<< Background >>According to IOM, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected migration in Europe, as countries have imposed internal and international travel restrictions to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, resulting also the reduction of the number of irregular migrants. Different measures were taken against COVID-19 in 2020, in all EU Member States related to asylum and migration. In France, registration was temporarily halted, resulting also the suspension of access to the asylum procedure and to reception conditions. Italy, Germany and Greece engaged in lockdown of reception facilities, while Cyprus and Greece employed pushbacks at sea. At the same time, the reception centres in France, Greece, Cyprus, and Italy, were operating near or above maximum capacity.The pandemic has also affected migrant integration internally, as management practices such as restrictions of movement, closure, and social distancing have pushed migrants into isolation. Besides, waves of disinformation caused an increase in racist and xenophobic incidents against national or ethnic minorities deriving from the pandemic (European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2020).Under these circumstances, migrants have developed a unique relationship with their mobile phones. Almost all of them have a mobile phone, which they consider as a basic necessity to remain in contact with their family and friends. Smartphones have proved to be indispensable for migrants when navigating and resettling in a new country. Interestingly, migrants often share the view that it is easier to engage with their smartphone than with people, when it comes to directions or other questions in the host country (Euronews, February 2020). This phenomenon offers an opportunity to create new mobile services that can have a positive impact on the lives of migrants.Within this framework, STAGE involves 5 partners from 5 EU Member States, and has a primary objective to foster social inclusion of migrants and their family members in their host countries. STAGE is indented to directly address the social inclusion of migrants, focusing on three elements of social exclusion in migration: language, access to information, and positive interactions to build network, and will carry it out through establishing a three-way social inclusion approach, which includes the following sub-objectives:1.A mobile App (and online version of the App) for migrants aiming to support language learning, access to information, and positive interactions to build network (PR2).2.An interactive Map (which will be a part of the App and online version) for the public, aiming to share stories and routes of migrants, which will build an audience and promote understanding among locals and migrants (PR2).3.A Capacity Building programme (OER/PR3) for Mentor and Adult TCN trainers, and a Joint Staff Training (C1) for NGO volunteers, adult education staff, and organisation staff, aiming to help them to build capacity when dealing with migrants and especially for mentoring them and/or training them; and develop their competences to improve the effectiveness of adult education on migration.<< Objectives >>The ultimate objective of the project is to foster social inclusion of migrants (including refugees, asylum seekers, TCNs, and people under subsidiary protection) in the partner countries, irrespective of racial and ethnic identity, gender, age, and sexual orientation. The project’s goal is to create a framework where migrants feel welcome and embraced in the host country and at the same time to fight racism, xenophobia, and discrimination against them. STAGE aims to foster social inclusion of migrants and their family members in their host countries, through establishing a three-way social inclusion approach, which includes the following sub-objectives:1.A mobile App (and online version of the App) for migrants aiming to support language learning, access to information, and positive interactions to build network (PR2).2.An interactive Map (which will be a part of the App and online version) for the public, aiming to share stories and routes of migrants, which will build an audience and promote understanding among locals and migrants (PR2).3.A Capacity Building programme (OER/PR3) for Mentor and Adult TCN trainers, and a Joint Staff Training (C1) for NGO volunteers, adult education staff, and organisation staff, aiming to help them to build capacity when dealing with migrants and especially for mentoring them and/or training them; and develop their competences to improve the effectiveness of adult education on migration.This multi-layered but direct approach offers migrants a hands-on experience of social inclusion and supports them, not only to familiarise with the host-country’s language, but also to gain access to information provided by local authorities related to them and to build a network through pairing them with mentors. These activities will take place through a two-features App. Through its first feature, the App will offer the basics of the host-country’s language but also small-text translation services; push notifications connected with local authorities’ news and information; and a mentorship experience. The second feature of the App will offer an interactive map, aimed mostly to promote understanding between locals and migrants. The OER, will offer Mentors and Adult TCN trainers a programme aimed at building their capacity to support migrants through mentoring.