The integration of migrants is a complex term that challenges individuals as societies very much. One persisting question is how to reach migrants with information of societal importance, e.g. about health topics, schooling, waste management, gender equity, or others. The project MultiPLUS. Migrant MULTIPLIERS build Bridges centers a group of persons that contributes to filling this gap – the so-called Multipliers. Migrant Multipliers are migrant women, seldom men, well integrated in the host countries and at the same time in their community of origin; they speak the national language, e.g., German, very well, and are often role models and bridge-builders between the two communities or, wider, societies. For that reason, organizations, e.g. community centers, often hire them for conveying information about specific topics to migrants. Yet, there are certain challenges that are accompanying MULTIPLIERS’ tasks: (1)As a start, MULTIPLIERS are trained themselves in the respective topic and subsequently, they circulate the contents to the migrant communities. These Trainings, though, are frequently focusing only on the content, not or only little on the methods. Since didactical action is central for the designing of learning processes, it makes sense to provide MULTIPLIERS with a training about adult educational principles. (2)The pedagogical approaches that are commonly used in host countries are regularly completely different to what migrants have experienced in their education and contradict their understanding of what constitutes good-quality teaching. Immigrants mainly come from a background in which learning is almost exclusively determined by teachers. They might be disoriented by the learning pathways they get to know here; especially in Workshops (UNESCO 2018). An integration of methods migrants know from at home could be helpful in sustainably keeping information.(3)All activities of transferring information to migrants’ communities have one common goal: integration and inclusion. As prerequisite of participation in a European country’s society, a certain important objective in this is that migrants get a better insight in where they are living. How a society is functioning, though, is not only a question of delivery of information, but also a question of intentionally participating and self-actively informing. Coming out of a society with only little or no rights outside the family, one must learn to live in a democracy. Therefore, many migrants need to experience what democratic principles are and this can only take place in a concrete confrontation with it – thus, It is an important approach to take this political dimension of MULTIPLIERS’ actions into focus. The subsequent OBJECTIVES of the project are •to enhance MULTIPLIERS’ skills in teaching and training by developing and accomplishing an intense short training about didactical and methodological principles and techniques in adult education (O1);•to support MULTIPLIERS in generating training methods and tools being an appropriate mixture of (West-)European approaches as well as approaches of the education systems they are coming from by creating a Compendium of training methods and tools from around the world (O2)•to push on MULTIPLIERS’ confrontation with Europe’s' societies' cultures and values, overall laws and societal systems and subsequently push on a process of a new consciousness and dealing with political topics like: Democracy, participation, diversity in the migrants’ communities (O3)Direct target groups of the project are migrant women (occasionally also men) being active as MULTIPLIERS as well as trainers and lecturer who teach MULTIPLIERS in several topics and prepare them for circulating the gained knowledge and information to the migrants’ communities.

