The Erasmus+ project Voices, in which SVEB is involved, promotes exchange among migrants. Through oral history, an archive of experiences is being created, designed to increase social participation and a sense of belonging.
Migration has shaped European history – yet the personal experiences of migrants often remain unseen. This is precisely where the international project VOICES (Voices of Immigrants creating Empathy & Social Cohesion) comes in.
The aim of the project is to encourage (young) migrants to reflect on and bring to light their own experiences and those of previous generations within the context of European migration history. The method of oral history is used for this purpose. The idea behind oral history is to let contemporary witnesses speak, thereby presenting their experiences and perspectives.
Engaging with migration movements
Learners thus recount their own migration stories and reflect on those of others. This brings the learners’ voices to the fore, which is intended to facilitate a more personal, cross-generational and multi-perspective engagement with migration movements in Switzerland and Europe. Ultimately, this approach aims to promote social participation and a sense of belonging among people with a migration background in Europe.
Archive, teaching materials and workshop concept
The interviews they conduct themselves are documented as written accounts, audio or video recordings and collected in a so-called ‘Counter Archive’. In addition, teaching materials and a workshop concept are being developed to enable course leaders, social workers and other stakeholders in the migration and education sectors to use oral history in educational programmes.
Didactic processing
SVEB is participating in the project by contributing Swiss perspectives on migration history and adapting the practical experiences for educational use. It also contributes to the dissemination of the results within the Swiss continuing education system and promotes dialogue between education, civil society, politics and academia.
VOICES thus strengthens political education, integration and social participation for people with a migration background – in Switzerland and across Europe.