Periodic Reporting for period 2 - Global-ANSWER (Global social work and human mobility: comparative studies on local government and good social work practices in the euro-mediterranean region)
Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31
The reception, socioeconomic and socio-cultural inclusion of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are key issues for contemporary Europe, particularly in the Euro-Mediterranean region, where the magnitude of the flow of new arrivals has raised great concerns in relation to human rights. Social work professionals and other social professions are on the front line of this challenge, playing a key role in local government responses and professional practices of non-governmental organizations in the reception and inclusion of newcomers and the defense of human rights and, with them, the construction of the European project.
This project main objective is to consolidate an international and inter-sectorial network of comparative and collaborative research and training on the identification, analysis and dissemination of good practices in the field of social work and human mobility in the European countries involved in the project, including universities, local town halls and third sector organizations. The participants of this project have exchanged skills and knowledge which have allowed them to progress towards key advances in the identification, transfer and promotion of good practices on local government and social work interventions with migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and other groups in conditions of vulnerability as a result of human mobility (non-accompanied children and youth, the elderly, victims of human trafficking, the disabled, transnational families, victims of ethnic, religious and sexual orientation discrimination, etc).
This general purpose is embodied in the following specific objectives:
1. Carry out comparative studies on social policies at the local level, service provision models, programme and project management models, and initiatives developed by public institutions and non-governmental organisations in the field of social work and social intervention with migrants, in order to facilitate mutual transfer and public dissemination of good practices.
2. To generate new knowledge based on an innovative collaborative action-research approach, focused on the identification and transfer of good practices in the field of social work and social intervention with migrants, developed by both public institutions and non-governmental organizations, in different phases of the migration process, including both the reception of new arrivals and professional intervention aimed at facilitating the socio-economic and socio-cultural inclusion.
3. Propose and transfer a model of social innovation for the practice of social work, the provision of social services and social intervention with migrants, based on collaborative multidisciplinary social research in the field of global mobility.
4. Consolidate the Global-ANSWER network through new joint research proposals, in both national and international calls.
5. Contribute to the objectives and strategies of the European Union (EU) aimed at promoting inclusive societies, solidly based on values of solidarity, non-discrimination, social justice, human dignity, democracy, equality and human rights, as values of the EU in line with the principles and values of Social Work as an academic discipline and profession.
This project main objective is to consolidate an international and inter-sectorial network of comparative and collaborative research and training on the identification, analysis and dissemination of good practices in the field of social work and human mobility in the European countries involved in the project, including universities, local town halls and third sector organizations. The participants of this project have exchanged skills and knowledge which have allowed them to progress towards key advances in the identification, transfer and promotion of good practices on local government and social work interventions with migrants, refugees, asylum seekers and other groups in conditions of vulnerability as a result of human mobility (non-accompanied children and youth, the elderly, victims of human trafficking, the disabled, transnational families, victims of ethnic, religious and sexual orientation discrimination, etc).
This general purpose is embodied in the following specific objectives:
1. Carry out comparative studies on social policies at the local level, service provision models, programme and project management models, and initiatives developed by public institutions and non-governmental organisations in the field of social work and social intervention with migrants, in order to facilitate mutual transfer and public dissemination of good practices.
2. To generate new knowledge based on an innovative collaborative action-research approach, focused on the identification and transfer of good practices in the field of social work and social intervention with migrants, developed by both public institutions and non-governmental organizations, in different phases of the migration process, including both the reception of new arrivals and professional intervention aimed at facilitating the socio-economic and socio-cultural inclusion.
3. Propose and transfer a model of social innovation for the practice of social work, the provision of social services and social intervention with migrants, based on collaborative multidisciplinary social research in the field of global mobility.
4. Consolidate the Global-ANSWER network through new joint research proposals, in both national and international calls.
5. Contribute to the objectives and strategies of the European Union (EU) aimed at promoting inclusive societies, solidly based on values of solidarity, non-discrimination, social justice, human dignity, democracy, equality and human rights, as values of the EU in line with the principles and values of Social Work as an academic discipline and profession.
The Global-ANSWER Project started in March 2020, was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic and reactivated in January 2021. Since then, important work has been carried out and is distributed in the following different work packages. In the second phase of the Global-ANSWER Projec, case studies HAVE carried out to allow an open observation of the components of the definition of good practices on the ground. In addition, the Global-ANSWER social innovation model has been proposed and all the planned tasks have been completed, which are:
WP2: Coordination and management. The first objective of the work package is to coordinate the implementation of activities within the network.
The tasks foreseen in the period covered by the second biennium have been:
1. T2.3: Annual coordination and reporting meeting. An annual coordination meeting has been held in Palermo (47), in Granada (59) and the final meeting in Florence (69).
WP4: Research data gathering: Multi-site Case Studies.
1. T4.1: Case Study 1: Local government and good social work practices with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in the Municipality of Palermo.
2. T4.2. Case Study 2: Local government and good social work practices with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in the Municipality of Granada.
