On May 09, 2023, the It Takes A Community (ITAC) campaign held a live chat with Mr Gary Slaiman, Ms Marina Brizar and Ms Victoria Zagitova.
The live chat brought together representatives from the GFMD Business Mechanism and Youth sectors to explore innovative ways of reshaping the narrative around migration. Gary Slaiman emphasized the transformative power of migrants entering the workplace to challenge negative perceptions. He underscored the role of the private sector in influencing peers, promoting economic growth, and altering narratives. Marina Brizar shed light on talent mobility, emphasizing the need to shift from viewing migrants as beneficiaries to recognizing their potential as contributors. She highlighted the significance of terminology, storytelling, and resource allocation for capacity building. Victoria S. Zagitova focused on engaging youth in migration policy decisions and combating stigma, while stressing the importance of universal values in sustaining positive communication. The chat generated insightful discussions on combating misinformation in job searches, ensuring sustainable collaborative efforts, and crafting key campaign messages to support migrants within the "It Takes A Community" framework. Overall, the conversation highlighted the essential role of workplaces, communication, and collaboration in fostering a more inclusive and empathetic perspective on migration.
Background
The live chat revolved around the pivotal role of workplace integration, the power of storytelling, and the importance of collaboration in building a more inclusive and empathetic perspective on migration. This report presents the key insights shared by Gary Slaiman, Marina Brizar, and Victoria S. Zagitova during the discussion, shedding light on their viewpoints and the pressing questions raised.
Gary Slaiman emphasized the transformative potential of migrants entering the workforce as a means to reshape negative narratives. He underscored government involvement and the significance of meaningful participation and diverse voices. He stressed upon the influential role of workplaces in shaping narratives and societal perceptions. His insights emphasized the ripple effects of workplace integration on peers, economic development, and community interconnectedness.
Marina Brizar provided comprehensive insights into refugee and forcibly displaced talent mobility. She highlighted efforts to connect refugees with workplaces, showcased through a robust talent catalogue with significant registrations. She also emphasized the urgent need to shift the narrative from refugees as beneficiaries to contributors and explored avenues of collaboration with NGOs, third-sector partners, and communities. Her discussion touched on the dichotomy of refugee labor mobility being both right and smart, resonating with diverse stakeholders and fostering hope-based communication.
Victoria Zagitova delved into engagement and decision-making in migration policies, advocating for an inclusive world for migrants. She expressed the continuous pursuit of impactful collaboration and questioned the tools used to engage youth. She probed the existence of stigma alongside supportive instruments, and she turned the focus towards the psychological aspect, particularly the confidence of young migrants. Her insights centered around the importance of effective communication, underpinned by universal values, for ensuring sustained positive impacts.
Key Questions Discussed:
1. Often there is misinformation in the job search process that can put young people at risk, especially if they are moving countries. What can be some effective strategies for combating that?
2. What steps can businesses and other stakeholders take to ensure that collaborative efforts are sustainable and continue to have a positive impact in the long term?
3. What would you recommend as a key message for the campaign to support migrants?
Panelists
Gary Slaiman – He represented the GFMD Business Mechanism.
Marina Brizar- She is the UK & Europe Director at Talent Beyond Boundaries and is also a 2018 Churchill Fellow.
Victoria Zagitova- She is a youth advocate and Communications Lead at the Migration Youth and Children Platform (MYCP). Victoria's main expertise is building communications in the humanitarian sector. As a communications specialist, she worked with organizations such as UNESCO, ITU, WWF, Caritas, and others. Victoria Zagitova is the Social Media Blogger and an activist with the Young and Hired project, which has helped young people around the world find a career path and fulfill themselves in the new digital realities of the world after the pandemic. She graduated in European and Global Studies from the Università degli Studi di Padova with Boston University and SciencesPo Paris.