The understanding and awareness of culture is an essential factor in the process of integrating refugees and migrants into the host society, as culture brings people from all over the world together and unites them without having to speak the same language.In our project “EMPOWER IDENTITIES - explore the potential of creative learning” (hereafter IDE 3.0) we will concentrate on performing and visual arts that support creative learning and we will identify and exchange different art methods across Europe. The use of arts can have a positive impact on the well-being of migrants which can be a determinant of successful social integration (Fitzpatrick, F. (2002). A Search for Home. Art Therapy, 19(4), 151–158). The project will concentrate on the concept of culture as an integration mean and the use of creative learning methodologies with a focus on performing and visual art methods which has so far been underestimated when aiming to foster social inclusion.IDE 3.0 addresses migrants and refugees, but also local youngsters with fewer opportunities as social inclusion should not only be limited to the context of migration.Art methods will empower them to reflect on different impacts of their perception and the development of their identity to further foster resilience (especially important also when thinking about the global pandemic these days), they will also become more self-effective and learn how to promote their soft skills.Soft skills will include:- Awareness for one's own identity and values in order to understand one's own perception of other cultures- Rise of self-confidence and personal commitment as being involved in a co-creation process- Ability to express one's own thoughts in a verbal and non-verbal way by using art methodsOn the one hand, the key element of the project lies in exploring and identifying good practices that use performing and visual art methods to strengthen resilience and to foster social inclusion. A toolkit will be produced available free of charge containing the gathered pedagogical tools and materials for other youth workers and institutions. On the other hand, two Blended Learning Activities will give the opportunity to young people to get closer to the arts and culture both of their countries of origin but also of the countries they currently live in and to experience cultural diversity as a chance as well as to empower them to serve as multipliers and learn project based structures.They will be given the chance to experience new ways of learning as they will communicate via digital platforms, share their learning experience with peers, while becoming part of a network of young people around Europe sharing same interests. The target group consists of:1. Young migrants and refugees aged 16-24 years, but also local youngsters with fewer opportunities who need support to strengthen their identity and to build up confidence for a better social inclusion.2. Youth workers working with the above mentioned target groups, especially those who are responsible for the mentoring within their premises.3. NGOs which are dealing with the integration of migrants into society and which have already built an intercultural team or which would like to create a more inclusive team.4. Organizations in the cultural and creative sector as part of a synergy between them and respective NGOs working in the field of social inclusion. All of the above mentionned groups will be involved in different activities of the project by contributing to the creation of the toolkit, by participating in the Blended Learning Activities and by being beneficiaries of the project results.The project aims to:- Raise awareness for the need of social inclusion of migrants and refugees- Explore and identify good practices that use performing and visual art methods to strengthen resilience and to foster social inclusion- Support and encourage youngsters to experience change as a chance - Equip Youth Worker with creative learning tools + methodsAll European countries are affected by immigration and need to develop a common understanding regarding the importance of social inclusion of migrants and people with fewer opportunities into the local community as well as it is crucial to identify and establish a sustainable concept of social inclusion through art methods in formal and non-formal environments, leading to common European values and the prevention of discrimination. With our project, we will set an example of successful social inclusion through creative learning and performing and visual art methods. These methods shall be seen as a role model for other institutions and they shall motivate others to commit themselves to the social inclusion of migrants and youngsters with fewer opportunities.The project not only draws attention to the importance of art in general, but also raises awareness for the art and cultural scene, which is severely affected by the current pandemic.

