Lifelong Learning Programme

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basic information

Title of the Project
INTEGRA - Migrants' Integrating Kit - Basic Language for Dealing with Financial Matters
Brief description
Ever heard of financial integration?
If it‘s important for you (as migrant) to integrate with the local community of your new home country, then the Migrant Integration Kit developed during the INTEGRA project contains financial terminology, a financial glossary, and sources of financial information that will assist you by equipping you with the most useful social and financial phrases which can be helpful in unfamiliar situations in a new country.
The INTEGRA project answers one of the vital needs of emigrants who benefit from work and travel mobility in new political and economic conditions, which is the need to communicate and to solve survival issues among which the financial ones come top of the list. The INTEGRA project (http://integra-project.eu) brought together partners from 11 countries (LT, GR, DE, ES, TR, IE, NL, RO, GB, PL and BY) who worked together with social partners such as migrant communities and financial institutions from a range of different European countries to create a Europe wide network of relevant institutions in order to reach migrants in partner countries to improve their integration into local society by providing them with opportunities to gain language skills on basic financial matters. The first steps for their language integration into the new society is made through an non formal approach, based on open interaction, simulation scenarios, improvisation and creative use of the learning materials, permanent exchange of questions and answers, reflection time and feedback opportunities.
Country
Romania
Year
2012
Target Language
Bulgarian, English, French, German, Greek, Lithuanian, Romanian, Irish, Spanish, Turkish, Other
Sector
Adult Education
Further Information

THE INITIATIVE PROMOTER’S PERSPECTIVE

Background

In today’s global knowledge society and with ever increasing mobility, migrants face many challenges before they can settle and feel part of a new community. Two major challenges, which affect many new arrivals, are lack of language skills and lack of basic knowledge on financial matters.
The aim of the project is to work together with social partners such as migrant communities and financial institutes to create a Europe wide network of relevant institutes in order to reach migrants in partner countries to improve their integration into local society by providing them with opportunities to gain language skills on basic financial matters.
Main outputs:
-created European network of fitted trainers from migrant communities able to continue delivering the skills to final beneficiaries
-developed Useful Kit of financial terminology, financial glossary and a guide with main information on financial institutes or financial information sources
-created constantly updated long-time after project is over active webportal integrating all the useful financial information, on-line trainings, contact information and networks data
Target groups:
-migrants originating from within and from outside of the EU
-social partners, education institutes and other support organisations to migrant communities.
The project will impact on:
-migrant communities members, which will be using the Kit developed during the project and the web portal for their everyday needs and will be trained by the trainers-representatives from migrant communities, equipped with the methodology to educate wider range of migrants
-migrants, who do not belong to migrant communities involved in the project, will be able to use the web portal and Kit for their self-learning of basic language on financial matters
-general public, who will use the Kit and web portal materials as an in-formal way of learning
-educational institutes, would use project materials as a non-formal way of teaching

Objectives

The specific objectives are to:
-analyse their needs in terms of basic local language knowledge in relation to financial matters, financial terminology, basic financial documentation as well as specifics of financial systems in partner countries in order to fulfil everyday needs
-compare good practice used for introducing basic local language on financial matters and basic country specific financial operations in old EU member states (members before 2004) as well as in new EU member states (joined EU in 2004 and later)
-collect materials for the development of an essential Kit for migrants, which will consist of financial terminology, financial glossary and guide with main information on financial institutes or information sources in partner countries’ and migrants’ languages corresponding to migrant needs
-organise and implement trainings together with language professionals and financial experts to representatives of migrant communities in order to cascade that training to ultimate beneficiaries-migrants of the partner countries.
-collect materials to create and develop an active web portal with the support and direct involvement of social partners

The general objectives are to enhance:
-the basic language skills of migrants living in partner countries, specifically relating to financial matters
-migrants’ potential for mobility within the EU labour market
-intercultural learning and empathy in migrant communities for international communication in different countries
-self-confidence among migrants
-ability to break personal and cultural frontiers