<< Implementation >>The project activities to be implemented during STAGE are:•Partners agreement signed between the partners•Financial and management plan from all the partners•Monitoring and evaluation plan drafted from KMOP and all the partners•Impact plan drafted by GIP FIPAN•Dissemination and communication strategy, by HT•Transnational meetings to monitor and review the activities of the project, which will allow close collaboration with all the partners•Three carefully designed PRs:1.A mobile App (and online version of the App) for migrants aiming to support language learning, access to information, and positive interactions to build network (PR2).2.An interactive Map (which will be a part of the App and online version) for the public, aiming to share stories and routes of migrants, which will build an audience and promote understanding among locals and migrants (PR2).3.A Capacity Building programme (OER/PR3) for Mentor and Adult TCN trainers, and a Joint Staff Training (C1) for NGO volunteers, adult education staff, and organisation staff, aiming to help them to build capacity when dealing with migrants and especially for mentoring them and/or training them; and develop their competences to improve the effectiveness of adult education on migration.•Five Multiplier Events in all partner countries to promote the project and tis results•One Final Conference in Cyprus, to present the project, its outcomes, results, with the presence of the media•One Learning Activity for staff in France to maximise the impact of STAGE<< Results >>The social inclusion of migrants and adult learning are two important policies of the EU. The introduction of initiatives such as the STAGE project will address the problems that migrants face when entering a host country (but also for some that are already present) by examining their difficulties and challenges, their backgrounds and their stories. The expected outcomes during the project and on its completion, target four major groups:1.PEOPLE WITH A MIGRATION BACKGROUND (including TCNs, asylum seekers, refugees, and people under international protection, as well as their families – RESULTS:-Direct involvement of people with migration background in the methodology phase and the local activities (during STAGE)-Improved knowledge of social, political, cultural, financial and other topics in the local community and host country (upon completion / long-term)-Enhanced digital skills (during STAGE - through PR2)-Enhanced host-country language skills (through PR2, upon completion / long-term)-Increased interaction with locals (through PR2- upon completion / long-term)-Increased participation in social and political life of their local communities (through PR1 and PR2)-Increased access to information (through PR2 - upon completion / long-term)-Increased social inclusion (upon completion / long-term)-Increased participation in EU projects and project events (during STAGE)-Improve migrants’ positive image (upon completion / long-term)2.MENTORS AND ADULT TCN TRAINERS – RESULTS:-Increased knowledge about mentoring programmes (through PR3 - upon completion / long-term)-Direct involvement in mentorship activities (face-to-face and distance) (through PR2 and PR3)-Development of mentoring/coaching skills (through PR3 - upon completion / long-term)-Enhance their leadership skills (through PR3)-Enhance their cultural competence skills (through PR3) -Increased potentials for networking (upon completion / long-term) -Gain additional career experience (upon completion / long-term)-Gain new perspectives on migration (upon completion / long-term)-Increased confidence (upon completion / long-term)-Gain personal fulfilment (upon completion / long-term) -Established solutions to autonomous learning (through PR3)3.NGO VOLUNTEERS, ADULT EDUCATION STAFF, AND ORGANISATION STAFF – RESULTS:-Enhanced expertise in the field of migration, tailored to the host country’s needs (upon completion / long-term) -Increased knowledge of the legal environment (exact knowledge of laws, regulations, strategies and Action Plans existing in the host country for migrants) (through C1 - upon completion / long-term)-Increased knowledge of the country migration profile (migrant characteristics (education, background, skills, migration channels etc.) (through C1 - upon completion)-Increased knowledge of social integration and inclusion services (through C1)-Strengthened cultural and social skills and competences (upon completion / long-term) -Improved organisational skills (upon completion / long-term)4.GENERAL PUBLIC – RESULTS:-Increased understanding and improved tolerance towards migrants (through PR2 and dissemination activities - upon completion / long-term)-Strengthened sense of acceptance for migrants-Improved knowledge about migrant characteristics (education, background, skills, migration channels etc) (through PR2 - upon completion / long-term)