In order to reduce the precariousness of employment among migrants in Europe, an alliance of universities, research centres and NGOs, led by the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, is setting up a network of hubs in Spain, Germany, Bulgaria and Ukraine. They will support European labour mobility for both EU citizens and third-country migrants with regular administrative status, protecting them from abuse, discrimination and degrading treatment. The hubs – located in Madrid, Hamburg, Sofia and Kiev – provide free transnational consultancy services and train highly specialised consultants on the requirements of the labour markets. They are expected to be fully operational from June this year.
The launch of the hubs is part of the Transnational Migrant Counselling for Decent Work – TRAM4DW project, which is funded by the European Erasmus+ program and is implemented in partnership between 9 organizations from 5 countries: Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and Ukraine. The project focuses on the shortage of qualified workers in sectors such as construction, agriculture or elderly care. It aims to improve the integration of migrants into the European labor market and society by developing capacities for preventive counseling. Over the next three years, various training activities will be carried out to create new professional profiles related to transnational migrant counseling. In addition to hybrid and online seminars, the activities will also include workshops and networking events aimed at experts on migration and integration of foreigners, career and labor counselors, social workers, students and academics, employers, authorities and civil society.
TRAM4DW is implemented in Spain by the Complutense University of Madrid and the ACCESOphia association. The other partners in the European consortium are the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg); Arbeit und Leben Hamburg – an NGO jointly supported by the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) and the Volkshochschulen; Utrecht University of Applied Sciences (HU); Institute for Population and Human Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; the Bulgarian Red Cross; Mariupol State University (MDU) and the Pan-Ukrainian Association of Companies for International Employment.
The Madrid hub is located in the building of the Center for Integration and Participation of Immigrants CEPI de Chamartín at c/ Canillas 11 – 28002 Madrid. It will welcome those wishing to learn about new job opportunities in Europe – whether seasonal, returning to their homeland or starting a new long-term migration project. Free consultations will be provided online or in person with a pre-booked appointment at madrid@tram4dw.eu or by phone +34 671 037 676. The hub will also hold specialized talks and workshops on the topic in the network of 8 CEPIs in the autonomous community of Madrid.
