MIGRANT YOUTH AS PART OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
The "Speak OUT" strategy specifically targets the areas of social inclusion. In this sense, the priority of the project is inclusion and diversity in all areas of education, training, youth and sport. Through the proposed objectives and activities, the social inclusion of migrant youth in local host communities will be specifically promoted. In particular, local development projects will be implemented to create links between native and migrant youth.
To achieve this, a youth methodology is proposed, in which they are participants in all phases of the process. Therefore, the aim is to implement the inclusion of young people of migrant origin, promoting their direct participation in local development projects that contribute to creating inclusive environments that promote equity and equality and that respond to the needs of the community as a whole.
The latest Eurostat studies (2020) show that more than 14 million young migrants are in our local communities, subject to the most absolute exclusion. Many of the neighbourhoods and municipalities where these young people settle (without resources or language skills) are run-down communities with high levels of unemployment and exclusion. The arrival of these young people in unstructured natives communities, susceptible to hate speech, leads the community to greater radicalism. The current crises are exacerbating these problems.
Several social and youth organisations from all over Europe believe that the solution to this reality is to change the strategy of inclusion of migrant youth, making them participate in projects for the local development of their communities together with local youth.
With this project we want to show European host communities that the arrival of migrant youth can be an opportunity to improve the quality of life of those who live in the territories. Their knowledge, resilience and enthusiasm can be the boost that the neighbourhood needs.
