The project ‘Chanmin, Changing Minds, Improving Citizens’ was funded with the support of the European Union under the Programme «Europe for Citizens.»

The project

‘Chanmin, Changing Minds, Improving Citizens’ project led us to work with other organisations that share our concern about the situation of migrants in the European Union. Based on the analysis we carried out within the framework of our work, we found that the idea among European youth that migration was a threat to our way of life was growing in strength. For this reason, we felt trying to provide real data and information to try to change the situation was important. We contacted our Spanish partners, Alianza por la Solidaridad-ActionAid and the Comisión Espñaola de Ayuda al Refugiado (CEAR), who have been instrumental in turning this idea into a real project. We also contacted organisations in Romania (Imago Mundi) and Denmark (Weekend Trampoline House) that could tell different migratory stories. We were able to put together a team with different visions due to their geographic locations, their socio-cultural reality and their joining the European Union at different times in their history.

Preparatory activities

To prepare the survey, the partners met with the polling house (40db) to decide the most pertinent questions.

Also there, we put special care with the traduction of the terminology, as migrants can have different translations with different meanings that can affect the comparability of the survey.

A small number of surveys have been tested with the volunteers of the Romanian partner to test the validity.

Participation: More than 20 people between partners, the polling house, and the beta testers of the survey participated in the meetings to design and validate the survey.

8 people participate from the consortium partners.

3 people from the polling agency

and a random sample of 5 people surveyed in every country were interviewed by the polling agency to verify the questions.

Location/ Dates: The meetings were organised online during the months of November and December 2021

An example of the Danish translation of the questionary from the English language can be found here https://fundacionalternativas.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/CU_Traduccioin_DA11.pdf

Strand 1: Survey

A study was carried out in which both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Its methodology is explained in detail below. To conclude, a series of actions are proposed based on the analysis and sharing of the results related to the adequacy of the communication channels young people use and the content of the messages about immigration they find there

The results of the survey can be accessed here https://fundacionalternativas.org/wpcontent/uploads/2023/07/chanmin_poll_results_ENG.pdf

Participation: The project involved  1500 citizens, with 500 participants from Spain, 500 from Romania and 500 from Denmark.

Location/ Dates: The event took place online from  January   to June 2022

1500 online surveys were filled out by young people aged 18 to 30 in Denmark, Spain and Romania, distributed equally by country, and a series of workshops were held to share the results of the surveys.

 

Short description:

Some of the most critical conclusions include the need to create working groups made up of multidisciplinary teams to address issues related to immigration as well as to develop appropriate communication and information materials and strategies to raise awareness about how migrants live in different areas of society. The importance of addressing issues related to immigration and cultural diversity using a holistic approach not limited to a single department or directorate-general was stressed. This underlines the need to develop strategies that address variety from the public arena and implement cultural spaces and agendas that facilitate exchanges of experiences and intercultural dialogue.

 

Strand 2: Workshops with young people

We have organised workshops with young people in Romania, Denmark and Spain to show them the poll results and validate the conclusions. Also, we ask them about their perceptions of possible recommendations and the most effective campaign for them.

Participation:

Spanish workshop: 17 people (16 from Spain and 1 From Colombia) assisted in person

Romanian workshop 1: 22 people from Romania assisted in person

Romanian workshop  21 people from Romania assisted in person

Danish workshop, 31 people from Denmark assisted as a part of a broader event

 

Short description:

The Spanish workshop was organised in Madrid, Spain, by Alianza por la Solidaridad on the 6th of October 2022, with the participation of 17 people

In Romania, we organize two workshops, one on the 24th of September 2022, with the participation of 22 people and the other one on the first of October, in the city of Pitești România by Imago Mund, with the participation of 21 people.

Location/ Dates: The workshops were organised in the partner’s offices

 

Two communication campaigns have been released during the project, one for Spain and Romania and a specific movement was launched in Denmark to address the specific sensitivity.

Location/ Dates: Communication campaigns were released online through social media and was released by March 2023

Participation: The campaign has more than 10500 unique users interactions divided by website 2800, Facebook 6821, Instagram 442

Short description:

 

Strand 4: Report on political recommendations

Based on the survey results, we prepare a report on recommendations for politicians to integrate migration policies to correct and potentiate the tendencies found in the study.

 

Location/ Dates: The study was released on June 2023, and its available to download for free in this page

Participation Currently, more than 20 downloads of the report have happened.

Short description:

Some of the conclusions of the study are:

• The importance of working on communication and information,
• The need to work on social media algorithms and digital transparency to prevent the spread of fake news and misinformation that foster stereotypes and negative ideas
• The importance of developing spaces and strategies for exchanging experiences that prioritise human contact
• The support training in cultural diversity management with a broadly inclusive and preventive approach that can be extended beyond the educational sphere and civil society organisations.

And finally

• The importance of European Union continues to work on its migration and asylum policies to provide protection and social coverage in a humanitarian and safe manner to those whose only option is to leave their country.

Strand 5: Presentation at the European Parliament in Brussels

At the end of the project, a final event was organised on the premises of the European Parliament in Brussels to present the results to decision-makers. This event has been live broadcasted to the three countries of the project.

This also makes the participation of a 4th country in the project.

The presentation of the police report at the European Parliament was a very successful idea to communicate the project’s recommendations directly to decision-makers.

The MEP Alicia Homs hosted the event.

The presenter of the act was Adrianus Koetsenruijter from the International Network of Human Rights RIDHE that is an NGO that is supporting the project in Brussels.

Participation: We had the live assistance of an MEP. In-person, the accreditation to the parliament premises was limited by the COVID rules that are still in place. Every MP has a maximum of 10 visitors, and counting with parliament workers, the in-person assistance was 12 people (3 from Spain, 1 from Romania, 1 from the Netherlands, 1 from Honduras, and 6 from Belgium); however, to the current date, there are 180 visualizations of the youtube video. And our social media teams will launch a campaign to promote the video after the summer break.

Location/ Dates: The event was held at the European Parliament on the 4th of July of 2023 at 09.00h

Short description: More information on this activity can be found on its specific page.

 

Changing minds, improving citizens: Project CHANMIN