How accommodation in host families works

(Image: Pixabay CC0) People in Switzerland have generously offered private accommodation for refugees from Ukraine as a result of the Russian war of aggression. The host families provide important support for the refugees' arrival and promote integration, provided the conditions for successful integration are met. These are the findings of a new study by Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) and Swiss Refugee Council (SFH). For private accommodation to be sustainable, a certain degree of formalization and support is required, among other things. In many cases, host families provided valuable support in everyday life, promoted language acquisition and made it easier to settle in Switzerland through emotional and organizational care work. "Host families offer protection and safety, security and support, especially during the initial period of arrival," says Eveline Ammann-Dula, co-director of studies at BFH. For private accommodation to be successful, both parties must guarantee each other's privacy, which requires an appropriate room layout and communicative and organizational factors.