REPORT FORM 3nd round of National Consultations of the Structured Dialogue Period: Trio Presidency Poland-Denmark-Cyprus DEADLINE: Wednesday,

15th of August 2012.

Please find below a report form allowing your National Working Group to communicate the results of the national consultation to the European Steering Committee. The input you will provide through this form will serve as a common base for the discussions at EU level. In order to allow the European Steering Committee to integrate the results of the national consultations in preparation for the EU Youth Conference in Cyprus, we kindly ask you to please send this report form filled in to the European Steering Committee for the implementation of the structured dialogue (mail to: bianca.faragau@youthforum.org, Cc. sophie.tsouris@gmail.com) and to your national government by Wednesday, 15th of August 2012. The European Steering Committee kindly asks you to fill out this form in English and return it in typed format (not as a PDF file, please).

Technical details of the consultation: Please provide the requested information on your National Working Group: Details of the contact persons: Name E-mail address Institution Position EU Member State Aneta Kubala Aneta.kubala@byc.org.uk British Youth Council International Officer United Kingdom

Members of the National Working Group (number and names) Youth Organisations 5 British Youth Council, UK Youth Parliament, Funky Dragon, Northern Ireland Youth Forum, Scottish Youth Parliament 1 Department for Education 1

National Authorities National Agencies Others

Level of the consultation (national, regional, local) National Regional x x

Local Methodology

x There were a variety of methods used in the consultation, on and off line survey, consultation workshops, film interviews, voting pads sessions and roundtable with experts and refugees. 1000 young people, experts and adults were consulted. Four consultation workshops with 97 young people in Wales, Hartlepool, Lincoln and Reading. Two Consultation workshops with 38 Youth Workers from London and Nottingham. In Scotland, there was a consultation session with voting pads with 68 young people. Eight young people were interviewed on film. A roundtable debate on migration was delivered with Refugee Youth. Migration experts and 12 refugee and asylum seeker youths attended the workshop which involved expert input and debates and discussion from the refugee and asylum seekers. Two online surveys were developed in English and in Welsh. By including the Welsh the online survey was more inclusive and accessible. There were 752 respondents to the English survey and 6 to the Welsh survey. Welsh survey, roundtable with migration experts and refugee and asylum seekers, filmed interviews.

Suggestions/best practices

Estimated number of young 959 young people and 38 youth workers people participating in the overall consultation Estimated number of young 997(Around 11 % of participants were from a migrant people represented in the results of background). Gender: 59 % female 39 % male. 80% were from the consultation a white ethnicity, 20 were from other ethnic backgrounds. 62 % were form England, 25% Scotland, 19% Wales and 5 % from Northern Ireland.

GUIDING QUESTIONS 1. Youth Participation leading to Social Inclusion

Empowering every young person to fulfill his/her potential to participate actively at local, regional, national and European level is an essential factor for the achievement of greater social inclusion1 and for the sound, sustainable and democratic functioning of our societies. Participation means more than just turning up at elections. There is a wide variety of forms of participation (Council Resolution on Encouraging new and effective forms of participation of all young people in democratic life in Europe 2011), some of them pertaining to the category which can be labeled as non-conventional/alternative forms of participation2. In a broader sense, and for the scope of this questionnaire, youth participation is about young people having the right, the means, the space, the opportunity and where necessary the support to freely express their views; it is about being heard and being able to influence decisions; it is about having the competences and motivation to engage in actions and activities which contribute to the building of a better society.
1

Social inclusion is a process which ensures that those at risk of social exclusion gain the opportunities and resources necessary to participate fully in economic, social and cultural life and to enjoy a standard of living and well-being that is considered normal in the society in which they live. It ensures that they have a greater participation in decision-making that affects their lives and access to their fundamental rights.
2

"Conventional methods" of participation refer to elections, organizational membership, voting etc and "nonconventional/alternative" methods include for example participation to demonstrations.

