Behind the threshold. Improving migrants integration through economic and financial skills and knowledge
Portugal, Italy, Spain and Belgium
The project, which is co-funded by the European Fund for Integration intends to facilitate the integration of migrants from third countries in the societies of the hosting European country.
The project focuses, in particular, on improving integration through access to the job market and an effective and mindful management of the migrants’ financial resources. These aspects are highlighted also in the EU principles for integration, which state that the employment of migrants and their access to public and private services are a key factor in the process of integration.
OBJECTIVES:
Promote, through courses of basic training, effective language skills that enable migrants to more easily access the job market and the financial services in the hosting country.
In a more broader sense the project will contribute , therefore, to strengthen the integration of migrants from third countries in Italy, Portugal, Spain and Belgium helping them to achieve financial independence.
BENEFICIARIES:
Direct beneficiaries and stakeholder:
- Around 1,750 migrants from third countries living in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Belgium attending the activities implemented by the project.
- Bank institutions and agencies, companies, cooperatives, employment centres and training centres: at least 240 involved in the activities and around 2,000 reached by the information material produced by the project.
Indirect beneficiaries:
- The families of migrants who will indirectly benefit from the project results and outputs.
- Local Authorities of the countries involved who will be informed to give continuity on the territory to the results achieve
ACTIVITIES:
- Language course: basic concepts in the economic and financial field.
- Training course for learning how to communicate in the job world.
- Training course in start up and management of small businesses.
- “Dream Big!” competition to finance the best business ideas submitted by migrants.
- Training course in financial literacy.
- Production of a kit with financial information to distribute to the banks in Italy.
- Production and distribution of information material on job opportunities and with other useful information for the migrant communities.
- Production and broadcast of radio programs dedicated to economic and financial issues tailored on the needs of the migrants.
- Awarding of a scolarship to 8 migrants attending the higher training course “Labour Migration Academy” organized by ILO Training Centre in Turin.
- Organization of an event in every country involved with a meeting between migrant entrepreneurs and enterprises of the hosting country.
PARTNERS:
The project coordinated by ACRA, is implemented, as well as in Italy, in other 3 European countries: Spain, Portugal and Belgium.
- FORMAPER- Formazione e Servizi per l’imprenditorialità
- CO.LI.DO.LAT- Coordinamento Ligure Donne Latinoamericane
- SA-Fundation Sevilla Acoge
- FAMSI-Fondo Andaluz de Municipios Para la Solidaridad Internacional
- CAAD Belgique asbl


Duration
- From September 2012 to March 2014
Financing
- European Integration Fund