Guide
Resource Guide. How to empower and actively involve migrants in our society?
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Introduction Aim of the resource guide The concept of empowerment of migrants Getting started – informing yourself Understanding each other How to start projects How to maintain the momentum and long term success of projects Continuity and sustainability of projects Conclusions About us Collection of good practices
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_Introduction
Migrants bring with them a wealth of experience, skills, talents and abilities. However this contribution is not always recognised or enabled. Being aware of this, we - three organisations from Germany, Austria, and Finland – got together to exchange our experiences on “How to recognise the value of migrants for the host society and enable them to participate actively in their new home country?”. “We” are “Gemeinsam leben & lernen in Europa”, a grass root NGO from Germany, “Berufliches Bildungs- und Rehabilitationszentrum” a huge adult education provider from Upper Austria and “KOMPASSI”, an multicultural centre from the Kuopio Settlement Puijola in Finland. We all work with migrants and assist them on local or regional level, and practice different ways of empowering them. The EUprogramme “Grundtvig Learning Partnerships” gave us the opportunity to meet and visit each other, exchange experiences, collect and share our findings. Within our project “emPower - Engaged Migrants: Pathways Overcoming Worries, Exclusion & Racism” we identified transferable best practices used in the member countries and organisations, which promote the empowerment and inclusion of migrants. We looked out for good examples, where the active involvement, engagement, and participation of migrants were addressed effectively. Examples of positive and constructive methods of intercultural dialogue and interactions between migrants and the host society were also identified. As a priority, right from the start, we had the overall aim to share our findings with a broader audience and to inspire others to follow our examples. So we wrote this “hands-on” resource guide for other organisations and communities to inspire them to implement “empowering” measures within their own organisation or community. We all hope, that our contributions and recommendations will be motivating and helpful in promoting active citizenship, participation and empowerment of migrants all across Europe. Yours sincerely
Perdita Wingerter Managing director
“Gemeinsam leben & lernen in Europa”
Gabriele Einsiedler Project manager
Berusförderungsinstitut Oberösterreich
Maarit Rönkönharju Coordinator
Multicultural Center Kompassi
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Aim of the resource guide
This resource guide “emPower� is designed to support and inspire vital work of people and NGOs working with migrants, as well as communities and stakeholders, and of course active migrants throughout Europe.
The overall aim of the guide is to improve the empowerment and engagement of migrants in each host society, and to improve the communication, co-operation and work between migrants of different ethnic groups and “natives” of the host society. Being aware of the diverse and creative ways in which migrants are being supported to access their rights, to have their voices heard and to become active citizens within their local communities and beyond, we think this knowledge and expertise should be shared with others across Europe. The emphasis is to outline approaches and methods of working with migrants in a practical way, supporting the movement from theory to good practice. Therefore great efforts have been made to make it relevant, up-to-date and user-friendly. All the ideas and methods for supporting participation and creating the conditions for empowerment contained in this resource guide have their foundation in hands-on working practice of the involved partners. So we included as little theory as possible and as much practical and hands-on information and recommendations as possible. The document is divided into six main sections: › The concept of empowerment of migrants › Getting started – informing yourself › Understanding each other › How to start projects › How to maintain the momentum and long term success of projects › Continuity and sustainability of projects In each section we are not only providing relevant information and recommendations, but also including good practices, such as projects, initiatives and methods, to show good examples of how to develop theory into practice. All the examples are described in detail; you will find them at the end of the resource guide as additional information. Therefore you will find good practices, where migrants a) are engaged as active citizens, b) have the opportunity to speak out openly and participate in decision-making procedures within their host country, c) have the opportunity to utilize their experiences and cultural background, d) take an active part within their community, e) take on representative and leadership roles f) contribute to solidarity, community responsibility, integration and social cohesion (e. g. through involvement in and creation of initiatives and projects), and g) effectively promote good inter-ethnic relations and intercultural dialogue. As this resource guide also aims to have the voices of migrants heard, we’ve not only included migrants in the development and writing of this resource guide, but also collected voices of migrants from our local community. So in each section you’ll find their quotes and comments as well.
Aim of the resource guide
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The concept of empowerment of migrants
The concept of Empowerment considers individuals being able to do things by themselves and for themselves. It attempts to strengthen their confidence in their own potential and capabilities and self-reliance.
The approach of empowerment When we talk about the empowerment of migrants, it is important to understand the deeper meaning of “Empowerment�. The concept of Empowerment considers individuals being able to do things by themselves and for themselves. It attempts to strengthen their confidence in their own potential and capabilities and selfreliance. But the concept of empowerment includes more than the personal aspect of self-determination and self-efficacy of the individual. It also includes changes in the social and political framework at all levels: to be able to acquire power, the individual needs to have access to rights and resources and to be treated equally and fairly. Consequently, empowerment as a process ends when individuals feel that they are free and able to express their own ideas, make decisions, and in general are able to shape their lives and the social and political circumstances they live in. The process of empowerment leads to the discovery and utilisation of abilities and resources of all people involved.
Empowerment of migrants in practice Effective empowerment implies that migrants are provided with rights and resources at all social levels enabling them to take responsibility for enhancing their social integration. A more intensive involvement of migrants (e.g. in the community, assuming political and economic activities or personal responsibility for a better education, work and social integration, as well as the adoption of an individual life design) will strengthen migrants, enabling them to remain in control of and diversify their own lives.
The concept of empowerment of migrants
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As a result “emPowered” migrants will have power
Gülin Tunali, coming from Turkey, president of the association “Soroptimist International – Club Passau”, nutritional scientist and adviser; she leads an advice centre for questions on nutrition in Passau/ Germany.
How could one motivate migrants to get involved? And what motivates you? I think every person is a personality. You can’t make the same proposal for different persons. Through my engagement I feel content and I feel recognized. I feel motivated when I see the success of my acting. And yes, I have the impression that I can bring in my knowledge and skills in my engagement.
a) at an individual level They wish and have the possibility to shape their own lives: Having opportunities and greater freedom, migrants identify their situation and options, speak the language, and have the power to act, make decisions and solve problems. They also feel positive about themselves, have self-confidence and self-respect. b) as a group Migrants can work together in groups, organisations and networks and therefore increase their influence. c) at a social level Empowered migrants are not dominated, oppressed, and marginalized. They are participating in societal processes at all levels, and have a realistic prospect of changing existing power structures. Migrants in general are visible and present, participate in public life and existing networks and are respected by other members of the community. d) at a legal level Migrants have formal legal security the same as everybody else and make use of existing laws. They have influence on legislation and rights within their new country. e) at a political level Migrants are active members in political groups, organisations and parties, have their voice heard, they influence and participate in political processes. f) at an economic level Migrants have access to jobs and businesses, regular and decent income, equal pay, social security, and economic literacy. Economic empowerment is achieved through decisionmaking power in reference to money, the reduction of dependence, risks and stress, and the influence on economic policies.
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The concept of empowerment of migrants
g) at a cultural level Migrants are an active part in cultural activities, have the opportunity to learn about and participate in the culture of their new country. But they also have the power to shape cultural definitions, influence the symbolic order; but also maintain or express their own culture and religion. It is our vision that not only decisionmakers, but also ordinary people realize that migrants are full of potential, abilities, strengths and resources, and that we all profit from integrating and involving them actively in our society at all levels and benefit from their contribution to their new home country!
The concept of empowerment of migrants
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Getting started – informing yourself
Before starting any project with migrants you should inform yourself about the situation of migrants in your country and especially your region. On the one hand you should get a deeper understanding of the migrants living in your region and on the other hand know the frameworks set by the state or regional administration for integration.
3.1 Immigration of migrants Update yourself about the reasons for migration and their effects on the local as well as the migrant community. Migrants/Emigrants (from the Latin ex, out, and migrare, migrate) leave their country for various reasons. They leave their homes, either voluntarily or under coercion from economic, religious, political or personal reasons. The emigration from one country follows the immigration into another. Usually individuals or individual families emigrate; but if you look at the history, there were also migrations by large population or groups. So each migration has two aspects, namely › The situation in the emigrating country: Loss of population and talent, but also relief for limited resources, as well as the acute loss of inhabitants. › The situation in the host country: Problems of acclimatization (especially in learning the language) and integration, but also immigration of workers, special knowledge and cultural diversity. Migration is not something that happens naturally, but something that is highly regulated by states – states try to promote the immigration of special groups (e.g. highly qualified people) and try to keep out other groups.
Reasons for emigration There is emigration from almost every country in the world for several reasons. The following motives are given: › For better working and living conditions (especially for hired workers, for example guest workers in Germany; professionals who cannot find suitable work) › For political reasons (for example politically persecuted critics of the system or dissidents (mostly in dictatorships) or police pursued criminals) › For religious or cultural-linguistic reasons › To increase the quality of life with a secured living standard (e.g. Emigration of retirees due to better climatic conditions in the “sunny south“ as in Tuscany, Majorca, the Canary Islands, or the “Sunshine State“ Florida) › As refugees because of the acute threat of war, civil wars, natural disasters, famine or by selective displacement › In former times because of slavery/ nowadays human trafficking › due to waiting family members and friends in the target country › due to the prospect of training or study › due to marriage with a person from another country › Returnees or re-settlers, those who have lived in another country for decades and have different nationalities
Getting started – informing yourself
Jada Keni: from South Sudan, worker at Ikea departmental store Why did you come to Finland? Because of war situation in my country Sudan. I feel good that I have a job now, before it was difficult to live without a job. [...] I feel very confident in my life with the job now that I can contribute something to this country, either by paying taxes or by taking other responsibilities in the society. I feel safe in Finland. It is important for me after the situation in my country. When migrants come to Finland, they have a dream to achieve something, either study or find jobs. Even when I feel safe here, I think about my parents in South Sudan, they need my support and according to my culture I have to support them. Even when I am out of the country I feel connected to them and one way or the other I have to help them. If I do not have a job then I cannot help them. That might be the situation for many immigrants. So, after safety, they need to achieve something in their life and earn money. [...]
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GOOD Practices
Different requirements for project plans and their implementation are specifically related to the differences in the immigration of people. Migrants leave their home for very different reasons, and have therefore very different expectations, hopes and aims concerning their new home country.
MigNet is a website which makes all the relevant information for migrants having recently arrived or living in Germany in a certain region available. The main goal of the project is to give migrants basic information about living in Germany. Additionally, the project has a further impact on the Germans providing the different services for migrants since it shows who is doing what in a certain region, and where there is potential of doing things together. The project is a good example because migrants are invited to start informing them by themselves, and therefore the project helps creating the preconditions for acting independently. See: www.mignet-passau.de
3.2 The legal situation of migrants Inform yourself about the legal situation of migrants in your country For EU-citizens the world seems to be an open place, in which it is possible to go wherever one likes to go. But for the main part of the world population the world is a very restricted place, strongly regulated by laws and stay permits. One crucial factor for migrants is, therefore, their legal status. It depends basically on the country of origin. EU citizens have the full stay and work permit in every EU member state. For non EU-citizens every stay in a European country without a legal permit is regar-
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Getting started – informing yourself
ded illegal. Roughly, the following types of stay permits exist: › Visa: short stay for purposes like vacations or business trips etc. › Limited stay permit for a certain purpose (e.g. studying, temporary employment) › Unlimited stay permit › Under certain conditions it is also possible to get a citizenship to get access to the full rights, especially the political ones (to vote and to be elected). The law concerning immigration and stay permits in every European country is a vast and a complicated matter. Every status is connected to certain preconditions that need to be fulfilled. But you should know about the different types of requirements for stay permits, because they have a great impact on the resources and the possibilities for participation of a migrant. The legal situation reflects the rights of immigrants in all the situations of life: › Access to the labour market › to society › to education › to social services (social welfare and health care etc.) › to basic needs (e.g. apartment) › Plitical participation If we want to address the situation of migrants, the status, the residence permit, the legal position in the country of immigration in general, all play an important role as well. In particular the perspective of how long you may stay makes a difference on every aspect of integration.
Further and more information about the different legal status in Germany, Austria and Finland you find in the country reports: › h ttp://www.bfi-ooe.at/bfiweb/
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3.3 Situation of migrants in your region Inform yourself about the migrants living in your region
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As we can see it is very difficult to talk about “the” migrants in general since the values and the norms in the countries of origin and the reasons and circumstances of migration for individuals are too different. One very important point is that when talking about migrants living in your country and region we are mainly talking about “people with an immigration background”.
This means that we are also considering immigrants of the second generation, who do not have their own migration history, but have grown up in the culture of the country of origin of their parents and are often facing a lot of obstacles on their way in the educational system etc. So we will consider the following groups: › People with a migration history › People who have at least one parent with migration history In both groups there may be people that now have the citizenship of the new country, so they will normally not show up in official data, which makes it very difficult to know about the real size of the migrant population.
So, before starting a project, you should get information about migrants and people with an immigration background in your region: › Countries of origin – where do migrants come from? Is there a bigger community of migrants of a special country in the region? » If there is a bigger community from a specific country in a region, often there will be migrant self-organized groups and networks which play a big role in the participation and integration for migrants of that country
in the region. If so, you should get in contact to these organizations. › Socioeconomic status – which qualification do migrants have? It makes a big difference for every project if the participating migrants do have a university degree or never have attended school. It is important to keep in mind that migrants often experience a social decline by many factors such as the non-recognition of qualifications which are highly regarded in their country of origin.
3.4 The integration of migrants The definition of integration may vary a lot in the different countries. Is integration welcomed, promoted or neglected? Is integration understood as a two-way process or just a demand for the migrants to assimilate themselves to the new culture and to be invisible in their differences? Maybe integration is, like in Finland, even discussed as a three-way process: migrants into the host society, host society with the migrants and migrants with other migrants in the host country. In this concept it is understood as the duty of the host nation to see that the ethnic communities deal with each other in a peaceful and respectful manner. In a best case scenario integration politics is a broad approach which focuses on the strengthening societal, economical, political, linguistical and academic integration of people. Integration includes all aspects of life and society and therefore is a real interdisciplinary matter.
My name is Marinel Curtean (49). I’m from Romania and have been living in Austria more than 20 years. I ´m a mechanics by trade, but its not admitted in Austria. Without any education its nearly impossible to find a suitable position. In Austria I have worked in many different jobs, for example as a carpenter, a storekeeper, a car driver and in mechatronic fields. I´m more satisfied with my social situation here in Austria than in Romania. In my point of view the laws between women and men are different. Throughout my experiences I know that you have to exercise patience and selfpropelling to get allowance to participate in an education course. The so called “golden times” are gone, but who really is willing to work always gets an opportunity.
