Rethinking the Environment and Migrant Inclusion (REMI)

REMI was born as a natural development of our 2019 project “Front Line” and involved some of the previous partners as well as new organizations. There were several reasons why we decided to apply for REMI while still implementing our 2019 project, and among others there was the need, when working in the migration area, to address further aspects such as:

• architecture as a mean of tackling segregation and promote new “sustainable and inclusive” initiatives were local communities and new comers can meet and come
  closer;
• Improvement in the competencies of staff working directly with migrants . By learning these skills from best practices present in the host countries, the staff of these
  organisations is now better prepared to deal with issues these groups face, in particular as regards to perceptions, adult training and employability, mental health,
  integration, links between climate change and people on the move, promotion of inclusive and sustainable initiatives.
• analyzing present and future challenges posed by the climate crises and links to climate migrants, human rights and international protection; environment and arts).
  Being climate change a 2020 EU priority we truly believe that this project will contribute to this priority on different levels: from developing new training courses
  addressing new and environmental sustainable architectural approaches in the integration of refugees, to dealing with emergency low budget accommodation for
  climate emergency, informing practitioners about environmental migrants, their rights and increase numbers in the next future, promoting campaigns on a European
  level to influence policy makers when discussing about climate migrants rights and support of a more sustainable development.
  Thanks to the project activities and trainings the above aspects have been addresses and analyzed. The project also contributed to:
• Policies and perceptions: The participants in the training are now more confident to analyse policies in the host country and compare them with those present in
  their own country thus establishing some sort of good/bad practice comparison. This way the consortium’s organisations is now more able to come up with initiatives
  to influence public opinions and decision makers on changes and practices which can be adopted at national level.
• Adult Educational Content: The participation in the training has helped participant organisations in the development of new and improved modules to integrate in
  their training programmes
• Methods and tools: The staff of the participating organisations, thanks to the participation in the training, has learnt new “European” methods and tools in dealing
  with migrants, and they have already started to integrate those methods in their own reality and in this way facilitate the progress of a better migrant inclusion in the
  local and European society .
• Development of cross border cooperation: What has been a very positive outcome of the project, is the creation of links between organisations both in the national
  and international consortium, and the development of new initiatives of common interest in the field of migration issues. As an example, it’s worth mentioning the
  cooperation between Itaka training Kairos Europe, the ARCSR at the London Met University, Le Seppie and some remote villages in
  Southern Italy that are promoting innovative sustainable (Bio) architectural solutions to both repopulate semi-abandoned villages with migrant populations (i.e.
  Belmonte marina and Belmonte calabro), who, alongside the local populations, can contribute to the revival of economic and social activities in these areas. Thanks
  to this project similar initiative are being explored in the host countries.
• Improvement in the expertise of partner organisations: thanks to the involvement of so many organisations working at different levels with migrants, this has allowed
  a great exchange of expertise and practices from different areas, thus making the outcomes of the training stronger and more beneficial to the participants and the
  participating organisations.
  This project has also served as a platform to test the synergy between the partner organisations in the consortium and has strengthen the relationship among each
  other, it has allowed partners to create innovative European “training” products, methodologies, initiatives that have been also transferred beyond the national
  borders. As an example thanks to this project Itaka training is now collaborating with both national and international partners in the implementation of its accredited
  mobilities, as well as writing together proposals for the 2023 Erasmusplus calls addressing the main topics explored in the training: inclusion, sustainability, climate change.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES:

• Helping migrants overcome main barriers with the help of well trained practitioners;
• Provide an adequate training to the staff of the consortium in their work with migrants.
• Help and motivate adult migrants dealing with the difficulties they go through while taking part in educational activities
• Understanding the link between migration, poor housing and/or segregation and possible solutions;
• Developing knowledge of place-based architecture and migration, communities and inclusion;
• Developing new educational skills and methodologies in adult education to help participants to approach migrants they work with with a broader and better understanding of the difficulties and needs of adult migrants
• internationalization of the consortium members and the creation of a network of organisations sharing common European values;
• Give participants the right tools/skills to cope with the pressure and the psychological distress they often face when supporting traumatized migrants
• Understanding the importance of recognizing and fighting hate speech against migrants; using adult education opportunities to help the local communities overcome their fears
• Deepening the understanding of the links between climate change and migration

PROJECT RESULTS

Project webpage http://www.itakatraining.org/rethinking-the-environment-and-migrant-inclusion-remi/

• Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/RemiErasmus
• Acquired new ways and methodologies for promoting common adult education paths across Europe while working with migrants
• Participants have been equipped with the right intercultural awareness and communication skills necessary to relate with people from diverse linguistic and cultural
  background
• Establishment of new projects (we are now working with our EU partners on the mobilities for our accredited 2021-2022 adult mobility projects)
• We have established new partnership with host countries local organizations dealing with refugees, local communities, ecological and sustainable projects and
  partnerships in the future
• We have a clearer understanding of the fundamental role that adult education and architecture has in helping local community to become more welcoming by
  creating common spaces and tackle segregation and have established close collaborations with the Architecture of Rapid Change and Scarce Resources
  The School of Art, Architecture and Design London Metropolitan University
• Participants are now more confident in their job