Theory of Change for the Inclusion of Women Migrants in VET

Over the past ten years, the EU has seen a great amount of migrants and refugees coming to live within its Member States. The first issue to be observed is that the MS tend to see the integration ...

The InclusionTOC objectives were to: -Foster the integration of women migrants in VET education -Make VET education more attractive and welcoming for women migrants -Agree on common long-term solutions to tackle obstacles to education such as linguistic, social and cultural barriers -Agree on solutions related to the specific problems that women migrants encounter due to their gender -Make VET a safer and more attractive space for the most vulnerable groups such as women migrants -Prevent isolation of women migrants through a progressive inclusion in the VET centers -Empower women migrants in their learning journeys -Expand migrant women’s employability chances -Offer a concrete training material on soft skills which will be beneficial both on a professional and personal level -Create an environment of inclusion and acceptance -Create a core of migrant women who after the training can work as role models in their communities, assisting younger women in their educational journey -Upskill VET staff and trainers to use the TOC -Upskill migrant women by enhancing their soft skills and leadership competences -Raise VET staff and trainers’ awareness about the obstacles related to the intersection of migration and gender inequality.

The project involved, e. g.: - Management - Development of 3 project results - Online LTTA - Two TPMs - Victual and stationary multiplier events. The project was divided into 4 stages: 1) Preparation: Partners conducted the research, which included desk research, a survey and focus groups. The research results were the basis for the development of the training course for VET organisations. Partners also developed the specifications for the digital platform and the methodology for participatory design using TOC for inclusion of migrant women, which is utilised in the digital platform. Partners elaborated on the project management plan, the quality plan, the evaluation methodology and the dissemination and exploitation strategy. The project's graphical identity was built, as well as the website and social media accounts. 1st TPM was held in Poland, with participation of representatives of all partners. 2) Development: This phase included the development of project outputs, such as: the curriculum and learning materials for the training course (PR 1), the development of the digital platform (PR 2), the development of the self-assessment tool and their translations (PR 2) and finally the development of the training guide for migrant women on leadership and soft skills (PR 3). This stage ended with the organisation of the 1st set of multiplier events (E1- E6). These events were be held online, and their objective was to disseminate project results achieved (curriculum course – PR 1, online platform – PR 2) and attract and engage VET organisations for the implementation phase. 3) Implementation: This was the actual implementation of TOC in VET Institutions. All partners delivered the 30-hour-training course to staff from a VET organisation/s in their countries. Additionally, a 2-day-learning activity was prepared and conducted online by IDEC, where representatives of the partner’s organisations, were trained on the familiarisation of TOC and the digital platform and also on how to assist migrant women with the development of leadership and soft skills. This stage was the actual implementation of what has been developed. All partners delivered the training course to staff from a VET organisation/s in their countries. This event was the beginning of the TOC implementation in VET institutions. During this intervention, partners guided and helped VET organisations implement the TOC methodology into their organisations, for the design and development of inclusion strategies and practices, for migrant women. Partners offered guidance and needed support. Partners facilitated the process by guiding VET organisations on using the platform. To engage more the VET organisations and ensure that they would implement the whole procedure, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between partners and VET organisations. This stage also included the organisation of the training for women migrants on leadership, soft skills and self-development. At least 5 women with a migrant background were trained and were empowered in order to act as role-models in their own communities. 4) Finalisation: After piloting / testing phase, the project results were improved according to evaluation and they were finalised. A final impact analysis from the implementation phase were produced by the partners. The second wave of multiplier events were implemented in partner countries, as each country hosted a conference. The multiplier events were held face to face and their objectives were to disseminate the project results and outputs, in order to maximize impact. Furthermore, partners elaborated on the exploitation and strategies to ensure the sustainability of project results. In each country, partners signed at least 1 letter of intent with VET institution interested in using the project results. During project lifetime, the Partners delivered three interim reports to National Agency. The consortium developed 2 yearly Dissemination Reports, 4 semester Quality Evaluation Reports. Partners worked on dissemination of the project, through presentations of the project during multiplier events, development of three leaflets, 5 newsletters, series of posts and news on partners’ websites and social media, as well on project social media. Dissemination summary: The dissemination efforts of the InclusionToC project were instrumental in extending its reach and impact, ensuring the project's objectives and outcomes resonated widely with key audiences. Over the course of the project, 93 targeted dissemination activities were executed, reaching an estimated 5,000 to 7,500 individuals. These efforts focused on engaging VET educators, trainers, women with migrant backgrounds, and governmental organizations, with VET educators making up 84.9% of the audience. The primary mode of dissemination was online publication, which accounted for 52.7% of activities, followed by offline publications at 12.9%, and email newsletters at 11.8%. Additional dissemination efforts included the distribution of brochures, participation in fairs and conferences, and the organization of project events. The project effectively utilized a mix of online and offline channels, with online publications accounting for 52.7% of activities. Key milestones included submitting project results to the European Network of Innovation's Good Practices competition, publishing articles on EPALE, and organizing successful multiplier events. These activities not only raised awareness but also fostered dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders. The dissemination efforts primarily focused on distributing the project's synthesis report, newsletters, and press releases and the project results through both personal and organizational channels. Notable events included the submission of the InToC project results to the Good Practices competition organized by the European Network of Innovation, the publication of articles on the EPALE website, and the organization of multiplier events. Regular updates, including news about the project's progress and key meetings, were shared on partner websites and social media platforms. The activities successfully targeted teachers and trainers in Vocational Education, who represented 84.9% of the audience reached. Other significant groups included other VET staff (78.5%), women with a migrant background (53.8%), and governmental organizations (51.6%). Particularly impactful were the online info days and multiplier events, which collectively engaged nearly 700 participants. These events introduced the Theory of Change (ToC) methodology and gathered valuable feedback, with participants expressing strong commitment to applying ToC in their organizations. The project's Facebook page and website analytics further underscore the success of these efforts, with the Facebook page reaching over 5,000 accounts and the website attracting significant visitor traffic during peak months. Throughout the analyzed periods, both the Facebook page and the website demonstrated significant reach and engagement, contributing to the project's overall impact. The Facebook page reached a total of 5,392 accounts, with varying levels of engagement over time, reflecting the effectiveness of specific content strategies, particularly during key periods such as late October to early February. Although content interactions on Facebook saw a decline, the steady increase in reach suggests that the content was successful in attracting attention, even if it did not consistently translate into higher engagement. Similarly, the website attracted a total of 2,117 unique visitors and recorded 5,411 visits, with substantial spikes in activity observed in November 2023 and April, May, and June 2024. These peaks in visitor numbers and page views indicate the project's ability to drive significant web traffic during these months, highlighting the effectiveness of targeted dissemination efforts. Overall, the combination of Facebook and web presence allowed the project to reach a wide audience, contributing to its visibility and impact, even as engagement metrics varied. Overall, the dissemination activities effectively communicated the project's goals, increased engagement, and laid a strong foundation for future initiatives. The InclusionToC project's successful outreach ensures its legacy will continue to influence and inspire the inclusion of migrant women in VET education. Dissemination efforts were primarily executed at the national (29%) and European (28%) levels, with significant contributions at the regional (25.8%) and international (12.9%) levels.