Although the need for the provision of equal opportunities in all fields, for all young people is widely accepted, at the same time, it is observed that there are certain circumstances which prevent the participation of specific groups of young people such as young people with migrant background3. These circumstances take the form of obstacles which prevent these young people from participating (or, in certain occasions, lead them to choosing not to participate). The successful integration of young people with migrant background in the wider society is not only a pre-condition for democratic participation and for social cohesion, but also a dynamic and continuous two-way process of mutual accommodation. With increasing migration into and within an already quite culturally differentiated EU and with a high proportion of this immigration from countries whose social and political cultures are significantly different, there is an urgent need to strengthen policies that enhance the participation and lead to social inclusion of young people with migrant background. 1. a. What are the main obstacles preventing social inclusion of young people with migrant background? 1.1 The results indicated two distinct responses, the first indicating that there are no issues or barriers to integration of migrants in some areas. The second is from those who did see obstacles. A significant number of the UK young people consulted felt that young people from migrant backgrounds did not have any obstacles preventing social inclusion and had the same opportunities as those born in the UK (41%). There was little difference between the responses from young people from migrant backgrounds (31% felt this) and those born in the UK (42%). The main reasons were that they felt there was no discrimination in their communities and schools, that legally migrant young people had the same rights and equal access to services and provision. A minority of young people also felt that migrants received positive discrimination and had better opportunities than those born in the UK. The UK is nothing if not a melting pot of immigrants from all over the world. Our language, our law and our urbanism is based on a chaotic collectivism that is beautiful and terrifying. 1.2 However 45% felt that young people from migrant backgrounds did not have the same opportunities than those born in the UK. The main obstacles preventing social inclusion for young people from migrant backgrounds were the language barrier, followed by racism, negative perceptions of the public and media and poverty. There was also a strong trend for asylum seekers and refugees to state that they wanted to integrate into UK society but there were numerous legal barriers inhibiting their progress. Language is a fundamental barrier for integration within their communities and communicating at school and work. It was stated that there is not sufficient provisions available for migrants to learn the language quickly. Many new migrants are placed in classes with young people from the same country which inhibited them from learning English. Also lack of provision for interpreters in schools and health services makes it challenging for new migrants to communicate and access services. There has been funding cuts in ESOL (English Speakers of Other Language) classes and those without the basic understanding of English are not permitted to enroll on the course therefore causing a barrier for young people to take the first step to learn English. Poor access to education was one of the main barriers raised by refugee and asylum seeker young people. They have limited access to schools, colleges and universities especially if they are over the age of 18. There are many barriers for these young people for example; young people who arrive in a middle of a school year have to wait until the next year to enroll due to insufficient school places. Refugees and asylum seekers are often made to move house and school frequently which makes it difficult for young people to settle down and make friends. Accessing higher education is very challenging as university fees are expensive particularly for those who have been residing in UK for less than 3 years (fees up to 9,000). As asylum seekers and refugees have limited access to work it was often seen as impossible to access higher education without funding or bursaries.

1.3

1.4

1.5

Young people with migrant background are young persons living in an EU country where they were not born, irrespective of whether they are third-country nationals, citizens of another EU Member State or subsequently became nationals of the host Member State. Many experts in the field stress that for people with migrant background, immigration plays a key role in their biography whether they or their parents migrated. In those cases where these people are not included, represented or accepted in the mainstream society, the migrant background is perceived to be negative.

1.6

Another barrier to social inclusion was thought to be the stereotypical and discriminatory attitudes from non migrants. Long lasting stereotypes stop migrants from feeling welcome in their communities and there is resentment from others that migrants are wasting taxpayers money. This often causes a barrier and divides in the communities. Many participants also noted that there are many barriers to young people from migrant backgrounds getting into employment due to discriminatory employers. There is often a lack of understanding and empathy from non migrants as they are not educated about the legalities, challenging circumstances and cultural differences of the migrants. This is often fuelled by negative media coverage on migrants. The media is so prejudiced against migrant communities which then becomes the norm for people. There's no mention of the positives of multicultural communities.