"<< Background >>»Stop loneliness, Start volunteering« was developed as a possible solution to different types of distress among youth, occurring as a consequence of isolation and loneliness due to COVID-19 restrictions. Based on research and our own observation volunteering offers at least a partial solution to the problem. The consortium is active in the areas of inclusive volunteering, youth volunteering and has experience with youth with fewer opportunities. The pandemic brought restrictive measures which exposed a lot of people to considerable amounts of stress whereas youth carried the biggest load, being deprived of normal schooling and social life and dealing with illness and deaths of family members. As a society, we expected solidarity and sacrifice from them for the benefit of vulnerable groups, disregarding the possible negative effect on them. It was especially difficult on young people that have already lived in poor conditions before the pandemic.There have been different studies regarding the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has had on youth. In Slovenia the Assessment of the needs for psychosocial support in the second wave of COVID-19 by the Association of Psychologists of Slovenia highlighted the greatest hardships among students: fear of losing their freedom, fear of an uncertain future, and hardship of isolation. They noticed signs of depression and anxiety, development of a negative attitude towards themselves, chronic fatigue; they also report lack of energy, lack of interest and joy, sleep problems, feelings of depression and despair. Volunteering was highlighted as a source of help and support (10% of surveyed students are volunteers, 24.4% understand it as a source of relief from distress; http://www.dps.si/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Psychosocial-support-needs-assessment.pdf). Serious consequences are also observed in Croatia: research has shown that every 10th child or adolescent has symptoms of anxiety or depression that exceed the expected level. 15% have symptoms of post-traumatic stress, 74% face fear of failure, 60% anxiety and almost half of the respondents mentioned feelings of sadness and emptiness and concern for the safety of their family members. Based on the study of the EP (May 2021), ''Education and youth in post-COVID-19 Europe – crisis effects and policy recommendations'' the COVID-19 crisis ''sparked a bigger interest in ideas and methods of non-formal knowledge that encourage and help well being and ways of dealing with distress''. European Youth Forum conducted a global research of COVID-19 crisis and it's impact on the youth, focusing on employment, education, their rights and well-being. In the report ''Youth and Covid-19: effects on employment, education, rights and well-being'' they established that the well-being of youth has severly diminished. All the partner organizations actively monitor youth iniciatives and their responses to stressors in the environment, as well the inability of volunteering organizations to attract youth, to give them support and a more visible role in the community. In a consultation for high schools in Slovenia (October 2021) the students emphasized they want to take on more responsible volunteering tasks under mentorship, acquire more knowledge and start their own projects. Activation, volunteer support, and mentoring can restore the importance of the young in the society, show them they are valuable members of society, and that we as a society acknowlede their distress and solidarity. Thus we can help diminish some of the distress before the damage becomes irreparable.Sources: http://www.dps.si/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Ocena-potreb-po-psihosocialni-podpori.pdf; https://faktograf.hr/2021/05/11/mentalno-zdravlje-u-doba-pandemije/; https://www.poliklinika-djeca.hr/istrazivanja/godinu-dana-poslije-rezultati-probira-mentalnog-zdravlja-djece-u-zagrebu/; https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2021/690872/IPOL_STU(2021)690872_EN.pdf.<< Objectives >>The aim of the project is to achieve the following goals: 1. Greater awareness of the importance of volunteering in preventing the social isolation of young people and empowering youth organizations and organizations involving young volunteers. 2. Identify, collect, select and transfer innovative and effective practices, including digital volunteering, which can encourage young people and especially young people with fewer opportunities, to volunteer. Transmission and dissemination of practice information throughout the EU; greater digital competence of organizations and volunteers. 3. Identification and awareness of the needs of young people in their involvement in volunteering activities and the need of volunteering amongst young people. Development of a methodology to prepare innovative volunteering programs and cooperation approaches, development of quality standards in the coordination and mentoring of young volunteers, which means greater motivation and satisfaction of young people and therefore less loneliness and isolation. 4. Enhanced role and empowered national and regional volunteering centers / networks for professional support to youth and other CSO in the preparation of new volunteering programs for young people and with them. 5. Better understanding of the role of volunteering as an opportunity for personal growth, development, gaining competencies, professional development and maintaining and expanding the social network among young people.More self-initiative and more active participation of young people in society by engaging in volunteering programs focused on their needs. 