Digital Generation Gap in Migrant and Low educated Families Erasmus Project

Project Title

Digital Generation Gap in Migrant and Low educated Families

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

The Digital Generation Gap in Migrant and Low Educated Families (DGGMLF) is a transnational consortium of like-minded organisations and experts in the fields of media, digital literacy and human rights. Initiated in September 2014 and completed in August 2017, the project was developed and managed by Mira Media, ERVET – The Territorial Development Agency of Emilia-Romagna Region, ActiveWatch and Migrants Resource Centre.
Mira Media and its partners work in multicultural and socially marginalized neighborhoods in Utrecht, Amsterdam, London, Bologna and Bucharest with schools, migrants, Roma and low educated families on media literacy and education related issues. They observed the growing attention for safer Internet use and digital skills in general, but also noticed an apparent lack of attention and information for Migrant, Roma and Socially marginalized families (MRS-parents). Based on a joint investigation the partners found out that MRS parents are not always able to support their children in their use of internet as they themselves do not always have the appropriate skills, knowledge and experience. Existing information on internet use of children is not appealing to them and sometimes not understandable because of the language use (that is not user-friendly and culturally relevant).
DGGMLF provides MRS-parents with alternative pathways to improve their knowledge, competences and skills by giving them new opportunities to access adult education. The partners reach out to MRS-parents who normally do not participate in activities organized by mainstream society and provide them support to cope with their educational challenges regarding the internet use of their children and the basic digital skills needed to participate in the digitized era.
All four partners have conducted a national research on the internet use of MRS-children and their parents. Existing educational projects and services have been analyzed in order to pick up lessons learned and successful methodologies, while intercultural media and digital literacy policies of local administration and schools have been described. Special attention was placed on identifying the communication lines to and with the MRS-communities in the neighbourhood areas. Furthermore, available digital facilities and existing educational initiatives on media literacy, digital skills and language have also been mapped.
Based on this information, the participating organisations established local networks with schools, community centres, libraries, mosques and MRS-communities and other relevant stakeholders. The project activities have been developed from within the communities at locations familiar to the target groups – this is different from most of the existing approaches in which educational activities were organized and offered in central locations for which individuals can apply. DGGMLF put emphasis on organising many of the meetings with parents in locations which are trusted and frequented by them.
The project identified and involved expertise from within the communities by training 48 coaches with a professional intercultural background and who could communicate with parents in their own languages. These media coaches facilitated 107 educational meetings with MRS-parents, as well as 109 follow up workshop and digital skills courses. From within the group of MRS-families who participate in project activities, DGGMLF encouraged the more digitally skilled parents to become cyberparents by assisting the media coaches during workshops and getting involved in the development of local support structures. 119 cyberparents were involved in project activities. By coaching intercultural media professionals and MRS cyberparents, DGGMLF engaged expertise from the community which offered intercultural support to local schools and adult education centres, and, at the same time, providing accessible and familiar services to MRS families. For the purpose of building sustainable support in the neighbourhoods, DGGMLF also laid the foundation for developing 13 digital support points in cooperation with local stakeholders, media coaches and cyberparents where MRS-parents can go for assistance on digital-related aspects.
Overall, more than 1100 migrant, Roma, marginalized and low educated parents have participated in DGGMLF activities (information meetings, internet safety/media literacy programs and digital skills workshops). Almost 5200 educational professionals, policy makers and other professionals in the field have been the indirect target group.
Transnational cooperation was an opportunity to learn from different national approaches, to exchange and develop materials for specific MRS communities which can be used in similar contexts across Europe.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 435613,56 Eur

Project Coordinator

Stichting Mira Media & Country: NL

Project Partners

• ASOCIATIA ACTIVEWATCH
• THE MIGRANTS’ RESOURCE CENTRE
• ERVET – EMILIA ROMAGNA VALORIZZAZIONE ECONOMICA TERRITORIO SPA