1.7

1.8

Many suggested that politicians also fuelled this negative portrayal, many felt that they should stop anti-migration talk and using terms which isolate migrant communities such as British Jobs for British People. The travelling community in the UK is one of the groups that received the most negative media coverage and prejudice in the UK. Many do not access education, are stigmatized and there is very little integration work or youth provision available for this community. The travelling community suffer a lot of prejudice and find it very hard to access youth provision

1.9

Other barriers for social inclusion specifically for refugee and asylum seekers mentioned were no right to work, no freedom of movement and poor housing. As they do not possess passports, travel from the UK is restricted and travel across the UK is difficult due to minimal finances. Many are allocated housing in isolated and poor areas and cannot decide their place of residence. Migrants are often placed with migrants from similar backgrounds. This can be familiar for new migrants but minimises the opportunity for integration in their communities and in schools. Another barrier for many young people from migrant backgrounds is a loss of childhood. As many of the young people learn English quicker than their parents, this means they often have to look after their parents and families. Also many parents are not informed about the education, health and legal system in the UK and become reliant on their children to support them. This often forces the young people to grow up quickly and causes them to miss out on school and from making friends. Less frequent but a significant number of responses felt that migrant young people did not want to be included in their communities and learn the language and only wanted to mix with people from their own country.

1.10

1.11

b. What actions and measures can be adopted at local / regional / national and European level to encourage the social inclusion of young people with migrant background? 1.12 Of the 45 % of participants who felt there were obstacles to social inclusion for young people from migrant backgrounds a number of measures were recommended to improve inclusion. Better Language provision As language was seen as the biggest barrier to social inclusion for young people, better provision for learning English was seen as the best measure for integration. More funding for accessible ESOL classes was emphasised as key to helping young people to integrate and progress in the UK easier. More access to interpreters to help support with access services such as doctors and solicitors was also key in educating new migrants and reducing poverty. 1.14 The majority of migrant young people consulted felt that being placed in school with other young people from the same background hindered their integration. By ensuring young people are placed with different young people and have buddies/mentors from the UK would require them to learn English and learn about the culture. More educational and employment support

1.13

1.15

An educational system that encourages integration for young migrants would help social inclusion. More funding and recognition for alternative schooling methods such as teachers who have been specialised in working with young migrants would help ease the transition into UK schooling. There also needs to be better understanding in schools about the challenges facing young migrants. By placing migrants away from other young people from the same background would reduce segregation, improve the language skills and speed up integration. 1.16 Inclusion for refugees and asylum seekers is very challenging as they have limited access to work and study and services. After the age of 18, asylum seekers and refugees have little access to free education and training. Along with limited opportunities to work this can often lead to crime, poverty and isolation. An initiative that gives young refugees better financial support and access to further education and training would massively improve employment opportunities. Asylum seekers and refugees do not have the right to work for the first 6 months. After this they may work but only in jobs where UK nationals do not want to do the work. This therefore means there are very limited jobs available for them. There is often a misconception that these young people are not wanting to work and taking benefits, however it is often the opposite. It was felt that more lenient restrictions in the law and policies around asylum seekers and refugees access to employment would reduce crime and help the economy and help these young people be included in society. Housing It was reported that refugees and asylum seekers would have more stability and less isolated if they were housed in a permanent location. A huge problem stopping these young people from making friends, getting a regular education and integrating in their communities is the fact they are constantly being moved to different locations. This also impacts on the young people being able to register with doctors and local youth clubs and services. Many young refugees are also housed in poor isolated areas and often have to share a room. These factors all lead to isolation, segregation and a lack of integration with their communities. 1.19 Better education for parents To help new migrants integrate in the UK more support and education is needed for their parents. Many new migrant parents are reliant on their children to help with language and looking after their families. If free support was available to educate parents on their rights, access to services and with their English, the young people would have more time to attend school, make friends and get involved in youth provision. 1.20 Initiatives on a European level When thinking about actions on a European level, many of the participants felt they did not understand the reasons for migration across the EU. They felt there needed to be better awareness about the subject Europewide. They also felt there needed to be more European campaigns and initiatives that supported migrants rights and cultural education. Some of the young people wanted to support young people with migrant backgrounds but were also aware of the increase in immigration in the UK. New legislation to protect the human rights of young people from migrant backgrounds across Europe whilst maintaining a balanced argument in favour of national interests was suggested. 2. a. What are the main forms of discrimination of young people with migrant background in your country? 2.1 Just under half of the young people involved in the consultation had young people from migrant backgrounds living in their communities. They reported that they were mostly from Poland, Pakistan, India and Africa. Only 41% did not live in areas that did not have young people from migrant background living nearby. Half of all the participants had not experienced discrimination or witnessed it (53 %). Only slightly more of the young people from migrant backgrounds had experienced or witnessed discrimination compared to non migrants (56 % to 44 %). This shows that the young peoples background did not have a huge impact on whether they had witnessed discrimination. It is hard to draw conclusions on actual discrimination as many of the

