The overall objective of the project is to ensure the sustainability of assisted voluntary returns from Lithuania by assisting vulnerable returnees tailored to their specific needs in returning to their countries of origin. For the purpose of this project vulnerable migrants shall be defined as the following: • persons with health problems; • victims of human trafficking; • pregnant women; • single parents (father or mother returning alone with their child/children); • large families (with three and more children); • elderly persons (from 60 years on); • unaccompanied minors.

This project is a continuation of the IOM Vilnius project "Assisted voluntary return for vulnerable persons" implemented from the European Return Fund. In the previous project, a special programme setting the guidelines, criteria, and procedure of providing return assistance to vulnerable persons was created. IOM staff was trained to work with vulnerable groups.

This project is intended to provide comprehensive resettlement services to those refugees identified by the Government of Lithuania for resettlement to Lithuania in 2016 and 2017. Resettlement will take place from Turkey. The Migration department under the Ministry of the Interior (MD), in coordination with UNHCR, will be responsible for the selection of refugees from the files submitted by the UNHCR. The interviews will take place in the premises of the Embassy of Lithuania in Turkey.

This project aims to change the current situation by building and/or strengthening the intercultural capacity of specialists working in the police or migration departments with third countries nationals (TCN’s). In pursuit of this objective, IOM Vilnius Office will initiate a two-stage learning process (16 academic hours) for the target group of specialists: 1. An e-learning program having 2 theoretical modules: a) Legal aspects of residence of TCN’s in Lithuania (International and EU conventions, National legislation); b) Cultural aspects of specific ethno-geographical zones; and 2.