Approach

Two major challenges, which affect many new arrivals, are lack of language skills and lack of basic knowledge on financial matters. Analysis of recent arrivals within the partner countries indicates that a great variety of needs exists from different groups of migrants originating from within and from outside of the EU. Taking these variations into account, this project will address specific groups of migrants in partner countries analysing their needs in terms of basic local language knowledge in relation to financial matters, financial terminology, basic financial documentation as well as specifics of financial systems in partner countries in order to fulfil everyday needs.
The 2010 strategic priorities addressed by the project include:
-partnership addressing the issue of adult education/learning and improving the flexibility of education/learning provision, particularly in relation to disadvantaged groups
-partnerships addressing the issue of adult training methodology through introducing "good practices" in the field of adult training
The priorities for Multilateral projects addressed include:
4.2.1 Key competences (helping learners to develop transversal competences such as social, civic, cultural and intercultural competences and entrepreneurship in order to adapt to changing society and requirements of the labour market)
4.2.3. Promoting adult learning for marginalised and disadvantaged citizens and migrants (developing learning approaches to integrate or reintegrate marginalized citizens into society and the labour market; as well as sharing good practice on intercultural education, learning by marginalized citizens, and their linguistic, social and cultural integration).
INTEGRA with its activities will focus on very sensitive part of the society of any country - migrants. The project partners will deliver knowledge and skills of local language on financial matters to migrants using in-formal and non-formal ways of adult education as the workpackages describes. Partners will reach target groups with the direct involvement of social partners (migrant communities and financial institutes in partner countries) to organize trainings for selected migrant communities members to train and equip them for further knowledge spreading inside their community and to wider public. The project also will develop Migrants' integration Kit and long-active web portal with all relevant information downloadable free, which will be accessible for final beneficiaries as well as for wide public for self-learning. In such a way the adult education will be made accessible to any adult learner from any group of society in any form of adult education.
All project activities will be performed by the joint efforts of the partners,distributing the tasks according to their competences and experience, assigning lead partner for each WP to assure relevant results, timing, finances and constant monitoring of the development.
The work plan is structured in two groups of WPs:
I. Organisational issues:
-WP1 Project management and administration–contracts, tool of communications, meetings, negotiation of tasks,responsibilities,deadlines etc.
-WP5 Dissemination-assure wide dissemination via created project network, partner institutions and social partners networks to reach final beneficiaries and wide public
-WP7 Quality plan-P10 is the lead partner with expertise for evaluation to assure constant monitoring, feedback and implementation of necessary adjustments to achieve all the results.
II. Development and implementation:
-WP2 Development-needs analysis and study on good practices
-WP3 Development-development of the materials
-WP4 Development-implementation of the trainings
-WP6 Exploitation-potential to exploit the outputs of the project
The project focusses the efforts on these key points to ensure:
-the direct involvement of social partners (each partner will enroll at least three social partners, two migrant communities and a financial institute) to analyse migrant needs on financial matters, to perform study of good practices existing in partner countries relevant to the project aim
-constant evaluation and monitoring of progress of the activities and achieved results by means of internal, external evaluation and financial audit to be able to introduce timely adjustments and assure achievement of the planned results
-that project results are made visible and used by the target groups and interest as many beneficiaries as possible in a cascading effect ensuring constant dissemination via networking, trainings, webportal and the Final International Conference as well as in course of project valorisation.

Results

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES:
Research
Establishing contacts and training programs
Exploitation seminars on the project and its activities (1)
Two level trainings: for representatives from migrant communities and migrants-final beneficiaries
Project final event-International conference in Vilnius, LT
Exploitation seminars on the project’s final products (2)

Research:
Needs analysis in partner countries produced to find out about the problems and experiences that migrants face in a new country because they do not speak the host country language and are not familiar even with the basic norms of everyday life    
(results are uploaded on the project website under the heading "Summary")
Comparative analysis produced on the life situation of migrants in the old and new EU countries     
( results are uploaded on the project website under the heading "Summary“)
Good practice examples in each partner country collected following the template developed by the coordinating institution on the financial language training and country specific financial and banking operations, summarized and translated into partner and one migrant languages
( results are uploaded on the project website under the heading "Summary")
Final summary of all the analysis with feedback prepared

Establishing contacts and training programs :
Contacts established and cooperation agreements with migrant communities in partner countries signed
Contacts established and cooperation agreements with the social partners – financial, non-governmental and state institutions working with migrants, signed
The training methodologies and programs for training representatives from migrant communities and migrants as final beneficiaries developed and translated into partner languages
Collection of the materials and the creation of the active in the future portal www.integra-project.eu with the assistance from social partners finalized.

