Humanising Policies and Projects with Immigrants: The Search for Empathy

“Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.”   

Franklin D. Roosevelt

2.7 million immigrants entered the EU from non-EU countries in 2019; 23 million people (5.1 %) of the 447.3 million people living in the EU on 1 January 2020 were non-EU citizens; In 2019, EU Member States granted citizenship to 706 400 persons having their usual residence in the territory of the EU, an increase of 5 % compared with 2018.

Young migrants (18-24) born outside the EU were much more likely (21%) than natives (12.5%) to be ‘neither in employment nor in education and training’, especially migrant girls and young women (25.9%).

From a youth perspective social inclusion is the process of the individual’s self-realisation and acceptance within a society, the recognition of one’s potential by social institutions, integration (through study, employment, volunteer work, participation in communal sports, or other forms of association) in the network of social relations in a community. In present-day European societies the concept is relevant to all young people as youth is the life stage, the launching pad, when young people make the transition from family dependence to autonomy within the larger society under rapidly evolving circumstances. It has a particular meaning to those young people who come from disadvantaged backgrounds and live in precarious conditions. For them social inclusion involves breaking various barriers before acquiring their social rights as full members of society.

Social inclusion is multi-dimensional and affects various life domains: economic, political, cultural, social. The integrating processes do not act independently of one another. The successful passage of young people through the educational system provides them with crucial resources such as knowledge, skills, and attitudes for their social inclusion in other life domains.

A complex array of factors such as gender, health, ethnicity, religious affiliation, and sexual orientation acts to enable or constrain social integration. Similarly, youth social exclusion has both current and long-term consequences which make it a priority topic for youth policy in Europe.

“We will make sure that people who have the right to stay are integrated and made to feel welcome. They have a future to build – and skills, energy and talent.” Thus spoke European Commission President von der Leyen in her State of the Union Address in 2020.

Concurrently, the EU’s ‘Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion 2021-2027,’ was launched. In the attendant press releases and speeches, it was stated that:

‘The European way of life is an inclusive one. Integration and inclusion are key for people coming to Europe, for local communities, and for the long-term well-being of our societies and the stability of our economies. If we want to help our societies and economies thrive, we need to support everyone who is part of society, with integration being both a right and a duty for all.’

‘Inclusion for all is about ensuring that all policies are accessible to and work for everyone, including migrants and EU citizens with migrant background. This means adapting and transforming mainstream policies to the needs of a diverse society, taking into account the specific challenges and needs of different groups. Actions to help migrants integrate need not, and should not, be at the expense of measures to benefit other vulnerable or disadvantaged groups or minorities. On the contrary, they contribute to make policies more inclusive overall. This action plan promotes an integrated approach to migrant’s inclusion and aims to create close synergies with existing and upcoming EU strategies to foster equality and social cohesion to ensure everyone is fully included and participates in European societies.’

The Action Plan on integration and inclusion proposes four main actions that governments should take to ensure integration and inclusion of migrants within their countries. Inclusive education is listed as one of the four actions, alongside improving employment, access to health services and adequate housing. The plan states that increased participation of migrants in inclusive education and training from early childhood to higher education is essential for successful participation in society. Education systems should also work on facilitating the recognition of qualifications and continued language learning for migrants.

The official tenor and esoteric language of such pronouncements often needs deciphering and humanising. It can easily be forgotten that behind the official, legalistic, academic jargon, abetted by the statistical classifications and data, there are real people involved. Among their number are practising or potential doctors, engineers, authors, footballers, bakers, plumbers, bankers, etc. Humanity is the total population of the world, minus zero.

The seeming sterility of official public policies often requires the humanising agency and empathy of civil society organisations and people.

A couple of projects, among many others, in the ‘ EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Youth Employment’ illustrate and highlight this understanding. Devoid of tokenism and results oriented, they put people at the centre of their projects.

One offers a tailor-made employment coaching service for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers NEETs, with individual coaching to 1) support the elaboration of a personal employment action plan by the beneficiary and 2) improve key soft-skills for employment integration (empathy and responsibility). These sessions are conducted online and offline, and in their mother tongue.

Another offers ‘a place dedicated to tackling youth unemployment by bringing together young people, employers and policy makers in an innovative way that creates real impact and employment.  This approach is underpinned by the principles that work is key to social inclusion and personal dignity, and has the power to gradually transform the ‘Other’ to part of the society.

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s words that open this piece would be eagerly echoed by, inter alia, the following short set of famous immigrants: Sigmund Freud; Billy Wilder; Freddy Mercury; Henry Kissinger; Arnold Schwarzenegger; Albert Einstein; Bob Marley….

Irish author Colm Tóibín’s words from the book and film ‘Brooklyn’ about an Irish immigrant in New York, need no elucidation.

“She was nobody here. It was not just that she had no friends and family; it was rather that she was a ghost in this room, in the streets on the way to work, on the shop floor. Nothing meant anything.”

Thomas Mc Grath

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here