EMCC Global Position Paper on EU Action Plan for Integration & Inclusion

The EU’s Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion 2021-2027 (EU Action Plan) aims to give equal opportunities to all to enjoy their rights and participate in community and social life, regardless of their background and in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights. EMCC Global welcomes the EU Action Plan and believes its mentoring and coaching programmes have an important role to play in assisting the complementing measures related to 'education and training (i) and 'employment and skills' (ii) in order to build more cohesive and inclusive societies.

EMCC Global is a significant professional body for coaching, mentoring, and supervision. EMCC Global is valued for its evidence-based approach at both EU and global level and its proved efficacy in trailblazing diversity and inclusion, as well as setting the standard for ethics across the industry. These two core differentiators make EMCC Global a reliable partner for the European Commission and EU Member States in the field of integration and inclusion.

EMCC Global aims to go beyond the EU Action Plan by not merely focusing on the integration and inclusion of newcomers but also on embracing and respecting the uniqueness of individuals already settled in EU Member States.

The Action Plan mentions that education and training, from childhood to adult, and non-formal education is the foundation for successful participation in society and inclusive societies. EMCC Global believes that culture change is a prerequisite for integration and inclusion. The concept of culture change transcends pure knowledge about inclusion as it rather focuses on making people more inclusive in the way they act.

EMCC accredited mentoring, coaching, and supervision programmes are essential instruments in bringing about this culture change. The EMCC accredited mentoring programme is an example where EMCC Global shows its added value in creating more inclusive societies globally by helping people overcoming challenges and access growth opportunities. The Mowgli mentoring programme goes beyond training and coaching by enabling mentees to find their own solutions and achieve their goals, stimulating culture change through enhanced motivation, confidence, mindset, and behaviours. Culture change through mentoring and coaching can thus be a strong reinforcement of the Commission’s focus on education and training in supporting newcomers and established citizens becoming part of an inclusive society.

To facilitate integration and inclusion via education and training, and employment and skills, the Commission announced it will inter alia improve the recognition of qualifications and the validation of skills through increased co-operation and information exchange via national authorities. Moreover, the Commission will empower host communities by promoting mentoring programmes to support newly arrived migrants. The proved efficacy and evidence-based approach of the EMCC accredited mentoring, coaching, and supervision programmes is the appropriate methodology to underpin the work of the Commission when it comes to the recognition of qualifications and the validation of skills.

Considering the essential role of culture change for inclusion, EMCC Global encourages the Commission to use the EMCC Global’s accreditation as a way to ensure the quality of mentoring and coaching programmes by making them subject to EMCC Global’s evidence-based approach.

The Commission mentions that its work on integration and inclusion is underpinned by a shared set of values which includes the ‘inclusion for all’ principle. The Action Plan promotes an integrated approach to inclusion and aims to create synergies with other EU strategies to mainstream the needs of a diverse society but also to foster equality and social cohesion to ensure everyone is fully included in European societies.

The (D&I declaration) provides a high-level framework which seeks to empower coaches, mentors, and supervisors to incorporate diversity and inclusion in their everyday practice. According to EMCC Global, diversity means 'recognising all differences (ethnicity, gender, age, etc.) that may be perceived to differentiate us from one another'. Where some of these differences are permanent some may change and shift over time. Inclusion means 'putting the concept and practice of diversity into action for individuals, teams and work groups, organisations, and institutions'. Moreover, EMCC Global’s EMPOWER model details the several commitments EMCC Global made to promote diversity and inclusion in mentoring, coaching, and supervision whilst ensuring the D&I Declaration is engaged with actively and always stays work in progress.

EMCC Global believes that its D&I Declaration can serve as a best practice to promote diversity and inclusion in the EU. The philosophy reflected in the D&I Declaration should be incorporated into mentoring and buddy programmes throughout the EU but could also set the standards for an inclusive approach to the complementing measures related to 'education and training' as mentioned in the EU Action Plan.

The EU Action Plan underlines that integration and inclusion should take place at local level, being most effective via partnerships, networks, and support to local and regional authorities. In welcoming and guiding newcomers, the EU Action Plan promotes mentoring and buddy programs between local communities and newly arrived migrants. Educational institutions, employers and civil society organisations have a role to play here, and EMCC Global believes that it can, through the harmonized approach of its D&I Declaration and accredited programs, serve as an ambassador in EU wide inclusive mentoring and coaching practices.

In practice, EMCC Global contributes to the implementation of this Action Plan at local level by ensuring that local EMCCs in different EU Member States, who all exist to promote to the overarching EMCC philosophy in the field of accreditation and diversity & inclusion, facilitate the inclusion of newcomers and established citizens in society through local access to inclusive mentoring and coaching. Thus, as EMCC Global endeavours to engage with stakeholders, clients, communities of practice, colleagues, and supervisors in upholding its D&I Declaration and the its philosophy can truly feed into practices in the local context thereby contributing to a more inclusive society.