Getting started – informing yourself
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“migrare“ is offering different services for migrants to help them overcome the difficulties they face in daily life in Austria. It offers multilingual counselling for migrants about topics such as labour market, social security or legal affairs. Beyond that, “migrare“ deals with all questions concerning the recognition and application of qualifications of migrants in Upper Austria and conducts its own intercultural projects. The guiding principle of the project is better inclusion of migrants in the labour market, the health, education, and social security system etc. The project is a good example because of the great variety of topics concerning the integration of migrants the advice centres covers, combined with their great knowledge and multilingual and intercultural competence. See: www.migrare.at
Getting started – informing yourself
For projects with migrants it is especially important to be conscious about the atmosphere for integration processes in your region: › Is there a political consciousness about the importance of the topic? If yes, you will find good preconditions to start with your project. If not, you will perhaps have to fight in the first place for resources and attention for your project. › Are there even strong resentments against migrants in your region? In this case you will have to address them. In the perspective of migrants integration means to have the same chances for participation as the native population in the important fields in society, along which power and resources are distributed. This means that migrants should have the same share (e.g. unemployment rate) as the native population, and that they are not structurally neglected. Four different fields are regarded to be crucial: › Educational system
The “HEX“ programme helps teenagers and adults with migration background to get their certificate of Secondary Education. The aim is to improve their knowledge of the German language and to get a job on the primary labour market. The offer enables migrants to learn independently and supports them to meet the continuously growing demands of the professional world. This project is a good example because helping migrants to reach a higher qualification is important for integration, their self-esteem and a functioning society.
GOOD Practices
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In Austria integration is a very important issue in different fields: Health, economic, social matters, sports, living,… The Austrian federation, provinces, municipalities and social partners developed a so-called „Nationalen Aktionsplan (NAP) für Integration“ (national plan of action for integration). Also the position of a state secretary for integration has been introduced in Austria. The main challenge is to actively work on the challenges and risks of integration. The demands are – in order to enable integration – both effort from immigrated inhabitants as well as from Austrians.
GOOD Practices
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› Labour market
Produktionsschule is a project where teenagers, often with migration background, are working and learning in different companies as interns. Additionally, personal coaching and extra tuition (German as a foreign language) is offered. The main goals are stabilization, motivation, teaching of professional competences, (re-)integration in the labour market and education. This project is a good example because of the combination of occupational qualification, education and acquisitive production.
The project “STEP IN” aims at helping teenagers between the age of 15 and 24 years with social disadvantages and migration background who might or already did drop out of school or professional education. Teenagers should develop perspectives, produce individual career plans or start their education with professional assistance. The project is a good example because preventing teenagers from dropping out of the labour market is very important for the economic system as well as for the society.
all who are involved. A constructive way of dealing with change and sociocultural diversity can also be learned step by step. Integration is therefore understood as a continuous social development and learning process, born by immigrants and the host society. The success of migration, without breaking the person‘s will and determination, depends on the strength of their personality, on the reasons for migration and, above all, on the conditions in the host society. A strong personality which has the resources to cope with crisis is certainly very helpful. Very important are also the reasons for and the preparation of migration. The examples given in the resource guide will show how the contact with migrants and migrant organizations is prepared, planned and organised and how integration can succeed.
Krisztina Lantos: volunteer at GLL, engaged in a basketball club, participated in the project “Children experience cultures” and “MigNet”; Hungarian background, living in Germany as a student for 6 years now.
Do you feel integrated in Germany? Yes, I feel that I have arrived in Germany. I can’t tell since when I got this feeling. But I would guess it has been a process taking many years with ups and downs, which entailed a lot of work and luck. Along with it I noticed that my surrounding accepted me the way that I am. But I must say that I also did a lot for it.
› Political participation › Social participation We think integration to be a very important topic in an open society. Societies long for diversity! Integration gives benefits for every country. In this resource guide, we focus on a dynamic approach to integration. The following principles can be assumed: Integration does not happen by itself. Rather, it is assumed that in places where different lifestyles and experiences meet, resistances, conflicts and fears occur. After all, integration means change for
Getting started – informing yourself
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Understanding each other
In every project addressing migrants, one topic will take great place – intercultural understanding. To carry out a successful project with migrants, it will be essential that all people involved are ready and willing for two things: to learn a common language, and to evolve a certain amount of cultural competence.
4.1 Intercultural Competence When we deal with another person of the same society culture is something that will seldom be noticed, since we both use the same language, share a certain amount of the same knowledge and follow the same social rules and conventions. But getting in contact with a person coming from another country it will become obvious that this is not something natural, and that the other person may see, understand or do things very differently from the way we are used to doing it. It is in this situation of contact between two members of different societies that we will notice and realize the different cultural inheritance of human beings. Culture › is learned through socialization › is shared with other members of the same group or society › sets the frame for individual acting › gives rules for social behaviour › marks our feelings, our perception, our opinions, our values and our acting How should we deal with this situation of getting in contact with people from another culture? The aim should neither be for one side to give up his/her own culture nor should it be to learn some rules of the other culture and act accordingly regardless of the situation. But the aim should be to evolve a mutual intercultural sensitivity, which means an attitude of mutual commitment, understanding and appreciation, which could be described as intercultural competence. It is about an open and flexible attitude and the willingness to learn from each other. There are three important factors for getting to this attitude:
A) Being aware of the cultural background The first important step is to realize that people in every society have been raised in a different culture. It’s an important point to realize that you, by yourself, are expecting unconsciously certain social rules, forms of communication etc. Before being able to be aware of someone else’s background you have to be aware of your own cultural background. Be aware that your whole perception, your evaluation, your feelings, your opinions, your values and your acting is marked by your own culture. And reflect them. Be aware that people from other cultures have different cultural marks regarding their feelings, their perception, their evaluation, their values and their acting.
B) Being aware of existing prejudices and stereotypes Regarding people from other societies it is important to realize that different cultures normally don’t treat each other neutrally, but that every culture has certain ideas about people from other cultures. Prejudices are often negative opinions towards other cultures, that use stereotyped knowledge, which means the acquired knowledge is simplified and overgeneralized. Stereotyped knowledge is
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So try to be conscious of the fact that you have assumptions regarding people from other cultures and that you have prejudices. And that people from other cultures will also have stereotypes and prejudices regarding your own culture. Try to think of stereotypes and prejudices you have and reflect them. You should keep an open mind with regard to them so that you could accept the correct facts when you are provided with one. Because often prejudices are ingrained deep in the minds of the people and it is hard for them to accept the true facts in place of what they have already known and are comfortable with.
The opposite position of such an attitude would amount to racism, which devalues other cultures and claims one’s own culture as supreme to the others from the start.
The project “children experience culture” gives migrants the chance to show their culture to children and teenagers in workshops that take place in schools and kindergartens. The aim of the workshops is to fight prejudices at an early stage of life among the German population. And migrants, instead of just being the objects of prejudices, shall get the possibility to take an active part in intercultural educational work. The project is a good example because it connects two main objectives of intercultural work in one project: the empowerment of migrants and the fight against racism.
GOOD Practices
something normal and even often useful, because it helps to orient oneself in an over complex social world. Often prejudices use even a real fact, but they are always used in a too general and sharpened way (yes, people in Germany eat „Sauerkraut“, but not always, and not everybody).
Try to get to a position of acknowledgement regarding these other cultural properties; this is the precondition for intercultural learning. Other cultures may be different, but not less worth then your own culture. Since culture is something that is learned and not innate it is open for learning processes. Be open and interested to get to know the different cultural characteristics, to get beyond your stereotypes and to learn from each other. Be open-minded, listen, ask, read about the home countries of the migrants, try to understand each other. But don’t think every migrant is an expert for his whole country (maybe for his/her region). It’s about an attitude that is open for a different view, and is able to tolerate a certain amount of ambiguity, which means, to accept contradictions or situation which aren’t completely defined.
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Understanding each other
Fish 4 English is a club which offers creative activities for children under the age of 7 for children and their families who speak different languages but would like their kids to learn some English. Goals are to provide a family evening for people, overall development and entertainment for children in English language, hobby crafts for personal development, involvement of Finnish families to reduce prejudices in the society and children growing up with the knowledge that several different cultures exist which will help them in the future to adapt to it easily. Learning to adapt to different cultures at an early age is a great benefit for the child which in future will help understanding the evils of racism.
GOOD Practices
C) Being open for intercultural learning
Intercultural conflicts In every project connecting people from different cultures it is possible that intercultural conflicts may occur. Culture could also be a communication barrier: unknown language, communication problems due to misunderstandings and incapacity or unwillingness to understand the other culture. Examples for mutual misunderstandings in communication and cooperation could be the following: › Greetings: how to greet each other – shaking hands, kissing, bowing. › Distance: which distance between two persons is accepted in which context? › Verbal and non-verbal communication › Gestures: e.g. nodding can mean “yes”, but also “no” › Time: e.g. a different notion of time in an appointment – if you should be very punctual, or if an appointed time is meant to be a more rough time of the day › Working patterns: e.g. doing various things at the same time or one thing after another › Different perceptions and role models of gender and age in different cultures › Different values
› Participants, who know both cultures (e.g. because of a bilateral marriage, or because they grew up in two cultures) may help understanding conflicts. And be also aware for intercultural communication and conflicts in between different groups of migrants! There also exist a lot of prejudices between the different migrant groups. The fact being a migrant doesn’t mean being an expert for multiculturalism as such.
Meral Tekin, coming from Turkey, living in Germany since the age of 7, volunteer at GLL, besides other projects in the project “children experience cultures”.
Why did you participate in the project “children experience cultures”? How did you profit of your engagement? I think it is very important to inform about other countries, traditions and customs. I have a lot of fun doing this. It was very interesting for me to gather more information about my country of origin, I also discovered customs I didn’t know about. It was very nice to present the information so it got interesting and comprehensible for others.
How to resolve an intercultural conflict? In the first place it is important to be conscious about the fact that a conflict may consist in different cultural backgrounds, and not in personal properties. › Talk about conflicts in the group. Trying to conceal the conflict usually makes the situation even worse. › React immediately. Often conflicts may just consist in a little misunderstanding which could lead to a severe lack of understanding or even aversion if nothing is done to solve it. › Try to discuss the intercultural situation as such. Give people the chance to say how they perceived the situation, and why? Make people chance their point of view.
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Language barriers Having a common language is the precondition for understanding each other in an intercultural context. That’s why language is one of the most important factors for a successful integration of migrants. A) Understanding the language
Was there a funny situation concerning a cultural misunderstanding? Ankie Visschers: My first funny situation was about an appointment to drink coffee together. In my country you meet to drink coffee at 11 am, but in Germany this means lunchtime, so I arrived at the complete wrong daytime!
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If you want to do a project with migrants you have to be aware that language always will play a decisive role, it’s never something that’s just taken for granted, but will play a role on its own, and that it’s kind of a side product of all projects to train in using the language. Advices for communication: › Use simple words and easy sentences › speak slowly and clearly › try not to use idioms and abbreviations › try not to speak in your regional dialect, because it will be hard to understand › Repeat the most important points, and let them be repeated to make sure they have been understood › Use whole sentences, not a simplification of language › Don’t raise your voice, you won’t be understood better › Don’t use a patronizing tone; if you are German, don’t use “Du” if you wouldn’t use it when speaking to a native person › Be patient: communication will always be slower than between two native speakers › Try not to interrupt your communication partner, don’t try to complete sentences for him/her › Try to encourage the other to speak, with nods of confirmation, smiling, don’t correct him/her constantly but just when you are asked for etc. › Non-verbal communication and body language will play a big role in expressing your verbal communication, so be careful how you use it.
Understanding each other
Keep in mind: › Be aware of the level of language › Migrants will feel offended if they already know the language well but are treated as if not – act accordingly › It is always a certain effort to listen and to speak in a foreign language, it’s not something that goes on automatically › It will be more difficult to follow the discussion of different people – and if it’s already hard to listen, it’s even more hard to speak in a bigger group – keep that in mind and give the chance to migrants, give them the opportunity to speak, invite them to speak, otherwise they won’t be heard › It is tiring to speak and think in a for- eign language all day But it’s also very important not just to think of migrants and language as a deficit. Migrants are competent in their own language, and often know even more than one language. This competence should be valued. And because you are in the situation of being a member of the society the migrant came to you shouldn’t think that language learning is just a one-way track. Try to learn at least some words in the other languages, to get a feeling for the languages and for the situation of not knowing the language.
Language tandem is a programme that helps two people to learn the two different languages at the same time. The project helps to create intercultural understanding, since by learning the language and talking to another one will get a better understanding of another’s culture, country and customs. Beyond that it is meant to build up a support system for the migrant. It’s a good example because it builds bridges between two different cultures and it helps making friends and helps migrants to learn more about the local ways of life.
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4.2 How to overcome language barriers
Language learning projects: Keep in mind – the different backgrounds of the migrants – some may not be literate, may not have attended school, may not be used to a standardized European class room and lessons. Perhaps there are cultural barriers that prevent migrants from attending language courses (e.g. Arabic women feeling uncomfortable in the presence of men), or just practical reasons (e.g. men working shift-time not being able attend the courses in the evening). Try to find other ways of reaching them.
GOOD Practices
One example for a different approach of learning would be the project “Let’s read together”. A network of Finnish women volunteers offer tuition in Finnish language which includes all the aspects of studies like reading, writing, speaking etc. along with some teaching about the cultural aspects of the Finnish society. The target group are the immigrant women who are staying at home with children or are without wor
Be patient with your pupils: learning a foreign language is a lifelong learning process. And if the preconditions aren’t the best it can take a long time. The best way of training to speak a language is to have to use it. Normally people will avoid using the foreign language because of feeling uncertain with it, so you have to kind of “force” them to do so, which means building situation in which they get the feeling that they may try and practice the language in a safe environment without fear of ridicule.
Project MESO 6 , Austria The project contains language courses for people with minor German skills and language courses. At the end of the course, participants get an additional diploma. The project aims at preparing the participants for the labour market. MESO 6 is a good example because it helps migrants to prepare themselves for the Austrian working environment, which does not only influence the migrants’ live b ut the whole society.
Understanding each other
GOOD Practices
If you still don’t have a common language, interpreters will play an important role in communication. Since these interpreters will be mostly migrants already speaking the language better than the person you want to communicate with you should keep some points in mind: › most interpreters are not professionally trained, therefore they don’t know exactly what their role is. A common problem is therefore: they shorten/adapt/summarize the aforesaid › problem of trust: did the interpreter really say what was said before? › most of the time other migrants might speak the language better but not perfect › professional volunteer interpreters might improve the communication
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B) Understanding the whole situation of communication The different language is probably the most obvious obstacle for communication. However, you should be aware that on the other hand using the same language doesn’t automatically mean understanding each other, because for a mutual understanding more factors play a role. Maybe even if the same words are used, their interpretation may differ, because their meaning is very different in two cultures. An example would be the word “yes”, which can be used in Chinese in a way that it means “No”, because the using of “No” would be impolite. And both partners may have learned other ways of communicating with each other. There may be differences in: › communication-patterns (e.g. implicit vs. explicit communication) › non-verbal communication › social rules of communication – who may talk to whom, how to address someone according to age and gender, how to start talking, how to end it etc.
Jesus Enrique Hernandez Zumaya: Student of engineering economics – industrial processes Why did you learn German? I learned German, because I studied Philosophy as well. It is very important for me to speak German very well in order to understand the German philosophers. In my current subject of study, German is important, too, because a lot of scientific literature is in German language.
