In 2016, while she was a master's student in Paris, Camila Ríos Armas volunteered for an association in Calais. There, she met many refugees with high qualifications from their home countries, who asked her how to resume their studies in France. She started by gathering information before deciding to propose solutions herself by creating UniR.
"We put a significant effort, within the association, into combating professional downgrading by providing individuals with the keys and opportunities to remain active in their professions, in the careers where they already have experience or in fields they wish to pursue,” explains Camila Ríos Armas.
Professional downgrading is a prevalent phenomenon among foreign individuals, particularly refugees. For someone who was a doctor, lawyer, prosecutor, dentist, or journalist in their home country, it is very challenging to re-enter the same fields of expertise, as many professions are heavily regulated in France.
“We can see it from a professional standpoint, in the sense that the person cannot work in the fields where they have experience, but professional downgrading also leads to a class downgrade, meaning that individuals who had a social status in their home country find themselves starting from scratch,” clarifies Camila Ríos Armas.
Finally, professional downgrading also has emotional consequences, affecting mental health. “So it’s a quite complex phenomenon that places individuals in a vulnerable situation, not only from a material perspective but also from a human and mental standpoint,” she adds.
UniR has therefore developed a personalized support program for resuming studies and professional integration.
"If we have the capacity to properly welcome refugees and provide them with the tools to thrive, the entire society will benefit,” concludes Camila Ríos Armas.
