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PALMS – Paths to Accompany Unaccompanied Minors to Working Life

The PALMS project brought together Italian cities in order to set up two different insertion paths for unaccompanied minors arriving in Italy without their parents as asylum seekers or immigrants: ‘Integration in the host country’ and ‘Labour market insertion’.

The project provided experts and professionals with a platform for exchanging  knowledge and experiences of working with unaccompanied minors. 

Through this network, enterprises learned how to establish a structured process for developing skills and training that matches the demand of the private sector and how to successfully integrate the target group in their companies. The network also helped to make young migrants aware of their own capacities to open a pathway for their integration into the host society.

Project Goal

Unaccompanied foreign minors are today considered as one of the most vulnerable groups in Italy. Many of them do not attend school and live in very precarious situations. They are often subject to violence, abuse and seriously exposed to the risk of being exploited or involved in illegal activities by criminal organisations. At the age of 18, they can obtain a residence permit to stay in Italy legally only under two cumulative conditions: - they can prove that they have been in Italy since the age of 15 - they have been following an integration path for at least two years. The main goal of the PALMS project was to set up a solid network of 250 experts and social workers who can help to develop new and efficient integration models that will allow such minors to successfully apply for a residence permit once they turn 18.

Who benefits

  • Unaccompanied foreign minors
  • Social workers
  • Policy makers

How it works

Through a website (http://www.progettopalms.it) the network has established a platform for professionals (local enterprises) and experts of public institutions or immigrants’ associations to exchange their methodology and practices of intervention with unaccompanied children. Seminars were organised where professionals shared their experiences. One of the goals of the network was to create a label of “socially responsible enterprises” for those offering trainings or job opportunities to unaccompanied minors. In parallel, unaccompanied minors received specific guidance, coaching and trainings to understand and accept the pathways open to them for integration into the labour market.

Results

The major result of the project is the participation of 260 minors. For each minor an individual “pathway” has been set up. 179 made an internship in an organisation: - 157 were paid (400€/ month) - 110 achieved a proper job after the end of the internship.

Evaluation

Not available yet. Please refer yourself to the contact person for more information.

Funding and resources

Budget 1.837.500 Euros $

Source of funding:

  • Partner cities
  • European Commission

About this good practice

Details

Posted by
Corinna Valente
Author

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