So learning the language always implies a mutual cultural learning at the same time! (see first paragraph)
Why is it difficult for you to understand German? Based on my experience as a Spanish native speaker, I recognized the different structure of German and Spanish. Therefore, I had to focus on grammar and vocabulary in particular. Although I have studied for a long time, it is still difficult for me to understand fast conversations. Especially the Bavarian dialect is a challenge for me again and again.
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Understanding each other
What makes it easier for you to speak German? Krisztina Lantos: When I notice that my interlocutor just wants to understand me and wants to talk to me without paying attention to the deficiencies in my usage of the language.
When is it more difficult for you to speak German? Ankie Visschers: It remains difficult to express oneself in emotional situations, you don’t have enough words to be able to express exactly how you are feeling.
When was it difficult for you to speak German? GĂźlin Tunali: At the beginning it was difficult for me to follow the lectures in university when I was a student. To understand the meaning I had to translate everything in Turkish in my head. It was hard for me to speak German when I was tired, and when people were talking to me in their regional dialect.
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_5
How to start projects
Starting a project or a group not only takes creativity and enthusiasm but it also takes a lot of commitment from the people involved in it. In other words be sure that the responsible participants are committed for sure. So, go ahead and make a checklist and tick them off to see if there is enough commitment.
5.1 Before you start A) Be committed yourself Starting a project or a group not only takes creativity and enthusiasm but it also takes a lot of commitment from the people involved in it. In other words be sure that the responsible participants are committed for sure. So, go ahead and make a checklist and tick them off to see if there is enough commitment. Checklist: › What is your interest in it? › How far do you want to get involved? – If not far enough you may as well quit it now! › What are your priorities now and where does this project stand in your priority’s list? › Are you capable of handling the project? Do you have the expertise to do it? › What are your definitive aims before you start the project? What is the benefit for you from the project and what can you contribute to the project? If you have considered the entire list then you are good to go!
B) Check if you have the resources and time Resources could be financial, human or materialist. The resources needed are dependent upon the factor how big or small your project is. The bigger the project, the more planning, more resources and more time is needed. The financial part will be handled under a separate heading.
Gabriele Einsiedler: To start a new project is often a challenge. You have to be aware of the target group, their needs and the goal you and your company want to achieve. In my point of view it’s always important to be convinced from the project content and to have a strong focus on the target group. Every project takes time to design to organize and to structure it. Make sure you have enough personal resources.
The constraints of the resources are: › Time: You now have three schedules to worry about: yours, your colleagues’, and your project members’ or clients’. Make sure everyone’s schedules are in sync before you start a project in order to avoid any misconceptions. › People: It is also called human resource. Have similar minded and interested people at the start. › Money: See how to finance a project. › Equipment: These are the materialistic necessities, like computers, telephones etc. Projects relating to ethnic groups may need special equipment, one needs to consider if there is any possibility of arranging it. › Facilities: The office space and its location make a lot of difference to the project. Make sure you have at least adequate and, if possible, the best facilities.
How to start projects
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C) Networking and finding necessary partners First off, you should clarify certain question before you find partners and do the networking.
Perdita Wingerter, managing director of the NGO „Gemeinsam leben & lernen in Europa“: To get a project started and make it last, you need to pool all resources and people available. So my advice is, to be open-minded, invite not only the usual crowd, but also people from different groups and organisations, political parties and backgrounds. You might be surprised to find out, that people will support you, if you are really willing to cooperate and share. But of course you need to respect their contribution and way of doing things. So keep in mind: “The head is round so that we can change the direction of our thinking.“
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› What kind of partner would you like to co-operate with? And which partner organization would you not like to have? Why? › Are you looking for an organization which shares background and objectives? Works in the same field or deals with the same challenges on a local level? › If you want international partners, which country should your partner organization come from? Why? › During your international activity, are you looking for a country with a common or similar language? Once you have zeroed in on your requirements, you can decide on how to go about the contacting networking. You can choose the following options: › Personal contacts: many times networking happens because of your own personal contacts of or those of the people in your project. Ask around; colleagues, friends and the people involved in the project or similar projects to your own.. › Recommendation: along with recommendations from friends and colleagues, it would also be useful to check out online (internet webpages) for information on several similar, appropriate projects and the people working in them. › Take part in meetings: depending upon which type of partner you need, choose to attend as many meetings, seminars, conferences etc. which are related to the subject of your project. Local level contacts will develop and you will have information on the groups or organizations that are working in the similar area or who are interested in becoming active partners with you. On an international level, there are quite a lot of partnership building seminars which could help you out.
How to start projects
5.2 How to get financing Here are some tips on how to finance your project: (some of the points from this have been referred from Made man pages, mademan.com) What to check before you look for finance: › Estimate the capital requirement: Figure out the necessary financial requirement for the project start-up including the application, registration, permits, working capital etc. › Estimate the running costs: Electricity, rents, insurance, telephone, stationery and office supplies, transport costs, bank charges and interest, repairs and maintenance, marketing and advertising etc. › Determine the revenue generation prospects of the project: If you have a profitable project, the revenue and profit projections provide lending institutions and individuals the necessary information needed to determine financing suitability. Financing: › Look for government grants: If your project is beneficial to the community, the federal government or local government may be sponsoring a grant. Search for these grants to see if they are applicable. › Look for alternative forms of investment: Several national and international organizations fund the smaller and larger projects with good aims and goals. Keep an eye on them. › Private financiers: There are several people who invest their private funds for the good of the community. If your project is one of these, appealing to them would be a good choice. › Invest in your own project: As a last resort, invest your own cash so that you have a vested interest in the project’s success. Other investors will see this and are more likely to help you finance a project. This works better for small scale projects.
5.3 Practical advices on how to start projects and activities with immigrants A) Be aware of your target groups and plan & act accordingly Always be aware of your target groups. When working with immigrants and most especially with people with whom you have a long cultural distance between you should be aware and consider the following points when planning activities: › Don’t have any preimaged expectations and be patient › Origin of the participants (Asia, Africa, Europe etc…) › Age, gender, educational level, marital and family status, the age of children, level of familiarity with the host countries language and other common languages (usually English), ability to read Latin letters etc.. › Region of living (far or close to the place of meeting), possibility of using public transport to reach the place, the bus etc. Timetable to match the meeting times › What are the target groups’ activities during the planned meeting time, are they at home, studying or working? › Season at the time of activity planned (cold, dark time of the year), › The length of time of living in the country, › In some cases the acceptance of the men is needed for the women to attend meetings outside their homes. In these cases take the men along and be open to them about your “motives” and the goal of the group. If there are native women involved, let the men know that the idea is not to turn the women against their men and culture. › Religious/festival time of the year (Ramadan, school holidays, Friday is sacred for Muslims, summertime can mean that number of immigrants are visiting the country of their origin for a longer period of time or the children are at home) › Be aware that there can be serious
prejudice, even racism, between different ethnic groups and this can even strongly influence the dynamics of the group or prevent people from showing up. › If the majority of the participants are of the same culture or languagegroup, then the challenge for individuals of minority groups to come along is greater. Make sure people understand and share the idea of the group. If the idea is to practice or learn a language, then the function is to study and not to socialize all the time. The important point is that everyone shares the same understanding of the primary function of the group.
B) Don’t have any expectations regarding your participants and be patient At the time of the activity: Be flexible with the concept of time, some people can come up to 1 hour late. Therefore, be aware that you most probably do not start the activity together as people don’t arrive at the same time. If you want to have something discussed together, you could do it in the middle. For your own good, it is important to have the preparations ready in good time before you expect people to arrive. Make sure you have time to “calm down” after everything is ready before participants start coming. This way you are more ready for any changes once you feel that the situation is not too hectic and is mostly under control. You can also really concentrate on welcoming people individually once all the preparations are complete. If you have volunteers to help make sure everyone knows their role and that you have had time to go through things together before the participants start to arrive. Don’t follow the original plan too perfectly, the needs of the participants and whether they are enjoying their time during the meeting is much more important than strictly following up the original plan. The plan is often merely
How to start projects
Maarit Rönkönharju: When working on a project idea always remind yourself whom you are doing it for. Don’t get offended if the project doesn’t carry fruit. If it genuinely serves a purpose and is beneficial, it will be a success.
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How could one motivate to get immigrants involved? There should be clear benefits of involvement, i.e. immigrants should know how their life will change if they start to be active. So, at first they should be told about the positive impacts of involvement (finding new friends, building social networks, finding interesting information or new hobby etc.). Next they should know how to be involved, i.e. concrete steps towards being involved: 1. Expressing a wish/interest to learn more about people, activities, country, opportunities 2. Attending meetings, events, training 3. Introducing own skills and sharing with others, being helpful to other people
Also always have at least 2 back-up plans in case the first one doesn’t work and if things don’t go as you planned it in your mind. Always keep calm and remember not to take anything personally if things don’t work out or people don’t show up. If people don’t come, try to think of the reason before quitting after the very first attempt. Patience is needed. The reason can be something very simple which has nothing to do with you. Also if there is no registration, remember that the participants can be totally different people next time.
C) Getting in contact Quite often the only thing that immigrants have in common is the fact that the language spoken in the country is a foreign language to them. Getting in contact depends on what kind of a group you want to contact. Naturally, if your target group is already very specific, for example newly-arrived refugee women from one specific nationality you can contact officials who are handling their issues, like social workers, and use them to plan the activity as they are very aware of the actual situation and the needs of the target group. To ask people to register in advance is not really worth the effort unless there is a fee to participate which has to be paid in advance. Otherwise you can collect names and phone numbers of potential participants and remind them a few days before the first meeting by text message for example.
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How to start projects
Make sure that you collect the contact details of the participants during the first meeting so that you can contact them again. Remember to ask permission and explain to them carefully why you want to have their numbers.
“Kipeat Jalat“ is an amateur Irish dance group. The people who attend the dance classes come from different countries and have different cultural backgrounds. Besides learning to dance, participants learn how to communicate with others and work as a team. Dance is used as an international language that eliminates the barriers between different age groups, gender and is understood by everybody. This is one of the best examples of a multicultural group in the sense that the teacher is a Russian living in Finland teaching Irish dance to Finns as well as to other immigrants!
D) How to get migrants involved in the planning of the project - how to create an open environment If we are talking about a big project it would be ideal to have the target group comment on the plan. You should at least ask for comments from the officials or NGOs working with the immigrants as they know the situation and the needs of the group. But please remember that you should first do the research, talk to NGOs etc before deciding on the final project. By doing this, you make sure that there is a need and that there are participants for the potential activity. If you involve the target group in the planning process, just be very clear about the objectives so that you don’t give the wrong impression so that people have incorrect/unrealistic expectations as a result. Also, make sure that they know the project is for a certain period of time and will finish at some point.
GOOD Practices
Valentina Voronova: Kompassi’s Irish Dance group coordinator. Russian background living in Finland since last 4 years.
a guideline. If the original plan doesn’t work, don’t take it personally and remember what the group was all about. If people are enjoying themselves and the atmosphere is good you can be content. This applies to groups in which the attendance is voluntary. People vote with their feet, if the group doesn’t serve their interest they stop attending after a while.
If the project is small it can be further planned with the participants during the first meeting. Once the participants are together, the first group session can be used for planning the following meetings and deciding on the final objectives and content of the group. This is easy if the participants are the same each time. Of course the rough idea of the group is already there.
GOOD Practices
Roots n´culture African Drums Group This clubs aims at teaching how to play African drums to migrants and Finnish people as well. It is a good example because it is handled entirely by an immigrant volunteer who came to Finland as a refugee. He has been equally benefited and empowered in the process as he made friends and improved his living situation in Finland. Along with it, he also inspired several other immigrants to come forward to either participate or start their own group. The Finnish community benefited from his expertise in playing drums and they also got a glimpse of the old tradition of Africa through his songs. T
The “International Women’s Club“ is a project, in which female migrants get the opportunity to meet with other women and exchange experiences. The get-together takes place once a month in a café, and are meant as open meetings. Additionally, a cultural programme is offered to give them opportunity to get to know the new country. The main goal of the project is to prevent or end the isolation of women having recently arrived to Germany. This project is a good example because it is a very open project which makes it very easy to participate and helps migrant women to build new contacts in the new home.
Ankie Visschers, volunteer at GLL and other associations, coordinator of the „Frauentreff“, from the Netherlands
How do you profit of your voluntary engagement?
Gerlinde Freller-Steindl, Mirjami Ledermüller, founders of the “Haus der Begegnung“: We founded the „Haus der Begegnung“ (“House of Encounter”) as a kind of meeting point for inhabitants from the village Haibach in Austria, as well as interested people (with migrant background) from the region and beyond. Marginal groups (migrants, handicapped people, etc.) are integrated as participants but also as trainers for different topics. An aim is to enable meetings different target groups – no matter which religious, cultural, political background or country the come from or language they speak. We are a place, where you are welcome to contribute as well as to show and share your talents. Within the framework of the events and workshops, first encounters can take place and fears and prejudices can be reduced. Being open, looking for encounters actively, offering diverse activities and raising the level of awareness is another aim of our initiative. We are a good example for active citizenship and show that even little initiatives with little money can show a pathway to overcome worries, racism and prejudice.
How to start projects
I think that I feel more appreciated by Germans and that I get more respect on behalf of society. Through my engagement I have arrived in this new world! Personal contacts got more intense and you get true friends for a lifetime. But I think that not only engagement is important but also your own efforts to cultivate relationships, to adress yourself to others and to tell something about yourself. This invites others to open doors. To invite others to your house, to be hospitable, to let others see something of your life. I have a lot of contacts and a very intense life, and I love that! Contacts to new people are very important for me, and I learn a lot. I feel very well and no longer like a stranger!
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How to maintain the momentum and long term success of projects
Prologue It’s a known fact that maintaining a project is harder than starting one. When you are working in a multicultural environment, you should always remember that your thoughts and your working style and culture may not be the same as the others. But that doesn’t mean that you have to “turn off ” your culture and customs and adapt to some other culture altogether which you may not comfortable with. Handling the differences between cultures, but still bringing out the best of all the cultures, is the way to keep the project going for a longer period.
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6.1 How to create a feeling of ownership of the project A project’s success and continuation depends on the number of members your project has and how long your project beneficiaries are involved in the process.
A) How to ensure a long-term voluntary involvement “Tell me and I‘ll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I‘ll understand” - Chinese Proverb The migrant communities especially need a sense of belonging, as they are struggling with their own problems to get established in a foreign country. Coordination: The coordinator should have a personality and demeanour that encourages the participants to keep coming and actively participate. Also, the participants should develop a feeling that their participation in the project is making their integration into society easier. Main duties of a coordinator: › Come up with new ideas and activities for the project › To find active participants and encourage them › To organize the overall conditions (place, date, invitations etc.) › To create a positive atmosphere so participants feel welcomed › Be in touch with everything going on within the project to understand the needs › To facilitate communication: within the group, with other related projects, PR (when necessary) › To solve occurring problems so the project can run smoothly › To shoulder the major responsibility for the success or the failure of a project Apart from coordination, the coordinator requires people who are his/her “right hand”. They are the ones who help the coordinator to implement the plans, communicate with the other members of the project and micromanage the project. Continuation of methods: While new ideas are good for a project, the tried and tested ones that are working should always be kept to make a project run smoothly. › Keep the methods that are successful in achieving the goals › Continue them but try to improve them › Assess the methods that are failing to ascertain why they are not working › Check if it is possible to improve them › If not, shelve the method and find quick alternatives
How to maintain the momentum and long term success of projects
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Mohammed Benamar: Kompassi’s Arabic and French course coordinator. Algerian background, living in Finland from the last 2 and half year.
