Last Thursday, 22.02.2026, Monaliiku in cooperation with Suomen Latu, hosted an interactive OUT4IN familiarisation session bringing together a diverse group of participants, including representatives from NGOs and initiatives focusing on refugee and migrant women, professionals and volunteers from sports clubs and outdoor education settings, and other local stakeholders. The goal was simple: to make the project results easy to understand and, most importantly, easy to use in everyday work with refugee and migrant women.
During the session we discussed why participation in outdoor activities is often not “equal by default”. Refugee and migrant women may face multiple, overlapping barriers, for example language and information gaps, childcare responsibilities, financial constraints, transport challenges, discrimination, lack of confidence, or the absence of safe and welcoming spaces. Rather than stopping at the problem description, the conversation focused on concrete solutions: what helps lower the threshold and what kind of facilitation, communication and planning can make outdoor activities feel accessible, respectful and inviting.
A key part of the afternoon was small-group work, where participants reflected on how OUT4IN can support their own organisations and communities. Some groups focused on connecting barriers to practical actions and outreach strategies. Others explored what “low-threshold” outdoor activities look like in practice, how to select accessible locations, how to plan realistically, and how to create a supportive group atmosphere that builds trust and belonging. In the shared reflection, participants highlighted how valuable it was to combine calm discussion with hands-on planning and peer exchange.
The feedback was very encouraging. Participants appreciated the practical focus, the reflective working style and the adaptability of the project resources for different local contexts. Many of them expressed interest in using the project materials and making their activities more inclusive.
Thank you to everyone who joined and contributed to a warm, thoughtful and action-oriented session.
