SP – Youth workers in education- new work approaches in schools that receive refugees and young single migrants Erasmus Project

Project Title

SP – Youth workers in education- new work approaches in schools that receive refugees and young single migrants

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 youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy) ; Migrants’ issues; Access for disadvantaged

Project Summary

Background/context of the project :
The Fifth progress report on the Partnership Framework on Migration, presented 6th September 2017 by the Commission, shows that measures put in place to better manage migration along the Central Mediterranean Route and with partners in Africa are starting to bear fruits. Our countries will still for years to come receive thousands of young refugees and migrants who have a statutory right to education in the country they finally come to. This is very challenging for the schools since they are dealing with a new target group we did not see much before. This requires not only a solid pedagogical approach since the refugees meet a totally new curriculum, but also the systematic work of professional youth workers that was not common before. This has been our focus during the project implementation.

Number and type of participants:
The participants were social workers or social advisors working with migrants/refugees in schools or NGO’s that cooperate with Vocational training or other schools or public sector. In total around 250 participants took directly part in the project, either as direct participants in training abroad or as local participants not foreseen in the application.

Description of undertaken activities:
The project was implemented according to the plan as outlined in the project application with;
Kickoff and training of Staff in Stavanger
Training of staff in Larache, Morocco
Mid term evaluation meeting and planning in Madrid, Spain
Final staff training in Istanbul, Turkey
In addition to this there has been local multiplier activities not foreseen in the application in all partner countries

Results and impact attained
In this project we did not develop any intellectual outputs but focused 100% on capacity building and exchange of good practices as learning, mostly through non formal and informal learning methods and know-how between the different types of organisations involved in education, training and youth work. We have done this in order to ensure inclusion of the youth workers that actually work with the refugees/migrants, and not administrators who develop products. Developing intellectual outputs does not very often involve many people in the organisation, so trainings and sharing good practise made it much more relevant and interesting for large parts of the organisation.

The project also raised awareness among youth workers and stakeholders in the counties and contributed to a social dialogue about discrimination and social exclusion for youth with refugee or migrant background. This was especially important since a considerable proportion of youth with refugee or migrant background are at risk for less participation in society.

Achieved results for participants and partners in short;
1. Increased knowledge about Arabian culture and traditions for the youth workers
2. Increased knowledge about Islam and the Koran for the youth workers
3. Participants got a toolbox of non formal/in formal learning methods to be used in school settings in order to ensure inclusion and success in school environment
4. Participants have had an increased understanding of the complex issue on migrants and refugees in Europe
5. Participants have had the chance to lift their status in schools through learning about evidence based approaches to their work for better common reflection with pedagogical staff on student learning
6. Participants have learned about organizing a multiplier event
7. Increased understanding of the complexity of European migration policies and strategies
8. Increased competence in foreign languages; professional dialogues and reflections + knowledge of Arabic/Turcic
9. Better understanding of interconnections between formal, non-formal education, vocational training, other forms
of learning
10. More positive attitude towards the European project and the EU values, especially for us NON EU members
11. Greater understanding and responsiveness to social, ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity in general
12. Much better understanding of practices, policies and systems in education, training or youth across countries

Longer-term benefits
The long term benefits expected from running this project is expected at;
1) Increased quality improvements in our youth work by project competence building of youth workers and potential youth workers
2) improved the level of key competences and skills of our young youth workers, through their increased learning mobility experiences
3) enhanced international dimension of youth activities and the capacity of our organisations in their support for young people
4) increased motivation for participating organisations to join Erasmus + projects or similar.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 105005,55 Eur

Project Coordinator

Godalen Videregående Skole & Country: NO

Project Partners

• Esenler Mesleki ve Teknik Anadolu Lisesi
• ecodel
• Free Youth Centre
• SOLIDARIDAD SIN FRONTERAS