CONNEXT​

CONNEXT for inclusion project developed game-based empowerment 2018-2021. Below you can find an overall description of its activities

CONNEXT is an international ESF project with partners from Belgium (Flanders), Finland and Sweden. In this context the transnational collaboration is described. For more information on the national projects, please read under heading national projects.

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Aim

The aim of CONNEXT is to support migrants and refugees to find their place in the new society in Belgium (Flanders), Finland and Sweden. More specifically the aims are:

• to prevent exclusion, school dropouts and unemployment among young migrants and refugees
• to strengthen the skills of, and to develop new methods for, professionals working with migrants and refugees in order to engage, empower and motivate migrants to be actors in their own lives; one of them being game-based learning in the form of S_U+G Serious Urban Game® methodology
• to increase the knowledge and awareness of professionals about horizontal perspectives and incorporating gender mainstreaming
• to strengthen the networking and to spread the best collaboration models (and further develop functioning models) between the project partners, and the local stakeholders

CONNEXT stands for connecting and motivating people, both migrants and refugees and professionals, to society and to the future. CONNEXT wants the newcomers to take the next step towards education and the labour market, building on co-creation and a high level of participation.

Gamification in CONNEXT for inclusion project (YouTube)

Target group

The target group of CONNEXT include migrants and refugees in high risk of becoming excluded from the society as well as professionals working with them. More specifically the target groups are:

• professionals working in school environments (teachers, school counsellors, psychologists etc.)
• professionals working with after school activities involving youth (associations, clubs etc.)
• professionals promoting the labour market integration of refugees and migrants
• other professionals promoting the integration of refugees and migrants
• refugees and migrants themselves

Actions

The key actions of transnational collaboration in CONNEXT consist of the following:

1. Trainings

During the project, three international meetings are organised. They all consist of trainings on S_U+G methodology, a networking day as well as meetings with key project members on planning, implementation and evaluation. In addition to project partners, national game-masters, core trainers and potentially other interested persons are invited to join. In each country different themes are explored.

The timing and themes of international meetings:

• Belgium 03/2019: labour market integration, sports as a tool for integration, prevention of early school leaving; causes and solutions on gender related early school leaving
• Sweden 10/2019: families, peer support, networks, equal communication, gender equality
• Finland 3/2020: gender sensitive career counselling, networking with NGOs working with immigrant boys and men

2. Testing of game-based learning methods on local level and support

Each participant in the S_U+G® methodology training is committed to testing it in their own context and participating in its further development. The testing is done together with migrants and refugees. Experiences are shared in international meetings and/ or in regular online meetings. A national learning network is developed for sharing experiences and for promoting game-based learning.

3. Dissemination

Throughout CONNEXT, the experiences and lessons learnt are shared through CONNEXT website, Facebook group, other communication channels and various events nationally and internationally. Trainings are organised to professionals working with youth. One dissemination seminar is organised in the end of each national project.

Outcomes

In practical terms the outcomes of CONNEXT consist of the following:
New games applying S_U+G® methodology e.g. on gender
Brochure, video and other material on game-based learning and in particular on S_U+G® methodology

Trainings on game-based learning

Learning network in each country with increased skills and understanding on game-based learning and other best practices on how to promote the integration of migrants and refugees

Project partners

Project partners in the transnational CONNEXT collaboration are
Belgium (Flanders): gameWise and Artevelde University College
Finland: Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
Sweden: Karlstad municipality

Additionally there is a large national network in each three countries.

Time frame

National projects have different starting and ending times. The international collaboration in CONNEXT takes place 11/2018 – 01/2021.

For more information on CONNEXT project, please see:

– Transnational Agreement of CONNEXT for inclusion

– Baltic Cities Bulletin 1/2019 (page 17)

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