The primary goal of ABCD4ME is to foster migrant entrepreneurship as a means of promoting their inclusion in their host societies. The project aims to tackle migrant exclusion as well as cross-cutting themes of 'gender equality', 'digital inclusion', and 'durable transition', by equipping VET organisations, their teachers, and trainers with the skills needed to address the evolving economic demands of the post-pandemic landscape and anticipate and meet future skills gaps. 

The project has produced an open-source digital toolkit. This toolkit includes various resources aimed at enhancing the entrepreneurial competencies of migrants, including essential information, practical tools, and step-by-step instructions, accessible through digital learning apps. All materials are freely accessible via the project website. Project partners are available for direct contact and are committed to supporting the implementation and further exploitation of these resources.

In addition to these high-quality free tools, the success of ABCD4ME project comes from the atmosphere of mutual understanding and cooperation cultivated by its partners, and facilitated by such management tools as a communication and cooperation plan, quality assurance, and risk management processes.

Other special features of the ABCD4ME project include a blended learning approach, combining face-to-face and online group activities and individual homework designed to promote digital autonomy, and an innovative apps-based training course. The course comprises the following modules:

• Module 1- Migrant entrepreneurship challenges, solutions and added-value. 

• Module 2- Strengthening the capacities of migrant entrepreneurs in the digital economy

• Module 3- Creation of viable businesses thanks to the digital economy (for migrants)

• Module 4- Entrepreneurship and project management tools for business success

• Module 5- Marketing for migrant entrepreneurs in the digital economy

The apps created during the course were based on gamification principles, in order to make participants' learning experience interactive and entertaining.

The ABCD4ME training course is integrated into the annual training programme of Monde des Possibles.In order to ensure the sustainability of the project and its continuation beyond the offical end date, participants are offered:

• tailor-made post-training support for migrant entrepreneurs to foster their real project ideas;

• networking opportunities with experienced migrant entrepreneurs/role models, local project incubators and microfinancing institutions;

• benchmarking opportunities: at Monde des Possibles, ABCD4ME trainees are on the list of Erasmus K1-Mobility beneficiaries, meaning that they can travel abroad, exchange with professional entrepreneurs/migrant role models, and mature their project ideas;

Moreover, ABCD4ME implements the cross-cutting themes of gender equality, digital inclusion, and durable transition. Two-thirds of the trainees are women, and a campaign was organised to collect and fix used laptops and distribute them to trainees who did not have their own.

Finally, ABCD4ME advocates for structural inclusive policies in favour of migrants via social media messaging as well as face-to-face meetings with relevant decision makers.

The project results are as follows:

1. Online Digital Database for Migrant Entrepreneurship in a Digital Economy: a repository of best practices, inspiring policies, innovative methodologies, and tools useful for all stakeholders.
2. Theoretical Framework and Pedagogical Basis: grounded in the European Qualification Framework and ECVET, this component serves as a resource for VET teachers and trainers.
3. E-Learning Platform: interactive apps designed to support training and skill development in migrant entrepreneurship.
4. ABCD4ME Pedagogical Handbook: a practical guide for trainers and educators, including instructions, background information, and best practices in migrant entrepreneurship training.
5. Kit for trainers: a compilation of some simplified guidelines for teachers and trainers willing to test and use ABCD4ME tools in their classroom.
6. Kit for trainees: this tool was designed for migrants who want to learn independently and at their own pace.

Overall, 114 VET trainers and 109 trainees benefited directly from training in entrepreneurship and practical project management. 

5 ABCD4ME partner organisations (KIST, GOI, INQS, INFODEF and MDP) managed to exceed expectations in terms of successful piloting of the project. For example, at MDP in Liège, the pilot project led to 36 teachers being aware of ABCD4ME tools and methodology, 20 trained migrants, 48 migrants on the waiting list, 20 genuine project ideas, 20 issued certificates, and 20 laptops distributed freely to trained migrants to enable them to carry out e-learning, develop their digital autonomy, explore e-business options, overcome the digital divide and experience real e-inclusion.

The development process of ABCD4ME contained continuous quality assurance to evaluate the products, process and partnership. An overall quality review of the project at half-term and the end of the project included a SWOT analysis with the intention of ensuring the sustainable promotion and exploitation of these results. Piloting sessions in all partner countries collected and considered feedback from target users and beneficiaries. 

• Overall, trainees said they appreciated the training course and would like to see a second session which would deal with actual implementation of the business and programme ideas developed during the training.

• There remains great interest in the programme among migrants. In Liège, for example, as of May 2024 there are 48 people on the waiting list. 

• Feedback from trainers indicated satisfaction with all ABCD4ME tools.

Lesson learnt: Any project based on e-learning should take into consideration the problem of securing and providing digital equipment. The collection of used laptops was piloted in Liège and feedback from all partners shows agreement that such activity can make a huge difference to the migrant learning experience, exploitation of project results, ensuring a durable transition and real digital and economic inclusion.

The main target groups of the ABCD4ME project are VET organisations, their teachers, and trainers, who provide training in digital competence, interculturality, entrepreneurship and project management. 

• Target users are VET teachers, educators, and trainers specialising in financial, entrepreneurship, and digital competencies.
• Target beneficiaries are migrants from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly those with economic hardships and limited language skills.
• Other beneficiaries of ABCD4ME are host societies, by extension, and decision makers.

The ABCD4ME project was generously funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Programme, specifically under Key Action 2 (KA2), which focuses on cooperation for innovation and exchange of good practices.

In addition to financial support, the project benefited from substantial contributions from partner organisations, which dedicated their expertise and resources to ensure the project’s success and widespread dissemination of its outcomes. While the project primarily employed paid staff to ensure professional execution and management, it also created opportunities for volunteers. These volunteers play a crucial role in supporting migrant entrepreneurs and may benefit from this project and its results.

Used laptops were provided for free by well-wishers who believe that migrant effective inclusion requires greater caring and supportive initiatives. In fact, this meaningful laptop collection and redistribution campaign is very easy to set up and has a life-changing impact on migrants. It therefore serves as a good practice example and could easily be extended to other projects dealing with digital inclusion.

[Text provided by Monde des Possibles]