Research: Migrations Arabic: description and analysis of the Arabic-speaking migrations special language
The research project “Migrations Arabic” aims at describing and analysing the Migration Special Language used in the context of Arabic speaker migrations to Italy and EU. The first step will be the creation of a data based linguistic corpus. Linguistic data will be drawn both from internal communication within Arabic speaker migrant communities and from linguistic interaction between migrants and relevant decision-maker institutions, thus will contain both colloquial and standard forms.
The frequency and relevance analysis of the collected data will led to the drafting of a migration lexicon able to represent the Arabic variation in the migration special language. Hence, with a sociolinguistics approach, the research will focus on the sociopolitical factors that stand behind the Arabic variation in migration context, such as the impact of EU migration policies on the language used by migrant communities.
FIELD WORK EXPERIENCES
Reception Expert Officer
EUAA (European Union Agency for Asylum) – Trapani
Feb 2023 – Oct 2023
▪ Provide technical support to Prefecture of Trapani with the regards to arrival, reception and transfers of Asylum Seekers ▪ Organize in coordination with institutional stakeholders the procedure and the logistic of the asylum seekers’ transfers from Pantelleria and Egadi Islands to Trapani ▪ Find suitable solutions in terms of accommodation for vulnerable asylum seekers with specific reception needs ▪ Carry out monitoring visit in cooperation with Prefecture’s personnel to the reception centres located in the area ▪Liaise with local social services and responsible actors for prompt allocation of Unaccompanied Children ▪ Provide guidance to Prefecture personnel and reception centres employees with regards to applicants with specific needs in the asylum process ▪ Coordinate with local NGO’s, international organizations and local stakeholders in order to establish a supporting network to respond to vulnerable applicants’ needs ▪ Provide regular updates to Ministry of Interior (DLCI) regarding arrivals and transfers of asylum seekers ▪ Regularly update a comprehensive database of all persons disembarked in Trapani area and transferred to reception facilities
Aug 2022 – Dec 2022 Senior Field Assistant
UNHCR Italy – Protection Unit – Catania
▪ Attend Persons of Concern disembarkations in Sicily ▪ Identify and refer to competent authorities people that might be in need of international protection ▪ Identify vulnerable cases through observation and by conducting vulnerability assessment interviews. Refer identified cases to competent authorities and not institutional stakeholders ▪ Organize group info sessions in Arabic, English, French and Persian with new arrivals regarding International Protection, EU Asylum system, Italian reception conditions and Dublin Regulation ▪ Monitor reception conditions, both at hotspots and prefecture reception facilities ▪ Establish a network with institutional stakeholders and NGO to gather information regarding arrivals and disembarkations ▪ Conduct border monitoring interviews with arrivals and monitor social media to identify new migration trends ▪ Draft daily and weekly reports
Education Consultant
Save the Children – CivicoZero (Community Centre for UASC)– Catania (Sicily)
Oct 2021 – Jul 2022
▪ Design and implement a weekly workshop focused on Figurative arts through recycled materials with Unaccompanied Minors. The workshop aims at enhancing self confidence in the participants through learning new artistic skills and creating artworks. It represents as well as an art therapy intervention, where the participants can relax and decompress through the manual work.
▪ Identify vulnerabilities that may arise during the workshops and through the artworks
Education Officer
Save the Children – CivicoZero (Community Centre for UASC)– Catania (Sicily)
July 2021 – October 2021 ▪ Implement the education program and act as focal point for all educational related activities in CivicoZero, monitoring that a child friendly communication and child centred approach are always applied. Find solutions, inside the centre and through external partners, to the education needs and personal vocations identified among the beneficiaries. Design and Implement workshops and laboratories. Supervise external consultant and teachers deployed at CivicoZero ▪ Identify legal and social vulnerabilities among the beneficiaries and proactively participate to team discussions focused on BIA and BID. Participate to Outreach mission to intercept street children on the move and respond to their basic needs.
Protection Monitoring Team Leader
Danish Refugee Council – Northern Greece
April - June 2021 ▪ Supervise and coordinate a team composed by 3 Protection Officers, 3 Protection Social Workers and 4 Protection Assistants implementing the DRC Protection Program in 3 different sites in Northern Greece (SKG Area). Provide technical support for Protection related field issues to the team, organize weekly schedules and activities planning. Chair weekly team meetings.
