Immigrant Friendly Cities Erasmus Project

Project Title

Immigrant Friendly Cities

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 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Integration of refugees; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Access for disadvantaged

Project Summary

The digital age offers local governments unprecedented possibilities to engage with residents in novel ways. Cities across the globe are using digital tools, such as web portals and applications (apps), to improve access to public services, enhance responsiveness, better understand the needs of the populations they serve, and provide platforms for deeper civic engagement.
Research has shown that disadvantaged groups, including immigrants and minorities, are high users of smartphones and social media, and could theoretically be reached through these tools. Newly arrived immigrants are some of the most vulnerable in society and are often in need of support settling in and connecting to information about local services and jobs. However, these groups are often thought to be digitally, as well as socially excluded, and the move by governments to online platforms could exacerbate existing barriers to accessing public services. Furthermore, these groups may lack the necessary digital skills and host-country language ability to take full advantage of digital government services.

In this way,our project aimed to create permanent information services for immigrants by developing mobile Apps and online trainings for immigrants The need to develop immigrant information services exists because in many cases people have a lack of information when moving into a new country or a new city about how to proceed with residence permits, social security issues, jobsearch etc. and even about what services are available.

-For this purpose the project Immigrant Friendly Cities produced Immigrant Friendly Cities Mobile App in 8 Languages for refugees which includes information about the cities of Aydın (Turkey), Leipzig (Germany), Trikala (Greece), Lund (Sweden), Palermo (Italy), Sandefjord (Norway), the general rights and acquired information of immigrants, and internet resources. At the same time, detailed information about the province in health, education, training, law, tourism, education, security, residence and citizenship is available on mobile devices.

-Besides this services for refugees,we also focused on Adult education trainers to improve their competences by offering new ways of learning by creating MOOC Platform in 7 languages.MOOC has been prepared to provide permanent and digital age-appropriate information service by developing Massive Online Open Courses.
Within the scope of the project, the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) Massive Open Online Course platform has been prepared for adults who work with immigrants or who are interested in migration.MOOC consists of 8 modules which are available in 7 languages. Access to the training is free and online certification is available.Modules of the MOOC are;
1) Effective Time Management in Personal Development 2) Digital Learning 3) Developing tolerance towards disadvantaged groups such as racial/ethnic/religious groups, refugees 4) Effective Communication with Immigrants and Disadvantaged Groups 5) Developing Entrepreneurial Skills of Immigrants 6) Developing Professional Skills of Migrants to Integrate them into the Labor Market 7) Non-Formal Education 8) Conflict Management

Each of these titles includes downloadable Educational Material, Related Videos and quiz questions.So there is information services in the nearby area which genuinely work and are organized in co-operation between different public authorities.Adult education trainers will also improve their competences by offering new ways of learning, as a result of the cooperation and exchange of experiences at international level.As education is considered indispensable to integration there is an increasing need to prepare all adult education providers ,immigrant advisors and officers in public authorities in the most affected EU countries to initiate relevant programmes with the newly arrived migrants and refugees.
Totally 160 refugees/newly arrived immigrants joined the piloting as participants.And totally 80 staff joined the MOOC to develop their skills and competences in refugee integration.
At the end of the project,the refugees/immigrants reached public guidance services by using digital tools.A learning model was developed with using online education platforms and fostering respect and understanding for diversity, intercultural competencies and values.Newly settled migrants and refugees were equipped with functional and practical language skills to carry out simple tasks required of them during their first few months in-country.

Project Website

http://immigrant-friendly-cities.eu

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 157444 Eur

Project Coordinator

Aydin Il Goc Idaresi Mudurlugu & Country: TR

Project Partners

• Sosyal Etki ve Yenilikci Egitim Dernegi
• ANAPTIXIAKO KENTRO THESSALIAS
• MOBILIZING EXPERTISE AB
• WISAMAR BILDUNGSGESELLSCHAFT GEMEINNUTZIGE GMBH
• FONIX AS
• CENTRO INTERNAZIONALE PER LA PROMOZIONE DELL’EDUCAZIONE E LO SVILUPPO ASSOCIAZIONE
• Aydin Valiligi