Language and Cultural Integration for Refugee and Disadvantaged Youth

Aims of the tool

The tool aims to strengthen the everyday communication skills, confidence and community participation of refugee, migrant and disadvantaged young people. It connects language learning with cultural understanding and meaningful interaction between newcomers and local communities. It also equips youth workers, educators and mentors with practical methods for delivering accessible language activities and personalised support.

Description of the tool

This practical guide supports refugee, migrant and disadvantaged young people in developing language skills for everyday life, building social connections and participating in their local communities. It also equips youth workers, educators and mentors with adaptable methods for combining language learning with cultural understanding and social inclusion.

Developed within the Erasmus+ project “Inclusion of Resilient Minds: Skills for Refugees and Marginalized Youth,” the guide treats language as a means of accessing education, services, employment and community life. Its approach connects communication practice with participants’ interests, existing abilities and immediate needs.

The guide covers:
• Understanding language barriers and identifying individual learning priorities.
• Creating inclusive and supportive language-learning environments.
• Interactive, communicative and task-based learning methods.
• Role-play for everyday situations, including shopping, appointments, education and employment.
• Language games and digital learning activities.
• Cultural awareness, shared community activities and digital storytelling.
• One-to-one language mentoring and individual feedback.
• Supported visits to local businesses, institutions and community spaces.
• Tracking progress through reflection, practical tasks and CEFR-informed assessment approaches.

Activities include vocabulary games, conversation scenarios, shared cooking workshops, storytelling, community challenges and structured field visits. Practical resources include a needs assessment survey, weekly module planning template, intercultural event checklist, mentoring record and participant self-assessment tools.

The guide can support group workshops, individual mentoring and learning outside the classroom. Although developed with a particular focus on Greek-language learning and the context of Sparta, its methods can be adapted to other languages and local settings. Facilitators are encouraged to adjust activities to participants’ literacy, language levels, access needs and preferred ways of learning.

Learning outcomes

By working through the relevant activities, participants will be able to:
• Identify their language-learning priorities and set realistic communication goals.
• Use useful words and expressions in personally relevant everyday situations.
• Ask for information, request clarification and check understanding.
• Practise communication for accessing education, services and employment opportunities.
• Explore cultural differences through respectful questions and interaction.
• Cooperate with local peers and contribute to shared community activities.
• Express an interest, experience or idea through a short spoken, written or digital story.
• Use suitable digital resources to support continued language practice.
• Reflect on their progress and identify further learning or support needs.

Youth workers and mentors will be able to assess learning needs, design task-based activities, facilitate intercultural interaction, organise supported community learning and document progress. Formal CEFR level assessment requires appropriate assessment procedures and competent language staff.