place where
the asylum centre is located and cannot explore their new living environment.
This is especially frustrating when their centre is based in a remote area.
After being granted a status, a refugee faces no legal limitations on his movement.
However, finances are still very limited, and thus is access to transport. This can
cause problems in daily activities, for instance getting to appointments (integration
courses, doctor, work).
Essam:
‘I would like to visit my wife, daughter and sister.
They are in another asylum centre, but I do not
have enough money to take the train.’
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THEME 4
Interests & needs
of stakeholders
MOBILITY
A. Refugees
• Reach family members and friends
in the city, country or other countries
• Discover their new host country
• Broaden their social network
• Be able to do normal daily activities
that might require mobility
B. Local Community
• I mpressed by groups of refugees
strolling around their neighbourhood
• S et up private initiatives, for
instance to offer tools for mobility
or ‘welcome’ tours to refugees
C
NGOS
D
B
LOCAL
AUTHORITIES
LOCAL
COMMUNITY
E
REFUGEES
D. Local Authorities
• Balancing the needs of ‘regular’
citizens and those of refugees and
experiment with solutions to do so
(for instance free public transport)
E. National Authorities
• Distribute refugees evenly
across cities
F. EU Authorities
• Find common agreement to
distribute refugees evenly
across countries
C. NGOs
• Mediate between refugees and
local authorities
• Encourage and support private
initiatives
• K now where refugees are based
in order to provide support
NATIONAL
AUTHORITIES
F
EU
AUTHORITIES
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THEME 5
The context
FINANCE
Refugees often have spent all of their money to flee from their home country
to reach Europe. By the time they arrive, many have not much money left.
Before asylum is granted, access to remunerated work is very restricted in
European countries, and refugees are for most part dependent on what is
provided to them by the host country and volunteers.
When asylum is granted, refugees have the right to work and they can pursue
economic independence, but access to the labour market is difficult and often
takes some time (see ‘work’ theme).
Overall, refugees are very eager to become financially reliant as soon as possible
to gain more control, be less dependent on others, and become selfsufficient.
There is also much to be gained from the perspective of authorities, who currently
face rising costs in providing the basic needs.
Halat:
‘My husband and I were very eager to get work.
You do not want to be dependent on benefits.
I also wanted to give my children a bright future.’
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THEME 5
Interests & needs
of stakeholders
FINANCE
C
D. Local Authorities
• Facing costs to manage
the refugee crisis
B. Local Community
• Address fear that refugees are taking
advantage of national welfare systems:
refugees are perceived as an economic
burden and not a resource
• Donate
E. National Authorities
• Manage costs related
to basic needs
C. NGOs
• Offer basic economic support
and basic needs
• Support initiatives that lead
to self-sufficiency
NGOS
D
F. EU Authorities
• Divide costs by distributing
refugees across Europe
• Discourage refugees from coming
to Europe by providing for basic
needs only
B
LOCAL
AUTHORITIES
E
A. Refugees
• Support their families needs
• P ursue economic independence
LOCAL
COMMUNITY
REFUGEES
NATIONAL
AUTHORITIES
F
EU
AUTHORITIES
INTRODUCTION
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THEME 6
The context
WORK
When you work, you contribute to society. Work (either voluntary or paid) allows
you to stay active and be involved. Additionally, earning an income makes you
independently engaged and appreciated.
The rules concerning access to work for refugees seeking asylum differ between
the European states. In some countries, refugees seeking asylum are not allowed
to work at all. In other countries, they can have access to work after a period of
time and under strict conditions. Yet in other countries they are allowed to work.
The challenge related to this topic thus differs in each European country.
When asylum has been granted, working is allowed, but a couple of factors make
finding a suitable job difficult: language barriers, unrecognized diplomas, gaps
in CVs, lack of network and prejudices, to name just a few. So the challenge
becomes quite different.
The various barriers facing refugees in terms of accessing the jobs market mean
missed opportunities on many levels. Refugees could positively contribute to
national and local economies in Europe. Their involvement could spark new local
businesses and entrepreneurship and provide answers to local community problems.
Also, it has been shown that refugees who remain active will feel empowered to
return to their home country to rebuild their country.
Khalid:
‘The challenge in Sweden is that I have to forget that
I was a diplomat. Initially I was looking for academic jobs.
But the viable jobs for me now are in restaurants or cafes.’
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THEME 6
Interests & needs
of stakeholders
WORK
A. Refugees
• Financial independence
• I nvolvement and empowerment
• Contribution to host community
• Creation of network
• Skills / approaches to bring back
to their countries
B. Local Community
• Jobseekers fear competition
from refugees on labour market
• Opportunity for the creation
of new jobs to take care of the
growing number of refugees
C
E
NGOS
B
NATIONAL
AUTHORITIES
D
LOCAL
AUTHORITIES
F
REFUGEES
LOCAL
COMMUNITY
G
C. NGOs
• L obby for access to work
• Matchmaking between businesses
and refugees
• Coaching of job seekers
(by volunteers)
• Facilitate the entry of refugees
on the job market
• Start work initiative to activate
refugees
• P revent exploitation of refugees
D. Local Authorities
• Facilitate access to job market
according to local needs
• Mediate between local community
and refugees
E. National Authorities
• Enhance contribution of refugees
to national economic systems
• Stimulate refugees’ independence
• Counter exploitation
• Limit number of unemployed
refugees who need economic
support
• L imit rights of refugees seeking
asylum in order to prevent rapid
integration and settlement
F. EU Authorities
• Advisory role
G. Companies
• P redjudiced in hiring refugees
• Use the potential of a talented
workforce
COMPANIES
EU
AUTHORITIES
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THEME 7
The context
EDUCATION
& TRAINING
Education is not only a platform for gaining knowledge and skills, but also the basis
for integration, cultural and social exchange, mutual understanding and friendship.
