VIM at a glance
VIM stands for Vitality Interventions for Migrants and is a project co-funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ programme. VIM builds on the experience gained in “Health Box”, a very successful LLP-funded project (www.healthbox.eu). Health Box developed micro-learning units on crucial healthy-lifestyle topics that were integrated in other training contexts (e.g. labour market training). This approach shall now be transferred to the target group of refugees and migrants.
Staying in good health, adopting healthy life styles and being informed about the health system of the host country as well as having confidence to make use of it are pre-requisites of successful integration of refugees and newly arrived migrants.
However, there is a lack of consideration in the existing integration programmes of the specific challenges migrants are facing with regard to health issues. In order to fill this gap, a toolbox with small, ready-to-use health education units will be developed by VIM, which will help educators to support migrants to stay in good health, adopt healthy life styles and be informed about the health system of the host country as well as build confidence to make full use of it.
What VIM wants to achieve
VIM wants to promote and improve the health among migrants by improving the level of information on health related topics and the health system of the host country. To this end, the project will develop, pilot and disseminate ready-made, easy- to use micro-learning and information units which educators working with the target group in integration courses, language learning courses, labour market trainings and social and educational activities other subjects can easily integrate into their teaching. Special focus will be placed on family healthcare and on the gender dimension.
First steps
On 11./12. December 2017 the VIM project was officially inaugurated and partners met in Göttingen, Germany, for the kick-off meeting. The main purpose of the meeting was to get to know to each other and to plan in detail the first project activities. The partners discussed in detail the approach of the stocktaking and needs analysis phase and brainstormed possible topics for the micro-learning units that will be developed. Apart from healthy lifestyle related topics also topics such as home sickness, depression, intercultural reflection about body and health as well as trustbuilding in the healthcare system of the host country were listed. Currently the long list of possible topics is being clustered and will be further consolidated by means of expert interviews in the partner countries.
VIM Website launch
VIM launched its website where you will be updated on current and forthcoming activities and publications.
Stay tuned to learn more about our future activities and their outcomes!