Exploitation seminars on the project and its activities(1):
The aim was to bring together representatives from governmental, NGOs working with migrant integration issues, migrant communities, financial, scientific and educational institutions to discuss the situation of migrants in partner counties and present the project activities and results in each partner country and other EU countries.

Two level trainings for migrants :
March-April 2012
Trainings for representatives-instructors from migrant communities organized , who will later cascade the acquired knowledge and gained skills to the final beneficiaries – migrants from partner countries
Community representatives were selected according to the pre-agreed criteria (one of the most important – good local language skills and good knowledge of national culture)
In each partner country 8-10 persons were trained
The most active representatives (3-5 per country) were included into the European network of trainers
Training time-10 hours
Trainings were meant for training the instructors on how to use the developed by the project financial language teaching program and methodology, based on elements of drama and introduce the project website containing the collected teaching/learning materials and useful info.
Every potential instructor was equipped with a CD containing materials and methodology guidelines to be used for teaching final beneficiaries.

April-May 2012 m.
Trainings for final beneficiaries – migrants from partner countries organized with migrant community representatives acting as „teachers – instructors“
Each partner country-10 migrants (average 3 migrants per community)
16 hours training program (2 hours for project presentation, introduction into the project website, 12 hours for trainings following the program , 2 hours for reflections and summing up)
Trainings were run by the migrant community representatives - instructors, who have already integrated in the new environment.

Project Final Event - International Conference "Migrants Integration Processes in EU - First Steps In Their New Home Countries":
Date& place: 15th June 2012, Vilnius, Lithuania
The aim of the conference - to present the final project product –Migrant Integration Kit

Exploitation seminars (2)on INTEGRA final products in partner countries:
The aim was to bring together representatives from governmental, NGOs working with migrant integration issues, migrant communities, financial, scientific and educational institutions and to present the results of the INTEGRA project and the project website; demonstrate the materials included in CDs: Migrant Integration Kit and Materials for Training Migrants Financial Language Skills

PROJECT PRODUCTS AND RESULTS:
Constantly updated website
Developed Migrant Integration Kit
Developed Materials for Training Migrant Financial Language Skills for representatives of migrant communities
Created European network of fitted trainers

1. Project web-site
A regularly updated web portal which integrated useful financial information; online training; contact information; networks; data in partner countries languages for migrants and wider general public, administrated with the support and direct involvement of social partners.
Later transformed and an active, constantly updated long-time after the project is over webportal integrating all the useful financial information, on-line trainings, contact information and networks data www.integra-project.eu

2. CD – Migrant Integration KIT
Developed Useful Kit of financial terminology, financial glossary and a guide with main information on financial institutes or financial information sources for migrants-final beneficiaries

3. CD- Materials for Training Migrant Financial Language Skills
Developed „Materials for Training Migrant Financial Language Skills“ for representatives of migrant communities to use during the trainings of the newcomers to their communities by developing their basic local language skills for dealing with financial matters in a new country

4. Created European network of fitted trainers from migrant communities able to continue delivering the skills to final beneficiaries

Why the European Language Label?