1.17

1.18

2.2

respondents associated discrimination with abuse that they believe highlighted, alienated or discriminated them. 2.3 A high proportion of respondents stating that they have experienced or witnessed some form of verbal abuse (47%) towards themselves or other migrants. Responses included the following example: There is not an overly large number of migrant minority people in my area but I have heard comments such as 'why cant these idiots learn English' and so forth. Even more notable is how segregated ethnic communities are there is seemingly no mutual integration with regards to other Eastern and southern European nationalities that have arrived in large numbers. For example, I often see Roma children in the inner city but NEVER see them playing with native children. 2.4 Social Issues (24%) also includes issues such as language (the barriers) however one of the key issues that came out of the responses was the attitudes of people towards migrant communities. This theme was addressed in detail in a roundtable discussion which included refugee and asylum seekers. One of the key issues that was made apparent, both by our consultation and by the aforementioned round table discussion is that there is far too much red tape , there are huge issues concerning the aging of refugees and there subsequent access to education and support systems. It has been suggested in multiple responses that social services age refugees incorrectly (and sometimes deliberately) as it will cost the system less if they are over 18. This is a huge barrier to young people integrating with people their age and the increases isolation and alienation. One of the possibly more disturbing accounts of social abuse is the claim that this lack of respect and discrimination is seen in the police force: I think that sometimes the police within are community target young boys from migrant backgrounds. A group of young black men were stood outside my house, just hanging around and causing no trouble. Some minutes later a police van had arrived and they were being pushed up against a wall to be searched. 2.5 Other issues presented appeared at a far less frequent rate were issues such as physical violence (6%) and a lack of trust (5%) also is flagged up especially with relation to employment for migrants. A minority of the participants mentioned experiencing discrimination for not being from a migrant background particularly in areas and schools where there are large migrant populations. Some of these young people mentioned schools not taking this type of discrimination seriously.
Quantity of responses (%)

6% 6%

6% Verbal Abuse Social Issues* 46% Blank / Irrelevant Physical Abuse Respect / Trust Exclusion

12%

24%

*Social issues includes both language, education and governmental bureaucratic processes 2.6 One of the most serious forms of discrimination raised by refugees and asylum seekers is detainment. Many asylum seekers and refugees are detained whilst awaiting asylum. Many people are detained without trial and felt to be treated like criminals. There is no maximum time for detention in the UK despite other EU countries having a maximum time of 18 months. Some migrants have been known to be detained for over 2 years. The process to

seek asylum is very difficult for migrants who have poor knowledge of the language, culture and limited access to support. 80 % of migrants are refused asylum and it was felt the decision was based on the country the migrant originated rather than the specific circumstances of the migrant.

b. What measures can be adopted at local / regional / national and European level to combat their discrimination? 2.7 On a local level the biggest response was that there should be more community working. This shows that young people in the UK believe that in order to combat discrimination more needs to be done at a grassroots level. On a UK governmental level there was a great response that better education was required (19%). The consultation stated that language barriers and an inability of the British public to understand the situation of migrants as a huge problem and one that needs to be tackled if any change is to be seen. Deep rooted prejudiced inherited through families was highlighted as a problem. More exposure to other countries and better education would be key to eliminating these long standing prejudices. Educate parents about discrimination as many parents still have very typical 'English' stereotypes and therefore pass on these values and beliefs to their children. This values are then reinforced during education creating a strong anti-foreigner perception. 2.9 The main issue here was that there needs to be greater cultural awareness, this could link in with increased education and also with greater cultural exchanges. Multiculturalism is predicated on a crude lie: that our strength lies in diversity. In reality our strength as The United Kingdom lies in assimilation. An ominous undertone to all multiculturalism is that the white British culture is to be preserved and celebrated when it is in itself a fusion of many ideas and cultures. We must erode the whole concept of race and ethnic micro-politics and the British Youth Council has a role to play in speaking out against the insidious side of segragatory multiculturalism. It's time to embrace a fluid culture that evolves every year. Britain should be a fusion of ideas and not a showcase of ideas. It was also felt there should be stricter laws on immigration and education reform this shows that UK citizens are concerned by the level of open immigration occurring.

