The program will feature secondary school students with migrant backgrounds who will be recruited based on criteria related to their profile (preference will be given to pupils with school absences and/or high risk of dropout, students with fewer opportunities, those facing multiple forms of discrimination, etc.) and trained HEI students of pedagogy/education/language/literature departments.

Mentors (trained HEI students) and mentees (secondary education pupils) will be pre-matched in each partner country during an initial face-to-face or online group session organized by partners in each partner country to carry out ice braking activities ang familiarize with each other. Partners will then determine the final matches according to culturally sensitive matching criteria which will lead to having each HEI student with 1 or 2 pupils.

During the first official meeting, mentees’ goals, needs and expectations will be expressed in a cooperative manner, as well as decisions regarding frequency of the meetings and establishment of a personalized programme. This initial phase will put a particular effort to involve mentees’ family members as much as possible.

The Language Buddy sessions will be coordinated with partners and associated partners and will take place online or face- to-face depending on the mentees’ needs, for a duration of 4 to 6 months.  

The objectives of the pilot program will be to:

• Build the skills of Higher Education students of pedagogy/education/language/literature departments on innovative learning methodologies, intercultural pedagogy and language development 
• Enhance access of young people with a migrant background (12 to 17 years old) to non-formal/informal language learning opportunities (supporting the work done by schools) 
• Enhance cooperation between Higher Education Institutions, migrant-led organisations, schools, NGOs, local/ regional education authorities for the support of young migrants’ language learning