ABD has coordinated the Erasmus + MYth WORK Project for the integration of young migrants

Action Welfare and Development (ABD in Spanish) has led the project consortium MYth WORK of Erasmus+ together with other organizations working in the field of health: SSF (Spain); Consorzio SIS (Italy); IASIS (Greece); SAFE (UK); and BDSL (Bulgaria), as partner entities. In addition, 32 youth organizations have also collaborated on the project at the local level through the learning activities. This project has been developed between October 2016 and March 2018.

The integration of young people at risk of exclusion

The integration of young people of migrant origin, asylum seekers and refugees continues to be a priority for the European institutions (EU Action Plan on Integration, 2016). There is a need to increase the social inclusion of young people at risk of exclusion, especially in the NEET (EU Work Plan for Youth 2016-2018).

In this sense, the increase in the number of migrants and refugees arriving in Europe, as well as their difficulty in accessing formal educational / work spaces, implies a large number of opportunities and challenges about work initiatives in the field of the youth.

The current neglect faced by unaccompanied minors who come to Europe underlines the need for youth work that fits their situations. Through non-formal education, newly arrived young people in vulnerable situations can find a support space that fosters mutual understanding among young people and responds to their changing needs.

In order to achieve this beneficial impact, professional staff in the field of youth and organizations must have the necessary tools and knowledge to bond with these young people and thus maintain close cooperation with public services and organizations. of civil society.

What is the project about?

The MYth WORK project was designed precisely to address these needs: on the one hand, identify innovative techniques in the field of non-formal education aimed at young migrants, asylum seekers and refugees; and, on the other hand, create -from these techniques- materials aimed at professional staff in the field of youth to have tools evaluated and quality.

The main target group of the project, then, was this professional staff that indirectly reverted to the young migrants, asylum seekers and refugees (from 16 to 26 years).

The objectives of this project have been:

• Equip the professionals in the field of youth with innovative techniques to link them with
  young people who have lived a migratory process.
• Provide intervention techniques specifically adapted to the characteristics of Young.
• Promote efficient youth work.
• Promote transnational cooperation among organizations that work with young people.

Results and impact achieved:

• 105 professionals in the field of youth trained through the activities of
  transnational learning carried out in Spain, Italy, Greece, the United Kingdom and Bulgaria.
• 220 young migrants, asylum seekers and refugees formed by the activities of
  transnational learning.
• 50 professionals from the field of youth interviewed to carry out the European Report
  (O1).
• 32 organizations collaborating in the learning activities and committed to
  use The Reaching out Handbook (O2).
• 180 organizations reached by dissemination strategies.
• Organization of a conference in Milan to disseminate the results of the project with more
  than 80 participants.

Below you can find the main products, result of the project:

O1. European report on the obstacles of professionals in the youth field to the
time to connect with young migrants. State of affairs and good practices in
Spain, Italy, Greece, United Kingdom, and Bulgaria. (Document in English)

O2. The Reaching out Handbook: Innovative techniques to link with young people
migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.  (Document in Spanish, Italian, Greek, English, Bulgarian)