The increasing diversity in our societies is not well reflected in our education systems. De facto, social exclusion migrants exists in many European countries. The segregation is only a part of large-scale social inequalities which are pushing an increasing number of people to the margins of society and making them more likely to join radical and violent groups. Therefore, it is worth to note that tackling inequalities in education should be a part of the comprehensive fight for social justice, in order to make universal values alive. This entails both investing in quality integration policies and strengthening participation in the society. Education and training are among the most powerful tools for integration and access to them should be ensured and promoted as early as possible. INCREA’s activities aim to address the two main challenges for migrants and refugees in Europe: 1: Lack of adequate language skills Socially, culturally and linguistically migrant populations are infinitely diverse; in terms of educational capital they range from the illiterate to the highly qualified; and they include vulnerable groups such as the elderly, the deaf, and people serving prison sentences. This means that it makes no sense to provide just one type of language course for adult migrants or to impose the same language requirement on everyone. 2: Lack of professional and employment-related skills The proposed project will combine language learning with learning entrepreneurial (i.e. how to create a business, national regulation, practical and soft skills linked to entrepreneurship) and Digital skills. Moreover, the proposed project will focus its activities on creative sector with the aim of empowering migrants/refugees in exploiting their cultural background and creating business, promote social inclusion and growth. Language learning will be more practical and anchored to real professional life. Project Intellectual Outputs will be divided as follows: • O1 – Identification of skill and gaps of target migrants related to: language competences, entrepreneurial spirit/competences, • O2 – Training courses for migrants combining language, entrepreneurial and Digital skills learning • O3 - “From Migrant to Creative Entrepreneur Manual” • O4 - Serious game to foster entrepreneurship spirit exploiting personal cultural background The project will follow a very precise methodology based on division of work based on each partner experiences and resources. The consortium will then coagulate and cross-fertilize results into objectives and deliverable stated in the workplan. The project will create a stable and permanent education e-platform and Serious Game tool, educational schemes and examples, training courses and replicable example for migrants, refugees, trainers and practitioners. INCREA will also deliver the "From Migrant to Creative Entrepreneur Manual”on the basic rule to start a creative business and all the tips to run the new enterprise. It will also contain all the company law needed to deal with the national regulations in Europe in fact of business. The project will base its later outputs on a detailed Skill gaps analysis on European Level, made on a national and transnational level by the consortium. Those analyses will be delivered by the project and could be used in the future as the base of more up to date studies on financial skills level in Europe.
•Background:Nowadays, social exclusion of migrants and refugees exists in many European countries, although it is not well-reflected in our educational systems. Thus, tackling inequalities in education should be a part of the comprehensive fight for social justice,in order to make universal values alive.The acquisition of basic skills and mostly learning the language is the foundation for the integration process and the access to further learning and the gateway to employment and social inclusion.•Objectives:The purpose of INCREA project was the development of training modules and activities respecting the different culture of the individuals to support their integration in the European societies through language and entrepreneurial competences, including soft skills as well as digital skills. In fact,INCREA developed an innovative ICT tool-based on the methodology of Serious game-integrated in a blended-learning environment aiming in transferring knowledge towards target audience together with a manual that fosters creative entrepreneurship in European societies.•Undertaken activities:INCREA activities aimed in identifying the following challenges in relation with the needs of European societies:-1:Lack of adequate language skills – A language skills course was created with hands-on examples of professional language use in working environments.-2:Lack of professional and employment-related skills – INCREA also provided a combination of courses enhancing migrants and refugees’ digital and entrepreneurial skills in order to support them in being part of European creative industries or create their own business. •Participants:Different target groups were involved:-Migrants/ refugees that participated in an analysis aiming in identifying the gap between their level and the current situation in European industries. They were also engaged in all aspects of the project (validation, workshops,events, etc.)-Stakeholders (adult training organizations, social workers, entrepreneurs, organizations working in migration, business consultants, etc.)More than 52.000 participants were reached in total.•Results:The Intellectual Outputs were:•1–Identification of skill and gaps of target migrants related to:language and entrepreneurial competences• 2–Training courses for migrants combining language,entrepreneurial and digital skills• 3-From Migrant to Creative Entrepreneur Manual• 4-Serious game to foster entrepreneurship spirit exploiting personal cultural background. The first step comprised a detailed skills gap analysis serving as the basis for the delivery of all outputs. Within IO2,3 courses and a training scheme were delivered addressing language, digital and entrepreneurial skills that are required in the creative sector. Moreover,a hands-on manual was prepared within IO3 including useful information about the administrative rules that currently occur in each partner country.Finally, a Serious Game was developed for IO4 serving as an assessment tool with motivational workflows.The results of IO2, IO3 and IO4 are hosted in a Learning Motivational Environment that supports the learning process providing autonomy to the users. •Impact:The impact of the project was related to the main objectives:1.The social inclusion of new migrants in order to increase their contribution to grow creates new job opportunities in Europe in the near future.2.Raising awareness about the benefits of social inclusion aimed also in leveraging of various stakeholders involved. In this respect, the project also aimed to have an impact in the promotion and diffusion of the impact investing. 3.At a local level, the project provided participants with the tools and techniques needed to improve the processes of running and developing their own business.4. At a national level, the increased inclusion of migrants in the economy is materialized into a generalized economic growth and a diminution of social poverty. 5.At a European and International level, the project aimed in influencing policies and helping in shaping the future of social inclusion as long as partners continue to learn from each other.•Long-term benefits:The project activities and the INCREA Academy that was created for sustainability purposes contributed in the development of synergies of stakeholders that work on the field of migration within Europe.In addition, the project methodology can be used in the future as the foundation for relevant studies in other areas,such as the financial management skills of migrants. •Acronyms identification:- E#: Multiplier Event- TPM: Transnational Project Meeting- LTTA: Learning, Teaching and Training Activity- QM: Quality Manager - QPR: Quality Progress Report - QMP: Quality Management Plan- QAC: Quality Assurance Committee- IEQ: Internal Evaluation Questionnaire- IPR: Intellectual Property Rights - KPI: Key Performance Indicator - IO: Intellectual Output - VET: Vocational Education Training