Cartagena (Region de Murcia), through the Local Development and Employment Agency, joined the European ECCIPA project which aims to strengthen intercultural skills in public administration (part of the ERASMUS+ programme) and in doing so better facilitate integration.

The project, whose main objective is to improve the competences of municipal technicians in intercultural issues, is implemented in conjunction with German and Italian localities and entities. It will last 30 months, ending in May 2023, and has secured 248 993 EUR of funding. As well as the ADLE, the project involves Pro Arbeit - Kreis Offenback (Germany), the Consorzio Comunitá Brianza Societá Cooperativa Social (Italy), the municipality of Ravenna (Italy) and ACCEM (Cartagena).

It will be enacted through different phases, starting with a review and needs analysis of actors involved in the integration of migrants and refugees at different levels.

After this first phase, the second phase will consist of the design of a training programme based on the results of the review, with the support of the cities. In this way the training programme will be co-designed by and for city staff involved in migrant welcome and support services.

The third phase of the project will involve the practical implementation of the training programme, which will be carried out both locally and internationally and will last 12 months. To this end, the selected trainees will participate in face-to-face and online learning sessions.

The fourth phase will be based on advocacy and sustainability. Following the implementation of the training programme and its evaluation, participants will develop local strategies for the integration of third-country nationals, focusing on empowerment, competence enhancement and capacity building of civil servants and public staff.

Finally, the fifth and last phase of ECCIPA will involve awareness-raising and the dissemination of information in each participating country.

Find more information here.