EU-Project: VALUES

Integrating Cities - VALUES
VALUES is the sixth in a series of projects carried out by Integrating Cities. Integrating Cities is a partnership between EUROCITIES, the network of major European cities, and the European Commission.

EU-Project: VALUES

VALUES stands for Volunteering Activities to Leverage Urban and European Social integration of migrants

Led by EUROCITIES, the network of major European cities, the VALUES project enables the participating cities to exchange knowledge and best practices in the field of integration work. The project builds on the experiences of past projects (CITIES GROW, MIXITIES, DIVE, INTI-Cities, ImpleMentoring) and pursues the objectives of equal opportunities, integration of migrants and recognition of the diversity of European populations, which has become the norm especially in large cities.

Further goals are the networking of the municipalities and mutual visits of the sixteen partner cities. The aim is to establish and improve partnerships between cities and between towns and voluntary organisations. From the sixteen participating cities, four so-called clusters with different focuses on the integration of third-country nationals will be formed. The priorities are as follows:

VALUES - participating cities
VALUES - participating cities
  • A. Community building in cities to foster a welcoming culture
  • B. Innovative voluntary activities in integration: engaging migrants and refugees in volunteering activities for integration activities
  • C. Cities and volunteer cooperation in migrant integration at neighbourhood (or community) level
  • D. Mobilising volunteers in engaging young migrant population in community life

Together with Amsterdam, Oslo and Thessaloniki, Düsseldorf forms Cluster C. Each participating city starts with a best-practice example. Düsseldorf will present its work in the Welcome Points. The concept and implementation of the Welcome Points will be made available for the exchange of experience. In September 2015, the first Welcome Points were opened on the occasion of the high number of refugees. Since then, volunteers and full-time employees have been making an important contribution to the integration of refugees and migrants in Düsseldorf.

At the end of the two-year cooperation with the VALUES partners, working aids with common standards and best-practice examples will be drawn up, which will be made available to all interested municipalities as an advisory tool following the project.

VALUES is the sixth in a series of projects carried out by Integrating Cities. Integrating Cities is a partnership between EUROCITIES, the network of major European cities, and the European Commission.