Fourteenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

Research data indicates that migrant children face complex intersectional challenges, including language acquisition, low socio-economic status, psychological trauma, low educational expectations from parents and teachers, and insufficient family and community support (Population Europe, 2014). Integration into the social and cultural fabric of society is crucial for individuals’ wellbeing, social cohesion, and economic growth, creating a mutually beneficial collaborative space to overcome linguistic and cultural barriers. Article 27 of the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) cites participation in cultural, social, and scientific community life as an entitlement for all inhabitants. UK-based research findings, advocate arts engagement as a means of fostering community cohesion between host communities and refugees, impacting on levels of education, health, and wellbeing (APPG 2017). The two-year project ArtsTogether, funded by the European Commission’s Asylum Migration and Integration Fund, is developing an inclusive arts-based curriculum which respects diversity, fosters mutual understanding, and improves the educational performance of migrant students. ArtsTogether’s partnership of five European countries, promotes societal integration through innovative, expressive arts education, challenging discrimination, and increasing third country nationals’ participation in educational, cultural, and social engagement. ArtsTogether’s inclusive Curriculum, created by Bath Spa University, disseminates expressive arts educational materials, resources, and strategies, supporting individual and social integration. The Curriculum is being trialled within migrant centres and camps, schools, nurseries, and community settings in Sicily and Greece. Following evaluation of the pilot tests during 2019, the Curriculum will be made available across Europe, supporting inclusive practice and initiating policy recommendations at all educational levels.