Problem addressed

According to the IOM and UNICEF (2016), one in five refugees and migrants who have crossed the Mediterranean Sea to Europe is a child. They estimate that 214 355 migrant children from third countries arrived in EU Member States in 2016 alone. This increase in the number of migrant children arriving in Europe has challenged organisations’ capacity to respond to their particular psychological and social needs, particularly given limited resources and expertise.

Innovative solution

Gamification in Vocational Education and Training for Professionals and Social Workers (GVETS) is an interdisciplinary capacity-building programme for professionals working with migrant children. GVETS was set up as an Erasmus+ project, by a Consortium led by the Centre for Social Innovation (CSI) in Cyprus. The Consortium includes partners from Portugal, Hungary, Lithuania, Greece, Italy and Spain. 

The programme uses the innovative pedagogical method of gamification to increase the skills of social workers when working with migrant children, through an online learning platform. The programme consists of seven chapters/topics – protection of migrant children, working with migrant children at risk, crisis management, civic education and professional guidance for minors with a migratory background, critical and constructive practice in social work, social workers working with migrant children, and social work in the digital era. An e-learning online video game includes online missions, awards, and a storyline with a character, and aims to make the experience more engaging for users. Professionals playing the game are encouraged to experiment, solve problems and think critically. They are also asked to consider how they can transfer their newly acquired skills to their daily work and interactions with migrant children. As it is online, the programme is open and accessible to professionals without geographical restrictions.

GVETS actively promotes inter-agency collaboration and knowledge sharing to ensure that professionals’ learning needs are fully met. GVETS took stock of the training opportunities, methodologies and practices of different experts to develop its online training course content. The training prototype was developed through a collaborative process combining the knowledge and expertise of NGOs and academic institutions in the field of social innovation and migration issues, supported in an online platform. The online learning platform is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, Lithuanian and Hungarian.

Key results and benefits

The course has been developed in alignment with university courses, allowing its integration, certification and accreditation to be validated through different European frameworks, such as the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), the European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET) and European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET).

The online training course prototype was launched for testing among the community of experts and completed at the end of 2019. Engagement so far shows that there has been a positive impact on increasing the knowledge of professionals. In particular, at least ten Memoranda of Understanding were signed in each partner country, between the consortium and various stakeholders, such as universities, colleges and VET centres, which have committed to using the online learning material of GVETS as part of their curriculum. GVETS has grown into a wide network of around 10 000 organisations and decision-making bodies working in the field of children’s protection and migration.

Potential for mainstreaming

To broaden the reach of this innovative pedagogical tool, the consortium is seeking to translate the platform content and the training programmes into multiple languages. Furthermore, a manual will be developed so that organisations can adapt the content to the different national contexts.

Consortium partners have also developed a strategy to integrate the gamification platform into the regular training activities offered by universities, social work services, NGOs and support institutions. By the end of 2019, over 20 organisations had signed up to the strategy. During the multiplier events in each partner country and the final conference in Cyprus, hundreds of representatives from non-governmental organisations, universities, local services and migrant centres were informed about the project, as well as the online learning platform. By carrying out the online learning activities in real time, either individually or in groups, the participants were able to make comments and suggestions, which helped to develop and promote the platform further.

In order to disseminate the key lessons learned from the project, GVETS’s partners carry out advocacy work with national governments, and disseminate news through the project website and conferences. As part of this work, the project has been recognised within the field of migration, and has been included in the 4th Handbook of Good Practices, delivered annually by the Mediterranean Migration Network.