With this partnership, we have managed to create a complementary mix of expertise. OKAN is facing the question of the youngsters to help them find a student job. In this respect OKAN has long held the principle that guiding young people with a migrant background is more than just learning at school. In order to create a good relationship with the students and optimize the pedagogical support, it is necessary to respond to urgent questions from their target group. The teachers, in daily life often social workers, somewhat lack the know-how to lay a scientific foundation on which they can build their activities. The research group 'Inclusive Diversity' of Thomas More can provide this. The international input, on the one hand from the Netherlands and on the other hand from Finland, teaches us to think 'out of the box'. The Finish partner has expertise in the pedagogical process tailored to this socially vulnerable target group; the Dutch partner has experience in organizing scholarships and study days for this target group.
Thomas More Kempen - PROMOTOR
Thomas More is a University College located in various locations in the province of Antwerp. The University College offers professional bachelors and graduates on 12 campuses in 7 municipalities in the province of Antwerp: four in Mechelen, two in Antwerp, one in Sint-Katelijne-Waver and four in the Kempen. In addition to offering training, practice-based research is often carried out within the university college. This develops new knowledge, insights and innovative products or services. Scientific knowledge is applied to specific professional situations and in this way encourages innovation in companies as well as in society. The University of Applied Sciences has extensive research experience with numerous research groups. The research group 'Inclusive Diversity' will lead this project. The research leader is Aleidis Devillé (PhD in sociology) with a broad experience in research related to migration and employment of vulnerable target groups. |
OKAN - KOGEKA 4
OKAN (Welcoming education for newcomers who speak a foreign language) is set up for young people of non-Belgian or non-Dutch speaking origin who have just arrived in our country and who have insufficient knowledge of Dutch. Through the OKAN education these pupils can learn Dutch as soon as possible and move on to regular education. The OKAN classes are organized in De Kempen by KOGEKA Secondary Education in Sint Jozef Geel. In these OKAN classes, young people are coached during a school year to learn the Dutch language and culture. The youngsters are also guided towards a suitable direction for further studies in secondary education. In the reception classes in secondary education, non-Dutch speaking students are given Dutch language lessons for one year. After that they receive guidance in further education. To be admitted to the reception system in secondary education, pupils have to meet the following conditions: 1. be a newcomer (maximum 1 year of uninterrupted residence in Belgium) 2. be at least 12 years old on the 31st of December of the school year and not yet 18 years old 3. not have Dutch as their home language or mother tongue 4. do not speak or understand Dutch well enough to be able to follow the lessons properly 5. be enrolled for a maximum of 9 months in an educational institution with Dutch as the language of instruction. |
Deaconess Foundation is a large organization with various projects for migrant youth. These projects focus on migrant youth who are on their own and these youth are guided and supported by them. The migrant operation is part of the Deaconess Foundation which has over 150 years of social enterprise. Together with the disability care organization Rinnekoti and their subsidiaries the Diakonissalaitoksen Hoiva Ltd and Caritas Services Ltd, they provide effective social welfare and health services that improve the daily lives of their clients. Deaconess Foundation employs 2,300 people nationwide and their combined turnover in 2019 was €160 million. They also own Diakonia College of Finland and Diaconia University of Applied Sciences. Their work is guided by a set of common values. They strive to be the most powerful workplace in the industry for people who, in addition to their skills, bring a warm heart to work. The organization works on human dignity; their goal is a dignified life for all. They develop their services together with their clients and partners. Civic participation is a strong feature of their work.
Among other things, Deaconess Foundation has established a "living room" for refugee youth aged -18 who have arrived in Finland without families. Mentor families are appointed, thus helping the young people integrate. These families take the young people out of their isolation and Deaconess supports the families with practical matters, among other things. The issue of student jobs is similar to the one in Belgium: most young people with a migrant background would like a student job, but it is difficult to find one. Within the project of the 'living room' they will also work with young people on the search for a student job. Specific methods of trajectory guidance can contribute significantly to the development of this project. |
The national expertise center Pharos contributes to reducing major health disparities. This is done by collecting, enriching and sharing national and international knowledge. It involves scientific knowledge, the practical knowledge of health care providers, policymakers and other professionals, and especially the experiential knowledge of the socially vulnerable people who are ultimately the primary target group.
For over 30 years this organization has developed knowledge and expertise in the field of health inequalities in the broad sense (integration, loneliness, inclusion, social vulnerability). For example, through research, advice, training, workshops, meetings and practical publications; from handbooks to picture stories. Pharos has a knowledge and advice center 'Migrants, Refugees and Health'. Pharos provides education and training for this target group, consisting of a number of modules. These modules focus on a multidisciplinary transfer of knowledge: theoretical concepts are alternated with practice-oriented exercises; assignments and possibly role plays. This set-up makes it possible to develop basic and in-depth courses that are highly appreciated, also in terms of applicability. |
Associated partners
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All of the these organizations commit to actively participate in the steering committee and, on call, to share accumulated knowledge and expertise with the project organization to help achieve the predetermined goals.
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