Case Studies of Migrant Initiatives & Tools

The Bridges Not Walls project aims to:

EMPOWER

young migrants to lead and create the movements and tools that will overcome their marginalisation

IDENTIFY

the barriers young migrants are facing to political participation through dialogue and outreach led by young migrants

BUILD

sustainable practices and resources for integration of migrants within democratic life.

Supported by

Researching Migrant Experience
October - December 2021

Listen to the recap video of our focus group activities! You can read the full breakdown here in our blogpost!

20 young migrants engaged reflected on their experience of migration and how this had impacted them socially, civically and in politcal and cultural life. 

As our first activity, this focus group formed the foundation of the later activities in our project.

Youth Exchange in Merkine, Lithuania
May 2023

✨ For one week in Merkinė, Lithuania, we gathered 21 young people, many with migration backgrounds, for reflection and action on how migration is impacting young people’s identities and communities across Europe! 

📌 With participants from 14 different countries, speaking 16 different languages, each brought a different angle to the dialogues on migration. 

🇱🇹 We connected with the local community to ensure our conversations were spread, and hosted a Living Library with Merkinės Kultūros Centras, where our participants humanised migrants, with personal stories from Ghana, Ecuador, Zimbabwe, Portugal, Russia, and Germany! 

In this video, Kelvin Akpaloo, Vladislav Artiukhov and Robert Nesirky (three facilitators for the project) talk about about the movement behind the project “Bridges Not Walls,” which started in 2018. The project aims to connect people and discuss migration issues through non-formal education activities, art, and storytelling. Participants from different countries and backgrounds gather to share their experiences, learn about migration, and engage in cross-cultural dialogues.

The group is currently in Merkinė, Lithuania, a historical town with a significant Jewish population prior to the Holocaust. The town is close to the Polish border and the Belarusian border, making it a relevant location to discuss migration issues. The recent migration crisis has led to the construction of a physical border to stop people from entering Europe.

One of the activities the young people organise is a living library, which provides a space for people from marginalized or oppressed groups to share their stories. This method helps to break stereotypes and fosters understanding between individuals from different backgrounds. They also touch on human rights issues and the importance of empathy and understanding for those who are forced to migrate.

Towards the end of the video, participants share their stories through music, dance, and art, celebrating the diverse backgrounds and experiences they bring to the project. The goal is to create content that can be used by other organisations or individuals to promote understanding and empathy for people from different backgrounds and migration experiences.

Study Visit to Erfurt & Migrant Initiatives - January 2022

Our Joint-staff mobility was implemented in a hybrid format, after a rapid spike in COVID-19 cases in Thuringia in January 2022. However, we still made this activity work for our project! 

Throughout the week, online or in-person, the participants interviewed individuals involved in projects and organizations in Erfurt that engage with migrants. They learned about initiatives like Werkhaus Inklusion and Think Social, which support migrants in starting their own businesses and promote social entrepreneurial mindsets.

As a dedicated trainer for the online groups, Kelvin Akpaloo focused on discussing migration, integration, and human rights. The input from this session contributed to the content for the upcoming youth exchange in June. The event also included an intercultural games night, where participants played board games and learned new vocabulary from each other’s languages.

Below you can see some of the outcomes of our study visit to Erfurt!

Kelvin Akpaloo discusses how a migrant-led space can both build the migrant community and help migrants be seen as actively engaged citizens in the broader community, using Tallaght Community Arts as an example. 

The footage displayed is a recording of a dance performance choreographed by Kelvin and performed with young people from the local community on the theme of migration.

Listen to Valentin Rühlmann from FACK e.V. discussing their principles for an inclusive youth organisation. Valentin launched a youth organisation, which failed to get momentum. Learning from this, he developed a new open structure organisation that is going from strength to strength while reaching out to under-engaged groups in the process. Learn more about FACK e.V. here!

Sports Against Racism Ireland is an organisation promoting sports as an educational and integrating force. SARI has  a long history of working with migrant groups in Ireland, and their board member, Amina Moustafa introduced their approach to our project team. Read more about SARI here!

The Sparta Kick-boxing club is an interesting example of migrants coming together for a common activity, in a way that crosses national and language barriers. This club engages young Russian speakers and young Germans, as well as many international English speakers in the city. Andrei, the founder and coach introduces the club and his vision for it in our video here!

