Mindfulness for Integration
Summary of the project
Mindfulness for Integration is a 24-month Erasmus Plus project. The project partnership researched the difficulties faced by people from refugee and migrant backgrounds in terms of mental health support and sought to create a project that would bring all stakeholders together to enhance their inclusion in the important field of mental health. The project is appropriately designed to improve the accessibility of people from migrant and refugee backgrounds to mental health support by training staff who are working in contact points with them and can bring about practical changes in their mental health. In addition the project aims to bring refugees and migrants into engagement with professionals in the creative industries as connecting with the arts is essential to improving mental health.
TARGET GROUPS
- Refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants
- Support and key workers, civil society organisations
- Local artists and creative and cultural industry professionals
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The Mindfulness for Integration project objectives are:
- Ensure the specific mental health needs of refugees are understood to 50 support service workers in civil society organisations and local authorities
- Strengthen and support the mental wellbeing of 210 refugees through the work of the local CCS
- Increase civic engagements and active participation in society amongst refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants
- Upskill 70 CCS professionals to create creative wellbeing supportive learning material
- Promote social inclusion and diver
Mindfulness for Intergration Project Results
This output will be a practical, guide for civil society organizations providing migrant and integration support services on the effective use and techniques of creativity and the arts to increase mindfulness. It will consist of three sections: Section 1 will give an overview of the historical context, benefits and importance of creativity and mindfulness techniques relating to mental health. Section 2 will showcase 10 different best practice techniques and strategies for using creativity and mindfulness to support migrant integration. Section 3 will provide a deeper analysis of how these best practices can be specifically applied in practice.
A course that will include 8 module, 4 hour will be developed for creative industry professionals and artists to be able to adapt
their skills and knowledge to target their creative works towards the project target groups.
It will be a blended learning course that will iclude activities aimed at refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants to teach them how to use the Mindfulness for Integration initiative to support their mental health through creative learning and innovative exercises linked to local art and culture to facilitate and support social integration. The course will cover the following modules: 1) Managing your own mental health and wellbeing, 2) Monitoring your own mental wellbeing, 3) Raising awareness of mental health and wellbeing Self-care using creativity and the arts, 3) Transition from mental wellbeing to social integration and 4) How to use the M4I platform for mental wellbeing.
It is an interactive digital training programme aimed at upgrading skills to support inclusion. It will empower service workers, key workers and civil society organisations and train them to use Mindfulness for Integration to facilitate effective, targeted mental health exercises and support for refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants.
The Partnership
ARTEMISSZIÓ ALAPÍTVÁNY – coordinator, Hungary
Artemisszio Foundation is a Hungarian-based independent NGO, founded in 1998. Artemisszió is organising different projects aiming the integration of migrants and refugees since 2009. Its mission is to encourage continuous dialogue and interaction between groups who are marked by cultural, ethnical, and social differences and to foster their mutual understanding. Artemisszio supports the social integration of socially and culturally disadvantaged groups through developing and conducting intercultural training courses, educational materials and methods, integration projects and mobility projects for youth. Artemisszió also provides trainings for professionals in the social sector: social workers, teachers, health workers and youth workers. Artemisszio’s intercultural community, “MIRA” offers place for the encounter between third country nationals, including refugees, and Hungarians interested in intercultural experiences strong connections with some secondary schools and university departments that they developed through their projects related to social sensitization and social inclusion. Artemisszió is currently working with 14 staff members (2 of them admin) and approximately 20 volunteers and interns. Since 2022 the organization is running a project called SHAPE where newcomers are involved alongside to local municipality workers to work together on designing better services for newcomers living in the districts, with Artremisszió as
facilitator of the coproduction process..
STOWARZYSZENIE CENTRUM WSPIERANIA EDUKACJI I PRZEDSIEBIORCZOSCI – partner, Poland
The Centre for Education and Entrepreneurship Support (CWEP) is a non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 30.06.2004 by a group of entrepreneurs, teachers, social activists and IT specialists from Rzeszow, Poland. CWEP works in multiple fields, mainly education, support and training for various sectors. A special goal is to promote education, citizenship, entrepreneurship and green skills in all levels and forms. In 2015, CWEP was appointed as the Intermediary Organization for the centralised programme Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs, coordinating and supporting in this respect both starters and experimented entrepreneurs from Poland. It also serves as accredited ESC local contact point. CWEP’s mission is to increase the quality of education training at all levels and in all its forms, as well as to promote
entrepreneurship in order to foster integration of any social group regardless of gender, age and ethnic origin. CWEP has partnered in many projects addressed to disadvantaged groups – those of special educational needs, being for example the youth, women or migrants..
KAINOTOMIA & SIA EE – partner, Greece
“KAINOTOMIA” is a Lifelong Learning Centre in Greece, which is active in the field of Vocational Education and Training. KAINOTOMIA has implemented more than 60 continuing vocational training programmes for unemployed people, teachers of all levels of education, higher education students, employees/self-employed and vulnerable social groups, for the development of professional opportunities and their promotion and integration into the labour market and society in general, through innovative programmes. “KAINOTOMIA” provides consultancy services to enterprises and support and advisory services to trainees to facilitate their (re)entry into the labour market. “KAINOTOMIA” has participated in several national projects, offering a high degree of expertise in training in modern fields, combining them with those that are in high demand in the labour market in order to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes of trainees for their integration into the labour market. Furthermore, “KAINOTOMIA” participates in co-funded national programmes called “local development and entrepreneurship projects for unemployed people based on specific local needs and development potential”.
INSTITUT FUR ROMA UND MINDERHEITEN EV – partner, Germany
Institute for Roma and Minorities Inclusion strives for a society where the target groups enjoy equal access to opportunities, regardless of their ethnicity, have a voice in their community and society, whose needs are tackled by the institutions that have a direct impact in their daily lives. The organization is Coordinator (project manager) of Erasmus+ projects partnership coordinator for local and international projects in partnership, TOT diploma/accreditation and training certificate prepared more than 500 youngsters for international projects.
Cuiablue OÜ – partner, Estonia
Cuiablue OÜ is a social enterprise which drives positive social and environmental change through creative educational solutions. An underlying tenet of Cuiablue OÜ’s philosophy is to promote Estonia’s unique digital approach and innovations, history, and culture within collaborative European networks. The enterprise uses its expertise and strong European networks to generate long-term, positive social and digital impact in the adult education, vocational education and training sectors. Cuiablue OÜ also fosters empowerment and active participation among youths and marginalized communities, such as the elderly, refugees, and migrants. Cuiablue OÜ comprises 3 staff members, and around 300 wider stakeholders through networks and community groups. Cuiablue OÜ also offers free blended and distance vocational training courses to a wide range of stakeholders, including SMEs, learners within the vocational training system, vocational education practitioners and local authorities. The courses Cuiablue OÜ delivers focus on promoting green skills, environmental awareness and measurement, digitisation tools and strategies, cybersecurity awareness training, reflective thinking skills for personal and professional improvement and diversity and inclusion training.
NORDIC DIASPORA FORUM – partner, Sweden
Nordic Diaspora Forum (NDF) is a research organization located in Stockholm, Sweden experienced in the field of Social Innovation and Research. In our 10 years of operation, (NDF) has been actively involved in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of projects at the European and national level under different thematic areas and specific topics such as entrepreneurship, ICT, social innovation, climate change (facilitating green transition & growing energy), social inclusion etc. Nordic Diaspora Forum is at a position to undertake the development of the dissemination, communication, and exploitation strategy. It also has a network of stakeholders that they could involve.
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Outputs
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Co-funded by the European Union
