Inclusion and integration of young migrants, a European challenge
The needs analysis underlying the WAVE project
The project aims to tackle key challenges migrants face in digital inclusion, essential for their inclusion into European societies. Migrant arrivals are increasing across the EU, with Greece recording 86,600 asylum applications in 2023, double the 2022 figure (UNHCR, 2023), and Cyprus having the highest per capita rate of applications (Eurostat, 2024). Of these, 24.3% of first-time applicants were children, including 43,000 unaccompanied minors.
In this context, migrants, particularly youth, need digital skills to access essential services and integrate successfully. As the EU transitions to digital public services (EU Commission, 2021), there is a risk of excluding migrants who lack access to technology or digital literacy. Limited digital skills prevent access to critical services like healthcare, education, and migration support (EU Commission, 2021). In countries like Cyprus and Italy, less than half the population has basic digital skills (EU Commission, 2024), stressing the need for interventions aimed at closing this gap.
Moreover, the EU recognizes a growing digital gap (Eurostat, 2023), which disproportionately affects migrants due to language barriers and lower educational attainment. AI-driven education and workplaces will further exclude migrants unless they receive digital skills training . This underscores the need for tailored digital skills programs that allow migrants to thrive in these evolving environments.
The project also addresses the need to improve national integration structures and policies, particularly in digital education. The EU stresses the importance of digital inclusion in Integration and Inclusion plans, especially post-COVID-19 (EU consultation reference). Yet national policies in participating countries like Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Italy and France score below the EU average for migrant integration (Migrant Integration Policy Index 2020), particularly in integrating digital skills.
Furthermore, professionals working with migrants need improved resources and training to promote digital literacy. The EU Whitepaper highlights the need to equip educators and social workers with tools to bridge the digital gap and facilitate migrant inclusion. Without these resources, efforts to promote digital inclusion and integration will be limited.
Lastly, rising anti-migrant rhetoric and discrimination in participating countries create additional barriers to integration. Studies show that increasing social distance between locals and migrants leads to xenophobia and racism To counter these trends, the project promotes community participation, including peer-to-peer activities between young locals and migrants.
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