EYNCRIN Migrant & Minority Inclusion Program


There is an ongoing reflection on how to promote a more coordinated and efficient integration of young migrants and refugees. Themes such as integration in the schooling system, access to labour market, inclusion and participation in public life, are amongst the key issues that need to be tackled together by different stakeholders to contribute for a long-term integration of these young people.


Youth organisations can contribute and play a key role in offering opportunities for personal development, as well as for dialogue and mutual understanding between locals and immigrants. However, the majority of organisations which include young nationals of third countries describe their participation levels as very low. Those surveyed in the framework of this project expressed the wish to increase their involvement. In this context, EYNCRIN aims to increase the participation of third country nationals in youth activities and ultimately enhance their smooth integration into the host societies.

Youth work providers have a key role in this context as they have the capacity to read and adjust quickly to new realities, a longstanding experience in working towards inclusion and diversity in societies and the capacity to put forward innovative ideas that link knowledge, policy and practice.

  • Some of the themes currently tackled in relation to the youth sector and young refugees are:
  • Challenges related to access to rights, and particularly social rights or access to information and procedures
  • Transition towards autonomy of young refugees
  • The role played by youth work in the integration of young refugees in host societies
  • The youth sector response to issues such as trauma, waitinghood and well-being of young refugees
  • The general question of inclusion of young refugees in hosting communities
  • Intercultural relations between hosting communities and young refugees
  • Supporting the participation of young refugees, including their participation in youth work, youth organisations and youth projects
  • Discrimination, hostility and hate speech towards young refugees
  • The capacity of youth workers to work for and with young refugees
  • Specific questions related to young women and girls.

In November 2018 The Council of the European Union adopted conclusions on youth work in the context of migration and refugee matters which states the ‘inclusive nature of youth work should be applied to support the inclusion of young third country nationals into the new hosting society, while respectfully being aware that their inclusion process starts from a different point than that of local young people.‘

On the other hand, more and more organisations and institutions at European level sought ways to reinforce the role of youth work in relation to young refugees. Several youth NGOs, some of which are also included in this publication, explored how they can involve young refugees in their activities, advocate for their rights and support youth work activities including young refugees. Another example concerns the Erasmus + projects, among which “Becoming a part of Europe”, which also looked into ways youth work can be an effective tool for young refugees to participate and be included.

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Glossary of Terms


Social exclusion

A multi-dimensional process, which involves the lack or denial of resources, rights, goods and services, and the inability to participate in activities available to the majority of people in a society, whether in economic, so- cial, cultural or political arenas.

Social inclusion - The long-standing social inclusion objective of the EU is that all EU citizens participate in the benefits of economic integration and economic growth, with appropriate ac- count being taken of Europe’s responsibilities in the world as a whole. The EU cannot be successful if significant groups are left behind as prosperity rises. Social inclusion is intertwined with anti-discrimination as both aim to create a more inclusive society and ensure equal participation in society for all.


 Ethnic minorities - Throughout the booklet the term ‘ethnic’ minorities is used to define the broad category to which the booklet refers. Whilst no universally accepted definition of ‘minority’ exists, the definition used by the International Organization for Migration will be used . This definition provides that: “a minority may be considered to be a group which is numerically inferior to the rest of the population of a State and in a non-dominant position, whose members possess ethnic, religious or linguistic characteristics which differ from the rest of the population and who, if only implicitly, maintain a sense of solidarity directed towards preserving their culture, traditions, religion or language.”


Migrant 

A migrant is a person who moves from his or her home country to another country. “The term migrant may include long-term and short-term migrant workers, asylum seekers and refugees, stateless persons, spousal and family dependants, women migrants and children and undocumented migrants.


EYNCRIN Migrant & Minority Inclusion Program


Regarding the social inclusion of ethnic minorities, findings of several studies illustrated that ethnic minorities participate to a lesser extent in important social areas, such as education, labour, health, housing, civic participation and leisure compared to the majority population.


Realising inclusivity for migrants and refugees means developing key performance management targets and practical guidance that encourage local administrations to regard human mobility as part of their responsibility and to fulfil their role in that respect.