SIRIUS is starting a new European project called ENABLE, focused on “enabling school integration of migrant and refugee children through social and emotional learning interventions to address psychosocial trauma”and implemented by 7 partners from 5 European countries (France, Belgium, Italy, Turkey and Greece). On the 12th and 13th of January SIRIUS met with the project partners in Pau (France) for the Kick off Meeting. 

The ENABLE Project

Migration and especially forced displacement and refugee experiences are associated with extreme psychosocial trauma considering the conditions under which migrants and refugees have to leave their countries, which is even more severe when it comes to children who are still in the sensitive period of development. Schools can be important settings to foster the wellbeing of all students, and particularly that of Migrant, Refugee and Displaced Children (MRDC) who may have had traumatic experiences before leaving their homes, during the journey or while settling in a new community or country. 

In recent years, the key role that education plays in treating psychosocial trauma among MRDC is increasingly recognized as school institutions can stimulate resilience and cultivate learners’ social and emotional development, thus helping build self-confidence and emotional regulation skills, while teaching children to create relationships based on trust with others.

ENABLE’s key objective is to promote the social and emotional development of Migrant, Refugee and Displaced Children (MRDC) through culturally sensitive, school-based interventions designed to deal with the negative effects of psychosocial trauma. The project’s specific objectives are to:

1.  enhance the capacity of primary & secondary schools to effectively deal with cases of psychological trauma by developing first-level treatment and response mechanisms, protocols and tools
2.  build the capacity of primary & secondary education teachers to stimulate the social and emotional development of MRDC in the school environment
3. raise the awareness of educational institutions, relevant stakeholders and decision makers about the= importance of strengthening their policy framework on psychosocial trauma treatment for MRDC.

Expected result of the project 

• A mapping matrix on effective psychosocial trauma practices focusing on the needs of MRD children in schools.
• A defined Trauma-informed Teacher/Educator Profile (incl. training needs).
• A validated Online Training Course on Trauma-Informed Teaching in primary and secondary schools comprising horizontal and specialised modules for i) School teachers & ii) School heads/managers.
• Training workshops with the participation of both teachers and principals in primary and secondary schools.
• An integrated Trauma-Informed School Policy for MRD children in the form of a Toolkit for primary and secondary school managers, key actors and decision makers at local and national level.
• Awareness raising campaign through website, social media, printed and electronic material etc. and through events, such as advocacy/lobbying meetings, info days and a final conference.

As part of the LLLWeek, SIRIUS joined the MAXIPac closing event which took place the 1st of December in Brussels.

The Lisbon Recognition Convention says that all countries should develop procedures to assess whether refugees and displaced persons fulfil the relevant requirements for access to higher education or to employment activities, even in cases in which the qualifications cannot be proven through documentary evidence. Regardless of that, in reality this letter has not been applied in most cases, and to this day third-country nationals often face a lot of challenges in the recognition of their requalifications. The MAXIPac project aims to fill this gap, by closely working with universities and academics to create and implement a uniform procedure to valorise previously acquired competences of third-country nationals by universities. 

As part of the final event, Sevak Khachatryan, SIRIUS co-chair, participated in the panel discussion “How can universities, non-governmental organisations and policy-makers contribute to more inclusive European higher education?”. He highlighted the responsibility of universities in the inclusion of TCNs in higher education, as well as the importance of including migrants and refugee students in the development of these types of projects, acknowledging their agency and right to participate in processes that directly affect to their future. 

The European Week of Regions and Cities is a one-week-long event organised by the EU Committee of the Regions that promotes the sharing of good practices and ideas for a greener, more inclusive and cohesive Europe. Sirius, represented by Kejsi Hodo, Communications Intern, took part in two workshops about youth participation and empowerment. The main themes dealt with were the characteristics of youth participation, the reasons behind its decrease and the ways to improve the situation.

First of all, it is important to stress the fact that the youth participation rate registered last year was at 87%[1]. Thus, it is clear that the participation degree is quite high, but to understand what it means, it is necessary to further unpack the meaning of active citizenship. As a matter of fact, apart from voting, young people express their political views by signing petitions (often online), posting on social media, using hashtags to bring awareness and other ways which are not considered to be traditional participatory practices[2]. This is very important when analysing youth behaviour in politics, because it brings to light the generational differences in dealing with political and/or social issues. So, what does active citizenship mean in 2022? Online platforms, social media, petitions etc play a crucial role when it comes to youth and democracy. In addition, one of the fundamental aspects about it are the different means of getting information, as young people use mainly social media and websites, which indicates the influence that online platforms have on politics.

However, why is it that young people vote less and less? In general, 46% of the participants of the Eurobarometer survey report they have voted. Thus, voting is still the most chosen way to express one’s political preferences, but there are many drawbacks. Among the three of the most reported barriers to voting, there are: not being old enough, not being interested and lack of trust in politicians[3]. During the workshops, we addressed the reasons behind the decrease in the “traditional” participatory practices and how to boost young people participation. The most agreed on practice was the establishment of a strong connection between politicians and youth, to improve trust and empower young minds to make a difference. However, one crucial aspect to reflect on is economic security, as people in problematic situations are not able to be active citizens just because of their circumstances. Lastly, another underprivileged category is that of the second-generation migrants, who are often disregarded when it comes to decision-making processes and cannot vote in many EU countries.

In short, young people are generally active citizens who are accustomed to many non-conventional participatory practices, such as online petitions, social media posts and so on. However, when it comes to voting, it is critical to understand the reasons behind the decrease in the participation level and try to come up with ways to better engage the youth. Having more direct contact with decision-makers, ensuring economic security and inclusion are three pillars of youth participation. At the end, young people are not only the future, but they are also the present of our socities. Hence, their involvement in politics should be a priority and an occasion to reflect on the necessity of accepting differences and taking advantage of each other’s experiences towards an effective transgenerational and inclusive dialogue.

Written by: Kejsi Hodo, Communications Intern at SIRIUS Network

[1] Flash Eurobarometer European Parliament Youth Survey September 2021

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