Social Media = Social Capital. Building Social Capital & Inclusion for Female Migrants through Social Media. Erasmus Project

Project Title

Social Media = Social Capital. Building Social Capital & Inclusion for Female Migrants through Social Media.

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 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Gender equality / equal opportunities; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Migrants’ issues

Project Summary

Social Media Sisterhood project ambition was to contribute to the improving and extending of the supply of high quality learning opportunities tailored to the needs of individual for their social integration using open and innovative practises in a digital era.
The overall aims were to develop an innovative learning methodology where learners engaged in 6 hard skills modules in Social Media followed by 5 soft skills reflection sets- Mentoring Circles™ and to train women migrants/refugees in digital media skills to improve their social integration into their host countries by promoting their future employability and entrepreneurship prospects.
Our participants profile was migrants/refugee women who identified themselves as feeling socially isolated/not integrated into the new host community/country. Women who were low skilled/qualified were prioritised for inclusion in SMS. About 440 participants were engaged directly with SMS via focus groups, interviews, attending training programmes and multiplier events. Wider numbers of participants – 100 registered users until the end of the project benefited from the SMS E-learning Hub to build skills and experiences to aid social integration and skill development. Almost 300 users followed us on SMS social media channels: Facebook Page and YouTube.
Our target group participated in an iterative cycle of learning, practicing training skills back in their personal life/working life (for the ones employed), and reflecting throughout the training programme (through participation in Mentoring Circles™ ). Women from each of the Mentoring Circles™ used Social Media training sessions to embed their digital skills. Learner packs have been produced, in addition to the training the Trainer’s Guide and the Insider’s Guide.
SMS partnership developed an online Learning Hub containing e-learning resources and a forum where SMEs and charities/NGOs can post requests related to social media issues and receive support from the ‘Social Media Sisters’ (participants who have been trained via SMS).
Main activities and results of the project included:
– Action Research Reports on migrant/refugee women illustrating training requirements & gaps in Social Media skills.
– SMS Training Programme – building on methodology from previous projects coordinated by Inova, including Learner and Facilitator Guides and training materials which were piloted twice with the target group (involving 131 female participants).
– Insider’s Guide to Social Media for Female Migrants – a guide aimed at empowering female migrants/refugees in using Social Media to develop their Social Capital (available also in an e-book version: https://issuu.com/steps.europe/docs/io4_insiders__guide__final_version_with_cover?fbclid=IwAR25yE-BiJarXvdxNpjAd0N74aRD16eFMZmSJHsmTYM4H63r1_OGImqFbgU).
The document was delivered to the participants, promoted on the SMS website, FB page, newsletter.
– Trainer’s Guide to Social Media for Intermediaries – information for intermediaries and organisations working with immigrants on how to support women in the process of transition using social media channels. The document was promoted on the SMS website,
FB page, newsletter, online HUB and delivered to the Multiplier Events participants (especially local organisations involved in the social inclusion of migrants). Available also in an e-book version:
https://issuu.com/aidlearn5/docs/facilitators__guide_sms_training_programme2_-_pt
– E-Learning HUB – direct access to all learning materials and an area where trained participants can transfer their training to others by supporting other women in social media skills: https://hub.smswomen.eu/moodle30/SMS
SMS impacted on social cohesion and integration of female migrants/refugees into the community via their involvement in the project and the subsequent building and expansion of social networks which the women accessed to through being trained in Social Media skills. The short term impact of the project revels in a greater number of female migrants in SE, UK, PT and IT with greater developed digital skills in terms of using Social Media as well as skills to support them to better integrate to their host communities.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 291331,38 Eur

Project Coordinator

Internationella Kvinnoföreningen & Country: SE

Project Partners

• WITEC SWEDEN
• STEPS SRL
• Aidlearn, Consultoria em Recursos Humanos Lda.
• INOVA CONSULTANCY LTD