When do immigrants feel appreciated and motivated? Sharing things with people as volunteer gives me satisfaction, it is not materialistic satisfaction but I consider it as my salary when I am appreciated. I don’t expect any monetary gain but appreciation from the people I am involved with. I believe that by doing voluntary work we can destroy the monopoly of materialism where everything is weighed by money and we can return to humanity, what belongs to it, for example – teaching and learning anything without monetary gain, like it existed before. And to care about each more than caring about ourselves, so we are less selfish.
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Active and passive project members: › Active members: those members who actively participate and give positive input to the project › Passive members: those who participate but do not contribute actively and to the smooth running of the project › Identify them and recognize their strengths and weaknesses › To initiate activity among the passive members, encourage the active members, appreciate their ideas with rewards. This may prompt the passive members to rethink their own participation Delegation of tasks: Equal and fair delegation of tasks among the employees, volunteers and the members helps keep the balance in the group and reduces a lot of project weight from of the coordinator’s shoulders. For example: In certain ethnic communities, the group leader ends up being the only person who is doing most of the work while other members just participate in it. But in some other communities the delegation of tasks is easily accepted and people expect to be included in the work rather than left out. If the group is of such a mixture, the coordinator should take into consideration the diversity of the group and delegate tasks in such a way that they are accepted by the members. › Leave certain little tasks to the participants or the volunteers to create a feeling of responsibility. › The first step: often the project members are, in general, willing to take care of a certain task but they need some encouragement. Such activities should be created which need many helping hands and in which it is easy to share the tasks, making it easier for the participants to say “Yes, I will do it.“ This is an important line to cross, the next time it will be much easier for him/her to take some responsibility.
How to maintain the momentum and long term success of projects
› It is very important that the delegated tasks are manageable: One particular task, one aim at a time, no general duties › As a coordinator you have to give up some of your responsibility in doing so. Often, the coordinators are not willing to share the responsibility which prevents the engagement of the group members. Sometimes you may think that it takes more effort explaining a task to others or waiting for someone to do it instead of just doing it by yourself – but in the long term the whole group will profit more from a distribution of tasks, because everyone feels responsible for the group and is not just waiting for the coordinator to act. Communication: The coordinator should communicate any new ideas, new developments to the members on a regular basis. If the project or the group is smaller, personal contact with each member would be better since many communities have the tendency to work much more effectively on the basis of personal contact. For example: The Asian or African communities give more importance to a personal phone call or text message than an email sent to the entire group. Sure, it’s not possible to actually call everyone every time, but the important occasions do require a personal touch rather than an impersonal communication. Group discussion: It is necessary that a group discussion is held from time to time to revise the current activities, their usefulness and room for improvement. Also, these discussions help you gain an idea about the opinions of the project members and their expectations. Feedback: The opinion of the participants is absolutely essential as it shows them that you value their views and consider them equally important to the suc-
cess of the project. From time to time opinions and views should be gathered from the members to assess the project’s progress and evaluate the future course of action. Assessment: Once you have gathered all the feedback and answers, make an assessment of that feedback and the suggestions given by the members. As a motivational factor, results of the group work should be recorded. Take pictures of common activities etc., write down your outcomes etc., to have something to show to the group and to others. The annual report should also include the inputs of the members throughout the year along with the photos and statistics. Vision: Projects need a vision and the vision needs to be based on practicalities like the current status of the project, upcoming opportunities, the capability of the project and its members, their level of involvement and how and where you wish to take your project in the next few years.
in their language or professional skills etc. › Be interested in your participants: Try to find out what someone can do well, focus on their competences and try to encourage them. The dark-horses: The background and the life that a person has led in his own country have a lot to do with how he/she perceives your intentions and reacts to it. Finding their hidden talents and encouraging them is a way to ensure their participation. Take care that you don’t force them. › Often it is encouraging that the coordinator or the volunteer is interested in you as a person and in your ethnic background and tries to learn some words in your language or your customs and habits so that you feel their efforts to communicate with you on every level.
Jasmin Sungur, 22 years, from Turkey Did you feel appreciated for your participation? Never before anyone did anything for me. When I came to the project ”STEP IN”, I felt appreciated and what I had learned before was valued.
otivation and peer support: M “True motivation comes from achievement, personal development, job satisfaction, and recognition.” — Frederick Herzberg It is necessary for any group or project to make sure that each and every person involved is treated equally and his/ her contributions are appreciated. A strong peer support is very much needed to motivate the members. › Let your project be a place where the focus lies on the competences of migrants – they often face many situations in which they are told that they lack competence, for example,
The „Kompetenzwerkstatt“ offers migrants of the first generation the opportunity to deal with their job biography, identify their strengths, attain crucial qualifications and prove themselves on the labour market (based on a case-management-approach). The project is a good example because besides obtaining new skills, the project focuses on ways to find jobs according to the competences the migrants already have.
GOOD Practices
B) Show their talents – valuing and recognizing the skills and expertise of the migrants (illustration and quotation by immigrants)
How to maintain the momentum and long term success of projects
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GOOD Practices
Project “Kulturlotsinnen” Female immigrants from Linz lead tours through the inner city and offer an insider’s view of their everyday life to locals and tourists encouraging intercultural contact and understanding. Beforehand, the migrant women attended a resource- and process-orientated empowerment training programme. The project is a good example because migrants can develop qualifications, give a personal perspective of their new home city and help fight racism and prejudices.
Özlem Öztürk, 21 years, from Turkey, living in Austria since 10 years
What can you learn in “Produktionsschule“? What are the advantages for you? I learned how to cook and how to serve food. In the “Produktionsschule“ it’s like in a family, if there are problems we all help each other, we are like brothers and sisters, there exists a lot of trust.
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Anna Polewiak, from Poland How was it for you to be a tourist guide in Austria? How did you profit from the “culture pilots“? What did you learn for yourself? It was a very good feeling. I could inform people about Poland. I can’t remove prejudices but I hope that the people who are participating in my tour can better understand migrants from Poland and form another opinion about Poland – an opinion that’s more true. After all Poland is a great country. Thanks to the culture pilots I got to know people in Linz and the city of Linz, and also other cultures and mentalities. I learned that sometimes you can do things and fulfill your own dreams, even if they seem to be unrealistic. You just have to have the will to do something. I also learned to have courage!
How to maintain the momentum and long term success of projects
C) Don’t let the participants down: don’t stop projects easily When problems start occurring – check with yourself, if you, as a coordinator are still feeling engaged in the project. Ask yourself if the aim of the project is achieved or still achievable, and if it’s really worth all the effort to save it. Proceed if the answer is yes. Difficult situations are not only normal but are to be foreseen and prepared for. Do´s and Don’ts “It’s not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what’s required.” - Winston Churchill Do´s: In the following situations you have be prepared to reconsider certain aspects of your project and adapt accordingly › Financial trouble: Find local, national or international sponsors, find donations etc. › Unsatisfied members: It leads to a lack of members for the project. Methods and vision need to be revisited and revised. Innovative ideas and publicity attract more people. Contact the key stakeholders; talk to the participants about what’s wrong. Sometimes it may be something trivial, like time clashes with other activities which can be easily solved. › Difficult members: Try to make them understand the rules, check what their problems are and try to fix them, if nothing works then expel them because you don’t want them disturbing the smooth running of the project › Disintegration: Change the infrastructure, bring in new blood and grab new opportunities. Don’ts: › Complacence: Never be satisfied with what you have achieved › Overconfidence: Never take anything for granted › Monotony: Bring variety in the project to keep up the interests › Too many leaders: This may lead to a clash of ideas and visions
6.2 How to organize infrastructure and other resources on a long-term basis Doing public relations, lobbying
vate contact with all the right people, organize speaking engagements, and respond to enquiries. Journalists and media are very important for any public relations.
Good lobbying ensures long-term stability and financial support for your group whereas good public relations help your project to complete its goals and succeed. Be aware that doing public relations takes much time! Always check if it really serves the project, it shouldn’t be an aim as such. Little projects with little resources may not need any work on public relations at all and may run smoothly without public attention, just for the benefit of the group members.
Build slow relations and develop a good PR by projecting -
Lobbying: It can be done through letters and phone calls to influential people, applications, reports, meetings, projecting the larger good of the community and publicity for your project.
Personal touch: A very important point for a smaller or even a bigger project is that you should have personal contact or contacts with people who are in important or key positions in society. It is such contacts that help your case to be considered as important and to be taken seriously. But be careful, there is a very thin line between a politically correct PR and lobbying and over the line PR and lobbying. It is important to know when not to cross the line. And also be careful your project is not being used by other actors – e.g. if someone is using your project to show how much is already done for migrants, or how intercultural the city is etc.
› Be clear about your issues, your facts and your position › Make your main message relatively short and simple › Use many quotations in your press releases, add pictures, this helps to get printed › Use lobbying only for important issues › Be careful not to speak “on behalf of people“ unless you have consulted them › Target the right people › Build a lobby group › Prepare for opposition › Never use blackmail or bribery or even gifts and favours to persuade someone. That is corruption, not lobbying. Public relations (PR): A well-built PR strategy can produce goodwill amongst the important people which in turn helps if and when a crisis situation hits your project. You need to do PR with all your financiers, auditors, employees, the local governmental officials and of course, journalists. Culti-
› the importance of your project for the society › your project’s aims and goals and the methods that you are adapting to achieve your goals › time to time renewal and new idea infusions to your project › the support you are getting for your project from various sources › your vision for the future
Epilogue: Whereas all these points hold true to some extent about how to maintain a project, these are not hard and fast rules. Every project or group has its own spirit and its own way of handling situations. It depends upon the aims of the project, people involved, their involvement level, place, situation and the target group of the project. But with enough enthusiasm and hard work, a project can achieve great success and empower the people involved in it at every level.
Ricardo Patino: Former coordinator of Fish4English children’s club. Columbian background, living in Finland since last 4 years.
When do you think that the immigrants feel empowered while working/volunteering? The majority of immigrants are capable adults that face a great culture/language barrier when coming to Finland. As Finnish people understand more and more that many of us, immigrants, have capabilities that can benefit progress, our integration will become a smoother process. Immigrants feel appreciated and motivated when we are given the opportunity to give back!
How to maintain the momentum and long term success of projects
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Continuity and sustainability of projects
Every effort made to start and maintain a project is rewarded when the project successfully continues and sustains for years to come. Not only is the sustainability important for the general as well as individual benefits, it is also important for the project coordinators to boost their confidence. A successfully long running project provides necessary momentum, motivation and desire to start new projects which could be a turning point for the people involved in it.
7.1 Building networks between single projects The beginning of each project faces the challenges of properly reaching the target group. In doing so, a well-established network can be very helpful. Yet it often takes years to set up a network functioning on a mutual basis, since personal contacts in different areas covering various subject matters are indispensable. If a project is regarded as successful – such as the examples presented in this guide book - it is worth thinking outside the box. This can be done by involving the networks used for other projects as well as by publishing the results and by presenting the contents of the project concerned to a wider public. By adopting this strategy, some projects – e.g. the culture pilots – succeed in being maintained through national and international networking contacts and in being transferred to other countries in an adapted form. This enables the surmounting of geographic, cultural and societal barriers – even more so, these barriers can then be experienced as enrichment. Especially in the sensitive areas of immigration and the participation of migrants in all aspects of life, being open-minded and sympathetic concerning the various requests, fears, desires and challenges is of major importance. By focused networking activities barriers can be reduced and integration can be facilitated. Hence, this strategy implies a vigilant and active design of projects especially in regard of examining comparable proposals which may be adapted to the needs of the target group and used as a blueprint.
Further aims of the projects
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GOOD Practices
GemeinsamLebenLernen is an activity with the aim of connecting different organizations and associations working on the topics of integration, intercultural exchange and multiculturalism in a certain region. The yearly meeting gives place to the different initiatives to present themselves, their aims and offers. It reveals common topics and fields for future cooperation. Furthermore, it is used as an instrument to start new common projects. It is a good example because with very little effort it helps to promote the topic of integration in a certain region and it facilitates networking and mutual support to reach common goals.
7.2 Building a broader strategy – changing something in your community The best practice examples contained in the guide book clearly show that changes in society can often be achieved by setting a course and providing opportunities for self-presentation through small and initiative based projects which allow for an individual execution.
Walter Prehofer, representative for migration and integration of the chamber of commerce of Upper Austria:
Participation is an opportunity. We may all have a different past, but we should build the future together.
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Strategies which can be successful: › gather information, taking into account regional conditions › dialogue with multipliers, stakeholders, ethnic groups, associations, communities, and people working in the same field › assess the needs of „marginal groups“ and people with migration background › establish and maintain networks › commitment Please note that the strategies that have helped one project or situation may not necessarily help in another project or situation. They are only for
Further aims of the projects
„Ausländerbeirat“ or „Integrationsbeirat“ means an official consultative committee of foreigners on a local level to ensure that the interests and needs of foreigners are heard in the community. Its goals are to enable migrants to participate in the political process and take an active part in their community, to represent the interests of the foreign population and to promote the intercultural dialogue between migrants and the local population. It is a good example because it compensates the lack of political participation of migrants due to a foreign citizenship which excludes migrants from the political level even if they have been living in the region for a long time.
guiding the project coordinators as to what to expect, what to do and how to prepare for a project. The how to successfully start and carry on aspect of the project entirely depends on the project coordinator, the regional and local possibilities and availabilities of resources, network, support and information. The cooperation of the people involved in the project is also very important. For example: In the best practices of Finland, “Roots and Cultures” African drums group, the coordinator of the group being a migrant had the difficulty of communication since he couldn’t speak the local language properly. So, some other participants, who were Finns, took up the matter in their hands and helped him in communicating with his other students, participants so that no one missed the information exchange. Also, they helped him in handling the stage performances, contacting local people and other much needed help. Multicultural center Kompassi, helped him in handling his monetary affairs that belonged to the group. This initial help resulted in him being able to perform his duties of coordinator much better has boosted his confidence so much that he started another project/group voluntarily.