3. T4.3: Case Study 3: Social work practices with unaccompanied minors in Italy.
4. T4.4: Case Study 4: The Southern Frontier in Andalusia.
5. T4.5: Case Study 5: Trafficking in women in Andalusia.
6. T4.6: Case Study 6 and 7: Social work practices with refugees in Spain and Germany.
7. T4.7: Case Study 8 and 9: Regional reception system for migrants in Tuscany and Andalusia.
WP5: Research data and analysis and synthesis: building the Global-ANSWER’s social innovation model.
1. T5.1: Qualitative and quantitative data analysis of case studies
2. T5.2: Proposal of the Global-ANSWER social innovation model
3. T5.3: Global-ANSWER joint proposal to national and international research calls
WP6: Research dissemination of good practices on social work and human mobility.
1. T6.1: International Global-ANSWER Research Forum (UGR)
2. T6.2: International Research Panel “social Work and Human Mobility” (UGR)
3. T6.3: Publication of scientific papers in leading national and international journals on social work and human mobility (UGR and UNIPA)
4. T6.4: Policy briefs on local governance of human mobility (UGR and UNIPA)
5. T6.5: Research training workshops and seminars for social work students, at graduate and postgraduate levels (UGR and COMILLAS)
WP2: Coordination and management. The first objective of the work package is to coordinate the implementation of activities within the network.
The tasks foreseen in the period covered by the second biennium have been:
1. T2.3: Annual coordination and reporting meeting. An annual coordination meeting has been held in Palermo (47), in Granada (59) and the final meeting in Florence (69).
WP4: Research data gathering: Multi-site Case Studies.
1. T4.1: Case Study 1: Local government and good social work practices with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in the Municipality of Palermo.
2. T4.2. Case Study 2: Local government and good social work practices with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in the Municipality of Granada.
3. T4.3: Case Study 3: Social work practices with unaccompanied minors in Italy.
4. T4.4: Case Study 4: The Southern Frontier in Andalusia.
5. T4.5: Case Study 5: Trafficking in women in Andalusia.
6. T4.6: Case Study 6 and 7: Social work practices with refugees in Spain and Germany.
7. T4.7: Case Study 8 and 9: Regional reception system for migrants in Tuscany and Andalusia.
WP5: Research data and analysis and synthesis: building the Global-ANSWER’s social innovation model.
1. T5.1: Qualitative and quantitative data analysis of case studies
2. T5.2: Proposal of the Global-ANSWER social innovation model
3. T5.3: Global-ANSWER joint proposal to national and international research calls
WP6: Research dissemination of good practices on social work and human mobility.
1. T6.1: International Global-ANSWER Research Forum (UGR)
2. T6.2: International Research Panel “social Work and Human Mobility” (UGR)
3. T6.3: Publication of scientific papers in leading national and international journals on social work and human mobility (UGR and UNIPA)
4. T6.4: Policy briefs on local governance of human mobility (UGR and UNIPA)
5. T6.5: Research training workshops and seminars for social work students, at graduate and postgraduate levels (UGR and COMILLAS)
The project confirms that the impact objectives in DoA 2.1 remain valid, with an expanded scope. While the initial phase focused on internal capacity-building and staff training, the final phase emphasized the institutionalization of knowledge and policy influence. Skills in digitalization, leadership and critical thinking led to the creation of the Social Innovation Model, proving that investment in human capital drives innovation. The project also highlighted inclusive digitalization as essential to preventing new exclusion gaps among migrants.
A strong gender and intersectional perspective was maintained, promoting female leadership and integrating cultural and administrative diversity into the Innovation Model and policy recommendations.
Impact exceeded expectations. Staff evolved from learning methodologies to leading collaborative research-action processes, strengthening research capacity and cross-sectoral expertise in human mobility. Public administrations and third-sector organizations adopted co-production methods, while a stable European research alliance was consolidated. The project enhanced employability, specialization in migration governance, and long-term collaboration through thematic clusters and new consortia.
The Social Innovation Model stands as a scalable, multilevel governance framework for other regions. Socially, the project humanized reception systems and empowered migrants as active partners. Economically, it improved efficiency and sustainability by identifying governance gaps and fostering public-private collaboration to maximize social return on investment.
A strong gender and intersectional perspective was maintained, promoting female leadership and integrating cultural and administrative diversity into the Innovation Model and policy recommendations.
Impact exceeded expectations. Staff evolved from learning methodologies to leading collaborative research-action processes, strengthening research capacity and cross-sectoral expertise in human mobility. Public administrations and third-sector organizations adopted co-production methods, while a stable European research alliance was consolidated. The project enhanced employability, specialization in migration governance, and long-term collaboration through thematic clusters and new consortia.
The Social Innovation Model stands as a scalable, multilevel governance framework for other regions. Socially, the project humanized reception systems and empowered migrants as active partners. Economically, it improved efficiency and sustainability by identifying governance gaps and fostering public-private collaboration to maximize social return on investment.