Think Social! Is a research project exploring how to promote establishing social enterprises among young migrant women. Learn more from Natalia here!

Werkhaus Inclusion is an initiative of Plattform e.V. that seeks to use local level supports of mentoring and finance to support young migrants to launch businesses. 

Global Bio Gardens is a grassroots initiative where migrants, refugees and locals come together through the common language of gardening. Without any legal structure or much financial support, explore how GBG is creating a space and community in a small garden in Erfurt. 

Learn about how members of Europimpulse are using participatory video making as a tool for migrant storytelling! This methodology is an approach our project will apply at our youth exchange in Lithuania in May 2022.

Building Bridges:
Tools & Tips for Migrant-Inclusive
Youth Work

Tips for Young Migrants:

  1. Seek out local youth organizations and community groups that offer resources, support, and opportunities for personal and professional growth.
  2. Be proactive in sharing your own skills, talents, and cultural background to contribute to the diversity and richness of your community.
  3. Develop a network of like-minded peers and mentors who can provide guidance, encouragement, and friendship.
  4. Speak up about the challenges and barriers you face and work collectively with others to advocate for systemic change.
  5. Remain open to new experiences and ideas, embracing opportunities to learn, grow, and become an active participant in civic life.

Tips for Youth Organizations:

  1. Actively promote diversity and inclusivity within your organization, ensuring that policies, programs, and services reflect the unique needs and strengths of migrant youth.
  2. Engage migrant youth in the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs and initiatives to ensure relevance and effectiveness.
  3. Invest in staff and volunteer training to build cultural competency and understanding of the challenges faced by migrant youth.
  4. Create meaningful leadership opportunities for migrant youth within your organization and in decision-making processes.
  5. Establish partnerships with other organizations, community groups, and institutions to share resources, knowledge, and expertise on engaging and supporting migrant youth.

Tips for Youth Workers:

  1. Educate yourself about the unique challenges, strengths, and experiences of migrant youth to better support their needs and aspirations.
  2. Build trust and rapport with migrant youth by being respectful, empathetic, and open-minded.
  3. Facilitate opportunities for migrant youth to express their opinions, share their stories, and contribute to the development of programs and services.
  4. Encourage and support migrant youth in taking on leadership roles and participating in civic life.
  5. Connect migrant youth with appropriate resources, networks, and support systems to help them navigate the challenges they face.

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Tips for Migrant Youth Organizations:

  1. Develop a clear mission and strategic plan focused on empowering migrant youth and addressing the barriers they face in civic engagement.
  2. Design culturally sensitive, accessible, and tailored programs and services that reflect the diverse backgrounds and experiences of migrant youth.
  3. Foster a sense of belonging, safety, and community within your organization to help migrant youth build confidence and resilience.
  4. Collaborate with other organizations, institutions, and community groups to amplify the voices of migrant youth and advocate for systemic change.
  5. Continuously evaluate and adapt your organization’s approaches and strategies to better serve the evolving needs of migrant youth and promote their active participation in civic life.

Final Conference in Erfurt

The Migration in Dialogue Project culminated in a captivating final conference showcasing the achievements of the #BridgesNotWalls cooperation, which emphasized the importance of creating an inclusive society that embraces diversity. 

The event featured a powerful dance performance by Kelvin Akpaloo, Ulyana Duve, and Xavi Ocana, who expressed their personal migration stories through the universal language of dance.

Attendees, 40 in total, including representatives from our partner organizations, policymakers, community members, and other stakeholders, discussed the project’s findings and case studies created during the research phase. 

This final conference highlighted the value of collaboration and engaging diverse communities to foster dialogue, understanding, and inclusion through art, dance, and storytelling, a theme that resonated throughout the project’s various activities.

Online Final Evaluation Meeting

The online final evaluation meeting marked the conclusion of the Migration in Dialogue Project, providing an opportunity for partners, stakeholders, and participants to reflect on the project’s accomplishments, challenges, and lessons learned. Attendees discussed the success of various activities and events in fostering dialogue, understanding, and inclusion of migrant communities. The meeting also focused on the effectiveness of the project’s dissemination strategy, which played a crucial role in reaching target audiences and raising awareness about the project’s goals and outcomes.

