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Migration is a defining feature of the 21st century, shaping the demographic and cultural landscapes of countries worldwide. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), there were approximately 281 million international migrants globally in 2020 and a crucial challenge to support the social inclusion concern the effort to enabling every citizen, notably the most disadvantaged, to fully participate in society, including having a job.
According to the EU (European Commission), in concrete terms that means to promote:
adequate income support allowing a life in dignity at all stages of life;
inclusive labour markets by making it easier for people to join the workforce, tackling in-work poverty, avoiding poverty traps and disincentives to work;
access to quality services, including social inclusion services - helping people participate actively in society, including getting back to work.
Referring in particular to the second and the third point, International Organizations emphasize the importance of intercultural education as a key element to promote inclusive and democratic labour markets and highlight how an intercultural approach improves training for migrant adults by fostering inclusion, overcoming cultural barriers, and providing essential skills to develop transversal competences spendable in the world of work (UNESCO, 2013; 2014).
In line with these principles, in order to effectively integrate migrant adults into host societies, educational and vocational training programs ever more embrace an intercultural approach. Such an approach fosters mutual understanding, promotes social cohesion, and helps migrants acquire essential skills for active participation in the social communities. Also, the intercultural approach is crucial to promote inclusion by acknowledging and valuing the cultural diversity that migrant adults bring to the learning environment. Rather than treating cultural differences as obstacles, intercultural education recognizes them as assets that enrich the collective learning experience. This is particularly crucial in adult education, where learners come from diverse cultural, linguistic, and educational backgrounds and helps migrant adults feel more comfortable and accepted, reducing the sense of alienation that can arise in unfamiliar learning environments. By creating an inclusive space where all learners feel valued, intercultural training programs contribute to better learning outcomes and higher rates of engagement among migrant adults. At the same time, an intercultural approach helps both migrants and host community members navigate these challenges by encouraging mutual understanding and intercultural exchange.
The EU's Integration Action Plan for Migrants (2020) also emphasizes the importance of education in overcoming cultural barriers and fostering intercultural competence. Training in intercultural communication helps migrants navigate workplace interactions, while cultural sensitivity training benefits native workers and employers by enhancing their understanding of migrant perspectives. In this sense, intercultural training serves as a two-way process: it not only equips migrants with the tools to adapt to a new cultural environment but also helps the host society become more welcoming and open to diversity. By bridging cultural divides, such training would reduce the likelihood of social exclusion, discrimination, and xenophobia, which can often emerge when cultural differences are poorly understood.
An intercultural approach to training goes beyond promoting inclusion and breaking down barriers; it also equips migrant adults with the skills necessary to face both local and global challenges.
In line with this intercultural perspective, the activities of the Priscila Project are purposefully designed to develop an inclusive adult learning environment that facilitates meaningful dialogue between cultures, not just by recognizing and respecting differences but by actively engaging with them. By doing so, the intercultural approach provides migrant adults with the tools needed for personal and professional growth.