SMART UA - JRS Romania

 

About JRS Romania

Jesuit Refugee Service Romania supports refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants through legal aid, social services, education, integration programs, and psychosocial support. Headquartered in Bucharest with regional centers in Galati and Constanța, JRS Romania ensures that refugee voices are represented at local, national, and European levels. 

Role in the project

In the SMART UA project, JRS Romania works with the Association of Schools of Social Work in Romania (ASSWR) to strengthen refugee integration by addressing housing and employment challenges. Its role includes:

  • Research & analysis: conducting in-depth studies with ASSWR to identify gaps and opportunities in housing and labor markets

 

  • Stakeholder engagement: strengthening local networks by connecting NGOs, authorities, and community actors to develop coordinated solutions.
  • National conferences: hosting two major events to present research findings, foster dialogue, and support joint action planning.
  • Targeted support for vulnerable groups: prioritizing women with children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, who make up 95% of the project’s beneficiaries.
  • Housing & employment solutions: promoting access to adequate housing and creating pathways to sustainable livelihoods.
  • Skills development: improving employability through Romanian language classes, IT training, and soft skills development.

 

REPORTS

JRS Romania plays a central role in the reporting work of SMART UA. Together with academic partners, it leads research on housing and employment in Romania, coordinates large-scale skills assessments, and hosts national conferences where findings are shared with institutions and communities. Its reports give particular attention to the needs of vulnerable groups—primarily women with children, elderly people, and persons with disabilities—who represent the majority of refugees in Romania.

Romanian National Housing & Labour Market Report

Analyses the main barriers and opportunities for refugees in accessing housing and employment in Romania, with special focus on vulnerable groups such as women, the elderly, and people with disabilities. 

 

COMING SOON

Romanian National Skills Assessment Report

Presents the results of assessing 200 refugees, mapping their language skills, education, and employability potential.

 

COMING SOON

Final Comparative Transnational Report

Brings together the national studies from Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia, identifying shared challenges and innovative practices in housing, employment, and skills integration.

 

COMING SOON

ARTICLES

Focus Groups on Employment and Housing Access for Ukrainian Refugees in Romania.

Two focus groups held in Bucharest on 25–26 September 2025 within SMART UA brought together public institutions, civil society and international organizations to discuss access to employment and housing for Ukrainian refugees in Romania. The discussions highlighted persistent barriers such as language, housing affordability and recognition of qualifications, while also pointing to inclusive support models and coordinated institutional responses as key to improving long-term integration and stability.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE.

A Pathway to Economic Integration.

Within SMART UA, access to language learning, education and skills development is highlighted as a key pathway to economic integration for Ukrainian refugees in Romania. Through testimonies and focus groups with institutions, employers and civil society, the project identifies language barriers, employment access and skills development as central challenges, while informing targeted actions such as language courses, IT training and soft skills workshops to support long-term inclusion, with the active involvement of JRS Romania.

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How the SMART UA Project helps Ukrainians in Romania?

Within SMART UA, training and information courses support the integration of Ukrainian refugees in Romania by strengthening skills, confidence and access to opportunities. Implemented by JRS Romania and coordinated by JRS Europe, the project focuses on language learning, IT and soft skills, as well as practical guidance on housing and self-employment, with particular attention to women, caregivers and other vulnerable groups, aiming to build sustainable and scalable pathways to long-term inclusion.

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Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.