EPIM’s Building Inclusive Societies in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) Cluster: New Partnerships in the Region

By Masha Volynsky ?

Since 2022, EPIM has been instrumental in aiding war-displaced Ukrainians across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), supporting over 24 projects in the region. Earlier this year, EPIM’s strategy pivoted to offer holistic, comprehensive, and long-term support for inclusive community building across CEE.

As a result, projects we have supported this year have focused on:

• Creating intersectional and trans-sectoral networks among diverse stakeholders
• Addressing migrant needs within a broader societal context
• Cultivating belonging and strengthening democracy across CEE
• Supporting migrant leadership

Our partners span the region, addressing critical infrastructural issues like healthcare and mental health, access to education, the creative use of public spaces, civic engagement, job creation and entrepreneurship.

Mareena – A Concerted Approach to Refugee and Migrant Inclusion in Slovakia?

Mareena is launching Slovakia’s first platform for organisations working on protection and inclusion of refugees and migrants. The network will bring together seven CSOs that focus on legal and social counselling, Slovak language education, building communities, jobs and labour market integration, information support, material assistance, and other essential services across the country. Having played a major role in the Ukraine response efforts starting in the spring of 2022, these organisations are coming together to tackle the following urgent needs:??

• Streamlined coordination and exchange of good practices between organisations aiding refugees and migrants?

• Strategic partnerships with the public sector, municipalities, private companies and other NGOs in creating an inclusive society?

• Effective advocacy to improve migration policies at local and national levels?

• Better monitoring of quality and availability of services available to migrants?

The founding partners include Centre for Research of Ethnicity and Culture , Human Rights League Slovakia , Milan ?ime?ka Foundation , Caritas , Slovak Humanitarian Council , and People in Need Slovakia . The group has been meeting informally for the past few years and with EPIM’s support is taking the next step to create a common platform, bringing greater negotiating power, advocacy capacity, and legitimacy. The focus is now on securing resources and expertise for cross-sectoral cooperation and communication. EPIM’s support will allow for sustainable growth in this sector and foster connections with the public and private sectors across Slovakia with a focus on trust building, safe dialogue and inter-sectoral alliances.?

Asocia?ia Comunit??ile Viitorului (ACV / Communities of the Future) – Public Libraries as Hubs of Cultural Exchange and Education

The LibHub , or Library Integration Hubs initiative by the Communities of the Future Association (Asocia?ia Comunit??ile Viitorului - ACV ) reimagines public libraries in Romania and Moldova as vibrant centres for newcomers, including Ukrainian refugees, migrants, and workers. By partnering with 10 libraries, ACV equips librarians with the skills to create and deliver programmes bridging languages and cultures, creating inclusive environments of learning and belonging. These programs focus on improving linguistic proficiency and digital literacy, facilitating intercultural gatherings, and cultivating digital citizenship.??

ACV’s efforts extend to strengthening community leadership skills, offering volunteer opportunities and a platform for exchanging ideas and information. Its partnership with libraries in both larger and smaller city centres catalyses the creation of engaging spaces for open dialogue and collective belonging across Romanian and Moldova.??

AMIGA –? Advancing Migrant Mental Health and Improving Healthcare Access??

Since 2022, the migrant-led Agency for Migration and Adaptation (AMIGA) has been pivotal in providing mental health and psychosocial support to Ukrainian refugees in Prague and surrounding regions. It also works with Czech healthcare professionals and patients’ rights advocates to improve access to care for all, through targeted intercultural trainings, professional conferences, and advocacy. Beyond its psychological and intercultural services, AMIGA, is committed to informing all migrants in the Czech Republic about available mental health resources, aiming to dismantle stigma and improve access with the ultimate aim of creating a mental health advisory centre in Prague for migrants??

With its renewal from EPIM, AMIGA will focus on:?

1. The integration of the interests and needs of migrants into the Czech health system through:??

• Networking and advocacy groups, as a continuation and expansion upon partnerships?in Prague and the South Moravian and Pardubice regions.??

• A dedicated centre focusing on the mental and physical health of migrants?

• Working with Czech healthcare institutions through workshops on migrant-specific needs?