6. Advocacy of youth volunteering and volunteering support for young people at a local, national and European level. Raising awareness of the needs of young people and opportunities for volunteering to adopt policies that would attract the infrastructure to develop volunteering activities and strengthen the field of volunteering.<< Implementation >>The following activities will be implemented in the project: Stop loneliness, start volunteering: 1)Research of existing practices in partner as well as other European countries in the field of youth volunteering and combatting loneliness, isolation and social exclusion. The findings will be presented in the Research and Analysis of challenges and responses of volunteering organizations. 2)We will seek out best practices in the field of combatting loneliness through volunteering in the partner and other European countries, recognize potentials of innovative practices for transfer and encouragement in other domains. We will conduct interviews with volunteers, beneficiaries and representatives of volunteer organizations (volunteer mentors, managers), record and videotape personal interest stories of young volunteers and beneficiaries. The selected examples will be presented in the Best practices compendium, accompanied by a video featuring persona experience of volunteers.3)We will seek out and research current challenges and needs in combatting loneliness and youth volunteering. Using the world café method we will, in cooperation with several stakeholders (the young, youth mentors, youth leaders, decision-makers …) search for the future potential of youth involvement in volunteering and establishing a dialogue among various stakeholders. The findings will be presented in the on-line campaign The Voice of the Youth.4)We will delve into the role of volunteer centres and networks in combatting loneliness among the youth and research the potential for further actions to the benefit of young volunteers and other youth, especially the young with fewer opportunities. The result will be presented in the Guidelines for volunteer centres and networks. 5)We will build on quality of inclusion and mentorship to young volunteers, providing volunteer organizations with necessary skills for successful involvement of volunteers in combatting loneliness, isolation and exclusion of the youth. We will provide a theoretical framework and tools for quality work with young volunteers to volunteer and youth organizations. The results will be presented in the Guide for volunteer organizations. 6)The previously listed activities will serve as a basis for advocacy activities, resulting in the European framework for combatting loneliness, isolation and exclusion of the youth – policy paper, which will be sent to decision-makers and other key stakeholders on local, national, regional and EU levels. 7)Additionally, we will organize 6 partner meetings in all the partner countries and 4 multiplying events. We will present the results in an interactive and participatory fashion and establish new connections and communication among organizations working in the field. Simultaneously, all partner organizations will ensure dissemination and promotion of project results via their webpages, social media, information sharing within their usual activities (trainings, events, conferences, mailing lists).<< Results >>In the project ""Stop loneliness, start volunteering"" we plan the following results and products that will help us to better understand the needs of young people, the opportunities brought by volunteering and the development of this area at a local, national and European level:•Research and analysis of challenges and responses of volunteering organizations: in electronic form, in English and with translations of conclusions and summaries into national languages (Slovenian, Croatian, German and Danish);•Compedium of best practices: in electronic form in English and with translations of conclusions and summaries into national languages (Slovenian, Croatian and Danish);•Video ""Best practices"" with personal stories and experiences of volunteers, users, mentors, length 10-15 minutes, with English subtitles or in English and with subtitles in Slovenian, Croatian, German and Danish language•Online campaign titled ‘The Voice of Youth’ with summarization of the conclusions of world cafes: in electronic form, in English, Slovenian, Croatian, German and Danish.•Guidelines for volunteering centers and networks: in electronic form, in English and with translations of conclusions and summaries into national languages (Slovenian, Croatian, German and Danish);•European framework for combatting loneliness, isolation and exclusion of the youth – policy paper; in electronic form, in English, Slovenian, Croatian, German and Danish.•A handbook for volunteering organizations: in electronic form in English with translations in all partner languages in electronic and in printed form; the handbook will also contain key findings from the survey, world cafés and an extract of recommendations for decision makers.By disseminating the results and involving various stakeholders in the process, we want to increase the number of quality volunteering programs for young people with fewer opportunities facing exclusion, and volunteering programs that qualitatively involve young volunteers at local, national and European level. We want every young person to know the possibilities of volunteering activation and to have the opportunity to get involved in quality volunteering programs."

