The MAGIC project aimed to strengthen the social and economic inclusion of migrants while improving the competences of the practitioners and volunteers who support them. Our main objectives were to: Promote civic participation, by collecting good practices that encourage migrants to engage in associations, volunteering and community life, fostering mutual understanding with local citizens. Support language learning, through tools and methods adapted to adults with different literacy levels, improving communication and interaction with host communities. Encourage entrepreneurial skills, by documenting migrant-led business experiences and mapping support services, in order to promote pathways towards autonomy and employment. Equip operators and volunteers with a practical toolkit covering civic, linguistic and entrepreneurial dimensions of integration, enhancing their professional skills. Foster intercultural dialogue and European values, reducing prejudice, preventing marginalisation and strengthening social cohesion across partner countries.
We applied to MAGIC to address concrete needs in migrant integration and to strengthen the skills of practitioners supporting them in local communities. Despite the post-2015 decline in arrivals, the social impact of migration remains high and, without targeted interventions, risks of marginalisation can persist. Our needs analysis highlighted that reception staff require: (a) psycho-pedagogical preparation to manage heterogeneous situations; (b) effective communication strategies towards migrants and local communities; and (c) managerial/administrative competences to remove obstacles to real inclusion. MAGIC responds with a practical three-module toolkit—civic participation, language learning, and entrepreneurial competences—to help practitioners motivate migrant participation in associative life, improve intercultural dialogue and support pathways towards social and economic autonomy.