Migramoms in a digital world

<< Background >>The project was initiated to address the challenges faced by migrant women, particularly mothers, in integrating into the workforce. This group is over-represented among those outside the labor market and often remains invisible due to limited access to social welfare systems. Those seeking employment face significant barriers, including unrecognized foreign qualifications, limited formal education, and discrimination. Cultural and linguistic challenges further exacerbate their exclusion, leaving their potential untapped.The project targeted migrant mothers with limited digital skills, low formal education, and minimal labor market experience. It also aimed to support formally educated migrant mothers whose credentials were not recognized in their host countries, despite their valuable competencies.In response to the growing importance of digital literacy in the labor market, the project focused on providing tailored training programs to enhance digital and professional skills. By addressing credential recognition, cultural barriers, and upskilling needs, the initiative empowered migrant mothers, facilitating their social and economic integration. << Objectives >>The project aimed to develop a comprehensive training course to map and enhance the non-formal, informal, and formal skills of stay-at-home migrant mothers, strengthening their employability and facilitating their entry into the labor market without extensive re-education. The course focused on helping participants “translate” their competencies into transferable skills for formal employment while enhancing cultural understanding to support their social and economic inclusion.Key objectives included:1. Competency Identification and Transferability: Identifying existing skills and supporting their adaptation to formal job markets.2.Cultural Barrier Mitigation: Assisting participants in overcoming cultural barriers by increasing their understanding of societal and workplace norms in host countries.In addition, the project developed an (ECVET/EQF-aligned) training programme for trainers and educators working in the fields of inclusion and integration, ensuring they understood and applied MOMDIG’s innovative methodology.<< Implementation >>The project implemented a comprehensive set of activities designed to achieve its objectives of empowering migrant mothers, enhancing educator competencies, and promoting sustainable integration practices. This included four Work Packages: Work Package 1. NEEDS ANALYSIS AND RESEARCHProject partners conducted participatory needs analyses to identify specific barriers faced by migrant mothers, including cultural, linguistic, and systemic challenges. Partners also researched best practices in Europe to inform the design of project outputs. All partners co-wrote two reports summarizing their findings: one from the needs analysis and one with best practice examples. This document was in English, and laid the foundation for the other outputs of the project. WORK PACKAGE 2. QUALIFICATION MATRIX. Using the data from WP1, partners created qualification matrices according to the ECVET/EQF frameworks. The matrices were sent out to relevant stakeholders for feedback, adjusted and then translated into the partner languages. The qualification matrices were combined with the self-assessment procedures in Skillsbank to create a competence profile, facilitating recognition of prior learning procedures. The matrices also served as the basis for the training programmes created in WP3. WORK PACKAGE 3. TRAINING MODULES FOR MOTHERS AND EDUCATORSPartners created:(i) TRAINING COURSE, aligned with EQF (NQF) Level 3, focused on mapping and developing the non-formal, informal, and formal skills of stay-at-home migrant mothers with the aim of strengthening their employability and facilitating their entry into the labor market. (ii) A TRAINING PROGRAMME, aligned with EQF (NQF) Level 5, for trainers and educators working in the fields of inclusion and integration, to support the implementation of the MOMDIG methodology.Both courses consisted of six modules with learning outcomes defined in terms of: Knowledge, Skills, Responsibility and Autonomy. These cover the following topics: Basic Digital Skills; Life Skills; Digital Citizenship: Financial Security; Education and Training; and Employment and Career. Both training programmes combine elements of face-to- face training and digital formats, with the training program for trainers being more digitally-oriented. Once completed, the training programmes were translated into all partner languages (French, Italian, Norwegian, Slovak, and Spanish), thus ensuring a broader audience and increasing potential impact. WORK PACKAGE 4. PILOTING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF TRAINING PROGRAMSPiloting and testing of the training programmes was conducted in all partner countries, reaching a total of 70 participants (migrant mothers), which exceeded the minimum target of 60 mothers; and 36 trainers, which exceeded the minimum target of 20. Project partners collected and integrated feedback from participants and trainers to optimize the final training materials. PEDAGOGICAL HANDBOOKUpon the completion of the piloting phase, partners compiled the most useful experiences from the project, methodologies, tools, and the training programmes, to create a pedagogical handbook, a comprehensive resource for trainers.DISSEMINATION AND MULTIPLIER EVENTSFive