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Policy Framework

For the first time in the EU,  this model provides an overall framework for intercultural integration at the regional level, focusing on competences, policies and  practices  of  Regional authorities   and   their  connections with  local/national institutions.

The model framework serves as guidance to the partner Regions in developing their own 3-year intercultural integration strategies. It will be published in early June.

Methodology

The EU-Belong project is based on a 5-steps process

Step
1
Capacity building & mutual learning
After a participatory need assessment, partners develop and deliver 3 online training modules for regional decision-makers, civil servants and local stakeholders to build knowledge in intercultural integration concepts and methods.

The online training is delivered to approx. 150 public and private officials in each region (1.650 persons in total). A second phase focuses on mutual learning, through the organisation of 3-day regional multi-stakeholder Learning Labs to strengthen the competences of key- players to plan and implement effective integration strategies.

Participants exchange and facilitate mutual learning among the stakeholders directly involved in the co-design activities carried out in step 3.
Step
2
Elaboration of a general model framework for regional integration strategies
In order to elaborate and validate a regional multi-level and multi-stakeholder policy and governance framework for the development and the implementation of intercultural integration strategies at the regional level, partners first review replicable European good practices assess regional integration contexts (Regional integration questionnaire+ report).

The final model, for the first time in the EU, provides an overall framework for intercultural integration at the regional level, focusing on competences, policies and practices of Regional authorities and their connections with local/national institutions. This model framework serves as a guidance to the partner Regions in developing their own 3-years intercultural integration strategies (step 3).
Step
3
Multi-stakeholder co-design of 11 regional strategies
Based on the general model framework elaborated in step 2, the partner Regions carry out a co-design process with the following steps:
  • Setting up of regional multi-stakeholder Platforms The multi-stakeholder Platforms supports the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the integration strategies by creating a “safe space” for structured dialogue between stakeholders with diverse views, interests and competences.

    They also contribute to building trust and mutual respect, promoting an environment in which stakeholders can generate new ideas for tackling common challenges and proposing integration strategies and pilot actions.
  • Multi-stakeholders co-design meetings The consultation phase is an intensive process in which representatives of the stakeholders join the regional civil servants to work together with the support of co-design specialists and experts.
  • Elaboration of the Intercultural integration strategy in 11 European Regions Starting from the inputs provided by the multi-stakeholder Platform, each partner Region elaborates and validates its 3-years Intercultural integration strategy by applying a "theory of change" approach in order to describe how the strategy is supposed to deliver the desired change.

    The strategy plan is described as a roadmap for getting from the initial situation to a positive change, focusing on the interconnections between the general goals and the required outcomes, specifying actions, actors, resources, timeline and indicators.
Step
4
Pilot testing
Based on its Intercultural integration strategy, each region selects one pilot project among those included in the strategy, to test new measures (e.g. services, tools, etc.) that will contribute to the goals of the regional strategy.
Step
5
Modelisation, dissemination and mainstreaming
The experience carried out for the co-design and co-implementation of intercultural integration strategies will be evaluated and the whole process and its results will be modelized in a comprehensive report. To disseminate the results of the project and mainstream the intercultural approach across policy areas, four knowledge transfer clusters are set up around societal challenges. The objective is to make the outputs of the EU-Belong project available and useful to all people and organisations who benefit from them. Indeed, the methodologies and good practices the project is producing are useful for sectoral policies too, not only stakeholders working on migration and inclusion. .