Lessons learned from the Italian pilot project in Varese and the importance of creating friendly spaces to foster migrant integration
Through the implementation of the INTEgreat pilot project in Varese, Italy, various activities and services were offered in the four main areas of intervention of the project (training and capacity building, employment, health and social cohesion) to benefit asylum...
Preparation of the New Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) – Limerick in the eyes of Migrants- Part 1.
The Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) is a statutory plan, led by the local authority. The preparation and implementation of the LECP is supported by collaborations with public agencies, community and voluntary bodies and sectoral interests in the local...
The Social Caffe as an enabling space for migrant integration
Over the last 18 months SYNTHESIS Center for Research and Education has worked on the implementation of a series of activities under the AMIF funded project INTEgreat. The establishment of the Social Caffe was one of the most successful activities that we implemented...
The role of interculturality in integration programmes: a two-way collaboration
Interculturality refers to the ability to recognize, respect, and value cultural differences, and to emphasize the importance of cultural diversity as a resource and not as a threat to social cohesion and to either the individual or collective identity. Assuming...
Integration Working Group sessions
Discussing integration difficulties, opportunities, and possible collaborations for migrants and refugees in Greece Within the context of the INTEgreat project, Social Hackers Academy organised 3 Integration Working Groups to discuss different topics related to...
The externalisation of EU borders and the imperative need for intercultural interaction
Over the last few years, in an attempt to stop the influx of migrants coming from the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa, the European Union (EU) has been externalising its border policies through lucrative deals signed with nearby third countries. While these deals...
Limerick Migrant Integration Forum
The Forum, established by Limerick City and County Council is part of the EU INTEgreat Project, however it is envisioned to continue long after the end of INTEgreat. This new structure aims to empower migrant communities to collaborate, network and represent a...
Importance of intercultural awareness for service providers
Under the theme of social cohesion, Doras committed to designing and delivering intercultural awareness training with service providers as part of the local pilot project in Limerick. The aim of this activity was to build the capacity of people working in front-line...
Integration and Educational Empowerment of Migrant Families
Ballafon social cooperative, which is engaged in the widespread reception of asylum seekers in the province of Varese, Italy, has carried out ten pilot activities for the INTEgreat project until the end of April 2024. All ten activities have had a significant benefit...
The social café as a means of integration of TCNs in Cyprus
Due to its strategic geographical position on the crossroad of three continents, Cyprus is an easy entry point for people fleeing their country in the hopes of a better future in Europe. By the end of December 2021, the percentage of asylum seekers in the Republic was...
The Role of Municipality in the integration of newcomers
Introduction In an era of globalization, climate change and conflicts around the world, Europe has seen an increase in refugee arrivals. Ireland is currently experiencing unprecedented refugee and asylum applications, with most coming from Ukrainian refugees reaching...
How research can support policy-makers and civil society in developing integration programs
What’s the role of social research in the construction of integration paths? How does it relate institutions, formal and non-formal civil society organisations with the needs of forced migrants, once settling in the European Union? In this post, we’ll share some...
Nurturing Stakeholder Partnerships and Elevating Impact in Varese through the Pilot Project
Stakeholder relations and partnerships are the glue that holds project management together. This is an axiom that rings especially true in our INTEgreat pilot project in Varese, Italy. In our case, local organisations and Integration Working Group (IWG) members have...
INTEgreat – New pilot project in Limerick
Doras is one of seven partners working to implement the EU-funded INTEgreat project. As part of this project, Doras is working closely with Limerick City and County Council to implement a pilot project that aims to bring innovative solutions to integration barriers in...
World Mental Health Day: What challenges do migrant and refugee people face?
Every year, millions of people around the world leave their homes for various different reasons and migrate to another country: taking such a decision can have a strong psychological impact. Those that travel along dangerous migratory routes tend to be those most...
Insights from the INTEgreat Mid-term Conference
“Building Local Communities to Enhance the Integration and Housing of Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Europe” Written by Social Hackers Academy The mid-term conference, was held at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, on June 8, 2023, and was jointly organized...
Cultural Diversity, a New Experience for Ireland
In-migration of people from different cultural backgrounds is a new experience for Ireland. Up to the early 2000’s culturally, Ireland was a relatively homogenous society. Over generations – post the great famine (1845-1847) into the 1980’s and early 1990’s - Ireland...
Integration through capacity building in Greece
Written by Social Hackers Academy The Social and Cultural Integration of displaced people can be characterised as a dynamic and multifaceted two-way process which requires efforts by all the relevant stakeholders. One key factor of Integration is accessibility to...
Limerick’s Integration Working Group
Written by Limerick City and County Council The Integration Working Group (IWG) brings together public agencies and voluntary and community organisations in Limerick to focus on the needs of people with a migration background and promote integration with host...
Integration Policies in Ireland
Written by Doras Ireland as a country has undergone profound social change over the past three decades. What was largely a relatively monocultural state, has become much more open and diverse, something that can be understood in part through the vast demographic...
Integration Policies in Spain
Written by Open Cultural Center Spain’s current policies are slightly more inclusive than those of other EU countries, as the 2020 Migrant Integration Policy Index points out. Under the INTEgreat project, Open Cultural Center conducted research on integration in Spain...
Integration Policies in Italy
Written by Samantha Caccamo and Giulia Colombo - Ballafon Social Cooperative Italy shows a significant delay in the development of a model of immigrant integration, compared to other European countries. Although policies to facilitate integration and provide equal...
Integration Policies in Cyprus
Written by Andri Kyriacou - SYNTHESIS Center for Research and Education This article reflects only the author’s views and the Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. Cyprus is among the European countries that...
Integration status of countries in INTEgreat’s consortium
Written by Emanuela Dal Zotto - University of Bologna To reach the general objective of developing a novel Integration Strategy Framework (ISF) to foster the social inclusion of adult TCNs, in particular asylum seekers, refugees and migrants with subsidiary...