"The project ""Equality in Diversity-Social Inclusion in Youth Organizations"" appeared within the context of amplification of the discrimination phenomenon among the young people from the EU. According to the Eurobarometer for the EU countries made by C.E. in 2016, the young people consider that the widest form of discrimination is the ethnical one (64%), followed by the sexual orientation one (58%), sexual identity (56%), disability (50%) and religious beliefs (50%). The least accepted work colleague would be a Roma person (20%), transgender or transsexual (17%). Taking into consideration the specificity of discrimination in these countries, the Romanian coordinator (Asociatia Elevilor Mehedinteni) and the partners Club pour l' UNESCO Jean LAURAIN- Metz (France), KulturLife (Germany) and Youth of Europe (Poland) proposed the following objectives: 1. To reduce the number of young people (members of youth organizations or school structures), who are victims of discrimination of any type; 2. To raise the capacity of youth organizations to identify anti-discrimination solutions, both from internal and external approach; 3. To raise the youth organizations’ capacity to evaluate themselves in relation to discrimination of their own members; 4. To increase the number of young people oming from disarvantaged background to become members of youth organizations or school structures. The learning activities target 168 young people from the 4 partner countries. Activities 1. Transnational meeting (organized in Germnay). For 3 days, 4 representatives of each partner (the legal representative will be one of them) will participate in organizational activities and sign the partner agreement. 2. C1. Blended Mobility of young people. 28 young people (7 pax/partner, all representatives of NGOs, youth structures, alumni, youth workers, applicable also to C2, C3, C4, C5 and C6) will be trained on how to use methods andd techniques of psycho-sociological research. The methods will reveal the main types of mintal prejudices and stereotypes which determine the discrimination phenomenon towards the young people belonging to religious, cultural, rasial or ethnic minorities (with a special focus on migrants and refugees), social and sexual (with a special focus on women discrimination and sexual orientations considered „abnormal). The event will also focus on the main effects/results of the attitudes felt by the young people. 3. C2. Blended Mobility of young people. 28 young people will be trained in the identification of methods which shall be used in prevention and overpassing of prejudices/mental stereotypes which cause religious/cultural discrimination. The TC will also focus on the identification of the optimal non-discriminatory behaviour in the given situations. 4. C3. Blended Mobility of young people 28 young people will be trained in the identification of prevention/overpassing methods of prejudices and mental stereotypes which determine the discrimnation of migrants and refugees, complementary to the identification of desirable behaviours related to the tackled forms of discrimination. 5. Transnational meeting. The aim of the meeting is to analyse the activities undertaken up to that moment. The documents related to the monitoring plan will be analysed, the results will be compared with the proposed ones within an intermediary evaluation. 6. C4. Blended Mobility of young people. 28 young people will be trained in the identification of prevention/overpassing of prejudices and mintal stereotypes which produce sexual orientation discrimination, on one hand, and social discrimination, on the other hand (low financial capacity, the specificity of the work place, the belonging to a vulnerable group etc). In addition, the aim will be also to identify the optimal non-disciminatory behaviours for the types of discrimination mentioned aboved. 7. C5. Blended Mobility of young people 28 young people will be trained in the identification of prevention/overpassing of prejudices and mintal stereotypes which cause racial and ethnical discrimination, In addition, the aim will be also to identify the optimal non-disciminatory behaviours for these types of discrimination. 8. C6. ToT (Training of Trainers). 28 trainers/facilitators will learn how to use the Behavioural Guide. This guide will be used for the purpose of efficient integration of minorities in youth organizations. Complementary, the aim of C6 is to create an instrument which shall evaluate the satisfaction level of the minorities related to the perceived level of discrimination within interpersonal relationships, inside youth organizations. The project targets 2 intellectual outputs: 1. Behavioural Guide for Prevention and Diminishing of the Discrimination Phenomenon within Youth Organizations. 2. Platform- support and counselling for the young people- victims of discrimination ""Youth Support against Discrimination""."