The INTEGRA project answers one of the vital needs of emigrants who benefit from work and study mobility in new political and economic conditions, which is the need to communicate and to solve survival issues among which the financial ones come top of the list. The INTEGRA project (http://integra-project.eu) brought together partners from 11 countries (LT, GR, DE, ES, TR, IE, NL, RO, GB, PL and BY) who worked together with social partners such as migrant communities and financial institutions from a range of different European countries to create a Europe wide network of relevant institutions in order to reach migrants in partner countries to improve their integration into local society by providing them with opportunities to gain language skills on basic financial matters. The first steps for their language integration into the new society is made through an non formal approach, based on open interaction, simulation scenarios, improvisation and creative use of the learning materials, permanent exchange of questions and answers, reflection time and feedback opportunities.
The innovative character of the project INTEGRA consists primarily on the target groups’ typology which address, i.e. groups of migrants may benefit from study or why not labour mobility, but often do not have the tools to actually benefit from this advantage.
Multilingualism is an essential element which led to the development of this project. Whether talk about immigrant communities and the countries from which they originated beneficiaries cane from 42 countries (Afghanistan, Somalia, Russia, Bulgaria, Belarus, Romania, Lithuania, Palestine, Poland, Iraq, Syria, Israel, Tunisia, Portugal, Africa, Germany, Sweden, Ireland, Norway, UK, Denmark, Morocco, Algeria, Jordan, Taiwan, France, Greece, Moldova, Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, Cameroon, Pakistan, Philippines, Ethiopia, Ukraine, India , Eritrea, Turkey, Armenia, Spain and Latin American communities). When referring to classes, then we should mention immigrants, adults, students and seniors, men and women, employed, unemployed, social workers, educational or financially, and so on and obviously we can easily observe the rich diversity.
A second innovative aspect is the contents of the work developed in the project, financial support materials for learning terminology in the host language, knowing that the financial aspect is vital in performing any type of activity in conditions of modern life. It is said the large number and diversity of languages in which it appears set of financial materials and services (Glossary and phrases), namely 14 languages (of the migrant communities), which may have an impact on a wide range of potential users throughout Europe.
The third aspect that confers innovative project methodology adopted for implementation materials and training activities, namely communicative approach, an informal, with elements inspired by dramatic techniques such as role playing, simulation, situational dialogue that facilitate the acquisition of financial terminology active involvement of the participants and create a relaxed atmosphere, conducive to learning.
Also the idea of the project was to help migrants not to become dependent of services. Such support materials developed are available in many formats. Classical training method through face to face meetings, individual method - individual work at home without the need to use the internet by accessing the CD set and also the individual method, but which stimulates the developmental autonomy - using the Internet and accessing the platform project. Thus the project promotes language learning through e-learning technologies - online platforms, using IT tools.
As a general impact, it may be that integrated projects bring a concrete contribution to combating xenophobia, prejudice and racism, adding to the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity in the EU and to address issues of social inclusion.

Activities following the award of the European Language Label

- Introduction of the materials developed (Kit of financial terminology, financial glossary, simulations, forms, pedagogical materials, website, etc.) on the Romanian language courses, as a foreign language, courses developed at EuroEd Foundation by foreign people. Ensure the project continuity and sustainability by using the materials developed within the project as pedagogical materials to the migrants who learn, work and live in Romania and would like to learn Romanian.
- Constantly development of the trainer’s network. Cascading the competences developed during the trainings and the materials developed within the project to new potential trainers for new end beneficiaries.
- Continuous valorisation of the project to language teachers to access specialized materials for teaching foreign languages for the financial field. Ensure the project continuity and sustainability by promoting and providing the materials developed within the project to language teachers to teach foreign languages using specialized materials for the financial field.
- Continuous valorisation of the project by informing migrants or migrant communities that they can have access to the web portal and Kit (downloadable version) for their self-learning of basic language on financial matters according their needs for smoother integration into society and labour market. Ensure the project continuity and sustainability by promoting and providing the materials developed within the project to different target groups interested.

Assessment of the Impact of the European Language Label

The main benefit of the project being awarded the ELL was an increase in visibility at national level (as the project was developed with a team of international experts).

Recommendations for future applicants for the ELL

In order to develop high-quality projects, we believe that project coordinators should implement projects based on a careful planning, employ diverse teams of experts from relevant areas for the products to be developed and focus on bringing innovation in their field.

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Comments on this Case Studies

Your comments are welcome


Date: 2014.03.25

Posted by Oana Gorea (Romania)

Message: I truly believe that project that raise awareness on how important the multiculturalism , the inter cultural exchange and mobility are a great asset for promoting a better society. The INTEGRA project wants to highlight one of the above mentioned ,. In this case the mobility issue . This is why I consider that after analyzing all the objectives of the project , the products and of course the results I can say that It is of a great interest and it will help both migrant communities and general public who can use the materials as an in-formal way of learning and as well it will be very useful for educational institutions that can use this non-formal way of teaching.

21 December 2014

Audio- video presentation of the NELLIP project

An audio- video presentation of the NELLIP project has been created and made available in the Information section of the NELLIP portal. To access the presentation please click here: http://nellip.pixel-online.org/IF_intro.php.