"The partner organisations DKolektiv from Croatia, Slovenian Philanthropy, Volunteer Centre and Self-help Denmark (FriSe), National Network for Civil Society from Germany, Volunteering Ireland and Centre for European Volunteering (CEV) have created a strategic partnership and merged their knowledge and experiences in order to explore the best practices and find solutions and innovations that reduce social exclusion among young people through volunteering. The main purpose of the project was to create strategic international cooperation on: improving practices of work with youth by measuring, testing and developing innovative models of youth volunteering as effective tools of inclusion; building new competences of organisations and experts who work with disadvnateged youth; affirming volunteering as a way of empowerment and tool of social inclusion; reinforcing links between practice and policy by creating new platforms for exchange of experience and know-how between organisations/experts in the field of youth volunteering and social inclusion. The success of social inclusion depends not only on the kind of volunteering activities on offer, but also on the kind of support and conditions that governments, volunteer development agencies and volunteer-involving organisations can provide. Therefore, the project also assists institutions and decision-makers to formulate policies and support programmes through comparable systematic data on the circumstances in which volunteering is useful for personal development, empowerment and inclusion of young people.During the “Making it Matter” project significant evidence was gathered in favour of inclusive programmes that support disadvantaged and marginalised youth to participate actively in volunteering in whatever way they can. Project enabled the creation of methods and indicators for impact measurement that will help volunteer involving organisations to understand the key benefits, and shape the most inclusive volunteer programmes.The partnership resulted with the following results and outputs that, in the long term, contributed to the improvement of social and organisational capacities for the development of high quality, innovative and community-oriented services that support the empowerment and inclusion of young people at risk of social exclusion through volunteering.IO1 Focus Research Report gives an overview of existing EU and national policies and practices that support the inclusion of disadvantaged youth through volunteering. The key findings and recommendations of the Report came out as a result of desk research of existing policies on an EU and national level, research implemented through 413 questionnaires of volunteer-involving organisations and interviews with 11 disadvantaged youth volunteers and 9 volunteer coordinators. The interviews were filmed and shaped in longer and shorter version of the promotional videos with testimonies of volunteer coordinators and volunteers on the impact of volunteering on their life and inclusion in the society.IO2 Manual on measuring the impact of volunteering on social inclusion designed as a simple, innovative tool, for regular monitoring and evaluation of impact of volunteering, evidence based, linking volunteer experience and its benefits with the impact on overall people’s well-being. The methodology was piloted within 11 organisations and 20 disadvantaged volunteers.IO3 Educational curriculum ""New pathway to social inclusion"" with tutor notes has been designed to ensure permanent support of capacity building of volunteer involving organisations to develop effective and well-managed inclusive volunteer programmes for disadvantaged youth. The design of the curriculum was followed by 3 implemented educations for over 50 participants. IO4 Policy Paper relies on the key findings of the Focus Research report and the Manual and offers set of recommendations at local, regional, national and EU level. It was communicated and disseminated to different stakeholders. 3 multiplier events through which the project results and outputs were presented and discussed as relevant for contributing to social inclusion gathered 129 participants from over 20 EU countries, among which were relevant researchers, practitioners, representatives of NGOs and representatives of European institutions who gained new knowledge and tools and were asked for greater support of volunteering as a tool of social inclusion of youth. The impact and sustainability of the project were achieved through improved infrastructure for development of volunteering as a tool for social inclusion; improved capacities of volunteer involving organisations and partner organisations for developing services and activities in line with the needs of disadvantaged youth; improved life quality of disadvantaged youth by their active engagement in the society through volunteering.The project contributed to the EU values of freedom, tolerance, respect of diversities."

<< Objectives >>The project aims to: 1) Encourage better understanding of cultural, social, political context of relations between youth engagement trough volunteering and EU values; 2) Support youth volunteering as a transformative force in strengthening EU values and resilience & sustainable communities; 3) Strengthen youth organisational capacities for more impactful youth volunteer engagement underpinning EU values 4) Unlock the potentials of national, transnational and EU cooperation on the issue.<< Implementation >>Focus groups and interviews with organisations and youth followed by EU Comparative Report on solidarity & EU values; national conversation saloons to develop specific volunteer engagement Feasibility Kit; Policy Recommendations for strengthening volunteer, democratic and value based engagement of youth; Guidebook for volunteer programmes that inspires and supports activism and youth leadership; Curriculum and trainings on youth volunteer engagement; promotion & dissemination events.<< Results >>Improved knowledge, skills and practices of volunteer involving youth organisations to provide greater support to youth in increasing their engagement in volunteering and solidarity actions towards strengthening EU values; Developed innovative and practical approach that encourages more synergy of EU values and youth volunteer engagement.; Developed common EU narrative for policy makers for creating enabling environment for youth engagement and volunteering in strengthening the EU values.