Participants shared their insights on the project’s impact on migrant youth, highlighting the importance of providing platforms for young migrants to engage in civic life and contribute to their host communities. Furthermore, the meeting emphasized the significance of partnerships and collaborations in driving the project’s success, as well as the potential for future joint initiatives.

The evaluation meeting underscored the need for continuous efforts to support migrant communities in overcoming barriers and participating fully in civic, social, and cultural life. Overall, the meeting offered valuable insights into the project’s achievements, challenges, and areas for improvement, paving the way for future projects and collaborations in the field of migration and integration.

Follow-on of our Migration in Dialogue Network

Spectrum Chat (Ireland)

The European Solidarity Corp’s Solidarity Project, “Spectrum Chat: Conversations Across Divides,” recently held its online kick-off meeting, where the project group conceptualized its mission statement, aims, values, and format for the upcoming twelve-month podcasting initiative.

“Spectrum Chat” aims to create a platform for respectful discussion between young people across Ireland and Europe, uncovering the interconnecting layers of values, struggles, and experiences that form the foundation for building solidarity between diverse youth communities throughout the continent.

The project group, consisting of activists, media professionals, and educators, has been running an internal podcast initiative for three years. This new project is an attempt to scale their impact and learning through twelve months and 11 episodes.

The first episode is set to be released in February, and the project is co-funded by the European Union as a Solidarity Project through Léargas, Ireland. Keep an eye out for the insightful discussions and exchanges that will undoubtedly arise from this innovative podcast project, which strives to foster understanding and unity among European youth.

KAMM Artistic Europe (Spain)

Our Spanish Mentoring Group, including Marta Ribeiro, Eurobug’s Intern from the Univeristy of Madrid for the Migration in Dialogue project, cooperated with Kelvin Akpaloo to explore connecting a broad group of theater professionals with migration background into an NGO. This is a strong outcome of our project, a whole new organisaton, registered and operating in Madrid.

KAMM 
 is a diverse Spanish theatre association based in Madrid, dedicated to empowering young people from minority backgrounds and the wider Madrid community through performing arts and creative media. By using these tools to address social issues, the association aims to raise awareness and foster open dialogue to build an inclusive and diverse community.

Working with national and internationally experienced youth workers, global youth educators, renowned artists in theatre and film, dancers, choreographers, playwrights, singers, musicians, youth leaders, and passionate young people, KAMM focuses on human rights education, inclusion, integration, and youth and community development. Their approach is rooted in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ideology, striving for an inclusive, diverse, and integrated community at personal, local, national, and global levels.

KAMM’s objectives include developing shows, workshops, and local and international projects that empower, inspire, and activate the public, particularly young people, to use art as a platform for personal development and self-expression. The association also aims to combat violence and inequalities, such as racism, bullying, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, and gender inequality, through art.

The UN Declaration of Human Rights and SDGs play a significant role in KAMM’s work, empowering individuals, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, to view themselves as active global citizens. The association also aims to unlock the potential of art and culture within communities at national and international levels and to expand the horizons of the Spanish and international audience in terms of art and creativity.

KAMM’s mission is to engage both young and older generations in Spain and beyond, encouraging them to view art as a powerful tool and a universal language that fosters a diverse and integrative community at all levels.

Global Bio Gardens (Germany)

The Global Bio Gardens (GBG) project, a follow-up to the Migration in Dialogue initiative, was developed by the mentoring group of CGE to empower young migrants. Born out of the COVID-19 lockdown and the need for an inclusive international community, GBG started as a recreational pursuit for international students and migrant families in Erfurt. It evolved into a safe co-working space that fostered intercultural understanding and dialogue while addressing food security issues through sustainable gardening practices. The project, funded by the European Solidarity Corp program, aims to combat racism and right-extremism in the local community by providing a platform for collaborative work and integration for individuals with diverse backgrounds. By partnering with local universities, organizations, and agricultural experts, GBG hopes to create a strong and inclusive community that can contribute to solving societal problems like preventing extremism, promoting tolerance, and protecting the environment

From the participants themselves: 

“Many participants originally saw GBG as a recreational pursuit; however, many are now also concerned with food security issues and interested in a more sustainable way of farming. Some of them are now pursuing sustainable gardening practices in their home countries where their families also run farms. More importantly, however, the project transformed into a safe, co-working space in which a diverse group of individuals with international backgrounds could come together, exchange knowledge and experiences, and come to know one another and their cultures.

