This project was a  firm  and  decided  initiative  towards  the integration of the immigrants who choose to live and work in our countries. The immigrant population represents an essential factor of economic  development  and  there  are  many  immigrants  who need the establishment of social networks for the normalization of  the  access  to  the  available  resources  connected  to  the problem of accommodation, health, education, social services, work, etc. In order to achieve this, it is necessary that the administration, as well as the civil society as a whole, private companies, social agents, etc. join their efforts to make the most of the resources available and to contribute to the creation of a climate of intercultural co‐existence.

For this, we started from teaching a second language (that  of  the  host  country)  in  order  to  achieve  the  social integration of each individual so  that we can support his/her insertion into the labor market: motivating him/her, counseling him/her when there are difficulties on the labor market. Special attention was paid to the personal and professional support offered to the immigrant woman.

The main objectives of the project were:

• To analyze and diagnose the social situation of immigrants.
• To facilitate the social and educational integration of immigrant learners in conditions of equality, making the basic aspects of the educational system known.
• To facilitate the labor insertion: motivating and counseling when there are difficulties on the labor market.
• To foster the development of training courses directed to immigrants and disadvantaged people.
• To encourage the learning of the host country language as a second language in order to facilitate the acquisition of instrumental training, which should help the integration process.
• To promote the aspects connected to the enrichment of different cultures, facilitating the learning of the maternal language and culture in order to preserve the cultural identity.
• To provide general information in order to avoid cultural misunderstandings and unnecessary conflicts when people of different cultures interact.
• To elaborate materials adapted to the characteristics and needs of our learners.
• To research topics related to L2 teaching to migrants from an intercultural perspective.
• To make up a schedule of the activities in order to develop attitudes of coexistence, tolerance and respect.
• To foster and develop social integration plans by our institutions. To support the elaboration of an Intercultural Education Project.
• To provide the teachers in the area with the basic didactic materials necessary for the reception of and work with minority learners, taking into account their diversity.
• To facilitate the access of immigrants and disadvantaged people to the new technologies (Digital divide).
• To  encourage  the  development  of  future  collaboration projects between the different institutions participating in this projects.

Read more about the project at: http://www.abriendopuertas.eu/puenteentremayores/proyecto.htm