Job to Stay is used as an acronym for “Sustainable Integration of Low-skilled Refugees into the Tourism Labour Market”. The project seeks to foster the long-term employment of refugees with access to permanent job opportunities. Linking their needs and wishes to work with the enormous staff shortages that Europe’s tourism industry is suffering from is the main project objective. Due to their specific disadvantaged position a particular focus was placed upon female refugees and the increase of their employability.Following this objective, the target groups and participants are quite heterogeneous. From the beginning of the project, partners were eager to use, increase and establish their networks with partners from the social sector, professional associations, labour market services, Chambers, VET providers, SMEs, initiatives dealing with refugees and refugees themselves – mainly women in this case. The project partnership reached the objective through following Intellectual Outputs (IO): • The Job to Stay Job Profiles (IO1) are job descriptions on Level 2 qualification, which is yet not comparably described for the selected job profiles in all countries. For the first time a validation, accreditation and employment model was developed for five selected job profiles in the tourism labour market (Housekeeping assistant, kitchen assistant, assistant cook, waiter in the bar area, landscape management assistance).• Existing career guidance and qualification models still insufficiently consider cultural background and gender-specific life experiences (including physical and psychological violence before or during the flight) of women and their special needs and requirements in terms of VET and placements/employment – Job to Stay developed a career guidance and mentoring model tailor-made for female refugees (IO2 and IO3)• The Job to Stay Qualification Pass (IO2) so far is the one and only truly comprehensive tool that can be used as assessment procedure for employers and refugees themselves. It is a unique combination of already existing EU-Tools such as Europass CV and CEFR and tailor-made assessment procedures for non-formal and informal learning. • Neither EQF-based description of knowledge, skills and competences nor the accreditation of informal and non-formal learning is widely known or actively applied within the partner countries (with the exemption of FR) - Job to Stay demonstrated the advantages of these instruments and methods in connection with the accreditation of refugees’ prior learning experience and with their uncomplicated and quick long-term integration into tourism labour markets.• Another core outcome of the Job to Stay project was a work placement which was closely monitored and shadowed by all partner organisations. 47 mainly female refugees were integrated into the labour market successfully, afterwards providing individual solutions for a further professional career with the majority of them. Basis for this success is the “Team of Buddies” that was created by the Job to Stay project. The project team developed a tangible product to guide employers, refugees, social associations and social workers through this project phase. This Guideline (IO3) can be used by any target group or stakeholder who is dealing with the integration of people with a migrant background. • For the last two years, the project partners established (partly) completely new networks and gained many experiences. Especially the work with the “Team of Buddies” brought forth very intimate impressions and personal perspectives on the situation of (female) refugees in the partner countries. For this reason, the partnership wanted to share all experiences and lessons learnt during project implementation and recommendation. The Job to Stay Green Paper (IO4) deducts all experiences for all parties involved, and offers recommendations for policy makers at local, regional, national and European levels in particular. It contains 23 EU projects dealing with a same approach and therefore represents the first publication of such comprehension. The official end of the Job to Stay project serves as a beginning of new activities and approaches. For example, the partnership got the feedback that especially the Job to Stay Qualification Pass (IO2) should be used on a national basis substituting the local documents and therefore ease the process of assessment (for formal, non-formal and informal learning). The project works together with the Chambers as well as other VET providers to follow this approach. Further on, the second Intellectual Output could be used for other sectors apart from the tourism industry. Especially the care sector is warmly welcoming such results and seeking for such tailor-made solutions. The partnership of Job to Stay is eager to continue the project’s idea and plans to repeat the placement phase once more as also more refugees wanted to take part in this.