It is as such a key aspect for all age groups.
For children, education is a right. However, for refugee children various barriers
exist. For instance, finding a place in schools near the shelter where they live.
Schools might have difficulties in addressing the special needs required to help
refugee children take part in school activities. These barriers make it difficult
for refugee children to receive the education they deserve.
For adults, basic language and cultural integration training is generally offered
after the status is granted (see Integration theme), but there is room for a broader
exploration of what education could mean for refugees, how it could prepare them
better for local employment opportunities, and how it could be made more accessible.
Around Europe, citizen initiatives have arisen in which informal training (i.e.
language, skills, sport, art, music, drama classes, etc) is given to refugees on a
voluntary or exchange basis. There is also room to explore what educating or
training refugee communities could offer to local communities.
Amer:
‘I think learning Dutch is important but in the asylum
seekers centre no education is offered. That is why, during
the past six months, I’ve thought myself one word a day.
I used the internet and YouTube to teach myself Dutch words.’
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THEME 7
EDUCATION
& TRAINING
Interests & needs
of stakeholders
A. Refugees
• Cultural integration: language,
culture, local customs
• P repare for local work demand /
improve skills
B. Local Community
• Offer informal training
• Mutual integration and adaptation
C. NGOs
• I nform about access to education
• Offer training
• Mediate between refugees and
schools
C
E
NATIONAL
AUTHORITIES
D
LOCAL
AUTHORITIES
NGOS
B
D. Local Authorities
• Facilitate access to formal and
informal education systems
• Help local community
in providing training
E. National Authorities
• P rovide access to basic
education and training
F. EU Authorities
• Advisory role
G. Children
• Go to school
• Make new friends
H. Schools
• Deal with children / adults
who had traumatic experience
• Deal with worried parents
of native children
• Access subsidies
LOCAL
COMMUNITY
REFUGEES
G
H
CHILDREN
F
SCHOOLS
EU
AUTHORITIES
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THEME 8
The context
INTEGRATION
Arriving in a host country means arriving in a totally new culture, with a new
language, new customs and new (unwritten) codes. In order to participate
in this new society, refugees need to integrate in the new culture.
Authorities often provide ‘basic education’ to refugees in the form of languag and
integration courses. Learning the new language is really key: the need to understand
and speak the host country’s language is immediate from the perspective of the
refugees. However, access to language courses differs among European countries,
and some countries only provide language courses after a status has been granted.
Putting these ‘basic’ courses into practice and connecting with the local population
is another challenge. Life in a refugee shelter is quite protected: everything is
provided and making contact with the local community is difficult. Therefore real
‘integration’ often starts at the moment the asylum request has been granted and
refugees have their own living space and can become independent again.
Better and earlier integration would be beneficial on many levels. For refugees
obviously, as it would enable them to really start building a new life and future.
Also, better integration could also alleviate existing prejudices by establishing
personal contacts between host communities and refugees and thereby help
build stability in future societies.
Inas:
‘After a while, we were offered a house. No one really
spoke to us when we moved there. The fact that I wore
a hijab wasn’t helping. That’s why I took it off, to get
more of a connection with the people in my area.’
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THEME 8
INTEGRATION
Interests & needs
of stakeholders
A. Refugees
• L earn the language
• Understand the host-country
culture and codes
• Build a social network
• Become part of local community
B. Local Community
• Polarized debate: Some might
have negative prejudices while
others might want to help
C. NGOs
• Support the quick integration of
refugees (formal and informal)
• Offer trainings
C
D. Local Authorities
• Facilitate access to formal
education systems
• Ensure smooth integration for
both refugees and local community
E. National Authorities
• I ntegration before a status is granted
is in some countries seen as a risk:
refugees might settle too quickly
and stay for too long
• Stimulate integration through
education & training
F. Media
• I mportant role in shaping opinions
NGOS
E
REFUGEES
NATIONAL
AUTHORITIES
B
LOCAL
COMMUNITY
D
LOCAL
AUTHORITIES
F
MEDIA
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SUBMIT YOUR IDEAS
UNHCR is kindly hosting this challenge on the
UNHCR Ideas platform that is part of the UNHCR
Innovation portal. Register and upload your ideas
on https://refugeechallenge.unhcrideas.org/
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WHAT DESIGN CAN DO REFUGEE CHALLENGE | CREDITS
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The WDCD Refugee Challenge is a collaboration of:
Supported by:
Media partner:
Research partner:
de
zeen
Photography by:
Cover: © UNHCR / Achilleas Zavallis
Page 5 & 23: © Achilleas Zavallis / Gordon Welters
Page 10: © UNHCR / IKEA Foundation
Back cover: © UNHCR / Achilleas Zavallis
Design & Art direction by:
www.designpolitie.nl
For more information, contact:
[email protected]
www.whatdesigncando.com/challenge
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IN COLLABORATION WITH:
SUPPORTED BY:
JOIN THE #REFUGEECHALLENGE
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