The current reception system presents two main issues. Firstly, even though the newcomers’ short-term needs are met, their inclusion in the long-term is largely ignored by the various reception services available. Secondly, the current integration programme takes a strictly uniform approach, even though the resources and needs of migrants vary widely.

The CAMIM project considers newcomers both actors and subjects in their integration process. Correspondingly, the project promotes the co-creation of activities, involving migrants, VIA social workers, and a GERME researcher, allowing them to better respond to their individual needs.

The project ran 50 hours of participatory workshops involving newcomers and trainers, operating from a co-creation perspective in order to identify what kind of activities are relevant for their needs. Taking into account these needs, the workshops led to the creation of three activities:

• The Volunteering Cell puts newcomers in contact with various associations to facilitate their access to volunteering. Volunteering allows them to develop a network as well as practice French, and to gain insight into the professional world of  Brussels.
• The Self-Confidence Module encourages newcomers to talk about their backgrounds and dreams and to (re)consider their futures. Organised as discussions among groups of five to ten individuals, these talks help participants to gain confidence.
• The Immersion House allows newcomers to practice French for two hours every week. Informally, around a coffee or a cup of tea, and no matter their level, this activity is seen as complementary to the French courses undertaken during participants' integration programme.

Co-research spaces were also created, allowing newcomers to discuss and analyse the impact of these activities. These discussions took place in collectively organised peer coaching sessions and individual interviews.

The different activities provided newcomers with the tools to better manage their integration. Some said that they felt indebted to Belgium, and that the Volunteering Cell gave them a way to give back to Belgian society. By meeting various associations and people from the professional world, participants were able to create a network that could be mobilised later on, when needed. The Self-Confidence Module allowed them to become more aware of their achievements, and to be more optimistic about their own trajectory and future. By creating a judgment-free environment, where they could speak without worrying about their ability level or about making mistakes, the Immersion House also gave migrants more confidence to use French in their daily lives.

Overall, the programme helped migrants to gain confidence and develop new social and professional networks. Newcomers said that as a result of engaging in the programme they were no longer afraid to undertake administrative procedures, look for a job, volunteer and so on.

The project was evaluated throughout implementation by the newcomers participating in the co-research spaces. The impact of the programme on the integration of newcomers was also assessed by two GERME-ULB researchers and presented in an article and a chapter in a collective scientific work.

Directly, all the newcomers registered in the reception office (VIA) willing to participate in the activities will benefit. Over time, it is hoped that other integration programmes and policies will benefit from the learnings of this specific method.

The project is run by reception office for newcomers VIA and research centre GERME (of the Université libre de Bruxelles). It is funded by Innoviris, a Brussels regional organisation for research and innovation.