• Working with Czech patients’ rights organisations on the topic of migration and integrating migrants into such organisations.??

2. Dissemination of information on mental health topics in a manner that is accessible to migrants?

3. Sustaining core mental health and psychosocial services is crucial for stabilising migrant and Ukrainian refugee populations?

MigAct – Empowerment through Civic Engagement?

EPIM is proud to support an emerging migrant-led organisation MigAct, in Prague, which focuses on enabling people with a migration background to actively participate in civic life and have a say in the political decisions that affect them.?

MigAct partnered with Prague City Hall and smaller municipalities in the Czech capital to promote the concept of public participation for all residents and prototype this through an accelerator for civic initiatives created by Prague residents with lived migration experience. In all its work, MigAct challenges the idea of migrants as clients, focusing on empowerment, co-creation and partnership instead. Its diverse team focuses on capacity building and empowering individuals so that they can be active in society, believe in themselves, and realize their potential.??

EPIM’s support will boost MigAct’s capacity to facilitate migrant involvement in Prague’s civic landscape, as well as in publicly funded inclusion projects, and help the organisation further its mission building ties with the private sector, other migrant groups and public institutions.?

Hands Across Romania - Catalysing Job Market Access and Entrepreneurship?

Hands Across Romania (HAR) harnesses its vocational expertise and network to facilitate labour market entry for displaced Ukrainians and migrants. Drawing on its extensive history supporting underprivileged youth, the initiative’s threefold strategy includes:??

• Tailored vocational training and career guidance?

• Policy advocacy to enhance labour market integration and entrepreneurship opportunities??

• Strategic partnerships with Romanian employers to ensure fair employment and retention?

HAR is committed to unlocking national business development funding for migrants, with plans to launch a program inspired by StartUp Nation. This initiative empowers disadvantaged individuals, especially single mothers, with essential skills for economic integration, entrepreneurship, and strengthened livelihoods and well-being.??

With EPIM’s funding, HAR aims to enhance access to labour market opportunities for?migrants and, through advocacy campaigns to strengthen national policies, equip migrants with the necessary skills for efficient labour market integration, and improve access to entrepreneurship opportunities.??HAR will build on already developed functioning ties with the?Romanian Ministry of Labour, as well as other local officials. Its entrepreneurship support will entail organizing workshops and facilitating access to national funding programs for business development. Vocational counselling will be provided on both a group and individual basis, along with childcare services to support attendance by parents.?

The Czech Migration Consortium?

The Czech Consortium of Migrant Assisting Organisations, which has existed for over two decades, unites 20 migrant-supporting organisations, which provide legal, social and educational services to migrants and refugees. The Consortium has become an essential partner for public officials and political actors, and as a common advocacy platform, consolidates the expertise and practical experiences of their member organisations. It also supports regular exchange of good practices among members and carries out research studies on migration-related issues within education, social services, legislative systems or intercultural capacities.?

EPIM’s renewal of support to the Consortium and its members will enable critical dialogue on urban inclusivity, mainstreaming of migrant services, and an intersectional approach to diversity in primary education. The focal points of the project include:?

1. Legislative advocacy on behalf of its members on the national and local level;?

2. Promotion of intercultural work and education in intercultural competencies among social service providers and government employees;?

3. Support for inclusive measures, particularly at a local level, through training of specialists in education, social services, offices, municipalities, especially in smaller municipalities;?

4. Advocacy for the improvement and systematisation of education for children with different mother tongues, and promotion of equal access to basic education;?

5. Mentoring for grassroots migrant-led organisations, who have recently become Consortium members by established and experienced members to improve their efficacy and ensure sustainability.?

Project partners include:?

Sdru?ení pro integraci a migraci (SIMI), Organizace pro pomoc uprchlík?m, Nesehnuti, Inbáze, Most pro, Multicultural Center, META, Charita, Kroky dobra , Kalyna .

Looking to the future

EPIM is excited to partner with these organisations to build on the solidarity, momentum and infrastructure for inclusive and localized long-term communities where everyone belongs, irrespective of their journey’s origin and path.

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Masha Volynsky is a CEE Consultant for EPIM and co-leads the cluster. This piece was also shaped by Sen Zhan and Hrishabh Sandilya