Background Brief: UNITES Project – UrbaN InTEgration Strategies through co-design

Led by Eurocities, UNITES – UrbaN InTEgration Strategies through co-design – trains and accompanies local authorities to co-design integration strategies with other stakeholders and migrants.

UNITES aims to:

  • improve integration outcomes by co-designing integration strategies with stakeholders, citizens and vulnerable migrants
  • train integration practitioners in managing co-design processes through different forms of learning and exchange of good practices
  • foster the participation of citizens, including migrants but also vulnerable migrants in the co-design of integration strategy
  • raise awareness of the advantages of a “whole of society approach” to integration.

The project’s first stage is developing training on co-designing integration strategies, incorporating research on best practices across Europe. A pilot version of the training will be conducted with staff from the 8 cities participating in the project. The training will then be developed into an open access online course (MOOC) for integration practitioners outside the project.

In the second stage, the 8 city partners receive a €20,000 grant to set up a new mechanism for stakeholder consultation and develop their local integration strategy through co-design with stakeholders and migrants. In planning and implementing their actions, they will receive guidance from colleagues from other cities and migrant organisations in peer workshops and peer visits to each city.

Read more on the Project Website

Background Brief: RIDE Project – Reach Inclusion Through Digital Empowerment For Migrant Women

https://www.ride-project.eu/

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.

 

Background Brief: MILE Project – 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.

Project Website

EMEN 2nd ANNUAL EVENT: Innovative financing solutions for migrant entrepreneurs? Cross your own borders!

On the 20th of June 2019, UNITEE will be participating to the 2nd annual event of the EMEN – EUROPEAN MIGRANT ENTREPRENEURSHIP NETWORK (EMEN) project.

An event without long speeches instead brief, thought provoking talks, a thriving market where innovations are shown, pitches, interactive workshops, debates, and inspiring encounters. With others exploring how best access to finance for migrant entrepreneurs can be ensured.

The 20th June, at the premises of the Hague University of Applied Sciences, in the Hague you have the chance to meet others who might inspire you, or with whom you want to cooperate. Or just listen and reflect.

The Conference will try to give some answers to questions such as:

Are starting migrant entrepreneurs really that different from native entrepreneurs (or entrepreneurs without a migrant background)? Do we need to treat them as a special target group? Do we have to set up special schemes to finance their new businesses? Businesses that for sure will be helpful to them to participate in society, to break out of exclusion, to add value to society. Or do they also have their own ways of mobilizing finance?

We are creating a space to meet, talk, converse, investigate and discuss:

how migrant entrepreneurs might finance their new ventures
how they can make use of existing formal and informal financing mechanisms
how they can make use of mainstream facilities
how special mechanisms might be relevant, needed and desirable.
how start-up programmes can support migrants in finding finance
A place to build up new networks as well!