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Final Report – Think Tank

INTEGRA Erasmus+ KA210-ADU
Date: April 8, 2025
Location: Kraków, Poland
Project Number: 2023-2-PL01-KA210-ADU-000170267
Programme Framework: Small-Scale Partnerships in Adult Education
Participating Organizations:

  • Stella Virium Foundation
  • Hesed
  • WUP Kraków (Wojewódzki Urząd Pracy – Regional Labor Office)
  • GUP Kraków (Główny Urząd Pracy – Local Labor Office)
  • City Council Kraków (Urząd Miasta Krakowa)
  • IB-Polska
  • Group FBA
  • AON

Purpose of the Report

This report provides a comprehensive summary of the discussions, methodologies, and key recommendations that emerged during the Think Tank organized under the INTEGRA Erasmus+ project. The primary objective was to collectively identify and evaluate effective practices in the integration of migrants and refugees through adult education, civic participation, and collaborative action.

The insights shared in this document aim to serve as a practical and transferable resource for NGOs, municipalities, public institutions, educational bodies, and other stakeholders working across Europe. This initiative aligns with the core values of Erasmus+: inclusion, cooperation, innovation, and sustainability.

Methodologies Employed

  1. Snowball Method
    A collaborative brainstorming technique where participants began with individual reflections and gradually expanded ideas through group interaction.
    Purpose: To collect diverse perspectives and allow organic idea development.
  2. World Café
    Rotating small-group discussions on predefined key questions, with recorded notes to synthesize themes and solutions.
    Purpose: To encourage meaningful, democratic dialogue and collective intelligence.
  3. Decision Matrix
    A practical decision-making tool used to evaluate potential projects based on seven factors: social need, cost, staff capacity, infrastructure, time, risk, and intercultural barriers.
    Purpose: To guide organizations in assessing the viability and long-term sustainability of initiatives.

Section 1: Understanding the Needs of Migrants and Refugees

Key Question: How can we effectively recognize and respond to the needs of migrants and refugees?
Recommendations:

  • Direct Conversations: Establishing trust and understanding through face-to-face interactions.
  • Material Support: Prioritizing basic needs—housing, food, clothing—as a foundation for further development.
  • Orientation Support: Assisting migrants in understanding the local environment, norms, and traditions.
  • Availability & Responsiveness: Offering support beyond fixed service hours.
  • Relationship Building: Creating long-term, trust-based human connections.
  • Mutual Exchange: Promoting two-way integration through shared values and experiences.
  • Peer Sharing: Leveraging migrant-to-migrant experiences to enhance trust and relevance.

Why This Matters:
A person-centered approach ensures that integration efforts are grounded in real-world needs and circumstances, making support more timely, relevant, and impactful.

Section 2: From Needs to Creative Solutions

Key Question: How can we transform identified needs into actionable, innovative responses?
Recommendations:

  • Expert Consultations: Ensure that initiatives are legally compliant and professionally informed.
  • Urban Toolkits: Mobile kits providing access to local services, QR codes, maps, and language resources.
  • Multilingual Media Content: Videos and materials in migrants’ native languages for better outreach.
  • Simulation Games: Educational tools replicating real-life scenarios (e.g., job interviews, administrative procedures).
  • Use of Official Data (e.g., GUS Reports): Ground actions in evidence and current trends.
  • Feedback Surveys: Collect ongoing input from target communities.
  • Community Events: Create spaces for interaction, awareness, and feedback.

Why This Matters:
Creative tools and approaches close the gap between strategy and execution, helping initiatives adapt to the evolving and diverse needs of migrants.

Section 3: Identified Best Practices

Key Question: What strategies have proven most effective in migrant support?
Recommendations:

  • Native Language Information: Ensures clarity and informed decision-making.
  • Tailored Support: One-size-fits-all approaches are ineffective—support must be individualized.
  • Language Training (Polish & Professional): A critical gateway to employment and integration.
  • Upskilling & Competency Development: Enhances employability and personal growth.
  • Career Guidance: Helps migrants navigate job applications and interviews.
  • One-on-One Mentorship: Personalized mentoring increases motivation and retention.
  • Accessible Training/Webinars: Build skills relevant to work and daily life.
  • Shared Social Activities: Sports, art, and cultural events foster mutual understanding.
  • Integration Meetings: Facilitate social cohesion and community trust.
  • Employer Involvement: Direct partnerships with companies create tangible job prospects.
  • Collaborative Research: Helps tailor services to changing demographics.
  • Specialist Partnerships: Legal, health, and educational support ensure comprehensive care.

Why This Matters:
These tested practices provide replicable and scalable models that can inform programs across regions and sectors.

Section 4: Areas for Improvement & Future Investment

Key Question: What should be prioritized to improve future integration efforts?
Recommendations:

  • Increased Funding Access: Financial support is critical for sustainability.
  • New Strategic Partnerships: Cross-sector collaboration enhances resource use and innovation.
  • Awareness Campaigns: Challenge stereotypes and promote inclusive narratives.
  • Joint Programs: Foster shared responsibility and resource optimization.
  • Stronger Networks: Enable peer learning, cooperation, and sharing of best practices.
  • Community-Led Activities: Promote active participation from both migrants and host communities.
  • Open Access Resources: Ensure materials are free, multilingual, and widely available.
  • Promotion of Proven Models: Prevent duplication by learning from success stories.
  • Public Education on Stereotypes: Combat discrimination through long-term narrative change.

