Facilitators Guide_Diversity Circles_EN

4 The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. Project Overview In a 2016 report, created by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), women migrants were identified as the most overqualified and the most underemployed group in Europe. 1 This disadvantaged position goes beyond simple labour participation; the lack of economic independence limits the opportunities for migrant women, for socio-cultural integration within the local society. Effective integration is located at the intersection of social participation and employment opportunities. For this reason, it is important to support migrant women in finding meaningful and useful employment. The SMART Volunteering project aims to bridge this existing gap between labour and social integration through innovative training methodologies by increasing socio- economic participation of migrant women and supporting them in finding useful volunteering opportunities. Through volunteering, they can gain meaningful working experience on the local labour market, while also increasing their socio-cultural participation and network within the local community. 1 https://eige.europa.eu/rdc/eige-publications/poverty-gender-and-intersecting-inequalities-in-the-eu