DIME: "Development of a skills reference framework and of training modules to promote the Inclusion of Migrants to Europe" The project DIME is submitted by 6 partners from 4 Mediterranean countries (Spain, France, Greece and Italy) with different approaches and experiences of migration, all engaged in the training and inclusion a target group of non-EU migrants, mainly coming from North African countries: - Association Internationale de Formation et de Recherche en Instruction Spécialisée, Santé, Social, AIFRISSS (FR) - Centro Italiano Opere Salesiane Femminili - CIOSF/FP (IT) - Etairia Psychokinonikon Draseon - EPSYDRA (GR) - Universidad de HUELVA (ES) - Universidad de JAÉN (ES) - INstitut SUPérieur de Formation Permanente - INSUP (FR), coordinator. Migration issues and social cohesion are a priority for the Council of Europe, which defines social cohesion as "the ability of a society to ensure the well-being of all its members, minimizing disparities and avoiding polarization ". The influence of immigration on social cohesion is one of the major challenges for the future of Europe and one of the priorities of the European Union. However, Eurostat data show that the unemployment rate among migrants is about 21% against 10% for Member States natives. Such a situation is taking place observed in the specific context of the economic crisis and the rise of populism and xenophobia in a growing number of EU member states, where migrants are being singled out. As a consequence, many of them are exposed to exclusion from employment, housing, healthcare and education. They face many barriers that prevent them from being integrated in the host societies. For the consortium, improving the availability of education and training for the migrants is one of the cornerstones to favour their integration and promote social cohesion. The project consortium offers to: - Develop a skills reference framework of formal and non-formal skills required for the inclusion of migrants - Develop and implement modules, methods and interactive pedagogical tools centred on learning processes, transversality and a set of processes meant to facilitate their socio-cultural and economic integration. These two major issues will be addressed through different objectives and steps: - Analysis, comparison and evaluation of different training methodologies in the partner countries in order to identify the most effective parameters - Identification of cultural, linguistic, social and professional barriers in the training courses provided - Building of course content, methods and pedagogical tools to facilitate successful integration - Checking of their relevance with the target group as part of an experimentation - Ensuring transfer and dissemination in European countries and promotion in the migrants’ countries of origin. The consortium consists of universities, training and vocational guidance institutions. This combination of research and action is meant to encourage the production of a reference framework and training modules based on methodological approaches for their quality, but also on realities. The consortium will also involve local partnerships, institutions, policy makers and representatives of vocational guidance and employment services so as to construct the most appropriate response. The expected final impact is the recognition of the target group and its inclusion in a proactive and positive approach to social, cultural and professional inclusion. The expected results are manifold: - At the level of the target group: To end up with social isolation due to precariousness To lift barriers (health, housing, cultural, linguistic…) to social and professional integration To generate links between the participants and local stakeholders, social and community organisations To consider a closer relationship with the working environment by identifying formal and informal skills acquired and those to be developed for permanent integration in the host country. - At the level of social and professional integration stakeholders: To provide trainers with contents, methods and innovative educational tools to diversify the learning process To harmonise training practices at European and national levels To create an operational procedure transferable to other European countries and to be disseminated in the migrants’ countries of origin. To provide training organizations with procedures transferable to other lines of action in favour of disadvantaged groups. The results will be widely disseminated via a website dedicated to the project and will be presented at the closing seminar in 2018.