The topic of our training course was migration. We focus on two main issues:
- The immigration-related issues in connection to the refugee crisis and discrimination towards immigrants,
- Emigration of young people in connection to youth unemployment.
As migrants (especially refugees) are often in situations where they might be marginalized or could fall into poverty, it is very important to include them in society and create equal chances for everyone by including them in social, economic and cultural life. From the other side there are opportunities for the young people in difficult situations (unemployed, school drop outs etc) who could take advantage of migration by using the mobility programmes such as European Voluntary Service and gain new skills abroad and in this way improve their chances to be fully involved in European society. However, in this case it's important to make sure that the young people know about their rights in EU and will not let their rights be violated.
The overall aim of the long term training course was to train youth workers, youth leaders being aware of different migration schemes in Europe and know how to deal with challenges resulting from migration and how to use opportunities created by migration in their work with young people. Our participants became ready to develop projects connected to migration and mobility, engage young migrants in their activities and foster mobility among youth. They can also help to change the general image of migration in society and promote tolerance and positive attitude towards immigrants (and refugees in particular) in society.
There were 28 participants for each mobility: 6 participants from Portugal, 6 participants from Turkey and 4 participants from each country: Norway, Hungary, Romania and Italy, who are youth workers and youth leaders. They work with young people with diverse cultural background: young refugees, 2nd generation of migrants, young people lost family members because of emigration, young people coming home from emigration, young people having fear from refuges, migrants, unemployed young people, young people with minority background. There is a high-leveled of unemployment rate in their families; and their lack of perspectives is permanent.
“Migration or World Citizenship” was a long-term training course, which started in 1st of February of 2018 and ended up in December of 2018. It had three phases:
Phase I: 1st training course in Diyarbakir, Turkey, 6-15 of April, 2018.
Phase II: Practice period between April and September with the activities were made by participants on support the integration of young migrants and refugees through youth work activities in local level.
Phase III: 2nd training course in Silves, Portugal, 8-15 of September, 2018.
Methods in general: Various non-formal education methodology based activities were carried out during the whole duration of the project. The participants improved their analytical and problem solving skills, tried to critically observe the current migration crisis and develop their creativity in elaborating practical integration tools for the inclusion of young immigrants. NFE methods were applied in the program, namely getting to know each other and team building activities, city game, theory-oriented sessions, brainstorming, world cafe, role plays, forum theater, simulation game, small group discussions, Open Space Technology, study visit and reflection activities.
Expected results of our long term training course:
Methods’ booklet on invented youth work activities on raising awareness of migration issues includes
a) List of examples for push and pull factors of migration and identify the political status its belong to them;
b) Descriptions of consequences of migration;
c) Description of youth work activities on working with young (im)migrants.
Local and European youth activities and projects on supporting the integration of immigrants in the practice period.
Story book of young people with refugee and migrants background and youth work activities include:
I) Definitions of different terms of migrations with real life examples of young people with migrants and refugees background;
II) Descriptions of youth work methods and techniques can support the integration of young refuges and migrants.
10 Short movies on youth work solutions for integration of young people with refuges and migrants background.
10 New project ideas according to the proposals of Erasmus+ programme.
Our project "Migration or world citizenship" won the best practices award from the Portuguese Erasmus+ National Agency.
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