Together 2016 / dream-teams

A Pathway to Integration Through Sport and Community

Together 2016, operating through the domain dream-teams.ch, is a Swiss integration initiative explicitly addressing the settlement challenge for people who have recently received asylum or provisional admission status in Switzerland. The site frames the core problem directly: those who have fled from Syria, Eritrea, Afghanistan, or Sri Lanka and "received protection in Switzerland and want to settle here" face a particular barrier. For recognized refugees and provisionally admitted persons, the site states, "it is difficult to learn the language, find a job, lead a normal life" when they remain isolated. The initiative exists to break that isolation by creating personal encounters between newcomers and the established Swiss population.

The campaign is supported by the Swiss Football League (SFL) and clubs from both the Super League and Challenge League (Switzerland's top two professional football divisions). This institutional backing is significant: it means the integration work does not depend solely on nonprofit resources but has buy-in from major sports organizations and their communities. The site emphasizes that "football understands everyone," which captures the logic of using sport as a bridge. Football requires no shared language for basic participation, has known rules across countries, and creates naturally recurring social contact.

The initiative explicitly targets individuals dealing with the specific arrival scenario that legal recognition or provisional status creates. Switzerland grants asylum or provisional admission to people from specific circumstances (the page mentions Syria, Eritrea, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka as examples, reflecting current and recent global conflicts). Once that status is granted, the person must settle into Swiss life without the institutional support structures that preceded arrival (home country social networks, language, employment history recognition). Together 2016 positions community connection as integral to that settlement.

What the Initiative Provides for Newcomers

The site's primary function appears to be coordination and advocacy rather than direct service provision. The campaign promotes integration through sports, specifically using football as the vehicle. This means the concrete benefit is access to participation in football clubs and the social connection that follows. The Swiss Football League clubs involved in the program create pathways for refugees and provisionally admitted persons to join as players, participants in programs, or community members.

The initiative addresses a gap that official settlement procedures often miss. Immigration and asylum administration in Switzerland typically includes orientation to legal rights, housing support, and sometimes language classes. What arrives less systematically is social integration and community belonging. A person granted asylum still needs employment, language skills, and knowledge of Swiss systems, but equally important is the psychological and social transition of building a life in a new place with no established social network. Teams provide that: recurring meetings, known teammates, shared goals, informal mentorship, and belonging.

The page emphasizes that contact with the established resident population is what "can make much easier" the transition. This is not a specialized refugee program but rather a community-building initiative that connects newcomers with Swiss citizens through an activity they can do together. Football clubs are publicly accessible organizations where integration happens organically rather than through formal programming.

The initiative runs what appears to be regular community engagement, based on the reference to "Flüchtlingstage" (Refugee Days), which the site describes as an important awareness campaign in Switzerland. The page mentions that June 17, 18, and 20 are dates for refugee awareness (the national refugee day, the church refugee Sunday, and the UN World Refugee Day). This suggests Together 2016 participates in a broader Swiss movement toward recognizing refugee issues and integrating newcomers.

How the Initiative Operates

The site functions as an information hub and coordination point. It explains the problem, names the supporting organizations, and outlines the approach. The page lists participating football clubs under "Teilnehmende Fussballklubs" (participating football clubs), though the site does not enumerate the full list of clubs.

The initiative appears to operate through a campaign model rather than direct service delivery. Rather than running programs directly, Together 2016 convenes football clubs, the Swiss Football League, and newcomers with asylum or provisional status to create entry points and community connection. This distributed model leverages existing community organizations (the clubs) rather than creating parallel structures.

Communication about the initiative happens through the website and participation in Swiss-wide refugee awareness days (Flüchtlingstage). The site is available in German, French, and English (based on language navigation visible in the page), making information accessible to both German/French-speaking Swiss and newcomers who may speak English. The ability to access the site in English is important for a recently arrived person whose Swiss German and French may be minimal.

The initiative is funded through donation and institutional support. The page mentions that Refugee Days are funded by "Swiss Refugee Aid SFH, the State Secretariat for Migration SEM, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR and other institutional and private donors," indicating a multi-stakeholder funding model. Together 2016 itself appears to operate as part of this ecosystem, though its own funding structure is not detailed on the site.

What the Site Does Not Explain

The site does not describe how a refugee or provisionally admitted person actually connects with a participating football club or how the program operates in practice. It explains the why clearly but leaves the how somewhat vague. A person arriving without German fluency and seeking to join a program would need to contact the initiative or a club directly to understand the enrollment process, whether programs are free, what equipment is needed, and other practical details.

The site does not enumerate which football clubs participate beyond mentioning that Super League and Challenge League teams are involved. A person in a specific city or region would need additional information to identify a nearby participating club.

The page does not publish the success metrics or describe outcomes. How many refugees and provisionally admitted persons have participated? Do participants go on to employment, language study, or other integration pathways? How do clubs measure the integration impact? These questions remain unanswered on the public site.

The site does not specify what happens after football participation or whether the initiative provides support beyond that entry point. Does connection through football lead to language classes, employment support, or sustained mentorship? The page emphasizes creating initial "personal encounters" but does not describe what follows.

Finally, the site does not clarify whether the program is limited to people with specific legal statuses (recognized refugee versus provisionally admitted) or whether other recent arrivals might participate. The language is specific to asylum and provisional status, so it may not be available to other newcomers to Switzerland.

Who This Serves

Together 2016 is designed for people who have been granted asylum or provisional admission status in Switzerland and are seeking to build community and integrate into Swiss life. It serves those who have access to football (as players or participants), who want to connect with Swiss communities, and who see sports as a natural pathway to social integration.

The initiative is particularly relevant for people arriving through the asylum and humanitarian protection system, which is a significant portion of contemporary migration to Switzerland. Someone who has recently arrived from the circumstances the site mentions (Syria, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka) and is trying to settle into a Swiss community would find that this initiative specifically addresses the integration and belonging gap.

The program is less relevant for economic migrants, posted workers, or others arriving through employment or study, who typically have workplace or institutional social structures already in place. It is also less practical for people without interest in or access to football (people with disabilities, different age groups, or those for whom sports is not culturally familiar). The German language prerequisite for the website, while supported by French and English versions, may still be a barrier for newcomers just arriving. And someone arriving in a region without participating football clubs would need to seek alternate pathways.