PAPYRUS multiplier event in Turku

Text: Ayu Pratiwi, RDI-assistant, PhD, Social Degree Programme

The PAPYRUS multiplier event was organized at Turku University of Applied Sciences on Friday 20 April 2018 under the heading "Integration and Language Learning through Physical Activities and Games Methods". The one-day workshop aimed to disseminate the intellectual output from the PAPYRUS project, which seeks to help facilitate integration of refugees and asylum seekers during the early stages of their integration process.

The seminar was organized together with Metropolia University of Applied Sciences  KEPELI project  and attracted more than 50 professionals, youth social workers and volunteers working in social services and immigrant integration programmes.

The workshop introduced a series of activities and exercises that could be utilized by youth social workers, volunteers and immigrant instructors to support refugees’ integration process in a fun and effective way. These exercises are meant to strengthen the refugees’ language skills and knowledge about oneself, as well as to improve their knowledge about the surrounding society and group-work skills.

During the event, we shared activity guidelines with functional, playful and personalized learning methods for helping the immigrant groups to build a safe and functional group. Attendees were encouraged to try and experience the methods first-hand, and they could also share their opinions and feedback regarding the activities toolkit.

The event also served as a means to facilitate network and information sharing across professionals in the field and to update the knowledge and methods regarding recent development of social work practices related to refugees and immigrant integration.

More information regarding the toolkit and exercises can be accessed at KEPELI website .