TREND - Training Refugees in Entrepreneurial skills using digital devices SECTORS INVOLVED: AE – Norway (Lead), AE –Belgium and Germany, HE - Ireland, AE- Greece CARACTERISTICS TARGET GROUP: Entrepreneurship trainers working- or wishing to work with refugees This project answers to which need(s): There is not enough entrepreneurial trainers with skills to train refugee entrepreneurs Existing entrepreneurship training is not well suited to meet the needs of potential refugee entrepreneurs Main aim: Make Self-employment a viable option for refugees in Europe by training entrepreneurial trainer and using digital devices. Concrete objectives (linked to concrete expected results): • Build on skills that refugees bring to Europe, Job creation through self-employment • Make visible what refugees have to offer through mobile profiling with multi-media micro CVs • Provide training materials/content focused on the needs of refugees using a blended learning approach • Apply train the trainers concept to virally increase the number of entrepreneur trainers with skills to train refugees • Provide trainers with attractive tools using mobile learning techniques • Linking trainers and refugees using digital communication devices (mobile and web applications) • Promoting entrepreneurship as job creating solution • Raise awareness of the enormous potential of positive impact refugees can have on society and thus change attitudes towards refugees in society

"SIMPLE stands for the social inclusion of migrants through peer learning experience. The project has identified, exchanged and put together European ""good practices"" regarding the use of peer learning techniques to promote the social inclusion of migrants and refugees into the vocational education and training (hereafter VET). Thereby, SIMPLE reacts to the immense immigration to Europe since 2015. The average age of migrants is between 16-30 years old and the expected number of long-term unemployment of this target group is estimated at 55 %. Therefore, the need for a successful integration into education is extremely important. The access and integration to education minimizes the risk of unemployment and leads to a sustainable social integration. SIMPLE has identified methods that prevent segregation and discrimination and, furthermore, teachers and trainers are able to better deal with cultural diversity, conflicts and to build up a heterogenic learning environment. The participants within SIMPLE consist of teachers, migrants and students who have been involved in peer learning activities in VET. The project included six transnational meetings. In each meeting the partners visited peer learning groups and activities and identified common methods for a successful implementation of peer learning methods.At each meeting two local VET teachers as well as local students and migrants took part and reported about their personal experiences regarding the difficulties and advantages of social inclusion through peer learning techniques. Peer learning has till now mostly been used in non-formal education environments. In the last years, the methodology has been modified and adapted to emotive learning processes. Social and emotional gains through peer learning are nowadays as important as cognitive gains. SIMPLE has recorded the project's results in a “paper of recommendations” to integrate migrants into VET through peer learning experiences. The impact of SIMPLE is supposed to lead to an increase of numbers of migrants in VET and to represent a cost-efficient and fast assistance for educational staff for the social inclusion of migrants. Finally, the involved students and migrants can improve skills and competences in the areas initiative of one’s own, communication skills and team work. In addition, the peer to peer experience helps migrants to understand social and civic norms and experience them in their daily environment. On a regional level, the project partners of SIMPLE pass the results on to local VET schools, secondary schools and companies to cause effects of imitation. On a national level, the project can be seen as a role model for other institutes and firms and motivate them to commit themselves to the social inclusion of migrants. On a European level, SIMPLE shall enhance a better understanding of the need for social inclusion, common European values and the prevention of discrimination especially among students and migrants who have not dealt with intercultural conflicts and diversity yet. To achieve the described impact of SIMPLE the project activities have been disseminated before, during and after the project duration. The dissemination activities include the implementation of SIMPLE on social media channels, the participation in conferences, lectures, the development of print material as well as the presentation of the project results in the form of webinars and in view of the existing national and European network of the partner organizations. The network that is being used for the dissemination consists of VET and secondary schools, EfVET, Trade and Industry chambers, youth organizations and national education departments and has been extended during the project duration."

<< Objectives >>SIMPLY digitally INCLUDED aims to support learners with a refugee or migration background to successfully complete VET, even under difficult conditions e.g. Covid 19 pandemic, to make a significant contribution to the social inclusion of this group. Furthermore, VET teachers should increase their digital competences and readiness through the project results to be able to offer high-quality digital lessons and to be digitally prepared in the best possible way to deal with unpredictable events.<< Implementation >>SIMPLY digitally INCLUDED will collaborate with national focus groups in a co-creation process in physical and digital activities for all project outcomes. Furthermore, a virtual training course for VET teachers is planned, as well as joint listening sessions with VET learners with a refugee or migrant background in order to test and evaluate the outcomes. In addition, the dissemination strategy will include virtual and physical activities and social media campaigns to present the outcomes.<< Results >>SIMPLY digitally INCLUDED develops a series of podcasts in storytelling format and complementary learning sessions for VET learners with migrant or refugee background to prevent them from dropping out of VET and to empower them in the completion of their training. The second result is a digital toolkit addressed to VET teachers to train them as digital experts in online education and to equip them with methods to succeed in the transformation process from analogue teaching to digital teaching.