One-Stop Mobility Shops (closed project)

Two years after the European Year of Workers’ Mobility, ECAS and 4 partners undertook to test a new instrument for facilitating mobility, which was one-stop shop. The project operated in 4 regions of the Union. It started in April 2008 and finished in May 2009.

One-Stop Mobility Shops project consisted of the following actions:

1. Grass-roots level operations in:

• London, run by Barka UK in partnership with the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham: http://www.barkauk.org/  

• Paris, led by Association Charonne in partnership with the Department of Social and Sanitary Affairs of the French Ministry of Health: http://www.charonne.asso.fr/

• Poznań, run by Barka Foundation for Mutual Help: http://www.barka.org.pl/index_eng.htm

• Dungannon, led by South Tyrone Empowerment Programme (S.T.E.P.) in partnership with Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council: http://www.stepni.org/

Grass-roots level operations targeted migrant workers in the four regions of the European Union. Assistance provided ranged from solving immediate crises through help in finding employment and housing to facilitating integration in the local community. One-stop shops operated following the “ABC” framework of Assistance, Building Bridges and Cooperation.

The project finished on 31 May 2009, but the services continue to run and can be used by migrants for free. Please note, the services are open to all migrant workers living in the area. If you don’t live in the area, Citizens Signpost Service might help you.

London
Broadway Day Centre
address: Broadway 14 Market Lane (Off Goldhawk Road) W12 8EZ
tel: +44 207 275 77 68
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Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough
Migrant Support Centre
address: Unit T7, Dugannon Business Park, 2 Coalisland Road, Dugannon BT 71 6JT
tel: +44 28 87 72 90 02
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City of Poznań
Fundacja Barka
address: ul. św. Wincentego 6/9, 61-003 Poznań
tel: +48 61 66 82 300
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City of Paris
Association Charonne
address: 104/106, Rue Oberkampf, 75011 Paris
tel: +33 671 55 20 95
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2. Steering Group meetings
Steering Group established the strategy of the European network, ensured the overall coordination and reviewed progress in implementation of all the activities undertaken within the framework of the project. It also provided a forum for exchange of contacts, information, good practice and innovative approaches. Steering Group analysed the changing European and national context of migration, mobilized external support and investigated possible ways of continuing the European cooperation ensuring sustainability of the one-stop shops.

3. Conferences, Evening Debate and Citizens’ Group
International conferences constituted an important part of the project. Each of the partners organized a high-level event attended by politicians, academics, ngos and representatives of local authorities. The conferences took place in Armagh, Paris, London, Warsaw and Brussels.

Evening Debate on 11th May and conference on 12th May, both held in Brussels, closed the project. Citizens’ Group was an important part of the May conference. It involved migrants sharing their experience of exercising the right to free movement. Migrants talked about difficulties encountered and also presented recommendations on the intra-EU migration.

For more information see conference reports and detailed description of the project:

Detailed description of the project (download here )

Report: Integration - a Process, Not a Problem.
Armagh, 29-30 October 2008 (download here )

Report: Migration in the European Union, Focus on Vulnerability and Health.
Paris, 28 November 2008 (download here )

Report: Safety Net for the Vulnerable Migrants - Who Will Provide It?
Warsaw, 16 February 2009 (download here )

This project was supported by the European Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity (2007-2013) managed by the Directorate General for Employment, social affairs and equal opportunities of the European Commission. This programme was established to financially support the implementation of the objectives of the European Union in the employment and social affairs area, as set out in the Social Agenda, and thereby contributes to the achievement of the Lisbon Strategy goals in these fields.

The seven-year Programme targets all stakeholders who can help shape the development of appropriate and effective employment and social legislation and policies, across the EU-27, EFTA-EEA and EU candidate and pre-candidate countries.

PROGRESS mission is to strengthen the EU contribution in support of Member States' commitments and efforts to create more and better jobs and to build a more cohesive society. To that effect, PROGRESS will be instrumental in:

• providing analysis and policy advice on PROGRESS policy areas;
• monitoring and reporting on the implementation of EU legislation and policies in PROGRESS policy areas;
• promoting policy transfer, learning and support among Member States on EU objectives and priorities; and
• relaying the views of the stakeholders and society at large  

For more information see:
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=327&langId=en

ECAS is supported by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) of the European Commission.