GOOD Practices
Arbeitskreis “GemeinsamLebenLernen” (Networking meetings)
7.3 Political issues The European Union reflects diversity concerning history and culture within society. Positive aspects of diversity are made visible on the one hand through initiated projects in the field of integration and on the other hand through media accessible for political purpose. Integration/migration is a chance and a challenge at the same time. People have capabilities, skills and competences which not only have to be made visible, but also have to be accepted and used as a (working-) merit by the (working-) society of the host country concerned. Thus integration can succeed. Attractive offers for migrated persons have to be granted in order to keep them in the country so that they can make use of their know how with minimal bureaucratic barriers. The frustration of going through the bureaucratic procedures in itself can put off many miDr. Renate Müller, Head of the Upper Austrian Integration Centre: Upper Austrian Integration Centre supports institutions and organizations, who are active in the field of integration. Immigration and integration are not only a challenge, but also a chance for society, if you utilize the chances provided by diversity. In the light of current economic and socio-demographic developments, immigration and integration can help to improve the future sustainability of our country. Therefore serious attempts to deal with the issue of immigration are important. The ones who will not take integration seriously and live accordingly, you will sooner or later experience the disadvantages of such behaviour. This is the reason the government of Upper Austria has developed following guidelines for their integration policies: › Live diversity – Recognition of the diversity and plurality within society › Ensure participation - ensure equitable access to all resources available within society › Strengthen social cohesion - ensure the respectful interaction with each other ›Share responsiblity – everyone – individuals as well as public and private organisations must assume responsibility in this integration process and brings in their competences and skills within the limits of their resources. Further aims of the projects
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grants and lessen their confidence in their abilities because they start feeling less and less enthusiastic and motivated to use their know how and without practice their skills may become dull and fade away. For asylum seekers suffering from traumas (e.g. flight, persecution in their country of origin) resources for psychological assistance are needed to allow for integration. People have different needs; therefore, multiple strategies will have to be applied to reach them. It is important to be individually active in order to be heard in the field of politics and to get access to information. Therefore, a framework which allows for implementing such a strategy is necessary. In Austria for example, cultural and ethnic associations act as a platform for promoting the interests of many migrants. This allows for decent representation and accessibility of a group’s interests. Disseminating a successful project within the political environment of the home organization creates consciousness for predicting unknown challenges and opens doors and new perspectives towards the diversity of groups and their needs. At the same time, it also
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Further aims of the projects
focuses on the common ground which represents a major foundation for successful integration. In Austria, the municipality of Linz created an office for migration on its own. Moreover, the so called “Integrationsstelle” – which represents a core contact point for individuals as well as organisations and associations – is located within the office of the Upper Austrian regional government (“Amt der OÖ Landesregierung“). In Finland, The Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations (ETNO), consisting of representatives of many immigrant organizations, plays an important role in the consultation process organized by the central government. The Advisory Board promotes interaction between different ethnic and religious groups and assists ministries in issues relating to immigration policy and ethnic equality. Finally, everything is a matter of will. It takes a lot of will and effort from the Governments, local officials, NGOs, ethnic as well as local communities to rise above the prejudices, misconceptions to come together and work for the common benefit. That is when the projects and their goals will accomplish what they have wanted to achieve!
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Conclusions
What have we learned? What are our main recommendations?
At the end of this resource guide we want to summarize our findings and give you some hints and tips that we regarded as the most important ones: › It is good to have expectations, how migrants could contribute to society, but it is also necessary to accept their limitations. Have also in mind, that we can only create opportunities and chances of integration and empowerment, but it is up to the migrants to take them or leave them. They even have the right of failure! › Whatever needs migrants have, the most important on is the economic empowerment: being able to earn your own living is the most effective way to boost the confidence of migrants with themselves and the confidence of the society in them. If someone is working, the attitude of the people differs a lot. So give them a chance to work and contribute. › Be yourself: It is important to be sensitive of other cultures, trying to understand them, learn other languages etc., but you don’t have to go overboard. Be authentic, show a real interest in people, share your ideas and values … Being yourself and being authentic is an effective way to show your respect to others. › Trying to be “political correct” and being polite is important too, but it should not be a reason for avoiding talking about
the real issues. Only if we deal with difficulties and problems honestly and speak about them openly without prejudices, there is a chance for help and the opportunity to prevent harm. › Be open-minded and tolerant. Intercultural dialogue is more than listening to foreign music and tasting exotic food. Understanding other cultures doesn’t require special language or and intercultural training. All that is needed is a will to understand on both sides. In an intercultural dialogue neither is wrong – it’s just a different perspective. › Tolerance starts, when you experience hurt in some ways. Allow yourself to be irriated by cultural differences and reflect your emotions and think of the reasons, why you feel like that. Leave your comfort zone and you will learn something new. › All individuals are shaped by their cultural background. Be aware of your own cultural imprints and cultural identity and train your ability to interact with other „mentalities“. Change your perspective and put yourself in the shoe’s of the migrant: treat them the way you would like to be treated, if you would be in their situation. › Foreigners are no aliens – so don’t treat them like that! Act “normal” and respect them as equals. › We are all individuals, but we all have more in common than we think: We all want to be economically sound, feel safe, love our family, we all want to love and feel loved, need friendship, we love good food, like to laugh, and have the feeling of belonging somewhere. › Trying to improve your life and living standards doesn’t make any migrant an opportunist. It’s something everyone is trying, as everyone wants a better life for themselves. So accept the fact that people are trying that. › Communication is the key for empowerment and integration: try to find a good way how to communicate with people of different background on equal terms.
Conclusions
› We should focus on the potentials and positives and not on the deficits and negatives of migrants. Integration could be a hard, difficult and (emotionally) painful process, as a new/foreign language needs to be learned, various qualifications are not acknowledged in the receiving country, the culture is unfamiliar and there could be a lack of peer support. Also strengths are not as widely noticed or appreciated, such as the extensive experiences, intercultural perceptions, other languages or competences migrants bring into the host society. › Of course, it is also important that migrants are willing to be active citizens in their host country. Migrants themselves need to be active to be a part of the receiving society and to “meet the natives”. › As project managers we need support and resources for preventive work and not only for curing existing problems. › Empowerment and integration is not something which happens overnight. It needs time and patience on both sides.
Think about it!
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About us
This guideline is the result of our Grundtvig learning partnership “emPower - Engaged migrants: Pathways overcoming Worries, Exclusion & Racism“. The partners are “Gemeinsam leben & lernen in Europa”, a grass root NGO from Germany, “Berufliches Bildungsund Rehabilitationszentrum”, a huge adult education provider from Upper Austria and “KOMPASSI”, an intercultural centre from the Kuopio Settlement Puijola in Finland. We all work with migrants and assist them on local or regional level, and practice different ways of empowering them.
The authors
Perdita Wingerter, Germany Volunteer CEO of “Gemeinsam leben & lernen in Europa”; 20 years of experience working with migrants (e.g. teacher for German as a foreign language, trainer of course for unemployed migrants, manager of various projects aimed to support and empowering migrants). Her motto: “Stop talking, just act accordingly.” Johanna Niederhofer, Germany Sociologist, she’s working as a career guidance counsellors for the Federal Employment Agency in Passau; additionally, she is a volunteer at “Gemeinsam leben & lernen in Europa” for over 3 years. Maarit Rönkönharju, Finland Coordinator of Multicultural Center Kompassi; she works in this NGO, which aims to promote integration in a relatively new multicultural society in Finland. Varsha Shurpali, Finland She was born in India and is a lawyer by profession. She’s living in Finland for several years now and is working as an assistant and community worker in the Multicultural Center Kompassi. Gabriele Einsiedler, Austria She is an experienced project manager of school-to-work transition projects for disadvantaged young people and has over 20 years experience working as a pedagogue with children, adolescents and adults counselling and giving workshops. Many of her participants were migrants or coming from a migration background. What is important to her is striking new paths, to live diversity in a society, and to use networks to empower people. Krisztina Lantos, Germany She is Hungarian and is living in Germany for many years. She has a B.A. in European Studies and was working as a volunteer at „Gemeinsam leben & lernen in Europa“ in various intercultural and international projects. Her motto: “When a door is closed, two new ones will open.” About us
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APPENDIX
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Collection of good practices
In this chapter you will find a wide variety of good practices, which highlight many opportunities for social, vocational and political participation of migrants within the receiving country.
During this partnership (2011 – 2013) partners visited each other and shared their experiences, project concepts and methods and visited projects run by partners or other national organisation. The lessons learned during these visits were really fruitful and helpful for all partners involved. But right from the start, it was our aim to share our gained knowledge with as many authorities, communities, municipalities, stakeholders and responsible parties as possible, in order to inspire them to follow good examples or cooperate with us in the future. To reach this purpose, we collected good practices from our organisations and country, where the empowerment of migrants was practiced and promoted. When choosing the best and good practice examples, the main focus of our partnership was to show good practices that allowed new opportunities for the social, vocational and political participation as well as active involvement of migrants in the receiving country. And we focused on hands-on, practical examples, which can be applied quite easily. Every good example aims to illustrate existing resources of migrants. They also demonstrate how “integration” can be practiced in real life and circumstance, rather than just using “integration” only as a buzzword. But have in mind, that our good practices don’t provide generally applicable solutions for every target group, organisation, or country. The success of a project, method, and activity depends on many reasons: infrastructure, resources, and requirements and of course on the people implementing it. To empower migrants and integrate them actively in our society is important to create and maintain a sustainable and stable societal structure. Countries of the European Union, which have not yet looked deeply into the subject “empowerment of migrants”, should benefit from it. So we’ll hope that our resource guide as well as our collection of good practices will be a benefit for all readers and will inspire them to follow our good examples.
Collection of good practices
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Internationaler Frauentreff - Women experience cultures Partner: Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V. Main topic: Organizing activities for and with migrants
Identification of the organisation Name Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V. Location Passau Type of organization non-profit association Contact Perdita Wingerter Leopoldstraße 9 94032 Passau Tel: 0851-2132740 info@gemeinsam-in-europa.de www.gemeinsam-in-europa.de Identification of the practice / project Title “Internationaler Frauentreff” - „Women experience cultures“ Detailed description of the project The „International get-together for women“ is an intercultural project, in which female migrants get the opportunity to meet with other women and exchange experiences. It is mainly addressed to women having arrived recently to Germany from a foreign country and still having difficulties with the language or getting in contact to local people. The get-together takes place once a month in a café, and are meant as open meetings without a special program or a further commitment. Additionally, a widely spread cultural program is offered, to give the opportunity to do something together and getting to know the new country. Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
The main target group are women: • coming from foreign countries • not speaking German very well • having difficulties building up friendships or even just getting in touch with other people • being simply interested to exchange experiences with others German women are also welcome at the meetings who • recently moved to the city • are interested to meet women with different cultural backgrounds The date for the get-together is always published early in time in local newspapers. Additionally, all known participants receive info mails with current dates of events once a month. Furthermore, participants may invite women they know.
Context of the project: What needs/pro- Having arrived to a foreign country and eventually still not being blems existed that made it necessary to able to speak the new language is very difficult for many people. implement the project? They have difficulties to get in touch and catch up with locals in their new home. The migrants are getting overwhelmed by new impressions and are probably looking for someone supporting them to integrate those impressions into their mindset, someone they can talk to and who understands their situation. Especially women who are not working are in danger of getting isolated and feeling lost.
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Collection of good practices
Goals of the project The main goal of the project is to prevent or end the isolation of women having recently arrived in Germany. Women shall get the opportunity: • to get in contact to other migrants to share their experiences of migration • to get in contact to German women • to build new friendships • to tell others about their home, culture and family and get to know other cultures and countries • through the cultural program women will get to know their new home The main goal of the get-together is that through the meetings women get in contact to each other, are eventually building friendships and are doing recreational activities together. Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- The project doesn’t require many resources and is easily to ment the project implement. Only the dates of the meetings have to be published, and a café has to be booked once a month. Organizing the cultural program needs more preparations, especially the coordination of the participants. Resources and costs The costs of the meetings (the consumptions in the café) are paid by the women themselves. The participation in the cultural events is also paid by the participants. Staff (paid, voluntary) The founder and staff in charge work on a voluntary basis. No further staff is needed for the project. Involvement of migrants in planning and Migrants were involved in planning this project right from the implementation beginning. The idea of organizing this project came from a Canadian woman who came to Passau. She founded the International get-together for women supported by the association “Gemeinsam Leben und Lernen in Europa e.V. Possible obstacles for implementation Possibly it will not be easy to get in contact to women of the and ways to overcome them target group. Since a lot of the promotion of the meetings will take place by word of mouth, it’s also possible starting with just a small group. Needed partners/ support for the project All tasks of organizing are done by the migrants themselves supported by the association „Gemeinsam Leben und Lernen in Europa“. Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how In the meantime about 15 women are attending the get-togethers many participants, how often etc.) regularly. The level of age is widely ranged from 25 to 70. The participants come from 21 different countries. The meetings are held every first Friday a month at 9am. Additionally trips are offered regularly. Added value for the participants: how The international get-together for women has become a place are migrants empowered by the pro- where everyone can discuss their problems and benefit from the ject? experience of others. Problems get solved together and friendships are built. The women don‘t feel left alone with their problems, but realize that there are many others feeling the same way. By getting in contact to the association they also get to see ways of engaging themselves in the German society. Added value for the organization
Some of the women are now working as volunteers for several projects of „Gemeinsam Leben und Lernen“ after getting trained as project consultants or developers. For example they work for the project “Children experience cultures“. Collection of good practices
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Summary Why is the project a good example?
This project is a good example because it is a project which can be simply transferred to other contexts since it doesn’t need great resources, but can have an important impact on the participants´ lives. It is a very open project which makes it very easy to participate, because it doesn’t require any preconditions of the women. And it doesn’t force the participants to do something, but trusts the women to do something by themselves.
What works well?
Important for the continuity of the project is that the meetings always take place at the same time in the same place. The openness of the meetings is also a point which is appreciated by the participants.
What doesn‘t work well?
There are no separated non-public rooms for the get-togethers for being only in the group or organizing cooking events. The meetings in the café are also difficult for women with financial problems or for women with small children. Moving the meetings from the cafe to a private place could reduce this problem.
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Collection of good practices
Kinder erleben Kulturen – Children experience cultures Partner: Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V. Main topic: Show their talents: Valuation and recognition of the skills and expertise of migrants.
Identification of the organisation Name Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V. Location Passau Type of organization non-profit association Contact Perdita Wingerter Leopoldstraße 9 94032 Passau Tel: 0851-2132740 info@gemeinsam-in-europa.de www.gemeinsam-in-europa.de Identification of the practice / project Title Kinder erleben Kulturen – Children experience cultures Detailed description of the project The project “Kinder erleben Kulturen“ is an intercultural project, in which migrants get the chance to show their culture to children and teenagers. Subject of the project are workshops, which migrants are conducting in schools and kindergartens. Possible topics migrants can talk about to the children may be: • The Country • The People • The Culture • Eating & Drinking • Literature, Art, Music & Dance • The World of Children and Teenagers An important feature of the workshops is, that children shall experience the other culture with all their senses: by watching, listening, touching, smelling, tasting. So migrants can cook with the children, sing, dance or do handicrafts. Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
The project has two target groups. The first target group is migrants, who are interested in talking about their culture and in working with children and teenagers. Migrants can be of all ages and countries; the only condition is that they are speaking a certain level of German to be able to conduct the workshops. The second target group is the children and teenager who are attending the workshops. The migrants can be reached e.g. through migrant self-organizations. Children and teenager are reached through the contact to schools and kindergartens.
Context of the project: What needs/pro- The project addresses two problems: on the one hand the exisblems existed that make it necessary to ting prejudices and racism among the German population, which implement the project? are often the consequence of ignorance about other cultures. And on the other hand the fact that there aren‘t many possibilities for migrants to be able to talk about their own culture to Germans.