▪ Identify protection risks and trends through systematic data analyses and draft accordingly monthly reports, both internal and for donors. Identify solutions or risk mitigation measures for the Protection Risks identified ▪ Represent DRC Northern Greece Protection in meetings with other stakeholders and during sub sectorial meetings ▪ Manage budget lines allocated for Protection Activities including community-based activities ▪ Act as focal point for all HR related issues regarding Protection Monitoring team (leaves planning, recruitment procedures, evaluations)
August 2020 –April 2021 Protection Monitoring Officer
Danish Refugee Council – Northern Greece
▪ Focal point for all protection related issues in Lagadikia camp; liaison focal point with other protection actors ▪ Identify protection risks affecting the population of the camp, through daily monitoring find and propose durable solutions • Identify vulnerable individuals through systematic vulnerability assessment and refer them to appropriate services • Constant monitoring of case management by other actor monitoring and follow up on referred cases • Organize and conduct Focus Group Discussions and Protection Informative Sessions • Identify and support community-based self-protection mechanisms among the beneficiaries • Support and facilitate integration tools for Recognized Refugees ▪ Liaise with the Ministry of Migration’s Camp manager and other Site Management actors for protection related issues • Organize and chair monthly protection meetings with stakeholders and external partners • Manage a monthly budget for Individual Protection Assistance interventions ▪ Write weekly and monthly report, update Means of Verification tracker, Prepare and submit Excel vulnerable cases lists
July 2019 –Dec 2019 Arabic Interpreter / Cultural Mediator
UNHCR Spain – Melilla
▪ Translate UNHCR information and counselling session (individual and in groups) to persons of concern arriving to Melilla from and into Spanish, Arabic (Standard and Moroccan, Levantine, Yemeni dialects), French, English ▪ Find linguistic and communication strategies to convey core UNHCR messages taking into account the AGD perspective of the targeted PoC; Conduct FGD discussions, Informative sessions in Arabic, French and English ▪ Conduct FGD with UASC in order to detect Child Protection risks and legal needs; carry out monitoring visits to reception facilities ▪ Identify Asylum seekers and Migrants with Specific Needs • Conduct vulnerabilities and needs assessment individual interview • Attend and monitor RSD interviews conducted by Spanish Police ▪ Conduct Border Monitoring interview, identify new migration routes and trends in arrivals, write migration routes reports • Draft and conduct border monitoring survey, collect and analyse data on routes reports
Protection Assistant (Community Based)
UNHCR Greece– Lesbos – Moria and Kara Tepe Camp
March 2019 – July 2019 • Protection Monitoring and Outreach in Moria Camp and Kara Tepe • Identify Protection risks and Protection Cases • Identify Child Protection Cases, case management and referral to specialized services • Information Provision to the new arrivals
• Conduct Focus Group Discussions and Participatory assessment within the communities (in Arabic and French) to identify protection risks and internal resources to enforce community self protection ▪ Organize and facilitate Communication with Communities meetings • Support RIC in the identification of Communities Representatives ▪ Monitoring visit to Unaccompanied Minors reception facilities, conduct focus group discussion to identify protection risks ▪ Liaise with implementing partners concerning various project funded by UNHCR • Monitor non formal education activities implemented by partners • Participate to Child Protection and Education sub working groups • Provide inputs in regards to the the annual Community Based UNHCR strategy planning
• Draft daily and weekly reports • Update ProGres list for UASC
1st August 2018 – March 2019
Protection Assistant
Child Friendly Space Facilitator
Danish Refugee Council – Central Greece, Koutsochero Camp
• Support the implementation of general protection activities; contribute to the Protection Monitoring activities; Identify vulnerable individuals and facilitate appropriate action, write referrals to specialized services; conduct Focus Group Discussion with the communities • Focal point for protection monitoring activities with the Francophone community onsite, including visits, case-identification and case-referral• Identify individual child-protection cases, discuss with supervisors BIA and BID and refer them to the specialized agencies ▪ Design and implement recreational activities for the children proportionate to the identified protection concerns applying a child-centered approach. Increased child-attendance to the CFS activities with strong representation of different ethnic groups. Facilitate art-therapy workshops with the children, through different interactive art techniques (singing competitions, interactive theater, canvas-painting, graffiti)• Draft daily and weekly reports
