EU co-funded project Taalbubbels+ integrates migrant mothers in Belgium

“I am learning Dutch thanks to the tips from my children and the integration program in Belgium”, says Fatima, a migrant mother who faced the challenge of adapting to a new country and language. Fatima and her child live in Antwerp, where social orientation courses are a cornerstone of the integration program, which is compulsory for non-EU citizens in Flanders. Fatima is now integrated in her new city thanks to the EU-funded Taalbubbels + project, which is part of Atlas, a civic integration program in Antwerp. Taalbubbels+ helped integrate mothers with young children in Flanders by offering language courses and guidance on childcare and parenting.

Tackling language barriers for single mothers

Taalbubbels+ worked with small groups of low-literate mothers with children under three years old. The mothers simultaneously learned Dutch while receiving information and counselling on children’s care and upbringing. Between 2015 and 2020, the project reached 126 mothers and their children through 12 study groups. The feedback from mothers who participated in the program was generally positive. Many highlighted that it expanded their social network and interactions with other women and improved their self-confidence, especially in speaking Dutch.

After the project finished, participants of Taalbubbels+ continued to learn Dutch, participate in leisure activities, seek employment, and perform voluntary work in the community. The project’s approach has since 2021 been anchored in the regular operation of partner organisations and became a blueprint for other cooperation-based projects in Antwerp.

Taalbubbels+ is a part of the Atlas Dutch-language training centre. It was co-funded by the EU Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund 2014-2020 and received a total of EUR 350 442. 

The successful integration of these mothers and their children in Antwerp has improved their individual lives and strengthened community bonds. This project serves as a reminder that migrant integration is key to promoting social inclusion and good relations across groups, contributing to more inclusive societies.