From the beginning of this project, it became clear that it could be much more in the city of Erfurt where international collaboration projects such as this one are lacking. By bringing together diverse perspectives, a multitude of experiences, and countless out-of-the-box ideas using the medium of a community garden, our community can challenge the issues of loneliness and “other-ness” that many migrants in Erfurt feel.

As a leadership team, we are a group of young, international activists, and we have many ties within the local Erfurt community. At the heart of our personal lives lies inter-community and intracultural dialogue, and, therefore, migrant and international resident integration is at the center of our purpose here in Erfurt. We believe that we can create something bigger than the right-extremism and hate movements within our local community and act as a small piece in the puzzle of other small organizations in Thuringia fighting against the same issues. We have already started the discussion, and with this grant, we would not only get to continue it but watch it grow and cultivate it to its true potential.

According to the Thueringen Monitor, which is a tool that measures racist sentiments in the state of Thuringia, Germany, there is still an alarming amount of right-extremism leanings in the region. This number has not significantly declined in the recent past. As a young group of international people living in Erfurt with colleagues coming from diverse backgrounds, we have personally experienced or have direct contacts who have had racist encounters in Erfurt. We hope to counter this and, inevitably, change this in our community with our community garden project by bringing together a diverse group of individuals for collaborative work and intercultural exchange.

By opening this space for dialogue, we will informally educate community members on how to become culturally sensitive, exchange dialogue with diverse groups of individuals, and help individuals with the processes of integration. Inevitably, we hope for our community members going out into the greater community and to further catalyze dialogue about tolerance and diversity. Additionally, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been made aware to us that international residents or migrants who are new in Erfurt have had a difficult time establishing a community here and finding help from local individuals with the bureaucracy of staying in Germany as non-national individuals. Therefore, our project will help international individuals better integrate into society and feel comfortable in Erfurt by reducing the stresses of living in a new country. Having a project for collaboration and a community to surround a person makes the stresses of relocating less stressful, and local Erfurt citizens are a part of the project to help international individuals with bureaucratic processes to make the transition smoother. Therefore, we hope to create a network of support for international individuals in Erfurt, as this is not currently readily available for such individuals.

Through the practice of organic farming, we will contribute our part to reducing the impacts of climate change. It is an organic community garden project using Demeter-certified seeds, and no chemical fertilizers are used in the process of gardening. The project encourages participants of migrant backgrounds to learn how to grow and harvest their own produce, which overall reduces the high emissions of delivery services and the materials used for packaging groceries in the energy-intensive industry. The participants of the GBG project produce vegetables and herbs for their daily use. The produce is not enough for running kitchens entirely, but it has managed to add the aspect of sustainable living to participants’ lifestyles and, thereby, significantly reduces the carbon foot print/ecological footprint of participants and teaches individuals how to do this for a lifetime. This means long term impact..

Sprachecafe
(Germany)

The Sprachcafe project, a 12-month solidarity initiative in collaboration with CGE Erfurt, aims to build on the years of activities established in Erfurt since 2015. Sprachcafe began as an informal group of young international individuals looking for a friendly environment to practice German, network, make new friends, and integrate into the local community. Over the years, the initiative has grown to include a wide range of activities, such as board games, cooking sessions, theme nights, movie screenings, karaoke, picnics, and outdoor excursions. With nearly 50 activities organized yearly, Sprachcafe brings together dozens of people from diverse cultural backgrounds, including university students, refugees, and local youth. The project, which runs on a volunteer basis, will receive financial support and access to an expert external coach for twelve days over the year through the European Solidarity Corp program. CGE Erfurt will act as an intermediary between Sprachcafe and the ESK program, fostering growth and development for this vibrant and inclusive initiative.

https://www.instagram.com/sprachcafe.erfurt/ 

Our German Partner CGE Erfurt e.V. ran a local event in cooperation with Traumraum e.V., through the format of a human library of migrants, we bridged migrants with the local community of Erfurt Nord, a district in Erfurt with rising right-wing radicalism and violence.