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EPIC-UP

Upscaling the European Platform of Integrating Communities

An initiative seeking to improve the integration and inclusion of migrants at local level.

GA number: 101140983

Funded by: AMIF     Duration: 01/05/2024–30/04/2027


Challenge

According to the European Commission, nearly 3.7 million new residence permits were issued across EU Member States in 2022, highlighting the ongoing scale of migration in Europe. With such a significant number of new arrivals, there is a critical need for effective integration services to support migrants and refugees, particularly at the local level and during times of crisis.

While efforts have been made, national strategies often overlook the importance of local voices. Civil society, researchers, local authorities, and migrants themselves are too often excluded from the integration process, hindering a truly inclusive society.

Innovation

The EPIC-UP initiative aims to foster collaboration among diverse stakeholders to empower migrant and refugee communities, ensuring they are active participants in shaping the policies that impact their lives. Through an innovative, multi-voice approach, EPIC-UP aims to transform local communities, strengthen crisis response, and empower migrants and refugees.

Action

A framework of multi-actor Communities of Practice will be established at local level involving migrants, refugees, refugee-led organizations, policymakers, civil society, researchers, and other stakeholders to collaboratively identify needs, assess practices, and co-design integration solutions, on the basis of a taxonomy and mapping report on existing good practices for migrant integration.

A Migrants’ Participation Policy Toolkit will be developed to guide local authorities in creating inclusive public spaces for migrants’ active participation, as well as a CoPs Transfer and Adaptation Plan to facilitate effective knowledge-sharing, peer mentoring, and the adaptation of successful practices across different communities.

Three policy briefs and a recommendation paper will ensure local integration policies are resilient and adaptable to future challenges, such as migrant influxes or crises.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or AMIF. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Project Partners

KMOP, Greece
ALDA – Association Européenne pour la Démocratie Locale, Belgium
(Coordinator)
AEIDL – Association Européenne pour l’Innovation dans le Développement Local, Belgium

ADL ZAVIDOVICI – Associazione per l’Ambasciata della Democrazia Locale a Zavidovici – Onlus Impresa Sociale, Italy
CASTEGNATO – Comune di Castegnato, Italy
CEPAIM – Fundación Cepaim Acción Integral con Migrantes, Spain
KODEP – Koinofelis Dimotiki Epicheirisi Peiraia, Greece
EUNI – Sdruzhenie Yuni Partners, Bulgaria
KITEV – Kultur im Turm eV, Germany
IMPC-Fundacja Instytut Miast Praw Czlowieka, Poland
Mimètis SRL Impresa Sociale, Italy

 

 

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