2.8

2.10

A fairer system needs to be place around detainment of refugees and asylum seekers. A recommendation was for an independent review including youth research on detainment. Some of the suggestions for improvements included a maximum time for detainment, no detention without trial, better language and legal support and information for asylum seekers in detainment and no children should ever be in detention.

Make sure we are not guilty until we can prove ourselves innocent

3. a. How can the solidarity between youth with migrant background and non-migrants be strengthened? 3.1 There was mix of opinions on solidarity between young people in their own communities. Less than half of the respondents mentioned that there was good solidarity between young people in their communities; many mentioned that migrants were welcome and not segregated in their communities In a diverse community where everyone is integrated well together, people lose their prejudices and treat people more or less the same regardless of their background. 3.2 Many of the participants felt that a good method to strengthen solidarity is by simply

finding a common ground between the two communities. Many people spoke about their own experiences of having an opportunity to share ideas and thoughts and things they had in common. They felt this method was very powerful increasing understanding and breaking down barriers. Many methods were listed such as music, sport and theatre. Things such as Drama groups and Choirs or Orchestras as everyone has a common interest, meaning the first thing people acknowledge is actually the similarities with the person, rather than the differences. There isn't that many black people in my community, you don't see them often but a lot of people where I am are racist or prejudice towards migrants. There needs to be more understanding around them and their backgrounds where we don't see them as so different to ourselves 3.3 It was felt that one of the reasons why people do not integrate well with others is because they fear what they dont know. So by developing opportunities for young people to be in dialogue with others can help break down preconceptions and increase understanding. Cross-community events were a popular solution to increasing solidarity between people from different backgrounds which can lead to a lack of community involvement. Events from football matches to festivals to cultural awareness days were suggested in order to bring everyone in the community together and foster positive relationships, with the result being increased engagement in community councils and other community groups. More money set aside for community integration projects Community inspired celebration events of different cultures. 3.5 One of the most prevalent messages from the consultation was about using creative and innovative methods to engage young people from different backgrounds. Training young people from migrant backgrounds in media skills in local projects and providing opportunities to make films about their issues was a powerful way to get these peoples voices heard. Also developing cross communities films is an exciting and enticing method to encourage dialogue between young people from different backgrounds. It also thought that these methods would be more accessible to young migrants with limited English and living in isolated areas A film project called 'interface diaries' by Will Maloney, giving members of a Catholic youth group and a Protestant youth group, film themselves asking questions about the other side. The responses were filmed and returned back. An excellent idea in opening dialogue and giving youths the opportunity to ask unsupervised questions, even if they were considered un-p-c. b. How can the intercultural awareness of all young people be developed?

3.4

3.6

A vast majority of the young people and youth workers consulted felt that cultural education in schools were key to in developing intercultural awareness. Many felt that it was the role of citizenship education to deliver more information about different religions, politics and the rights of young people. One suggestion was for citizenship education to be compulsory until the age of 18. Cultural awareness days for example celebrating special festivals or significant days of a variety of cultures in the school calendar were all seen as positive ways to increase awareness. I think just being more educated I think just for me I don't know a lot about other backgrounds and influences. If in schools you were taught more about it and taught about respecting those people it would be better.

3.7

Many also felt that is was the role of youth clubs and organisation to educate young people on other cultures by organising intercultural activities for young people in the community such as learning about each others food, cultures and learning about respect and discrimination.

My local youth group has brought many different diversity together, and children in our community are taught to learn about every-ones background before they judge or discriminate against them.

3.8

One of the main barriers to intercultural awareness raised throughout the consultation by young people and youth workers was a negative portrayal of migrant young people by the media. Many of the participants were aware of the power that the media has on influencing young people. The most popular suggestion to improve integration and awareness at a national level to provide more positive stories about different cultures in the media. This was thought of as more effective than stricter laws or policies on discrimination. A vast majority of the young people were aware of the negative portrayal of migrant young people and they felt that people viewed migrants as a threat as the news was constantly highlighting how migrants were willing to work for less and taking UK peoples jobs. The young people wanted to access more informed, educational and positive stories about different cultures in the newspapers, TV and internet. They were keen to learn more about different cultures but were not sure where to access the information. A more positive image of immigrants by the Government was also thought of as key in raising awareness and understanding of different cultures. A serious response to the media's demonisation of non-white communities. Greater effort put in to tackling poverty and a lack of opportunities and discrimination against ethnic minorities

4. a. What are the main obstacles preventing the participation of young people with migrant background at local / regional / national and European level?

