Mobility Guidance and its specialities in East-Central Europe

Our project is supported by the Visegrad Fund.

 Project description:

Intercultural mobility is the passage of individuals through cultures either through geographic movement or through a system of social hierarchy. The issue of mobility is highly relevant in V4 countries as they face the same challenges. Migration is a pressing issue. After the democratic turn, V4 countries were characterized as transit countries that has changed and immigration has become part of everyday life. The lack of integration policy, limited institutional capacity and xenophobic public opinion are averse to harnessing the economic, social and cultural potential of incoming migrants. While several NGOs offer integration services and guidance to migrants; knowledge exchange and transfer of innovations among organizations is limited across V4 borders.

V4 countries also share a low level of social mobility within the EU, which runs the risk of low employability and adaptability of their citizens. Projects do exist that support individuals engaging in social mobility, but the exchange of knowledge is unstructured.

V4 countries share historical links and cultural values and it is relevant to tackle these problems from a comparative perspective. Our project aims to establish a network to share concrete tools, methods of guidance that make mobility successful.

Key elements / events:

 1. European conference on social and geographic mobility involving professionals from policy to field practice – read more: HERE!
Check our pictures: HERE!
Watch the film about the conference: HERE!

Results:
Migration in a global world from an Eastern European  perspective –  the Visegrad context (HU, CZ, PL, SK) – Discussion:
The aim of the workshop was to compare and contrast international migration in the Visegrad countries in order to delineate divergences and common challenges.
Moderator: Attila Melegh, Corvinus University of Budapest (HU)
Participants:
Andrzej Bialko, The Union of Associations Multikultura (PL)
András Kováts, Menedék Association (HU)
Lenka Laugesen, Counselling Centre for Integration (CZ)
Ivana Steúankova, Counselling Centre for Integration (CZ)
Galya Terziava, Society Development Institute (SK)

Please read our summary of the discussion:HERE!

 2. Workshops held by the partners focusing on key issues of successful mobility in V4 countries

Results:
Workshops: All partners hold a workshop on the conference about their own best practices contributing to knowledge exchange. The workshops are documented in a written booklet that you can download: HERE!

Welcome in the world of MOMAP, workshops:

– Working with Identity Orientation
Learning to use the multiplicity of identity as a resource in the new environment. A playful trip into our own identities and to the theory of identity change.
Workshop leaders:
Vera Várhegyi, Elan Interculturel (FR)
Viktória Jakó, Artemisszió Foundation (HU)

– Working on Relational Strategies
The quality of human relations is the most powerful predictor of wellbeing, hence, in this workshop we will explore the multiplicity of relational strategies through the symbol of social galaxy.
workshop leaders:
Judit Koppány, Artemisszió Foundation (HU)
Anna Marie Gaffiero Muscat Drago, Sans Frontiers Europe (MT)

– Working on Intercultural Skills
We will focus on emotion management in mobility experiences: how not to let stress overwhelm us, and turn stressful situations around to good learning opportunities? An interactive session with cartoon drawing.
Workshop leaders:
Clara Malkassian, Elan Interculturel (FR)
Jessica Penrose, Momentum Arts (UK)

Harnessing  Mobility – practices from Central Europe, workshops:

– The labour market integration of migrants
The workshop will showcase two tools that support foreigners entering the labour market. The first method called role playing, has been successfully used with women from traditional Muslim communities to improve their soft skills, a second method aims to motivate clients to revitalize their responsibility and plan their next steps of actions and behaviour.
Workshop leaders:
Lenka Laugesen, Counselling Centre for Integration (CZ)
Ivana Steúankova, Counselling Centre for Integration (CZ)

– The role of migration in international development
The workshop will examine the role migration can play in international development. Acknowledging that migrants are important new partners for global development, it will look at ways to remove barriers that hinder migrant’s engagement for development by facilitating mobility, residence rights and portability of social entitlements, promoting mutual recognition of qualifications and allowing dual citizenship.
Workshop leader:
Galya Terziava, Society Development Institute (SK)
Panelists: Barbara Messova, and Azim Farhadi, Society Development Institute (SK)

 – The contribution of mobility in entrepreneurship and innovation
The workshop is examines the relationship between mobility, entrepreneurship, education and mutual awareness for local development, with specific focus on the new Europe for Citizens Programme 2014-2020.
Workshop leader:
Andrzej Bialko, The Union of Associations Multikultura (PL)

3. Networking day for making an action plan of further cooperation.

Results:
Project evaluation and action plan for the future – We discussed about the conference and its results. The plan includes the aims of our partnership and the next steps towards joint projects. The minutes of the day available: HERE!

Our target groups:

Professionals engaged with mobility:

1. NGOs: social workers, professionals working with migrants, international volunteers, disadvantaged youth, teachers and staff working in talent and mentoring programs
2. Higher education: Erasmus coordinators, mentors and counsellors of international students
3. For-profit sector: coaches, counsellors working with expats, HR professionals, trainers working in multinational companies.

Participants of short or long term mobility:

1. International students, volunteers, expats, migrants, refugees – geographic mobility participants
2. People whose educational level exceeds their parents – social mobility participants

The partnership: