Catalonia engages in activities and discussions to enhance education and career prospects for migrant youth

Catalonia Region decided to focus on education and access to the labour market for its pilot integration action, through the hosting of extracurricular workshops on IT, robotics and programming towards migrant youth in the region. To discuss long-term initiatives with regional stakeholders, Catalonia’s Directorate General for Migration, Asylum and Anti-Racism within the framework of the Department of Equality and Feminisms organised its second dissemination event as part of the REGIN Project on 20 October 2021.

The meeting was held online and discussed the educational and career prospects of students of foreign origin, bringing into focus those educational projects outside school hours that enhance their future integration. The first part of the event counted on the intervention of key speakers such as the Director-General of Migration, Asylum and Anti-Racism, Ms Eunice Romero, Mr Davide Strangis, CPMR Executive Director for EU Programmes, Partnerships, Geographical Commissions and Membership, and Mr Marius Martínez, Professor of Vocational Guidance at the UAB, who highlighted important features of the role of education, regions and structural barriers in social cohesion and inclusion.

In the second half of the event, key actors in education outside school hours presented different projects taking place in the Catalan region such as Instituts Oberts, activities implemented in high schools to enhance the sense of belonging of students and their families, the Edunauta amb Baobab’s project, and the Jonc Project, which improves social cohesion, coexistence, and quality of life in el Raval, one of Barcelona’s most densely populated and diverse areas.

Overall, the event contributed to disseminating breakpoint ideas in education outside school times and labour orientation thanks to the participants’ valuable contribution. For further information, the video recording is available in Catalan HERE.