Collection of good practices
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Objectives of the project The aim of the workshops is therefore to already fight prejudices at an early stage of life among the German population. And migrants, instead of just being the objects of prejudices, shall get the possibility to take an active part in intercultural educational work. Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- To prepare the materials and to plan the workshop takes about ment the project one week of full-time work for the migrant and if necessary further time for the supporting German volunteer or staff (accordingly more weeks with less hours). Further time is needed to get in contact to migrant self-organizations and schools and kindergartens, to conduct the workshops, and to evaluate the workshops. Resources and costs The workshops don‘t require certain equipment; everything can be adapted to the needs and interests of the migrant. Normally, there will be used a computer, printer, perhaps a projector if a presentation is shown, and further materials for the workshops e.g. food and tools for cooking, handcrafting, painting, things to show like music instruments, books, cloths etc. If a certain amount of workshops shall be realized, it will be difficult to handle it just with volunteers. Then a staff may be necessary to coordinate and support the project. Staff (paid, voluntary) The migrants are doing the workshops voluntary. A German staff or voluntary is organizing the workshops in schools and kindergarten and supports the migrants in preparing and doing the workshops (especially language support). Involvement of migrants in planning and Migrants are involved in the project from the first step: they implementation prepare their own materials; they plan the workshop and they conduct it. Germans are only supporting them, but the main part is done by migrants themselves. Possible obstacles for implementation A possible problem could be that there are not enough schools and ways to overcome them and kindergartens that are willing to do the workshops. A way to overcome this problem is to intensify cooperation with schools and inform them about the chances of the project. Planning the workshops at the end of the school year is also a possibility, because there is often more time for extracurricular projects. Needed partners/ support for the project Migrant self-organizations to get in contact with interested migrants could be partners. Necessary partners are schools and kindergartens. Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how How many workshops and how often the workshops take place many participants, how often etc.) depends on how many migrants want to conduct workshops, and on the demand of schools and kindergartens. Added value for the participants: how The project empowers migrants in various ways. The main are migrants empowered by the pro- point is that the project is mainly shaped by migrants - they are ject? preparing and conducting the workshops for Germans, and not the other way round. They can take an active role in spreading knowledge about their culture among the German population, and get the chance to bring in their knowledge and their experiences. Additionally the workshops give them the opportunity to develop further qualifications: preparing educational materials, presentation of information in front of a group, using of the German language. ››
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Collection of good practices
›› These qualifications will be documented in a certificate, which can be used for the labour market. A further advantage is that the project also gives the migrant the opportunity for intercultural learning - the preparation of information about the own culture can lead to a increased intercultural awareness, and the supporting of a German volunteer / staff leads to intercultural exchange. Added value for the organization Since a condition of the project is the cooperation to migrant selforganizations and to schools and kindergartens the project helps to intensify contacts and cooperation to other organizations. Summary Why is the project a good example? The project is a good example because it connects two main objectives of intercultural work in one project: the empowerment of migrants and the fight against racism. Additionally, it is a very flexible project which can be realized according to personal interests and is therefore easily transferable to other countries. What works well? To get the children interested, it is good to let them do something by themselves, instead of presenting a lot of information. Especially smaller children are very fond of singing and dancing, or doing some little counting-out rhymes etc. Cooking is also a very good activity, since it allows a comprehensive experience in the group. Another good approach is to give the workshop a personal touch, e.g. by showing pictures or toys from the migrants’ own childhood etc. It’s important that migrants don’t follow a certain scheme in preparing the information for the workshop, but have their own personal approach, following their own experiences and interests. What doesn‘t work well? Sometimes the language competence can be a problem. Even if someone is already living in Germany for years it may be difficult to speak in a foreign language in front of a group, and to understand all the questions. In that case it is possible to conduct the workshop together with a German partner. If the project is run merely on a voluntary base, fluctuation of the participants, migrants and German volunteers/staff as well, is a problem, so that the workshops can’t be offered regularly.
Collection of good practices
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MigNet Partner: Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V.
Identification of the organisation Name Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V. Location Passau Type of organization non-profit association Contact Perdita Wingerter Leopoldstraße 9 94032 Passau Tel: 0851-2132740 info@gemeinsam-in-europa.de www.gemeinsam-in-europa.de Identification of the practice / project Title MigNet Detailed description of the project MigNet is a website which makes all the relevant information for migrants in a certain region available. It contains information about all aspects of living in Germany: living, work, education, social assurance, cultural activities. On the website only general information is given. It serves as a signpost to other websites which contain detailed information about the different topics. The website is translated into the foreign languages which are mostly spoken among the foreigners of a certain region, but the linked websites are in German. Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
The project addresses migrants who are living in Germany recently, to give them a sort of basic information about different topics in their daily lives. The website can be spread through official websites (of cities, counties..) or be directly given to the “Ausländeramt“ (office for non-residents) and migrants self-organization.
Context of the project: What needs/pro- The project addresses the lack of information among foreigners blems existed that made it necessary to having recently arrived in Germany. Through collecting the inforimplement the project? mation it makes it much more easily for the migrants to inform themselves. Objectives of the project The main goal of the project is to give migrants basic information about living in Germany. Through this, migrants are invited to start informing them by themselves, and therefore creating the preconditions for acting independently. At the same time migrants are actively involved in collecting the information, and therefore learning a lot about German living conditions and of the German language. Additionally the project has a further impact on the Germans providing the different services for migrants since it shows who is doing what in a certain region, and where is potential of doing things together. Through this networking migrants will also benefit on the long-term.
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Collection of good practices
Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- Time is needed for the following steps: ment the project - to get the contact-dates and contact persons of all the linked organization - to write the general information - to contact migrant-self-organization to get to know which information is needed - to find and involve migrants in the development of the project Resources and costs Different parts of the project will have to be paid: - costs for a professional website - costs for a staff coordinating the whole project - costs for professional translations if possible Staff (paid, voluntary) The website should be done by a professional. Since the whole project requires the coordination of a lot of information, a staff which is responsible during the whole time of the project is preferable. For the development of the contents further voluntary migrants should participate. Involvement of migrants in planning and Migrants should be involved as much as possible in the project, implementation because information is collected which will be used by them – so they should decide which information is needed and how it should be presented to reach a lot of migrants. Also for doing the translations migrants are involved. And migrants-self-organizations should be involved to ensure the spreading of the website. Possible obstacles for implementation A problem could be the translations of the website: to find profesand ways to overcome them sional translators, and to have enough resources to pay them. But the main problem will be the maintenance of the website, to keep the information up-to-date. A solution could be to give the responsibility of the linked organization to keep the information up to date, and not of the one running the website. But it still will be a problem if the organizations don’t react by themselves. Needed partners/ support for the project A wide range of organizations, which offer services for migrants has to be involved. The organizations have to be contacted and informed about the project. Besides migrants-self-organizations should be contacted. Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how A quantitative result of the project could be how often the websimany participants, how often etc.) te is read. Additionally, migrants will take part in the development of the project for a certain time. Added value for the participants: how Migrants are involved in planning and implementation – helping are migrants empowered by the pro- to find relevant information and therefore learning a lot about ject? German living conditions. Besides they are getting in contact to other organizations. Migrants reading the website are invited to start informing themselves, and therefore creating the preconditions for acting independently. Added value for the organization
The main added value for the organization is the contact to different organizations, and therefore creating a wide network of organizations working with migrants.
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Summary Why is the project a good example? The project is a good example because it gives migrants information to be able to act more independently. The use of the internet makes the information easily available. On the same time it doesn’t just provide information for migrants, but involves migrants actively in the process of finding the information.
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Social Boys – Multicultural Partner: Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V. Main topic: Show their talents: Valuation and recognition of the skills and expertise of migrants.
Identification of the organisation Name Paritätisches Bildungswerk Bundesverband e.V. Location Frankfurt Type of organization non-profit association Contact /www.bildungswerk.paritaet.org/ Identification of the practice / project Title Social Boys - Multicultural Detailed description of the project The project “Social Boys - Multicultural“ was a voluntary service for boys with an immigration background of the age between 14-16. The boys engaged to help in a social organization for one year, attending in general one evening a week for a few hours. Possible organizations were kindergartens, senior citizens residences or homes for people with handicaps. The boys were playing with the children, reading for elderly people, or doing little tasks for patients in a hospital. The boys were accompanied by voluntary mentors, who hold a meeting with groups of about 10 boys once a month, to talk about the experiences made in the voluntary work and further issues like professional orientation, help for writing applications etc. The boys got a certificate for their participation after having done 200 hours of voluntary work, and the schools could put a remark about the voluntary work in the school report. Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
The main target group were boys with an immigration background of the age between 14-16 years, especially boys coming from “Hauptschule” (Secondary General School). Nevertheless, the project was open for German boys and boys coming from other types of school as well. The boys are mainly reached through the “Boys Day”. This was a Germany-wide project, where boys got the possibility of working in a social organization for one day. Boys participating in this day were asked if they would like to continue working in social organizations on a voluntary basis. There was a website where boys could enrol in the project, and the project was promoted through flyers at schools and trough local newspapers. The mentors were mainly reached through voluntary agencies and universities.
Context of the project: What needs/pro- The project addressed two problems. One the one hand, boys blems existed that make it necessary to seldom vote for a social profession because of the existing implement the project? gender segregation on the labour market and gender prejudices. They often have a lack of experiences with social work and care. ››
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›› On the other hand, boys with an immigration background have more often problems in the German school system, and often leave school without any degree, and therefore having problems integrating in the labour market. The voluntary service addressed at the same time the existing prejudices of boys preventing them from working in a social profession, and helped them on the other hand to evolve social and personal competences which helped them on their way in the labour market and being an active citizen who is engaged in the community. Furthermore, the participating social organizations profit from the engagement of the boys and the people in the organizations cared for like the children and elder citizens of the dialogue between different ages, sexes and cultures. Goals of the project The voluntary service addresses at the same time the existing prejudices of boys preventing them from working in a social profession, and helps them on the other hand to evolve social and personal competences which help them on their way in the labour market and being an active citizen who is engaged in the community. Furthermore, the participating social organizations profited from the engagement of the boys and the people in the organizations cared for like the children and elder citizens of the dialogue between different ages, sexes and cultures.. Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- The project “Social Boys – Multicultural” was a long-term project, ment the project which needed a longer commitment of all participating actors. Time was needed for the following steps: to ensure financing to contact and find mentors to find social organizations to find interested boys The number of boys who could participate in the project should have depended on the number of mentors and interested social organizations. It was easier to implement the project if the “Boys Day” was already well known in a certain region, and the contacts to schools and social organizations has already existed. Resources and costs The project needed various financial resources. An employee needed to be paid for the coordination. The boys received an allowance of 30 Euro per month, and the voluntary mentors an expense allowance. Additionally, a room was needed for the monthly meetings and resources for common activities with the boys. Staff (paid, voluntary) Since a lot of different actors and activities had to be coordinated a paid staff should have been responsible for the whole duration of the project. For about 40 boys participating this should have been a full-time staff. For every 10 boys there should have been two voluntary mentors. Involvement of migrants in planning and It would have been desirable that people with immigration backimplementation ground have already been involved in the planning of the project. Especially the mentors should have been migrants. Possible obstacles for implementation The main factor that could have inhibited implementation was and ways to overcome them the lack of funding. For the project “Social Boys – Multicultural” public funding had been found. If there was no public funding available other ways of attracting resources like donations had have to be found. Since mentors were mainly found at universities it may have been difficult especially in rural areas and small communities to find enough mentors. ›› 58
Collection of good practices
›› A possible way to overcome this problem was to cooperate with the local youth welfare work. Needed partners/ support for the project Needed partners were the participating social organizations, and perhaps voluntary agencies or other voluntary organizations to find enough mentors. Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how In the project “Social Boys – Multicultural” about 40 boys per many participants, how often etc.) year were doing a voluntary service of 200 hours per year and 8 mentors were accompanying them in their monthly meetings. The majority of the boys stayed in the project for the whole year. Added value for the participants: how The participating boys were empowered in various ways by the are migrants empowered by the pro- project: ject? they improved their chances on the labor market by getting contacts to organizations and by the certificate they trained their social competences and experience recognition and valuation for what they are doing they learned to be responsible for someone they will have experienced a different male role they got a more open view on possible professions they got the chance of training their German in another context For the participating mentors the project also had positive outcomes: they learned to work in a team and to be responsible for someone else especially for mentors with an immigration background – they could help others being in the same situation and can share their experience Added value for the organization The added value for the organization was the contact to different organizations. Summary Why is the project a good example? The project is a good example, because it summarizes different problems in one project: the lack of men in social professions and the existing prejudices, the difficult situation for boys with immigration background in the school system and the labour market, the promotion of civil engagement and the care for others, the gaps between ages, cultures and sexes. It was a good project because it connected all these topics in a very practical and conceivable way, of which all participating actors will have profited. What did work well? In the project “Social Boys – Multicultural” the participating boys were in the beginning mainly found through the “Boys Day”. It worked well to hold an “After Work Party” in a youth centre after the “Boys Day” and at this occasion informing the boys about the voluntary service. Another important factor of attracting boys was the allowance. The attracting factor was not the amount of money but just the fact that money was paid since it served as a kind of justification for the boys towards their peer-groups. More information about this project: › http://www.sozialejungs.de/ › http://www.freiwilligendienst-jungs.de/index.htm
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Ausländerbeirat - Advisory counsil of foreigners Partner: Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V. Identification of the organisation Contact For more information see www.agaby.de (Agaby is the union of the “Ausländerbeiräte” in Bavaria.) Identification of the practice / project Title “Ausländerbeirat” (Advisory counsil of foreigners) E.g in Bavaria in München, Ansbach, Ingolstadt, Nürnberg.. Detailed description of the project “Ausländerbeirat“ or “Integrationsbeirat“ means an official consultative committee of foreigners on a local level to ensure that the interests and needs of foreigners are heard in the community. Members are voted by the foreign local population for a certain time. The committee meets at regular intervals. It cooperates with local politicians and administration and is in contact to political parties, civil organizations and migrant-self-organizations. On the same time it carries out own projects and events. Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
The „Ausländerbeirat“ is made for people not having the German citizenship, and especially for non EU-citizens. Sometimes also migrants having the German citizenship but having an own migration experience (like the “Aussiedler”) can be part of the committee. Members of the “Ausländerbeirat” have to be voted by the foreign population in the community. The committee is therefore democratically authorized.