Why This Matters:
Strategic investment in these areas strengthens the social fabric, ensures better outcomes, and prepares communities for future migration dynamics.

Section 5: What Does Not Work – Challenges and Pitfalls

Key Insights:

  • Underqualification Employment: Leads to frustration and economic inefficiency.
  • Shortage of Experts: Limits the scope and depth of assistance.
  • Lack of Strategic Planning: Results in reactive and inefficient services.
  • Legal Delays: Long waiting periods discourage integration.
  • Communication Barriers: Misinterpretations can undermine even well-intended efforts.

Why This Matters:
Acknowledging failures fosters accountability and helps organizations avoid repeating past mistakes.

Section 6: Decision-Making Matrix – Tool for Future Planning

A structured tool was used to evaluate new initiatives based on the following criteria:

  1. Social Need – Does the project address an urgent community demand?
  2. Cost – Is the solution financially feasible?
  3. Staff Capacity – Are the right people and skills available?
  4. Infrastructure – Are there adequate physical and digital resources?
  5. Timeframe – Is the timeline realistic and achievable?
  6. Risk Assessment – What are potential challenges and mitigation strategies?
  7. Intercultural Sensitivity – Are cultural differences recognized and addressed?

Why This Matters:
Using a structured matrix supports strategic, transparent, and evidence-based decision-making that aligns with long-term objectives.

Key Outcomes and Strategic Recommendations

Representatives of 3 sectors participated actively:

  • Public administration: Wojewódzki Urząd Pracy (WUP Kraków), Główny Urząd Pracy (GUP Kraków), Urząd Miasta Krakowa (City Council Kraków)
  • Business sector: AON, UBS (Union of Business Services), Group FBA
  • NGOs: Stella Virium Foundation, Hesed, IB-Polska

Most Impactful Conclusion:

Cross-sector collaboration—including NGOs, public institutions, labor offices, municipalities, and private businesses—is critical and must become a systematic element of integration policy and practice. Effective cooperation and continuous consultation on migrants’ needs help complement each other’s efforts, avoid duplication, and prevent ineffective or redundant actions.

Concrete example: The collaboration between WUP Kraków and Stella Virium Foundation clearly highlighted the importance of checking what services are already provided by others before launching new initiatives, such as language training adjusted beyond basic A1 level. This practice ensures more targeted and effective support.

Additional Key Messages:

  • Successful migrant support requires not only assistance but also active social engagement and economic inclusion.
  • Migrants should not be treated as mere recipients of charity but as active contributors who maintain dignity, self-worth, and a sense of responsibility towards the host country.
  • Volunteerism and providing real job opportunities (instead of only symbolic aid) foster belonging and mutual respect, as observed in good practices from Italy.

Top Strategic Recommendations:

  • Design personalized integration pathways tailored to individuals rather than generic models.
  • Ensure all services are delivered in migrants’ native languages to improve accessibility.
  • Prioritize real employment opportunities over symbolic or limited training offers.
  • Invest in relationship-building and cultural competence for both migrants and host communities.
  • Promote knowledge transfer and replication of best practices across cities and institutions.
  • Avoid duplication of efforts by regularly consulting and coordinating between sectors and organizations.
  • Foster community involvement and empower migrants economically and socially.

Long-Term Effect and Sustainability

A strong emphasis was placed on the durability of results. For future migrant and refugee projects, the insights and recommendations gained from this Think Tank will be made widely accessible to volunteers and stakeholders involved in integration initiatives. This approach ensures that support goes beyond immediate aid and contributes to raising overall awareness and knowledge.

By disseminating acquired knowledge and good practices among employers, NGOs, and public institutions, the project aims to build a lasting culture of inclusive integration that supports migrants’ sustainable participation in society and the labor market.

Next Steps

The outcomes of this Think Tank will be published on the websites of all participating organizations. The goal is to support mutual learning, inspire further collaboration, and ensure that good practices are scaled and sustained across Europe.

This report serves as a comprehensive resource for NGOs, public institutions, educators, policymakers, and all stakeholders involved in migrant and refugee integration. It aims to:

  • Provide evidence-based insights and practical recommendations adaptable to different local contexts.
  • Facilitate the exchange of knowledge and successful strategies across regions and sectors.
  • Encourage the development of inclusive, innovative, and sustainable integration programs.
  • Support transparency and accountability in the implementation of adult education and social support initiatives.
  • Inspire new partnerships and cross-sector collaboration to address emerging challenges in migration and integration.

By sharing the collective expertise and experiences gathered during the Think Tank, this report aims to contribute meaningfully to ongoing efforts to build inclusive societies where migrants and refugees can thrive and fully participate.

ERASMUS+KA210-ADU
SMALL-SCALE PARTNERSHIPS IN ADULT EDUCATION
NR 2023-2-PL01-KA210-ADU-000170267

However, the views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the European Executive Agency for Education and Culture (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA is responsible for them.

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