September, October 2017
Humanitarian Officer
MOAS (Migrants Offshore Aid Station), Southeast Asia Mission
Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
▪ Contribute to planning MOAS humanitarian intervention Bangladesh ▪ Carry out Need Assessment visits to Rohingya Refugees informal settlements ▪ Liaise with Institutional Stakeholders, UN agencies and other NGOs involved in Cox's Bazar Emergency Response representing MOAS ▪ Content creator for MOAS Twitter account ▪ Perform administrative, procurement activities and logistic tasks
July, August 2017
Communication Officer
MOAS (Migrants Offshore Aid Station), Central Mediterranean Mission, Malta,
Phoenix Search and Rescue Vessel, Mediterranean Sea
▪ Communicate with Migrants in distress at sea during the rescue operations ▪ Carry out informative sessions about the permanence on-board the rescue vessel (food and NFI distribution); explain disembarkation and identification procedures; ▪ Identify vulnerable cases among the rescued migrants and establish a referral mechanism with the land authorities and stakeholders (International Organizations, other NGOs) ▪ Liaise between the vessel and the PR Communication office in Malta, constantly update the office of the operational progress during the Search and Rescue Operations ▪ Collect Stories of the rescued people for Communication purposes – Content creator for MOAS twitter account
July 2015- June 2017
(2 Years) Cultural Mediator
Cultural Mediator for Specific Needs project 13/9/2016-31/12/2016
UNHCR Italy, Protection Unit, Access Project (Ex Praesidium) – Catania / Trapani
▪ Provide legal information about International Protection, Relocation and Italian reception system at disembarkation areas (Catania, Augusta, Messina, Palermo), Hotspots (Trapani, Pozzallo) and reception facilities (Western and Eastern Sicily) to adults and Unaccompanied Minors, in Arabic, English and French ▪ Identify Asylum seekers and Migrants with Specific Needs, contribute to the draft of a specific needs referral pathway between institutions, NGOs and reception facilities managing entities ▪ Carry out protection monitoring visits to reception facilities ▪ Write reports about sea arrivals, monitoring visits to reception centres, Translate information brochures prepared by UNHCR ▪ Conduct Border Monitoring interview, identify new migration routes and trends in sea arrivals, write migration routes reports
October 2013 June 2015
(2 Years) Linguistic and Cultural Mediator for Children, Arabic Native Speakers
il Colle Incantato (NGO), Rome
▪ Supervision of the Cultural Mediation project for Arabic speakers, in kindergarten, primary, secondary and high schools, providing support to Arabic speaking student not fluent in Italian ▪ Identify Educational and Communicational gap ▪ Drafting of Learning Materials to help the student reaching his education goals ▪ Identify alternative education tools (like games, role plays, drawing) to enhance the communications skills of the beneficiaries
January 2014 - April 2015
(1,5 Year) Reception assistant
Eta Beta Cooperative- Gerini SPRAR – Sant’Alessio CAS – Rome
Second- and First-Line Asylum Seekers Reception Facilities
▪ Linguistic and Cultural Mediation (Arabic, English and French) between the Asylum Seekers and the managing entities employers (legal operator, social assistant) ▪ Provide information about the services delivered in the centre and rules ▪ Guide the beneficiaries during their integration path ▪ Support the food and NFI distribution
February 2014 -
June and July 2014
(2 Short term missions)
Arabic - English/Italian Interpreter and Translator
UNHCR Italy - Public Information UNIT
Mare Nostrum Mission (San Giusto and San Giorgio Navy Vessels) - Multimedia Mission
▪ Provide interpreting and translation support for Arabic speaking refugees on board of San Giusto and San Giorgio Navy ships, during the first critical hours after their rescue from the sea
TEACHING EXPERIENCES
Special Education teacher
2021 IISS Enrico Medi (Professional High School), Palermo
▪ Assist and support students with Special Education Needs (among them cases of Unaccompanied Children) in classroom during lessons of different subjects ▪ Identify educational gaps and psychosocial specific needs ▪ Enhance the empowerment of the student, support the integration with the classmates and the school Institution ▪ Draft Individual Education Plan based on the specific needs of the student
▪
Special Education teacher
Liceo Linguistico “Ninni Cassarà” Palermo (Languages High School)
