MigraCode is a European cooperation by various Non-Profit Organisations that promotes labour integration and social inclusion of refugees and migrants. By first supporting them with the development of advanced programming skills, the project then connects these groups to the labour market and therefore supports their long-term integration. The first pilot programme of “Coding Schools” has started this spring in Barcelona, Spain, and the aim is to expand these schools in other European Countries.

The project’s framework is build through transnational cooperation by the Open Cultural Center (OCC) from Spain and Greece, Social Hackers Academy from Greece (SHA) and AICA and IFOA from Italy. The funding of the project is mainly provided by the European Union.

While focussing on the establishment of the first Coding School and more to follow, MigraCode also puts high priority on the transfer of know how between the participating NGO’s. Via shared training activities and international meetings, the various partners meet regularly via video calls and occasionally via events hosted by one of the NGO’s.

MigraCode is a much-promising tool to create a new and comprehensive network for knowledge exchange, while also supporting refugees and migrants with their integration process by supporting them with acquiring programming skills. As a result, MigraCode contributes to achieving the EU-goals found in the ‘New Skills Agenda for Europe’, since the project supports the “upskilling of low-skilled and low-qualified persons”. When youth refugees and migrants in Europe develop sufficient skills via our project, they will be, as the EU stated, “equipped for good-quality jobs and can fulfil their potential as confident, active citizens”.