4.1

Many of the obstacles which prevent the social inclusion of young people from a migrant background translate into obstacles when those young people wish to participate in decisionmaking and have their voice heard. Media Stereotypes Several participants mentioned the role of the media in creating barriers to participation through the way they cover stories about migrant young people. Participants felt that the media portrayed a bad image of this section of society and this leads people to be less willing to engage with them and listen to their ideas and opinions. Indeed, this could be the cause of the reluctance of some native Brits to welcome the participation of migrant young people in decisions. They don't feel that people deserve the right to be heard if it was their own choice to move to a foreign country.

4.2

4.3

Discrimination and abuse Also, many migrants are afraid to speak out as people are then likely to get xenophobic and racist, or even accuse the migrant of using their migrant status as a way of getting more control.

4.4

Status There are also very practical and simple reasons that migrant young people are prevented from participating, particularly in the case of asylum seekers. Despite the fact that many asylum seekers pay tax and are affected by the actions of the government in a much more obvious way than most of the electorate, they are denied the right to vote in elections. As a result, there is less incentive for decision-makers to listen to asylum seekers or even be concerned about their treatment asylum seekers do not have a say in politicians futures. The issues that affect young refugees and asylum seekers - such as the unlimited detention they face upon entering the country and tuition for students for whom English is a second language - are far down the political agenda, superseded by issues that affect those with the franchise.

4.5

Ignorance of opportunities available A barrier which admittedly affects both migrant and non-migrant youth when looking to engage in Europe is a lack of knowledge about how this could be done. Many participants were unsure how young people could participate in the work of the EU at all. I really have no idea how to get your voice heard in European parliament.

b. What measures could be adopted / implemented at all levels to encourage their participation, including in decision-making4? 4.6 Better promotion of opportunities A number of responses recognised that there were already opportunities for young people to get involved, but that they were not always publicised in an effective and accessible way. The advertising of existing services and opportunities at all levels should be reviewed with particular regard given to its accessibility to young people from a migrant background including the use of their language. More information about youth councils, etc. should be made available, maybe in different languages? Tell them the opportunities available for their opinions to be heard. 4.7 Youth Political structures Youth political structures were repeatedly mentioned by participants as an effective way for young people, including young people from migrant backgrounds, to have their say and effect change. Bodies such as the UK Youth Parliament, Scottish Youth Parliament and the European Youth Forum, as well as local youth forums, should continue to be supported where they do exist and be established where they do not, and young people from migrant backgrounds encouraged to get involved in some way. Having structures in place such as youth forums that allow these young people to feel that can make a positive impact in their local community. The creation of more youth forums. 4.8 Representative Parliament Participants also felt it was important that the views of migrant young people were represented by their elected officials, and that parliaments and councils were representative of the population they served. Councillors, MPs and MEPs all have the power to act on some of the issues that are important to these young people the two should be encouraged to work together, with politicians making an effort to engage with this group and young migrants making an effort to get their views across to those who represent them at a local, national and international level. Some participants even suggested structures which would enable such a dialogue to take place. However there was a concern whether the dialogue would be tokenistic and whether their needs from the consultation will affect their legislation. 4.9 In addition, participants felt that there was a lack of representatives who were from a migrant background themselves and would have first-hand experience of the issues. More representation - very few MPs are from migrant background. More communication between migrants and local MPs. Having young ambassadors or representatives from minorities who pass on ideas.
4

Decision making refers to the active involvement and active engagement of young people in the societies they live in, both individually and collectively (youth organizations). It also refers to the exercise of substantial influence over the conditions of their own lives and the lives of others in the immediate local and wider regional, national, European, international level.

4.10

Particularly when considering the role the EU might play in encouraging participation, participants were keen to see legislation passed to assist young people from a migrant background. In particular, stronger legislation prohibiting discrimination and legislation enshrining rights to services such as education and fair working conditions are required. Changes to labour law e.g. posted workers directive etc. Also EU wide two-tier work code to be brought in so that young migrants in work do not become used to being treated differently. More anti-discrimination legislation

5.