2018 ▪ Assist and support students with Special Education Needs (among them cases of Unaccompanied Children) in classroom during lessons of different subjects ▪ Identify educational gaps and psychosocial specific needs ▪ Enhance the empowerment of the student, support the integration with the classmates and the school Institution ▪ Draft Individual Education Plan based on the specific needs of the student
June 2015 Arabic dialects teacher
Roma 3 University Summer School in cooperation with Lyon University, Summer school
1 week Arabic dialect course for Italian and French University Students
2015
(4 months) Arabic Teacher
Adecco / Eulab / General Command of the Financial Guard
▪ Tutoring the Arabic Language course for the Italian Financial Guard of Siracusa and Pozzallo involved in Search and Rescue Operations
2011 – 2014
(3 years, part time) Adjunct Professor of Arabic; Expert in Arabic language
UNIMOL, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
▪ Responsible for the organisation of Arabic language thought courses ▪ Arabic language and grammar teacher Drafting teaching materials for the students ▪ Evaluation of the students through written and oral exams
TRAININGS COMPLETED
2021 Child Safeguarding Policy Save the Children (Online training)
2021 CwC (Communication with Communities) Tools Danish Refugee Council (Online workshop)
2020 Child Protection and Safeguarding Terres des Hommes (Online training)
2019 Psychological First Aid (Children)
Protection of Children on the Move Save the Children Spain – Melilla, 3 days full time training
2018 Child Protection Induction Danish Refugee Council – Greece - Larissa – 2 days full time training
2018 Human trafficking A21 Ngo with DRC Greece – Larissa – 1 day full time training
2017 Psychological First Aid for Shipwreck Survivors UNHCR Italy – Catania, 2 days full time training
2016 SGBV, Identification and Case Management
SGBV, Prevention and Response UNHCR Italy – Catania, 4 days full time training
LANGUAGES COURSES
2022 Modern Greek Language B2 Certification
Center for Greek Language “Ellinomatheia”, University of Thessaloniki Aristotelous (Greece)
2021 Persian Language B1 Certification
University of Thessaloniki Aristotelous in cooperation with Iran Embassy in Greece
2013, 2014 Turkish Language Course
Istitito per l’Oriente, Rome
• 2 Years of Turkish Language course
2011 University certificate of attendance
Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Muhammad al-Khamis University; Rabat, Morocco
Winner of an Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ scholarship
• Arabic Language and Literature; Arabic-French Translation Theory; Moroccan Dialectology; French
2010 Sixth grade (C1 level) diploma in Arabic for foreigners
Istitute Bourguiba of Modern Languages; Tunis, Tunisia
Winner of an Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ scholarship
• Reading; Conversation; Writing; Literature
2009 English school certificate of Attendance
E.I.L School of English; Rome
• Writing; conversation; reading; listening
2008 Advanced Arabic for Foreigners (mark: 98/100)
University of San’a; San’a, Yemen
Winner of an Sapienza University scholarship (Students Interchange)
• Writing; reading; speaking
EDUCATION
3/2012/6-2013 TFA: Italian teacher’s traineeship for Arabic Languages (100/100, postgraduate)
Università per gli Stranieri di Siena
Courses undertaken: Language education; Special Education; Pedagogy, Psychology; Childhood Education; Arabic Language and Literature; linguistics
7/2010 Master of Arts in Oriental Languages and Cultures (110 magna cum laude)
La Sapienza, University of Rome
Courses undertaken: Arabic language, Medieval Arabic literature, Arabic Dialectology; Theory of Translation, Linguistics, Language Didactics, Italian Literature, History of the Arab countries; Modern History, History of Religions
▪ Thesis: Translation (Arabic into Italian) and Commentary of "al-Mustatraf al-Jadid" (anthology of medieval Arabic literature) by Hadi al-'Alawi. (110 cum laude)
▪
12/2007 Bachelor's Degree in Oriental Languages and Cultures (110 magna cum laude)
La Sapienza, University of Rome
▪ Courses undertaken: Arabic language, Contemporary Arabic literature, Arab Dialectology, Linguistics, Italian Literature, Islamic Studies, History of the Arab countries, Persian, Spanish, English.
▪ Thesis: Translation (Arabic into Italian) and Commentary of "The al-Basus War", a poem by Amal Dunqul
▪
Classic Lyceum graduation
Torquato Tasso, Rome
LANGUAGES
Mother tongue Italian
Other languages UNDERSTANDING SPEAKING WRITING
Listening Reading Spoken interaction Spoken production
Modern Standard Arabic C2 C2 C2 C2 C2
Levantine Arabic C1 B2 C1 B2 B2
Moroccan Arabic B2 B2 B2 B2 B2
English C1 C1 C1 C1 C1
Spanish C1 C1 C1 C1 C1
French C1 C1 C1 B2 B1
Greek B2 B2 B2 B2 B2
Farsi B1 B1 B1 B1 B1
Turkish A2 A2 A2 A2 A2
Driving Licence: B
Computer Skills: Excellent command of Microsoft Office, Good command of Photo