Mentorship in a school: a co-creation program to give voice to migrant children

In the context of a European Union-funded project, a mentorship program was developed and implemented within a Portuguese school serving as the initial destination for newly arrived migrant children. This initiative arose from a gap in interventions aimed at promoting integration and inclusion of migrant children in this educational context. The program was designed, following the participatory action research and co-creation approaches, guided by three primary objectives: amplifying the voices of migrant children and youth, empowering their agency and active citizenship, and facilitating their integration in the school. Recognising that integration is a two-way process, the program engaged established students as mentors and peers of newly arrived migrant children. Over an academic year, collaborative activities were created and implemented in the school in partnership with participating students. These activities aimed to promote integration, foster a pro-diversity environment, and ensure sustainability. The program’s evaluation included a questionnaire and a focus group involving participating children and teachers responsible for the activities. Findings highlighted the cultivation of values like tolerance, respect, and empathy, with effects extending beyond the school. Moreover, results revealed heightened teacher awareness of the unique needs of migrant children and the importance of incorporating their voices into school activities. The results of this participatory action research study provide useful contributions for other contexts with migrant and refugee young people, to raise awareness to their needs and to give voice and empowerment to their agency. Ultimately, this study provides empirical findings for the design of more inclusive policies and contributes with strategies to build pro-diversity and multicultural contexts.