Context of the project: What needs/pro- The “Ausländerbeirat” is necessary because people not having blems existed that made it necessary to the German citizenship are not allowed to vote, and therefore implement the project? are not represented in the political process. The only exception are EU-citizens, who have the right to vote on the communal level. The special needs and interests of people with a migration experience are therefore often not paid enough attention to. Goals of the project The main goals of the „Ausländerbeirat“ are the following: • To enable migrants to participate in the political process and take an active part in their community • To represent the interests of the foreign population in a certain region and to give advice to the local representatives on all topics concerning the migrant population • To help to bring topics concerning migrants to public attention • To promote the intercultural dialogue between migrants and the local population through own projects • To fight discrimination and prejudices
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Steps to take Resources and costs To be able to fulfil the different tasks the “Ausländerbeiräte” should be provided with sufficient means by the community. Ideally the committee has an own office, and there should be resources for own projects. Besides the process of voting must be paid and organized by the community. Staff (paid, voluntary) Members of the committee work on a voluntary basis, but there should be a staff coordinating the different activities of the committee. Needed partners/ support for the project The implementation of a “Ausländerbeirat” in Bavaria depends on the will of the community, there exists no general law. The community also decides on how many resources and support the committee gets. Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how The committees vary between the different cities in relation of many participants, how often etc.) size, composition, structures and processes. Added value for the participants: how Migrants are empowered by the committee, because they get are migrants empowered by the pro- access to the political field. As active citizens they can vote ject? representatives on behalf of their needs. The migrants voted get the opportunity to get in contact to political decision processes, to build networks in the administration and between different organizations and to implement own projects. Added value for the organization Communities profit of the committee because they get the opportunity to reach their migrant population. They get new ideas and recommendations for their decisions. Summary Why is the project a good example? The „Ausländerbeiräte“ are good examples, because they help to close a gap in political representation of migrants. They are not a replacement for the full right to vote and to be voted, but at least they give migrants the opportunity to shape the community they live in.
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Arbeitskreis “GemeinsamLebenLernen” - Networking meetings Partner: Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V.
Identification of the practice / project Title Arbeitskreis “GemeinsamLebenLernen” - Networking meetings Detailed description of the project The networking meeting is a short yearly workshop open for all organizations in a certain region working on the topics like “integration”, “intercultural exchange” or “antirassism”. The organizations get the occasion to meet each other, to build up new networks and to learn about the work of each other. Beyond that the workshop is used to find new and innovative ideas for further projects which will be carried out afterwards. In detail the meeting contains the following three parts: 1. A short presentation of each organization 2. A collection of ideas: as an input the following questions are asked: what is missing in the region for a succesful integration? Which projects could adress it? Afterwards the ideas are put to the vote of the participants. 3. Discussion of the ideas: the two or three ideas which got the most votes are discussed in smaller groups and a rough agenda for implentation is developed. The results are presented to the whole group afterwards. Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
The main target groups are organizations like regional administrations, social organizations and associations like migrant self-organizations. A great variety of participating organizations is welcomed, because the meeting shall show the diversity of engagement in the region. Besides interested private persons may also take place. Organizations are invited via e-mail.
Context of the project: What needs/pro- Often in a certain region a lot of organizations exist working on blems existed that made it necessary to topics concerning a good living together of the inhabitants of implement the project? different nationalities and cultures. But often organizations don’t know about each other. Goals of the project The meeting shall make clear, who is working on what topic in the region. It gives organizations the occasion to get to know each other. This promotes cooperation and helps avoiding doubling offers that already exist. Therefore the often very small resources can be used more effectively. Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- The effort has a manageable size even for a small organization. ment the project A list of relevant organizations and contact data has to be made. Invitations have to be sent and the organizations should be contacted via telephone before the meeting. The meeting itself has to be planed and organised, and after the meeting minutes have to be writen and distributed. Additionally the meeting should be promoted via public relations (press releases etc.). Resources and costs Very little. A sufficient room should be made available, including some materials.
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Staff (paid, voluntary) All work is done on a voluntary basis. Involvement of migrants in planning and Migrants can be involved in the planning of the meeting, but it’s implementation more important that migrants are participating in the meeting, so that their voice will be heard as representatives of their organizations. Especially migrant self-organizations form therefore an important part of the meeting. Possible obstacles for implementation Inviting the organization just via e-mail doesn’t ensure a high and ways to overcome them participation. Further personal contact via telephone is absolutely necessary to ensure a high participation. Needed partners/ support for the project The more partners are supporting the meeting the higher will be public attention and also the attraction to come for the organization. E.g. the room can be provided by the regional administration or the communal college to show that the engagement of the organizations is welcomed. Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how The meeting takes place once a year. In the meeting organized many participants, how often etc.) by “Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa” there were about 30 participating organizations. The new projects developed in the meeting require further meetings of the single organizations, that were interested to carry them on. Added value for the participants: how Migrants are invited as representatives of organizations and are migrants empowered by the pro- therefore perceived as engaged citizens. They get the chance to ject? get in contact to other organizations. Besides migrants will profite of the positive effects of the new networks created, because the offers of the single organizations could be better coordinated. Added value for the organization The added value for the organization is very high compared to the little means required. It gets in contact to all the relevant organizations working on the same field, and can use these new contacts for the implementation of further projects. Summary Why is the project a good example? The project is a good example because with very little resources it can have a great impact on the organizations working on the field of integration in a certain region. Everyone can profite a lot of the new networks. What works well? The meeting should have a very strictly organized agenda, otherwise it won’t be productive due to the size of the group. The meeting must be led by a competent moderator who takes care that each part of the meeting is done in time but at the same time everyone has the opportunity to express his or her ideas, and that results are clearly visualized after each part of the meeting. What doesn‘t work well? The size of the group is important for the result of the meeting – if there are too many participating organizations, the meeting will take too long and the smaller groups will be too big for working effectively. On the other hand there should be a certain minimum of organizations, otherwise the meeting won’t give the opportunity of building new networks. So for a smaller or a bigger community the project has to be adapted.
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Culture pilots Partner: BFI OÖ Main topic: Immigrants lead tours through the city and offer an insider’s view of their everyday life to locals and tourists encouraging intercultural contact and understanding. Identification of the organisation Name BFI OÖ with MP 2013, UCS, ISQ, Eurocultura, Transit Projectes Location France, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Austria Type of organization Non-profit organisations, VET providers, culture institutions, community centers Contact culturepilots@bfi-ooe.at www.culturepilots.eu Identification of the practice / project Title Culture Pilots - training discovery city culture Detailed description of the project Culture Pilots is a European Lifelong Learning Transfer of Innovation project originally developed by the BFI OÖ (AT) for the European Capital of Culture Linz09. 12 female immigrants from Linz led tours through the inner city and offered an insider’s view of their everyday life to locals and tourists encouraging intercultural contact and understanding. Previously the migrant women attended a resource- and process-orientated empowerment - training program. The city tours were a great success and the project was honored with the Austrian State Price for Adult Education in the category “Innovation” in 2009. The aim of the project is to transfer and implement the Culture Pilots curriculum and city tours in other European countries (FR, PT, IT, ES) developing new skills and jobs by encouraging the cooperation between Vocational Education and Training and the working world. Activities to achieve the aim • Adaptation of the Culture Pilots curriculum to the partner countries‘ specific situations • Development and implementation of a train the trainer program for resource and process orientated empowerment work in intercultural settings • Implementation of Culture Pilots training program in France, Portugal, Italy and Spain • Culture Pilots city tours in Marseille, Lisbon, Vicenza and Barcelona • Dissemination and PR activities: website, stakeholder information events and a final conference in Marseille in the frame of MarseilleProvence 2013 European Capital of Culture Target group: who should be reached • by the project? Which measures have to be taken to • reach them? •
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Trainers and Coaches for empowerment work in intercultural contexts Pre-qualified and socially competent immigrants and / or inhabitants with different cultural backgrounds Locals and tourists participating in the city tours
Collection of good practices
Context of the project: What needs/pro- Culture Pilots tackles the difficult task that many well-qualified blems existed that make it necessary to immigrants in the EU – especially female – face which is to find implement the project? appropriate jobs according to their qualification. At the same time the Culture Pilots project addresses the need for intercultural dialogue to improve social understanding between inhabitants, tourists, migrants and others in communities. Objectives of the project The aim is to transfer and implement the Culture Pilots curriculum and city tours in other European countries (FR, PT, IT, ES) developing new skills and jobs by encouraging the cooperation between Vocational Education and Training and the working world. Furthermore intercultural contact and understanding should be encouraged which can help fighting racism. Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- Implementing such a project in other countries is a challenge. ment the project In the description of the project above various activities were mentioned. All of them need to be coordinated and planned carefully and plenty of time has to be taken into account. Time is needed to get in contact with potential guides, to inform locals and tourists or in other words to acquire participants and to conduct the tours. As in the original project in Linz 2009 all city guides attend a training course in advance. Resources and costs To implement a complex project you need staff coordinating the project and trainers who conduct the Culture Pilots training course. You need rooms and training material for the training course and folders and flyers to inform potential customers for the city walks. Staff (paid, voluntary) The city guides are paid by their customers or the tourist boards. Involvement of migrants in planning and The participants are highly involved in the planning process and implementation in the implementation as they develop and implement their personal tour on their own. Possible obstacles for implementation A possible obstacle can be language skills. Therefore the guides and ways to overcome them need to be chosen carefully. If possible additional staff could accompany the tours and give language support if necessary. Moreover the migrants get trained in speaking in front of a group and they should be sensitive and open for other cultures. Needed partners/ support for the project Tourist boards and tourist information, partner organisations visited by the city tours. Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how Project duration: November 2011 – October 2013 many participants, how often etc.) There is no restriction concerning the number of participants to the city tours but it certainly depends on the number of guides. Groups of 15 people per tour are recommended. Added value for the participants: how Participating migrants develop new skills and profit from coare migrants empowered by the pro- operation between Vocational Education and Training and the ject? working world. Furthermore intercultural contact and understanding is encouraged as the guides can show their own version of the city, hence help understanding their way of life. This means they can take an active role in the project and fight against racism Additionally the workshops empower them to develop further qualifications:
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• • • • • •
preparing tours through the city and additional material presenting information in front of a group personal and social skills project management skills training of language skills increasing intercultural awareness
Added value for the organization As the city tours were a great success in 2009 and the project was honored with the Austrian State Prize for Adult Education in the category “Innovation” it could again mean positive PR for the organization. The project also helps intensifying contacts to and cooperation with other organisations. Summary Why is the project a good example? The project is a good example because the migrants develop competences, give a personal perspective on the city they live in and help fight racism. It is transferable to other countries. What works well? The personal touch of the project works well as it involves the participants emotionally. What doesn‘t work well? As mentioned before language skills are a possible problem. Standing alone in front of a group and answering questions in a foreign language can be hard. More information about this project: › www.culturepilots.eu
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Kulturlotsinnen Partner: BFI OÖ Main topic: Immigrants lead tours through the city and offer an insider’s view of their everyday life to locals and tourists encouraging intercultural contact and understanding. Identification of the organisation Name BFI OÖ Location Linz Type of organization VET provider Contact service@bfi-ooe.at Identification of the practice / project Title Kulturlotsinnen Detailed description of the project The BFI OÖ (AT) originally developed the project for the European Capital of Culture Linz09. 12 female immigrants from Linz were trained to lead tours through the inner city and offered an insider’s view of their everyday life to locals and tourists encouraging intercultural contact and understanding. Previously the migrant women attended a resource- and process-orientated empowerment training program. The city tours were a great success and the project was honored with the Austrian State Prize for Adult Education in the category “Innovation” in 2009. Now the tours take place for the second time. Target group: who should be reached • by the project? Which measures have to be taken to • reach them? •
Trainers and Coaches for empowerment work in intercultural contexts Pre-qualified and socially competent female immigrants and / or inhabitants with different cultural backgrounds (can be reached through migrant self-organizations) Locals and tourists participating in the city tours (e.g. information about the tours could be handed out in tourist offices)
Context of the project: What needs/pro- Culture Pilots tackles the difficult task facing many well-qualified blems existed that make it necessary to immigrants in the EU – especially female – to find appropriate implement the project? jobs according to their qualification on the labor market. At the same time the Culture Pilots project addresses the need for intercultural dialogue to improve social understanding and promote an awareness of the importance of linguistic and cultural diversity in Europe. Objectives of the project Encouraging intercultural contact and understanding is the main aim of the project. The aim for participants is to gain self-confidence and create visions for their integrated life in Austria. Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- 8 months/weekends and evenings ment the project As in 2009 the “Culture Pilots”will attend a training program in advance. During the course they lead the “intercultural city tours” or implement their culture knowledge on guided tours through museums. Further time is needed to get in contact with potential guides, to inform locals and tourists or in other words to attract participants and to conduct the tours.
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Resources and costs Costs for training the migrants Flyers, folders for city tours Staff (paid, voluntary) Trainers and coaches for communication, personal skills, supporting the preparation of the tours, a tour guide to teach basics for guiding tours, a coach to do the “competence workshops” Involvement of migrants in planning The migrants are highly involved as they plan their personal tour and implementation with individual support and conduct it by themselves Possible obstacles for implementation A possible obstacle can be language skills. Therefore the “Culand ways to overcome them ture Pilots” need to be chosen carefully. Moreover the migrants get trained in speaking in front of a group and they should be sensitive and open for other cultures. Needed partners / support for the (Supporting) Staff is necessary for the training of the “Culture project Pilots” and maybe to attend and help during the first tours. Museums to offer tours with “Culture Pilots” The Kulturlotsinnen program is financed by the Federal Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture (bmukk) and the Federal Province of Upper Austria (Land OÖ). Effects of the practice / project Quantitative results of the project (how Project duration: 14.10.2011 – 06.07.2012 (including 166 training many participants, how often..) lessons, 20 moderated peer group hours, 13 hours of personal coaching); Course: Participants: approx. 12; Tours: There is no restriction concerning the number of participants but it depends on the number of guides. Groups of 15 to 20 people per tour are recommended. Added value for the participants: how Participating migrants can develop new skills. Furthermore interare migrants empowered by the pro- cultural contact and understanding is encouraged as the guides ject? can show their own version of the city. Additionally the workshops empower them to develop further qualifications: • preparing tours through the city (project management) • presenting information in front of a group • training of language skills and rhetoric • increasing intercultural awareness and key skills Added value for the organization As the city tours were a great success in 2009 and the project was honored with the Austrian State Prize for Adult Education, it could again mean positive PR for the organization. The project also helps intensifying contacts and cooperation to other organizations. Summary Why is the project a good example? That´s because the migrants can develop many competences, give a personal perspective and help fight racism. And it is transferable to other countries. What works well? The personal touch of the project works well as it involves the participants emotionally. They gain self-confidence, reactivate their knowledge and potential that might have been forgotten, get new ideas for their future in Austria and can continue working in the cultural field. What doesn‘t work well? As mentioned before language skills are a possible problem. The project takes up a lot of time and it is very hard for working women to attend all seminars and workshops. Appendix: more information about this project e.g. website, blogs, audiovisual or printed material › www.bfi-ooe.at/bfiweb/culture-pilots-kulturlotsinnen.html
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HEX. Second chance Secondary Education Partner: BFI OÖ Main topic: Getting the certificate of Secondary Education and getting access to the labour market.
