Integration of Refugee Children toward Sociocultural Harmony

Children are the most adversely affected by terrorism, war, and disasters worldwide. Every year, millions of people migrate from east to west and south to north in search of more humane living standards. Those who are forcibly displaced from their homes for compelling reasons are required to adapt to new cultures and different geographies and resocialize. Recent conflicts, such as the civil war in Syria and the war between Ukraine and Russia, have had a particularly devastating impact on children.. During this period, an estimated one million Syrian children have been born in Turkey alone. In this context, refugee children must receive proper education and integrate into the host culture while ensuring that the host culture embraces them. However, despite the urgency of this issue, no comprehensive projects have been undertaken in either Turkey or Europe. The primary objective of the current project is to eliminate the "us vs. them" categorization by identifying common challenges faced by schools, teachers, families, and society as a whole. Based on these findings, the project aims to develop shared policies that promote social integration and cohesion.

1- Identify the needs and requirements to address the social integration challenges of migrant students, enhance their academic success, and attract the attention of public institutions and NGOs to establish international standardization for children's integration. 2- Foster the development of innovative educational programs (educational modules, workshops, seminars, online training videos) by considering the issues, needs, and demands identified within the project's scope. 3- Enhance the skills and competencies of teachers, NGOs, and public institutions working with migrant students. 4- Determine standard methods and techniques in educational services for migrant students in partner countries. 5- Facilitate the exchange of experiences and best practices among partner countries, particularly Turkey, regarding services provided to migrant students for better education and social integration. 6- Produce international books and articles based on data collected through the INTREF Project and publish these scientific studies in prestigious, peer-reviewed international journals. Additionally, the organization of international seminars and meetings was aimed to be completed throughout the project.

- Joint surveys were conducted in schools in Turkey and partner countries for refugee students, teachers, and parents. - Activities were developed and implemented to support the integration of refugee children. - Pilot tests were conducted for the educational modules. - Promotional brochures were prepared to promote the project in multiple languages and distributed in schools. - Düzce University hosted a staff training activity. - Seven national workshops and conferences were organized in Turkey and other countries.

- Testing materials were developed and compiled into a booklet. - Educational modules were prepared in 5 languages (TR, EN, DE, SL and SK). - Five international meetings were held - A curriculum to support teachers and an e-learning platform were developed (available in five languages with an online certification program). - Free online training sessions were designed for students and teachers. Participants who successfully completed the training received certificates in 5 languages, and this online training will continue for the next five years. - The project website https://intrefproject.com/ was designed. - A learning curriculum was developed for students in five languages. - Courses were delivered to the target audience within the framework of the educational modules, and reports were prepared. - Animation videos and applications designed for migrants to enhance social interaction on the online learning platform (available in 5 languages). - A scientific review of the INTREF project was conducted and compiled into a book in 5 languages. - A booklet regarding the Dissemination Plan was prepared. - A psychological support materials booklet was developed in five languages. - 1 scientific book, 2 academic articles were prepared.