multiplier events were organized in the respective partner countries, engaging relevant stakeholders at local, national, and EU levels through presentations of the project results, sharing of best practices, and networking opportunities. In total, at least 134 external participants attended the Multiplier Events, well exceeding the original target of 100. In addition, there were at least 62 internal participants. Information about the project and updates about its progress were shared on several different digital platforms.This included the websites of the respective partner organizations, and their social media accounts Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), reaching a potential audience of nearly 130,000 through the partner organizations' combined social media following.TRANSNATIONAL PROJECT MEETINGSThrough the course of the project, there were four transnational project meetings and six online meetings. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND ADVOCACYPartners conducted meetings with policymakers, NGOs, municipal actors, and educational institutions to promote the project methodology and results. FINAL EVALUATION AND CLOSING CONFERENCEA final conference (the Norwegian multiplier event) was held in Oslo to present the project’s outcomes and discuss ongoing and future applications of its methodologies. These activities collectively contributed to the achievement of the project’s goals, ensuring the empowerment of migrant mothers, the dissemination of innovative educational practices, and the promotion of sustainable integration solutions across Europe.<< Results >>The project consisted of four work packages:Work Package 1. NEEDS ANALYSIS AND RESEARCHProject partners conducted participatory needs analyses to identify specific barriers faced by migrant mothers, including cultural, linguistic, and systemic challenges. Partners also researched best practices in Europe to inform the design of project outputs. All partners co-wrote two reports summarizing their findings: one from the needs analysis and one with best practice examples. This document was in English, and laid the foundation for the other outputs of the project. WORK PACKAGE 2. QUALIFICATION MATRIX. Using the data from WP1, partners created qualification matrices according to the ECVET/EQF frameworks. The matrices were sent out to relevant stakeholders for feedback, adjusted and then translated into the partner languages. The qualification matrices were combined with the self-assessment procedures in Skillsbank to create a competence profile, facilitating recognition of prior learning procedures. The matrices also served as the basis for the training programmes created in WP3. WORK PACKAGE 3. TRAINING MODULES FOR MOTHERS AND EDUCATORSPartners created:(i) TRAINING COURSE, aligned with EQF (NQF) Level 3, focused on mapping and developing the non-formal, informal, and formal skills of stay-at-home migrant mothers with the aim of strengthening their employability and facilitating their entry into the labor market. (ii) A TRAINING PROGRAMME, aligned with EQF (NQF) Level 5, for trainers and educators working in the fields of inclusion and integration, to support the implementation of the MOMDIG methodology.Both courses consisted of six modules with learning outcomes defined in terms of: Knowledge, Skills, Responsibility and Autonomy. These cover the following topics: Basic Digital Skills; Life Skills; Digital Citizenship: Financial Security; Education and Training; and Employment and Career. Both training programmes combine elements of face-to- face training and digital formats, with the training program for trainers being more digitally-oriented. Once completed, the training programmes were translated into all partner languages (French, Italian, Norwegian, Slovak, and Spanish), thus ensuring a broader audience and increasing potential impact. WORK PACKAGE 4. PILOTING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF TRAINING PROGRAMSPiloting and testing of the training programmes was conducted in all partner countries, reaching a total of 70 participants (migrant mothers), which exceeded the minimum target of 60 mothers; and 36 trainers, which exceeded the minimum target of 20. Project partners collected and integrated feedback from participants and trainers to optimize the final training materials. PEDAGOGICAL HANDBOOKUpon the completion of the piloting phase, partners compiled the most useful experiences from the project, methodologies, tools, and the training programmes, to create a pedagogical handbook, a comprehensive resource for trainers.ADDITIONAL RESULTS:Pilot Insights: Feedback from participants and trainers highlighted strengths and areas for improvement in the training.Blended Learning Format: The project successfully piloted a mix of online and face-to-face learning to address isolation among migrant mothers.Stakeholder Engagement: Stakeholders, including educators and organizations, were equipped with tools and methodologies to facilitate inclusion and integration.Promotion Materials: Online dissemination activities (e.g., posts on social media) were created to ensure visibility and dissemination of project results.Multiplier Events: Events were held in all partner countries to share the project's best practices and lessons learned, reaching at least 136 external partners. Final Conference: A closing conference in Oslo summarized and showcased the project results, emphasizing sustainability and future use.