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Roots & Routes: Young Lives in Transition

2025-3-FI01-KA153-YOU-0003697142025Mobility of youth workersongoing
Countries: FI|EL|EG|AM|IT|TN|RO · Grant: €41,138
Reception and integration of refugees and migrantsInternational relations and development cooperationDemocracy and inclusive democratic participation

Objectives

“Migration” and “Youth integration ”are important topic in politics, in economics and societies among EU countries. The EU is divided between moral and legal obligations towards human rights and the right of asylum on the one side and protecting it´s borders and responding to fears in society on the other. A huge influx of migrants can confront a society with new challenges, can lead eventually to the rise of right-wing and populist parties and endanger the socio-political climate. In different countries different approaches are implemented to deal with migration, refugees and integration, which succeed to different extents. Refugees who arrived recently in the respective country might face huge challenges to adapt to the new environment. But also, migrant youth groups who are 2nd or third generations and well-integrated, can face different obstacles in society. This applies not only to migrants from different ethnical backgrounds, also internal displaced persons (IDPs) are facing difficulties which need to be addressed. Segregation and ghettoization are the result of a failed integration policy and bear a huge risk for a society and the opportunities of the migrants themselves. In the worst case, especially young refugees and migrants can be an easy prey to radicalization. With increasing diversity due to migration and globalization, integrating young people—especially those from migrant, minority, or marginalized backgrounds—has become a key priority for sustainable development across European countries. Diversity management and integration can contribute to the following aspects: Social cohesion and inclusion, economic contribution, preventing radicalization and marginalization, strengthening democracy and fulfilling human rights and EU values. Youth integration aligns with the core values of the European Union: human dignity, freedom, equality, and respect for human rights. When governmental policies are not enough or are not able to address the issue in a sufficient way, it is important that civil society steps up and fills this gap. We think that activities of NGOs, associations, etc. shouldn’t be limited to national level but comprise European cooperation, as well, because “Migration” is a European issue. Exactly as national soloefforts on political and European governmental level are less effective compared to cooperation and multilateralism, we think that the same applies for the civil society sector. We are convinced that it is useful to team up and to approach this issue in the framework of a European cooperation as it is relevant for all participating countries and organizations. The needs of the organizations are described more detailed below. We identify here different problems and key words connected to Migration which include but are not limited to: “Racism, Racial profiling, Lack of Tolerance, Tolerance Trap, Unwillingness to Integrate, Stereotypes, Fake News and Misinformation, Populism, Fear of Assimilation, Fear of the Other, Nationalism, Ignoranc. The issue of migration is thus crucial, especially, in youth work. With this project we will be able to share and discover together best practices to address this issue in our youth work on local and European level. This will happen with workshops implemented by the participants in which they present their organization’s activities and methods. With the finding and results of these workshops we will create a handbook for Youth Workers who are working with migrants, refugees and minority groups. This project will also initiate a European networking process and pave the way for common future projects and a platform for exchange in this area. Objectives 1. Exchanging knowledge about the situation in other countries (policies, facts and numbers, challenges, public debates, etc.) 2. Learning about the work of other organizations (activities, target groups, methods, etc.) 3. Peer-Learning: Exchanging Best Practice with Workshops 4. Improving Youth Work on Local and European level (including an intersectional approach and countering racism, hate speech, xenophobia and radicalization) 5. Developing Actions Plans for the local reality of each participating organization 6. Creating a handbook for Youth Workers and Trainers The proposed project goes in line with the Erasmus+ programme as it is referring to the objectives of the Key Action 1. There is a clear connection to the EU Youth Strategy as youth workers will be empowered by getting this advanced training and thus the improvement and support of quality youth work will be fostered. We refer also to some of the 11 YOUTH GOALS: INCLUSIVE SOCIETIES, because the project aims to eventually improve the living conditions and opportunities of young migrants and refugees.

Project partners (7)