ADVOC-ACT

Enabling newcomer citizens of Europe for direct participation

ADVOC-ACT is a project with the objective of enhancing good practices and new educational approaches for adult migrant & refugee inclusion.

With personal experience in situations of displacement, refugees and migrants are best placed to offer practical and sustainable solutions to gaps in services and assistance as well as policy formation. The aim of ADVOC-ACT is to strengthen migrants' and refugees’ competencies to deliver self-advocacy, become agents of change, and play a catalyst role in their communities.

Moreover, it aims to create inclusive, online and offline, spaces for new narratives in migration debates on national and EU levels, and provide the opportunity to come together and collaborate on the areas of shared concern.

This project is especially aimed at activists and leaders with refugee, asylum seeker, migrant and stateless backgrounds and members of refugee, migrant and diaspora-led organizations across Europe.

Phase one - Imago Labs

The first part of this project is a series of online trainings called "Imago Labs". The training program defines a capacity-building path for 25 people from migrants and refugee backgrounds, structured to discuss and shape a common understanding of key issues that could increase trainees’ potential for active participation in democratic and policy processes.

Each online training consists of a theoretical introduction, followed by a keynote speaker and ending with work in groups through interactive tools that facilitate the exchange among participants.

The four online sessions are organized around the following focus topic:

Narratives on migration
Inclusion, Intersectionality and gender equality
Advocacy and Leadership
Meaningful participation in policy processes

Phase two - exchange lab

Based on the participation in the virtual Imago Labs, and on their leading and activist role in different European migrant-led organizations, some of the participants of phase one are selected to be part of the second phase of the project: a series of in-person trainings called “Exchange Labs”.

The Exchange Labs consist of 2 separate training events in Italy and the Netherlands to share and exchange best practices and innovative educational approaches for migrant and refugee inclusion. These trainings also give the opportunity to jointly develop tools and solutions for self-advocacy of migrants and refugees in their host societies and on a European level.

The Exchange Labs focus on 2 main elements: Advocacy and Leadership.

Phase three - an exposure visit to brussels

In order to put into practice the capacity building and gained competencies, and to tap the huge potential of migrants and refugees to act as self-advocates and agents of change, ADVOC-ACT ends with an Exposure Visit to Brussels.

A group of 6-8 candidates who joined the Exchange Labs and showed significant potential in leadership and advocacy skills are selected to join a visit to Brussels, allowing them to observe and experience the practical reality of policymaking at a European level.The time in Brussel includes a visit to the departments of the European Commission and multi-stakeholders.

The Exposure Visit to Brussels aims to ensure the visibility of migrant and refugee advocates in the European bubble, and allow members of the community to have an effective and sustained voice in policy making.

Are you interested in this project or have questions about it? Please reach out to our Managing Director Anila Noor, or to our Communication Officer Julz Natri. - make the names clickable for sending out email (or just write the email address

ADVOC-ACT is a project led by New Women Connectors in the Netherlands, and Unire in Italy. It is funded by the European Union, and running during 2022.