I M P A C T -
Integrating Migrants through the
Provision of Adaptability and Competence Training
Advising third-country nationals - A training resource for EU Employment and Careers Services
Ms Ljaja Sterland, NIACE, UK
The Impact Project is part-funded by the European Integration Fund

Employers’ reliance on migrant workers – EU and Third Country Nationals
Low employment / High underemployment rates of migrants in the EU
Poor recognition of skills and qualifications
Little access to services and systems/Varying quality of services and systems
Ongoing need for skilled labour

ASSET UK (2002-2005) http://archive.niace.org.uk/projects/ASSET-UK/Default.htm
or http://www.rose.nhs.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/assetman
_1_.pdf
Progress GB (2005-2008) http://archive.niace.org.uk/Research/ASR/Projects/Progress
-GB.htm
IMPACT (2008-2010) http://www.niace.org.uk/current-work/impact

Transnational co-operation Partners
Austria – Beratungszentrum
Germany – Tür an Tür
Italy – Euroqualità
Netherlands – City of Groningen
UK – NIACE

To work with:
Local authorities
Mainstream employment services
To develop:
Methods to recognise and validate skills and qualifications
To promote:
Social and vocational integration of migrants

1.Research - to establish the numbers, characteristics, including the employment situation, of third-country nationals in the five localities.
2.Activities to:
• promote the project by engaging with key local stakeholders to share their experiences of the issues;
• recruit employment advisors to take part in the project (100); and
• recruit migrants who were third-country nationals to take part in the project (250).
3. Using their expertise, partners worked with employment advisors and migrants to demonstrate skills audit and skills validation methods.
4. Training programmes for staff involved in employment support were developed and piloted in each country.
5. A training resource for use in EU countries was developed bringing together experiences and case studies from the five localities.

Aims of training:
• To develop a greater awareness of the definition and circumstances of third-country nationals.
• To consider the education, training and employment advice needs of third-country nationals.
• To consider some helpful approaches we can use to meet the education, training and employment advice needs of third-country nationals .

Approach:
• Group training sessions for practitioners and 1: 1 demonstration
• Ongoing support (over the telephone, team meetings)
• Evaluation of outcomes/experience
• Produce a draft resource toolkit for the training
• Pilot/evaluate in group training sessions
• Finalise resource toolkit for the training

• Awareness of the needs of third country nationals
• Intercultural competence
• Approaches to learning and employment
• Awareness of skills and qualifications gained in other countries and their assessment
(mapping/recording of education and work history; qualifications assessment/validation; skills assessmenttests and workplace activities; skills gaps; action plan)

• Gained understanding of the skills assessment methods
• How to explore competences of clients
• More intercultural understanding and skills
• When/how to make appropriate referrals to other agencies
• How to create an atmosphere of trust when advising TCNs

• In Leicester the IMPACT training module is being used as part of the induction for all new staff working in the Multicultural Access Centres and as part of
Continuous Professional Development for existing staff.
• Increase in allocation of time that advisers can spend with clients with complex needs
• In Bavaria, ‘Future Workshops’ have been held with
Employment Advisers and Clients.
• In Groningen, reorganisation of the Employment
Service towards more integrated model

• Highlights the complexity of eligibility and individual circumstances and barriers
• Need for up to date and accessible information
• Need for training to introduce the resource so that it can be used more effectively
• A buy-in from service managers to secure resources – time with clients., funding (e.g. for interpreting/qualifications translations, assessment

The Impact Project is part-funded by the European Integration Fund