"WelComm: Communication Skills for Integration of Migrants" aims at raising awareness of the importance of education for social inclusion of migrants from early age and promoting opportunities for equal start in education. Migration and intra EU mobility remains a key topic in public and political debates across Europe focusing on economic immigration, irregular migrants and the integration of newcomers. Many migrants are not fully integrated, some not at all, and they often face poverty, socio-cultural exclusion and various forms of discrimination. Moreover, the existing language and cultural barriers prevent migrants from receiving the necessary quality of services and equal opportunities in comparison to the receiving communities and they tend to become more and more capsulated within their local communities. One of the most vulnerable groups are migrant children who don’t speak the host language. Early childhood education can help facilitate the integration of children with special educational needs into mainstream schools and ensure greater access for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The WelComm objectives are focused on: - Providing opportunities for equal start in education for migrant children in pre-primary and primary school age - Raising awareness of the importance of education for social inclusion from early age among migrant parents - Developing innovative tools for non-formal language learning and thus improving the capacities of migrant organisations and language educators working with migrants - Developing basic communication skills in host country language These objectives will be achieved through the development of a Multimedia Learning Kit for Migrant Children which includes fully animated films, language games and comic books creating basic communication skills in the host country language. The partners will elaborate a creative methodology transferable in different contexts and presented as learning activities with personal involvement of learners on the principles of “learning-by-doing”, “knowing-by-playing”. The product will promote inclusive education and basic communication skills in the host country language by targeted innovative and creative language teaching/ learning modules. They will aim at attracting and motivating migrant children to participate in school education, to understand the benefits of learning, and to be actively involved in learning activities. WelComm addresses at the same time migrant families (parents, children), migrant organisations, language educators and volunteers working with migrants. The project partners will set up focus groups with such associated partners from all partner countries and use them throughout the project for needs analysis, development of the main products, feedback, dissemination and impact opportunities. The identified stakeholders will be also involved in training workshops demonstrating the created methods and products and their applicability with the end-users. Events for exploitation of the project outcomes will also serve as a forum for discussion and feedback from the focus groups and use the project outcomes to kick-start a discussion among stakeholders and policy makers on current issues regarding the integration of migrants. The main project results include: - improved quality, attractiveness and accessibility of language learning and education for migrant children - improved capacities of migrant organisations with new approaches and motivational boosters for engaging migrants in a process of integration in society - created basic knowledge of the language and culture of the host country through effective language tools improving migrants’ communication skills and competences - effective methodologies and good practices for integration of migrants collected from 6 European countries and beyond - information about the benefits and opportunities offered by language learning and education for better integration in society - continuous intercultural dialogue not only providing migrants with information on the cultural specifics of the receiving country but also giving them the opportunity to promote their own culture.
"WelComm: Communication Skills for Integration of Migrants" aimed at raising awareness of the importance of education for social inclusion of migrants from early age and promoting opportunities for equal start in education. WelComm addressed EU policies on early childhood education and care (ECEC) by developing materials and approaches for supporting school readiness and language acquisition of migrant children and at the same time supporting parents in their role as the main educators of their children during the early years. Among others, the WelComm products were designed in order to help children understand better the content of lessons taught, increase their interest in the benefits of learning, raise their motivation and create interest in educational opportunities. The WelComm objectives were focused on: - Providing opportunities for equal start in education for migrant children in pre-primary and primary school age - Raising awareness of the importance of education for social inclusion from early age among migrant parents - Developing innovative tools for non-formal language learning and thus improving the capacities of migrant organisations and language educators working with migrants - Developing basic communication skills in host country language These objectives were achieved through the development of a Multimedia Learning Kit for Migrant Children – a high-quality, attractive multi-device language product for creating and upgrading language skills of migrant children. The Kit includes a variety of language learning materials, using or involving several forms of communication or expression. It was produced in a tangible form as “WelComm GameBox”, containing a DVD with animated films and video with motion games, 4 board games and a colouring book. In addition to the GameBox there are 6 comic books of fairy tales adapted for the purposes of language learning in each one of the partner language. The Kit was produces in 1,200 copies in the 6 partner languages (NL, BG, IT, ES, PT, GR) and spread among numerous migrant organizations and language providers working with migrant children and parents. It provides them with new approaches and motivational boosters for engaging migrants in a process of integration in society and improving the quality, attractiveness and accessibility of the language offer for migrants. The Multimedia Learning Kit was piloted within 11 demonstrational workshops training 137 (volunteer) educators to use it with learners. The training workshops created a substantial multiplication effect and numerous follow-up events demonstrating the Kit were organised both by the workshop participants and by the project partners upon request from organizations. The Multimedia Learning Kit was provided to more than 88 migrant organizations and language providers which are currently using it within numerous language courses with hundreds of migrant children and parents. In addition, 11 events for exploitation and sustainability of the project results were organised involving over 230 relevant stakeholders. The WelComm project was widely disseminated within 187 dissemination events reaching over 3,400 people; thousands more were reached through social media (Facebook, LinkedIn) and online dissemination. All materials developed under the WelComm project are available on the project website (www.welcomm-project.com), which already has registered nearly 5,500 unique visitors and more than 450,000 hits.