MILEstone

The MILEstone project, an Interreg Europe project, focuses on the sustainable integration into the labour market of people born outside the European Union.

Goal and expected impact

Since these individuals often remain in low-income jobs where they cannot use their full skills, public authorities across Europe need to take additional measures to promote vocational training (lifelong learning) and business creation by non-EU nationals. To achieve better public policy in this area, the MILEstone project provides for a number of policy learning activities to be implemented by the consortium.

The project work plan foresees baseline studies for each of the nine areas covered by the project, identification and assessment of 20 good practices, three thematic seminars at the interregional level, nine peer review visits, intensive exchange among stakeholders at both local and European levels. levels and continuous communication activities. In order to achieve a fruitful exchange of experiences, members of the MILEstone consortium represent both areas that have been destinations for arriving non-EU nationals for decades, such as Linköping (SE), Jyväskylä (FI), Piedmont (IT), Hogeland (NL) and Ascó (ES), and those that have become arrival regions in recent years, such as Central Macedonia (EL), Burgenlandkreis (DE), Western Pomerania (PL) and Postojna (SI).

The consortium is complemented by the Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography as an advisory partner and three policy-making authorities representing one local, one regional and one national government. The different geographical and institutional background of the project partners provides the basis for fruitful cooperation, intensive exchange and joint learning. The results of the project will be shared regularly on the project website and regularly in video publications, including both short testimonies and a short professional project film. highlights how policy improvements rooted in the MILEstone project contribute to “A More Social Europe.”