Across Europe, digital transformation is reshaping how citizens access public services — from healthcare and job searches to housing, education, and legal procedures. While this shift offers efficiency and convenience, it also creates new barriers for people who are not yet fluent in the local language or lack the digital skills to navigate online systems.
Among those most affected are adult migrants.
Without targeted support, many newcomers find themselves excluded not only from the digital world but also from the basic rights and services they’re entitled to. This challenge is not just technical or linguistic — it’s social. It affects belonging, participation, and integration.
The eMATES project was launched to address this gap head-on.
What Is eMATES?
eMATES (Empowering Adult Migrants through Language Training and Digital Civic Education) is a two-year project funded by the Erasmus+ programme. Its goal is to help adult migrants gain the language skills and digital confidence they need to access public services and fully participate in civic life.
The project brings together partners from Spain, Germany, Greece, Italy, and Poland, combining expertise in second language (L2) education, digital inclusion, and social integration.
A Practical Approach to Inclusion
What makes eMATES different is its focus on real-life tasks.
Instead of treating language learning and digital training as two separate tracks, the project brings them together in one integrated approach. This means helping learners develop the skills to:
- Fill out online government forms
- Make appointments through e-health platforms
- Understand official communications
- Communicate effectively with institutions
- Access employment and social services
This method is more than practical — it’s empowering. It equips learners not only to understand but to act.
What We’re Building
The eMATES project will deliver:
- A teaching manual that helps language educators integrate digital civic education into their lessons.
- Training modules for organisations and teachers who work with migrant adults.
- An interactive language lab simulating e-government platforms and real-life digital scenarios.
- An open-access repository of resources in multiple languages.
All materials will be free to use and tailored to the realities of learners and educators alike.
Looking Ahead
eMATES is not just a training project — it’s a step toward a more inclusive, accessible digital Europe. By supporting adult migrants in learning the language of their new home in the context of real participation, we are helping remove the invisible barriers that hold people back.
Over the coming months, we’ll share news, tools, and results from across the project — as well as contributions from our partners and the communities they serve.
This is our starting point.
The work begins now.
The team working behind the project in Reus.
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