The project developed 3 main results: 1) Training course - Inclusion of migrant women using Theory of Change: Partners, firstly implemented a European wide research, on practices implemented by VET organisations for the inclusion of vulnerable groups of people, especially women with a migrant background. The research also included the organisation of focus groups, which involved all target groups, including migrant women enrolled in VET education. The next step was the development and implementation of a course for VET teachers and staff, on the importance of applying inclusion policies in VET and the use of the Theory of Change. The training course ended with the organisation of an online learning activity. The second part of the result was the implementation of theory of change in VET institutions. Partners guided and mentored VET organisations implementing TOC and apply changes into their organisational structures and practices. 2) Digital platform: Participatory design using TOC for inclusion of migrant women: The second result of the project was the development of a digital platform for the participatory implementation of TOC for the development and application of inclusion strategies in VET organisations. The digital platform was used by VET organisations and fostered the participation of all target groups involved in the process, which were VET staff, VET teachers, VET management, VET students and migrant women enrolled in the organisation. The platform also includes a self-assessment tool for VET organisations, which helps them assess their existing inclusion practices. The tool helped involved VET organisations to assess the results of the implementation of the training programme. Two self-assessments of VET organisations took place during project lifetime. One at the beginning of the intervention and one at the end. 3) Training guide on leadership, self-development and empowerment of migrant women: A guide designed for migrant women, offering theoretical and practical information on soft skills, leadership, personal development, self-awareness and empowerment. The main scope of the guide is to provide to migrant women an updated and modern educational tool, motivational, inspirational, and engaging, focusing on the enhancement of their soft skills, and leadership competences, aiming to empower them and make them believe in themselves more. The more confident the women, the more eager they are to search and find their professional path, ensuring a more stable financial future and personal development. The 3rd project result, also included the organisation of a training for migrant women, based on the training guide, which helped them work as role-models in their own communities. The outcomes from implementing the project activities are: - awareness raising about the importance and benefits of using inclusion practices for migrant women in VET education. - raising of attractiveness of VET education and transformation of VET organisations into safer spaces for the most vulnerable groups such as women migrants - application of long-term solutions related to the specific problems that women migrants encounter due to their gender identity - capacity building and upskilling of VET staff and trainers on how to use TOC to apply inclusion practices into their organisations - empowerment of women migrants’ soft skills and leadership skills, enhancement of their willingness for self-development - improved chances of employability for migrant women - improvement of everyday life issues for migrant women - empowerment of women migrants who will be able to participate in the process of bringing institutional changes in VET organisation, through their participation using TOC. Within the project, participants / people with fewer opportunities were provided with the support. In detail, participants with: - Cultural differences – 65; - Disability – 3; - Economic obstacles - 38, - Educational difficulties – 34; - Geographical obstacles – 30; - Health problems – 15; - Migrant background obstacle – 71, - Other reasons – 7, - Social obstacles – 38. There were mainly migrant women who participated in the training on leadership and soft skills (within PR 3), as well as the VET staff who participated in the course for VET staff (within PR 1).