Identification of the organisation Name BFI OÖ Location BFI OÖ in Wels (Lichteneggerstr. 101, 4600 Wels) BFI OÖ in Steyr (Tomitzstr. 7, 4400 Steyr) BFI OÖ in Linz (Raimundstr. 3-5, 4020 Linz) Type of organization VET provider Contact Gabrianos Haddad Tel. +43 732 6922-0 gabrianos.haddad@bfi-ooe.at Identification of the practice / project Title HEX. Second chance secondary education Detailed description of the project The HEX program helps teenagers and adults with migration background to prepare for their certificate of Secondary Education. The project includes: • Training in the main subjects German, Mathematics and English • Training in 3 additional modules . a) sciences / technology b) art/sculture/creativity and c) economy/society/politics • Preparation for the Secondary school leaving exam • German as a foreign language (for those who need support), learning support, competence portfolios, vocational orientation and training The members of this project have also been involved in developing a new competence-orientated curriculum as well as alternative ways of assessment on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Art and Culture. Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
The target groups are teenagers after compulsory education and adults with migration background with no (or a negative) certificate of Secondary Education (compulsory school leaving certificate) Possible measures to reach them: • Visiting places where they spend their time (youth centers, parks) • Multipliers who inform the others • Information folders in job centres • via the Public Employment Service Austria (AMS)
Context of the project: What needs/pro- Not having a certificate of Secondary Education makes it very blems existed that make it necessary to difficult for people to get a job. This circumstance can also be implement the project? a major problem for their self-esteem and thus their social life. Having many unemployed citizens is also a challenge for the whole society.
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Objectives of the project Training people to get a certificate of Secondary Education, improving their knowledge of the German language and getting a job. Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- • ment the project • • •
A curriculum has to be set up or given by the Ministry Professional teachers have to be employed The target group has to be informed about the project Appropriate rooms and teaching materials
Resources and costs Teachers, coaches, rent, teaching materials Staff (paid, voluntary) • • •
Teachers for all modules Coaches for individual learning and other problems Coordination
Involvement of migrants in planning and In all activities (development of curriculum, training, coordination) implementation Possible obstacles for implementation Getting funds from the government for setting up a professional and ways to overcome them training environment Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how Between 2008 and 2012 eleven courses were implemented. 130 many participants, how often..) participants obtained a certificate of Secondary Education. Added value for the participants: how Having a certificate of Secondary Education raises the chance of are migrants empowered by the pro- finding a place for an apprenticeship or of getting a job. ject? Further education in vocational colleges requires the skills of the Secondary school leaving certificate. Participants also have the possibility to rejoice in learning again. Vocational counselling helps them finding a job. Added value for the organization BFI OÖ is the main provider of second chance education in Upper Austria. The project HEX is part of this portfolio. Summary Why is the project a good example? Secondary school leaving certificates are a bare necessity for succeeding in a highly competitive labour market. Offering training to reach this goal is making a difference to people‘s lives. What works well? Professional training and counselling within the project good cooperation with schools and support organisations What doesn‘t work well? In Austria, generally the recognition of diplomas from other countries is a huge problem. More information about this project: › http://www.bfi-ooe.at/bfiweb/hex-lehrgaenge-hauptschulexternistenpruefung.html
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Collection of good practices
Kompetenzwerkstatt - Competence workshop Partner: BFI OÖ Main topic: Fighting the problem of downgrading immigrant’s qualifications on the Austrian labour market
Identification of the organisation Name BFI OÖ Location BFI OÖ in Linz (Bulgariplatz 13) Type of organization VET provider Contact Werner Mair werner.mair@bfi-ooe.at Identification of the practice / project Title Kompetenzwerkstatt - Competence workshop Detailed description of the project Immigrants often face the problem that their qualifications and competences - gained in their home country – are not being recognised in Austria, which leads to job discrimination. The project deals with this unsolved issue. The project offers migrants the opportunity to deal with their job biography, identify their strengths and competences and to develop key skills (based on a case-management-approach). The project‘s activities include: • Coaching • Development of a competence portfolio based on the participants biography • workshops • internships • Vocational counseling / Job orientation • Individual counseling Evaluated results and tools are published. Target group: who should be reached Migrants (50% male / 50% female) by the project? Which measures have to be taken to The participants are approached via the Public Employment reach them? Service Austria (AMS) and migrant self-organisations. Context of the project: What needs/pro- 100.000 people migrate to Austria each year and take labor marblems existed that make it necessary to ket potentials with them. Unfortunately immigrant’s competences implement the project? are disregarded systematically. This is the reason why they often face deskilling even though the immigrants’ level of qualification is averagely higher than the Austrians’. Hence valuable resources for society and the labor market are wasted. For individuals this means a disregard of their skills, which affects their lives on an economic and psychological level. Low income also has long-term effects like lack of social security, decreasing standard of living and mortification. The reason for the disregard of qualifications often is a matter of credibility. Immigrants hardly succeed in presenting and marketing their competences authentically.
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Objectives of the project The project intends to improve job mediation according to the immigrant’s qualifications. Additionally on the one hand downgrading of competences with all its effects should be reduced and on the other hand acceptance of immigrants in the labor market and in society should be encouraged. Last but not least the project aims to sustain people’s cognition of their own strengths and the ability to market their skills more efficiently. Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- to prepare: 9 months ment the project to implement: 10 months Resources and costs The project is co-financed by the European social funds and the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. Staff (paid, voluntary) Staff members need to have extensive knowledge of the regulations for accreditation of skills and comptences in Austria. Involvement of migrants in planning and Participants are not involved in the planning process but highly implementation participate during the implementation. In this context case management means an individual approach for development, adaption and realization of successful integration into the labor market. The case management approach used in this project focuses on empowerment, quality, customer orientation and efficiency. Possible obstacles for implementation Insufficient presentation of a person’s qualifications and overand ways to overcome them whelming bureaucracy can be obstacles. Needed partners / support for the pro- Relevant stakeholders are included in the working process. ject Partners are: Social Partners like Chambers of Labour and Commerce and Trade Unions, regional school boards and the labour market service. Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how The project is designed for 100 participants. many participants, how often..) Added value for the participants: how Migrants’ empowerment is immense as they get a job according are migrants empowered by the pro- to their qualifications in which they can show their potentials ject? instead of suffering from deskilling. Besides financial benefits also the social integration of immigrants will be improved. Added value for the organization The organization as well as the whole society profits from highly qualified immigrants and their labour force. Furthermore the organisation gains added value as project measures and processes are documented and evaluated results and tools are provided. Summary Why is the project a good example? The project is a good example because besides obtaining new skills, the project focuses on ways to find jobs according to the competences the migrants already have. An occupation that matches the employee’s competences is a crucial factor for personal satisfaction. Furthermore it helps to achieve a desired standard of living and amends social integration of immigrants. What doesn‘t work well? Overwhelming bureaucracy and poor self-presentation of the migrant’s qualification hinder successful job mediation and nostrification. More information about this project: › http://www.bfi-ooe.at/bfiweb/kompetenzwerkstatt.html 72
Collection of good practices
learn@work Partner: BFI OÖ Main topic: This project offers preparatory courses for migrants in the field of retail industry and healthcare professions in order to qualify for a career entry. Identification of the organisation Name BFI OÖ Location BFI OÖ in Wels (Roseggerstraße 14, 4600 Wels) BFI OÖ in Linz (Edlbacherstraße 17, 4020 Linz) Type of organization Non-profit organisation Contact service@bfi-ooe.at Identification of the practice / project Title learn@work Detailed description of the project learn@work offers a couple of preparatory courses - one in the field of retailing (storekeeping etc.) and the other in healthcare professions. Both trainings help the participants to qualify for a career as they gain work related knowledge in a practical approach and first experiences in these sectors. Additional offers are courses in information- and communication technology, intercultural competences, application training and mediation support. All courses include at least 75 hours of practical experiences in the immigrant’s future vocational field. Target group: who should be reached Approved refugees and persons with subsidiary asylum with by the project? good German skills on level A2 are the target group. Which measures have to be taken to The participants are sent by job centers in Linz and Wels. reach them? Context of the project: What needs/pro- Many migrants are well educated but their studies and professioblems existed that make it necessary to nal education are not accredited in Austria. This leads to the fact implement the project? that many migrants do not get jobs according to their qualifications. This circumstance has negative effects on their self-esteem and the economic system disclaims capable labor force. Objectives of the project The aim is to build a base for sustainable integration in a professional environment. This target can be reached by offering courses in the fields of retail industry and healthcare professions. The participants should improve their professional competences as well as their knowledge of German and citizenship. Social and intercultural competences and other soft-skills should be developed. Individual Coaching helps to decide on the next steps that must be taken. By the end of the course for retail industry participants should have decided on the field that they want to work in. In the best cases migrants find a work in retail industry. In the course for the health care professions migrants should be prepared to start vocational training. (At least migrants should qualify for a job in order to be able to afford their costs of living.) Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- Best: 1-2 months to attract the group ment the project 6 months course (3-4 weeks practical experience) 35 h per week (staff)
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Resources and costs The BFI has a competence centre in the field of migration, integration and intercultural activities. Experience and expertise gained in former projects can easily be used in new projects. There is also a training academy for the staff to assure a high working standard. Staff (paid, voluntary) Highly qualified and committed trainers and coaches are needed. (German, ICT; special trainers for fork lift driving or health care) Involvement of migrants in planning and The migrants do not plan the project but participate and therefoimplementation re profit from it. Possible obstacles for implementation There are hardly any risks in the operation of this program. and ways to overcome them Though in the past there were problems with the prediction of the number of participants. Another obstacle is to find enough well-trained job coaches. Needed partners / support for the pro- This project is integrated in a network of measures. ject Partners are: • Public Employment Service Austria • Local NGOs • Companies for internships and excursions Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how The project is designed for 38 people in Upper Austria (Linz, many participants, how often..) Wels). Project start: 01.01.2012 Project end: 31.12.2012 Added value for the participants: how The measures are based on the capacities and requirements of are migrants empowered by the pro- the labour market and consider the qualifications and the abiject? lities of the participants. Added value: being part of a group for 6 months improves social skill, teamwork, getting into a routine (getting up, being punctual) Added value for the organization The organization can learn from the upcoming problems and this helps to improve future projects. Summary Why is the project a good example? This project is a good example because it helps migrants to become part of the labour market and it also raises the chance of social integration. What works well? Improving German (most of them are highly motivated because they want to pass the B1-Exam), internships while always having a coach to talk to (for some it is the first time to work in Austria, they would not dare trying on their own or give up too quickly), Passing a lot of exams (fork lift driving license, license to be a worker in a warehouse) What doesn‘t work well? Finding a group that wants to work in that field AND has good German skills so they can follow the curriculum and pass the exams More information about this project: › http://www.bfi-ooe.at/bfiweb/fachwerkstatt.html
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MESO6 Partner: BFI OÖ Main topic: MESO6 offers approved refugees and persons with subsidiary asylum the possibility to get prepared for the professional life in Austria (language courses, vocational and application training, etc.). Identification of the organisation Name BFI OÖ Location BFI OÖ in Linz (Raimundstraße 3) Type of organization VET provider Contact service@bfi-ooe.at Identification of the practice / project Title MESO6 Detailed description of the project The project contains language courses for people with little German skills, language courses with an additional diploma (ÖSD exam, level A2 and B1), boost of social and intercultural competences, learning support and coaching for external courses (e.g. forklift licence), ICT skills, career orientation and job application training, field trips. Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
Approved refugees and persons with subsidiary asylum can participate. Contact can be made through refugee homes, migrant self-organisations and the Public Employment Service Austria (AMS).
Context of the project: What needs/pro- Lacking language and application skills often hinder approved reblems existed that make it necessary to fugees and persons with subsidiary asylum in finding a job. This implement the project? again affects their personal lives as they cannot reach a satisfying standard of living. Additionally many unemployed inhabitants challenge the whole society and labour force is lost. Objectives of the project The project aims to prepare the participants for the labour market. Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- The project has to be prepared carefully. Teaching staff is neement the project ded. The preparation of learning materials also takes up time. Resources and costs The resource mainly needed (to prepare and detain the courses and support the migrants) is time. Of course this also means a lot of manpower, which results in high costs for the staff’s salaries. Staff (paid, voluntary) The staff in this project is paid as it is a full time project. Involvement of migrants in planning and The courses and workshops are planned and held by trainers implementation with a migration background and FOR migrants. Possible obstacles for implementation Very diverse group of participants with different experiences and and ways to overcome them educational backgrounds and often traumatic experiences as refugees needs highly qualified trainers. Needed partners / support for the pro- Ethnic communities and associations are valuable partners. ject Good contact network is necessary.
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Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how Approximately 650 training hours. Monday to Thursday five many participants, how often..) hours per day and on Friday four hours for 26 weeks. Added value for the participants: how The added value for the participants is obvious. With missing are migrants empowered by the pro- language and application skills etc. it is hard to find a job. During ject? the project the migrants can gain all the required qualifications and the integration in the labor market is facilitated. Added value for the organization One advantage for the organization is the intensification of contact and cooperation with other organizations. Summary Why is the project a good example? MESO 6 is a good example because it helps migrants to prepare themselves for the Austrian working environment, which does not only influence the migrants` live but the whole society. What works well? Finding participants works well as there is a high demand for such projects. What doesn‘t work well? Finding suitable committed staff could be hard. Of course language difficulties could also occur, but the courses should solve this problem. More information about this project: › http://www.bfi-ooe.at/bfiweb/meso-7.html
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migrare – Center for Migrants Upper Austria Identification of the organisation Name migrare – Center for Migrants Upper Austria Location Linz, Wels (and 6 Upper Austrian districts) Type of organization Non Governmental Organisation Contact migrare - Zentrum für MigrantInnen OÖ A-4020 Linz, Humboldtstr. 49 Tel.: +43/732/667363-10 office@migration.at www.migrare.at www.facebook.com/migrare www.youtube.com/migrare1 Identification of the practice / project Title migrare – Center for Migrants Upper Austria Detailed description of the project migrare offers different services for migrants living in Upper Austria. There are three main departments: • Department of Counseling: multilingual counseling in an intercultural context for migrants (labour market, social security, legal affairs • Department of Qualifications: all questions concerning the recognition and application of qualifications of migrants in Upper Austria • Department of intercultural projects: all projects that support inclusion for migrants in Upper Austria and training on crosscultural competence Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
migrants all ages, gender, qualifications, religion etc. in need of support (individual projects have specific target groups, e.g. only migrated women) (since migrare has been existing since 1985 it has a good standing and therefore usually no major challenges to reach the target groups)
Context of the project: What needs/pro- The special needs of migrants are not recognized in existing blems existed that make it necessary to governmental, social, educational institutions. Inclusion is still far implement the project? beyond to be fulfilled. Discrimination and racism are still every day policy. That is why migrare is successfully offering different services for migrants to help them overcome the difficulties they face in daily life in Austria. Objectives of the project migrare consists of different projects. Each project has its individual objectives. The guiding principle of our work is better inclusion of migrants in labour, health, education, social security eg. Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- migrare has been existing since 1985. ment the project Resources and costs Changes every year Staff (paid, voluntary) 33 paid employees Involvement of migrants in planning and New projects always evolve from needs expressed from existing implementation target groups. Our success is mainly based on a participative way of developing new services. Never create projects without really knowing the needs of the target group! Possible obstacles for implementation Lack of funding and ways to overcome them
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Needed partners / support for the pro- Fighting for better living conditions in Austria is not something ject you can do on your own. You need trusted partners with similar goals and professional standards. