Completed Projects
MILE
Migrant Integration through Locally designed Experiences
MILE stands for Migrant Integration through Locally designed Experiences and is about empowering the local community as a whole, including migrant communities. MILE is a two-year project co-funded through the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and involves partners in six European countries: Belgium, Greece, Latvia, Spain, the Netherlands, and the UK.
MILE is based on the idea that policy-making – especially at the local level – should be a co-creation process that reflects the diverse population of cities and gives migrants a say. By involving municipalities, migrant groups, and research teams across Europe, MILE aims to empower migrants and refugees and help to build lasting connections between migrant groups and local governments in Europe.
For this, MILE will produce research-based and locally-tailored responses that can address the current needs and priorities of municipalities and migrant communities. The participation tools developed by partnering research teams, municipalities, and migrant-led organisations aim to serve as a springboard for deeper social, economic, and political inclusion in the long term.
MILE works towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 10 – Reduced Inequalities.
RIDE
Reach Inclusion Through Digital Empowerment For Migrant Women
RIDE is a 2-year project co-funded by the EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), looking to advance the inclusion of migrant and refugee women in the digital labour market in five EU countries. The tools of the project include specially designed training courses, mentoring, job fairs and networking opportunities to give migrant and refugee women the possibility to re-skill or upskill and find jobs in the digital sector.
RIDE works towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5 – Gender Equality and Sustainable Development Goal 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth.
MAX
Maximizing Migrants' Contribution to Society
MAX was a 3-year project, co-funded by the EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). The aim was to improve public attitudes towards migrants by changing the narrative around the immigration discourse and illustrating it with migrants’ unique personal stories.
Different methods of storytelling were promoted, for instance through journalism, film-making, and social media, and helped create positive messages in the European public sphere. Among other activities, MAX hosted a film festival showcasing films by and for migrants, on the issue of migration, diversity and inclusion.
EMEN
European Migrant Entrepreneurship Network
The project established three Communities of Practice (CoPs) which, for three years, shared information and knowledge and good practice in three areas that are key to supporting migrant entrepreneurship in the short to medium term:
- Coaching and mentoring (led by Social Impact gGmbH, Berlin)
- Microfinance (led by THUAS-FINE, The Hague)
- Professionalisation of migrant entrepreneurs’ associations and diversity management in chambers of commerce (led by UNITEE, Brussels)
The CoPs were open to all organisations supporting migrant entrepreneurs.
They operated continually via online fora and other tools as well as meeting physically (a) at the annual conferences of the whole project, and (b) at workshops arranged on the margins of other events as appropriate to their theme (including events organised by the partner organisations and by the COSME sibling projects).
The project’s immediate target group included migrant entrepreneurship support schemes and organisations, financial institutions supporting migrant entrepreneurs, public authorities, especially at city and regional levels, mainstream business support organisations (notably chambers of commerce), professional business advisers such as small business consultants, accountants, lawyers, advocacy and service NGOs serving migrants, researchers (and students) in this field.
The project partners:
- AEIDL (European Association for Information on Local Development asbl)
- Diesis Coop
- Social Impact gGmbH
- Stichting Hoger Beroepsonderwijs Haaglanden en Rijnstreek
- Research Unit Financial Inclusion and New Entrepreneurship (FINE)
- UNITEE aisbl
- CECOP-CICOPA Europe
- ETUC (European Trade Union Confederation)
- KMOP (Kentro Merimnas Oikogeinias kai Paidiou)
- REVES (Réseau Européen des Villes et Régions de l’Economie Social aisbl)
- ALDA (Association des Agences de la Démocratie locale)
- EURADA (Association Européenne des Agences de Développement) and Eurochambres.