The main objective of our project was to contribute to preventing early school leaving by focusing on supporting second-generation immigrants, particularly those affected by social, cultural, and economic barriers, and by addressing issues such as disinvestment in education and limited access to opportunities. Moreover, our work also aimed to educate children about diversity, in order to counter stereotypes and discrimination. By promoting diversity as a strength, this approach also helped to improve children’s mental well-being. All of this was achieved through the development of a methodology and activities that, in a playful way, allowed children to discover their talents, develop a positive attitude toward learning, and become more motivated about education. Another objective was to enhance the skills of youth workers in areas such as inclusive work, youth empowerment, non-formal education, and intercultural education, which are essential to ensure a greater and more lasting impact.
The project “Embracing Diversity – Promoting the Inclusion of Second Generation of Immigration through Empowerment” was created to address the issue of early school leaving, particularly among second-generation students. This initiative was developed to contribute to tackling early school leaving after data showed that the majority of those who drop out of school early are second generation migrants. These young people are often at greater risk because they face multiple barriers — linguistic, social, and economic — and are sometimes unaware of the opportunities that the destination countries can offer. The project addresses younger children, as we believe that working with them can have a stronger impact on their future, helping them to understand the importance of education for their personal growth and development. We hope that this project will contribute to reducing early school leaving in the long term, both within our local communities and across Europe.