The BRAMIR Project proposes the development and implementation of a multi-layered andragogic framework designed for a seniors target group comprising older workers approaching retirement and recent retirees. This framework will incorporate a bespoke train-the-trainer curriculum, a suite of psychographic profiling tools and a digital toolbox of appropriate teaching resources to enable the redeployment of the seniors target group as volunteers to support the development of key civic and social competences within the established and growing migrant communities. The project proposes a mutually beneficial arrangement affording the seniors target group an opportunity to remain active contributors to society while addressing the growing migrant integration problem.The project consortium believe that using ethnicity or country of origin to define migrant needs within a host country is no longer a suitable approach. Instead the BRAMIR project will develop an innovative methodology based on an analysis of sinus milieu® groups within migrant communities. This psychographic profiling approach will identify key variables within migrant communities taking into account criteria such as education, social and cultural values, attitudes, interests and lifestyles, and will inform the development of appropriate learning resources to support the acquisition of key social and civic competences.Research conducted by partners has highlighted the vast array of skills and tacit knowledge they have acquired during their working lives. The BRAMIR project consortium suggest that Europe’s older generations could help alleviate shortages of skilled workers in certain key migrant support areas and with appropriate training Europe's retirees can be counted on to advance the integration of migrant communities; improve the qualitative life experience of migrants; and enhance the prospects of migrants in the labour market. The impact of the European Year of Voluntary Activities Promoting Active Citizenship in 2011 and the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations in 2012 can be seen in the significant increase in the numbers of senior volunteers who have registered with volunteer placement services. As a result there is an abundance of raw talent waiting to support the actions of the BRAMIR project consortium.While developing skills of senior volunteers for reasons of inclusion has a significant social value, it is a fact that this cohort of European society have a continuing contribution to make to European society and Europe's need for their continued participation as active members of society will grow as the number of retirees increase in the coming decades. The alignment of senior volunteers with the development of key competences of migrant communities represents an innovative and sustainable new learning partnership.
The BRAMIR project addressed two important European concerns: The ageing of the population and an increasing dependence on immigration to meet current and future labour-force requirements. While there is considerable variance with regard to the speed and immediacy of these changes within and between Member States, they will impact all countries in the not too distant future. Immigration has become a 'normal' part of life in Europe. The challenge for Member States moving forward is to enhance migrant integration into host country society and economy and efforts being made to attract workers from non-EU countries need to go hand in hand with measures to ensure social cohesion and equal treatment. The BRAMIR project therefore proposes a mutually beneficial arrangement affordingseniors an opportunity to remain active contributors to society while addressing the growing migrant integration problems, such as: - Information gap: Migrants experience a lack of knowledge about their new social and civic systems. - Network gap: Although immigrant organizations try to build or solidify networks within immigrant communities they do little to tie these organizations to groups outside of the immigrant communities. The project enrolled new possibilities for seniors to become "qualified" volunteers to support the development of key civic and social competences within the established and growing migrant communities. The BRAMIR consortium consisted of 9 partners representing 8 Member States and brought together a wide range of expertise. Included was also an associated partner from Switzerland. The aim of the partnership was to develop and implement a multi-layered andragogic framework design for the target group comprising older workers approaching retirement and recent retirees. The framework incorporates a bespoke train-the-trainer curriculum; a suite of psychographic profiling tools; an induction programm, an e-learning portal, a digital toolbox of appropriate teaching resources for redeployment of the senior target group as volunteers to support the development of key civic and social competences and a Policy Paper for authorities and political institutions. All training resources can be accessed through the project website www.bramir.eu. The most resources developed are available in English, German, French, Czech, Greek, Finnish, Italian and Romanian.