Game-changing education for Europe’s migrant children

For many migrant children, starting school in a new country means more than just learning a new language. It is about navigating an unfamiliar education system, overcoming social barriers and finding a sense of belonging.

The KIDS4ALLL project concentrated on peer learning, digital tools and hands-on strategies to promote integration, rather than relying on traditional classroom methods. It brought together a consortium from eight EU and non-EU countries to trial this approach with diverse migrant groups, including Roma students in Hungary, refugees in Greek camps and second-generation students in Italy.

The initiative aligned with the European Commission's framework on lifelong learning, emphasising key competences such as literacy, multilingualism and digital skills. By structuring education around these competencies, the programme prepared students not only for academic success but also for active participation in society.

Confidence through connections

The project implemented a buddy system that paired migrant students with local peers. The goal was to create a reciprocal learning environment, where both students benefited. This approach ensured that learning was not just about absorbing information, but about meaningful exchange.

"The peer-to-peer model proved highly effective in building confidence and motivation among students," says project coordinator Roberta Ricucci from the University of Turin in Italy.

One of KIDS4ALLL's standout features was its interactive learning platform, designed to support both students and educators in all educational settings: formal, non-formal and informal. Yet early feedback revealed a surprising challenge: many teachers and staff working in the field lacked confidence in using such digital tools.

"We expected digital learning to be intuitive, but many educators needed additional training," adds Ricucci. To bridge this gap, the project introduced specialised training modules, ensuring that all the educational personnel could effectively integrate technology into their lessons at school, into leisure activities in free-time settings, and as homework support.

The platform went beyond static lesson plans, allowing students to co-create learning materials. This transformed students from passive recipients of information into active contributors. This participatory approach proved particularly useful for multilingual classrooms, where students could tailor content to their own linguistic and cultural backgrounds. The project also compiled a repository of best practices from its pilot phase, providing a valuable resource for future educational initiatives.

Navigating the unexpected

Launched during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, KIDS4ALLL faced significant logistical hurdles, especially in the formal educational environment. Many schools were already overwhelmed with remote-learning transitions, making additional project implementation difficult. Despite these setbacks, the initiative successfully completed a 9-month pilot phase.

One major achievement was integrating peer-learning strategies into diverse educational settings while ensuring the project's multilingual, cross-disciplinary learning platform remained accessible. "The flexibility of the project partners and their ability to respond to emerging needs were crucial in ensuring the success of KIDS4ALLL," remarks Ricucci. By adjusting to shifting circumstances, the project maintained momentum even in challenging conditions.

Looking ahead

With its pilot complete, KIDS4ALLL shifted its focus to long-term impact. To encourage adoption of the tools by educational bodies, the team presented their work in conferences devoted to teachers and school principals. With the project's learning resources and methodologies freely available, these tools have been shared widely, and in the past year, schools and associations outside the consortium have started to use them.

And the model's potential extended beyond school-aged children. Research from KIDS4ALLL highlighted gaps in adult education, particularly for migrant learners whose prior knowledge and skills often went unrecognised. "One of the key lessons was the need for better competence recognition frameworks, particularly for adult migrant learners," Ricucci notes.

Addressing this issue could help improve employment prospects and social integration for adult migrants, a crucial step towards broader educational equity.

As the conversation around inclusive education evolves, KIDS4ALLL offers a practical, evidence-based model that could inform future policies. Thanks to a blend of digital tools, collaborative learning and tailored teacher support, the project could help shape an education system that works for all students, regardless of their culture and background.