What good practices does your country / region / community / organization use to boost social inclusion and participation of all young people? What good practices concern young people with migrant background specifically? Nearly half of the participants involved in the consultation felt that young people from migrant backgrounds had equal opportunities to those born in the UK. Many people felt there was excellent school and youth provision that was accessible to all and helping with social inclusion. Some of the most common examples of good practices were: Through youth clubs/forums/organisations The majority of participants indicated that through youth clubs, forums, organisations can boost social inclusion and participation among young people. Many examples include local and regional youth parliaments, councils or forums and the scouting association. Using creative methods such as film, music and theatre are all listed as successful methods. To increase the likelihood of a successful integration by increasing their confidence through music and songwriting. Young people are encouraged to engage in community activities like youth clubs and local fetes and festivals where they get to meet / interact with the local community in positive settings.....we think we've hit the jackpot by using the universality of music!

5.1

5.2

5.3

Personal centered approaches and youth-led activities in youth organisations were mentioned as the most effective method. It was recommended that the young people need to be consulted with and have control over activities rather following the organisations leading the projects. Many participants felt that having youth groups for specific migrant groups encourages segregation and more mixed community groups are far more effective in encouraging social inclusion. Through schools and education The most commonly reported good practices in order to include young people from migrant backgrounds are through schools and education. Some participants voiced that schools should help young people from these migrant backgrounds learn or improve their English. Other related good practices include social events like culture days where celebrations such as Eid or Chinese New Year. In my past secondary school we were encouraged to explore each others cultures and embrace our identities, including our ethnicities. For example, in an English lesson we completed a presentation entitled 'Me', which really helped everyone explore what they really classed as their own identity, whereby they and others could embrace it.

5.4

5.5

5.6 5.7

Participants felt that it was important to educate young people that if migrants are seen as equals and as friends then these boundaries will be broken Through volunteering or intercultural exchanges Youth organizations and schools are often one of the main portals for young people to access international exchanges. Many responses stated that by personally attending exchanges or meeting other young people at youth clubs had helped understanding and

inclusion of all young people. Exchange trips mean British-born kids can experience other cultures and gain a better understanding, and it provides an opportunity for them to feel foreign themselves. This reduces discrimination. Other participants suggested that volunteering schemes are a good way to meet other young people of different nationalities and create bonds and friends to learn about their cultures. Voluntary work schemes by universities that pair a young migrant with a student who supports their acquisition of the English language as a mentor/ teacher/ elder sibling figure. Please present the results of the consultations, where relevant, with a paragraph per topic (maximum 500 words) synthesising the main outcomes of the consultation.

2.

Support of Youth and Youth NGOs and recognition of their work and contribution

Young people and youth organizations should/need to be involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of all policies especially the ones which affect them. By taking into account the voice of young people in decision making and in the shaping of policies, more meaningful and sustainable solutions pertaining to the challenges young people face, as well as to various societal problems can be found. Youth organizations role is to provide a concrete representation of the interests of young people. Through their actions, they can support the establishment of inclusive societies where all young people, including young people with migrant background, are supported, motivated and encouraged to become active and engaged citizens. Furthermore, youth organizations can contribute in promoting social inclusion strategies and in advocating for policies which enhance the participation of young people with fewer opportunities such as young people with migrant background. At the same time, through their participation in youth organizations, young people with migrant background can enhance their knowledge, skills and competences. Non formal and informal learning such as the one provided by youth organizations has a key role to play as a means of supporting their social and economic inclusion in the wider society. 5.How can youth organizations contribute to the social inclusion of young people in general and those with migrant background or from other socially excluded groups in particular?

6.1

The vast majority of the participants felt that the local community and grassroots work could help improve opportunities for young people with migrants back grounds. Education, social and community activities were seen as opportunities for inclusion for all young people. Education by youth organisations Many of the young people reported that they learnt more about discrimination and different cultures at their local youth club/forum rather than school. A number of participants reported that their local youth organisations are supporting inclusion by delivering many initiatives using creative and interactive methods. Many effective methods include making films with young people from different cultures promoting issues and helping them to be heard through making films.

