Throughout history, people have migrated from one place to another. People try to reach European shores for different reasons and through different channels. Migration is a growing and permanent part of Europe's future. There is a pressure for a more effective EU strategy to promote the economic, social, cultural, and political integration of migrants and the next generation. Immigrants in Europe want to become long-term residents. They say they highly value opportunities to learn the native language. A vast majority says they were interested in civic and political participation. Despite this, the segregation and social exclusion of migrant communities can be a serious problem. Youth workers and social workers play an important role in helping migrants overcoming problems they encounter in a new society and integration. Youth work has much to offer in services for migrants and refugees. They can respond to the complex needs of young refugees within an understanding of the wider context of family relationships and social institutions.Therefore, it is important developing youth workers’ knowledge, skills and competences in helping refugees and migrants. Thus, the OBJECTIVE of the project is to develop and test an innovative training curriculum for youth workers to support them in reaching out to young migrants and refugees, and increase youth workers’ competences and foster their professional development. The specific aims are:1) to analyse the training needs of youth workers2) to develop of an innovative training curriculum for youth workers who work with young migrants and refugees.3) to train youth workers with this new training curriculum4) to increase professional knowledge and skills of youth workers in the area of migrant and refugee work5) to improve the quality of the youth workThe target group of the project are youth workers, youth leaders, youth organizations, NGOs working with migrants, social and community workers, NGOs working on social issues. The approximate number of the direct participants will be 454 and number of the indirect participants expected to be 17400 person.The following activities will be carried out in order to realize project objectives:WP1: Project Management and Implementation (Months1-24):WP2. Quality Assurance, Monitoring and Evaluation (Months 1-24):WP 3. Dissemination and Exploitation (Months 1-24):WP 4. Need Analysis Research (Month 1-6):WP 5: Curriculum Development (Month 7-18): WP 6. Preparation of Trainers Handbook (Month 19-24):The following methods will be used: The project cycle management method which consists of 5 stages: I- initiation; II- planning; III- implementation (executing); IV- monitoring and controlling; V- closing. Furthermore project activities will be based on a collaborative working method allowing all partners to contribute to the project and communication process.Expected results and long term benefits:1-Better understanding of the needs and expectations of the youth workers in terms of reaching out to the young migrants and refugees.2-Development of an innovative training curriculum for youth workers the content of which will be based on the need analysis as well as analysis of current literature and research results on the subject.3-Development of a Trainers' Handbook containing tips and recommendations for trainers.4) Implementation of the training programme, training of youth workers at a joint staff training event, increase in professional knowledge and skills of youth workers in the area of migrant and refugee work and,5) In the long term improvement of the quality of the youth work.The main intellectual outputs of the projects are:O1.NEED ANALYSIS REPORT: Approximately 40 pages, available in all partner languages in online versionO2. TRAINING CURRICULUM and MATERIALS: Approximately 60 pages, available in all partner languages, online and paper versionO3. TRAINERS HANDBOOK: Approximately 50 pages, available in all partner languages online and paper versionLOCAL MULTIPLIER EVENTS: Local dissemination events will be organized in IT, GR, AT and İzmir, TR with 150 participants. JOINT MULTIPLIER EVENT: A joint international multiplier event will be organized in İstanbul, TR with 100 participants. C1. Short-term joint staff training event: The joint staff training event aims to deliver the results of the need analysis research (O1.) and Training Curriculum and Materials (O2.) to target groups, total 24 youth workers will join the trainingExpected impact are: All together 454 people will come in direct contact with the project, learn about the outputs and provide feedback and opinions. Their awareness regarding young migrants and refugees and importance of the youth work will be increased. The knowledge, skills and competences of youth workers who joined the training events will be increased.For partner organizations: The training of their staff with a new training program will increase quality of their services.
Youth workers and social workers play an important role in helping migrants overcoming problems they encounter in a new society and integration. Youth work has much to offer in services for migrants and refugees. From a skill base that integrates intrapersonal and inter-personal helping with the practicalities of assisting people to find their way around the social welfare system, youth workers and social workers can respond to the complex needs of young refugees within an understanding of the wider context of family relationships and social institutions. That’s why it is important developing youth workers’ knowledge, skills and competences in helping refugees and migrants. In order for youth workers to feel prepared to work with immigrant and refugee youth, training program must offer trainings that can help youth workers gain necessary knowledge and skills specifically related to the unique needs, assets, challenges and strengths of immigrant youth. For youth workers that will work with immigrant youth, training program need to develop supplemental training materials that specifically deal with issues they may encounter in these unique relationships. Topics that can be covered include: tips and ideas for helping a young person with language and acculturation issues, activity suggestions involving cultural sharing, good practices related to working with families, listening skills and understanding both assets and challenges of the migrant and refugee population. Considering all these needs, the main OBJECTIVE of the project was to develop and test an innovative training curriculum for youth workers to support them in reaching out to young migrants and refugees, and increase youth workers’ competences and foster their professional development. The specific objectives of the project were: 1) to analyse the training needs of youth workers 2) to develop of an innovative training curriculum for youth workers who work with young migrants and refugees. 3) to train youth workers with this new training curriculum 4) to increase professional knowledge and skills of youth workers in the area of migrant and refugee work 5) to improve the quality of the youth work The project consortium was consisted of 6 organizations from different backgrounds: • A university experienced in the European projects and migration issues (Yasar University, Turkey, coordinator) • Two youth civil society organizations active in the field of youth projects and volunteering work (United Societies of Balkans, Greece and Eski Avrupa Gonullu Hizmeti Gonulluleri Genclik Dernegi, Turkey) • A network of social cooperatives providing services for the migrants and refugees (Formazione Co&So Network, Italy), • A social service provider for youth (Jugend am Werk Steiermark, Austria). • A public organization providing services for the migrants and refugees and involved in several European projects in the area of youth. (İstanbul Valiliği,Turkey), The main activities involve; developing and implementing a needs analysis survey, developing new training curriculum and training materials, organizing local testing sessions to test developed materials; organizing a short term joint staff training event, organizing 4 local multiplier events and one joint international multiplier event, other dissemination activities and quality assurance and evaluation activities. The main results, outputs and impact attained were: 1-Better understanding of the needs and expectations of the youth workers in terms of reaching out to the young migrants and refugees. (IO1. Need Analysis Report) 2-Development of an innovative training curriculum for youth workers the content of which is based on the need analysis as well as analysis of current literature and research results on the subject. (IO2. Training Curriculum and Materials) 3-Development of a Trainers' Handbook containing tips and recommendations for trainers. (IO3. Trainers Handbook) 4) Implementation of the training programme, training of youth workers at a joint staff training event, increase in professional knowledge and skills of youth workers in the area of migrant and refugee work 5) Improvement of the quality of the youth work. All together more than 500 people come in direct contact with the project, learn about the outputs and provide feedback and opinions. Their awareness regarding young migrants and refugees and importance of the youth work are increased. The knowledge, skills and competences of youth workers who joined the training events are also increased. Furthermore, for partner organizations, the training of their staff with a new training program increased the quality of their services.