“Brace” and “Improve” are projects that work with local and regional governments to bridge cultural differences through sport. With UEFA's support, a municipal network will be established for the social inclusion of young migrants.
Every year, an increasing number of young migrants arrive in different European countries with the aim of improving the quality of their lives and starting on a more prosperous path. These countries strive to help them build their present and future as well as to facilitate their integration into the diverse European societies.
Throughout recent years, it was proven that sports is one of the most useful tools for this purpose. It helps not only with the educational integration, but it also contributes to prepare young migrants for an eventual entry into the European labor market.
Present and future projects
The BRACE project, promoted and founded by the European Agency for Culture, Education and Audiovisual (EACEA) through the Erasmus Plus program, primarily focuses on the social integration of young migrants through sports, particularly football.
Sports is an essential universal language to dissipate differences while understanding and accepting each other's singularities. When a migrant arrives in a new country, the first barriers to inclusion are often the most difficult to break down.
This is when projects like BRACE ease the initial phase, promoting the integration of people in the first stages of inclusion. The BRACE team has managed to create a friendly space for young people, athletes, governments, and cities, encouraging everyone to learn from each other.
The next step has been the creation of the IMPROVE project, which takes a step further. It ensures that all these young people, once integrated, have equal opportunities in a fair and dignified labor market.
The project in real life
In the Spanish city of Rubí, more than 120 nationalities live together. Through the BRACE project, football and its inherent values of humility and respect have managed to create a society rich in plurality and united by sports. The deputy mayor Moisés Rodríguez assures that most young migrants, who arrive between the age of 12 and 18 years, have managed to integrate within the local youth, thanks to sports and social values of the project.
A similar practice appears at the Dutch town of Oost Gelre. At the Commission’s European Week of Regions and Cities, Oost Gelre deputy mayor stressed that one of the most important projects for inclusion of young migrants is the annual summer school. Here, over the span of four weeks, young people learn the language, practice sports and establish contact with young people in the city.
According to Ana, director of the Institute for International and Cross-Border Cooperation, sports are a first experience of inclusion. Together with local governments and UEFA, they ensure that young people feel that border areas are a home to stay and live in.
Authors: Nicole Russo and Ainhoa Pérez | Editor: Barbora Novotná