6.2

6.3

It was also suggested that youth organisations can help support schools in inclusion of migrant young people by providing workshops and resources and training. Many local youth forums have already been supporting integration work in schools: Our local youth forum gave out leaflets for new members to everyone in our school black/white/ Indian and told them all we believe in equality no discrimination and a better

life for young people and it made the young people of different backgrounds feel more welcomed 6.4 Mentors Mentorship schemes can also support the inclusion of migrants who are new into the country. Many youth organisations provide young mentors to support new migrants with their language and local cultural and community knowledge. When I was about 13 I went to the City youth club and a boy the same age as me had moved into the area from Nigeria. The youth club paired me with him as his peer mentor person. I helped him learn some English and showed him round the area introducing him to my friends and then he started at my school. We are still in contact now even though we, now, go to different colleges 6.5 The young migrants mentioned that it is often assumed that linking mentors from the same country will be more effective. However, this does not help with learning the language and there is an assumption that two people from the same country will get on without understanding the politics of that country. One young migrant from Somalia spoke of being linked with another Somali young person who was from a different tribe which lead to conflict and bullying. Young people should therefore have a choice in the selection of their mentors. Campaigns Youth organisations particularly youth councils were credited for supporting and delivering campaigns for young people. It was suggested that the media and politicians should stop negative portrayal of migrants. For this reason youth organisations should act to safeguard and campaign for the migrant young people raising cultural awareness and celebrating them through engagement and action. Stop saying 'British jobs' - promoting a segregated culture. Initiatives such as sports campaigns following the show racism the red card which tackled discrimination in sports should be modeled for the migrant community specifically. Celebrating migrant community contribution to the British culture in sports and arts - with a focus to showing them as universal role models. 6.How could youth organizations be supported in their work for the inclusion of young people in general and those with migrant background or from other socially excluded groups in particular? 7.1 Investment Whilst majority of respondents expressed more budget be allocated for integrational activities to alleviate tensions and boundaries, 50% of respondents felt that government should be providing funding for integration activities. A less popular idea was that the communities should be responsible for fundraising for integration activities (19 per cent of participants agreed with this idea). A lot felt that cuts to youth provision had a huge negative impact on supporting inclusion work with socially excluded groups. NOT cutting public services, all of which improve social cohesion and the quality of life for people overall, including those from migrant background. 7.2 Youth participation The second most popular idea to support youth organisation with inclusion work was to involve young people with migrant backgrounds in the organisations management and governance. It was also felt that there should be an evident diverse membership within youth councils and youth clubs to encourage uptake for different communities. It was thought that this was only the true way to understand and to cater for the needs of these groups. 7.3 When speaking about funding: 31% believed that communities should be engaged with ideas in project and activities, 26% felt that more resources and activities should translated

6.6

into different language and 25% believed that training should be provided for youth organisations on how to include young people from migrant backgrounds. Of the youth workers consulted many felt that they needed specialist training on how to work with young migrants particularly refugees and asylum seekers and more information on their rights and challenges. 7.4 There is some skepticism about integration activities as they may be perceived as either tokenistic or forced. For this reason, more funding should be invested to try and reshape the way that the integration activities are currently taken out using partnership work, investing in more social events and consultation. I believe from my experience in Northern Ireland that money aimed purposely at integration activities is misused and the money would be better spent in activities such as youth clubs and youth councils. 7.5 One way to eliminate skepticism would be to have concrete examples of when integration activities or community consultation has resulted in change in policies or in communities. Policy makers ensuring that they have followed up consultation recommendations would increase young peoples confidence in that they are being heard. Many refugees and asylum seekers reported that they are regularly consulted on issues but rarely do they see the outcomes of the consultation. Partnership working was also recommended to help with the inclusion of all young people. It was felt that by building better partnerships between sectors including voluntary and statutory sectors would change in viewpoint of services. Also it was suggested that community groups working in partnership with local Government to deliver solutions and ensure that people from migrant backgrounds are always consulted.

7.6

Please present the results of the consultations, where relevant, with a paragraph per topic (maximum 500 words) synthesising the main outcomes of the consultation. This report was produced by the UK Young Ambassadors: Zain Awan, Cassandra Cheng, Andrew Deans, Nathan Flanagan, Tamanna Miah, Chris Neal, Ruaidhri ODonnell with support of the British Youth Council.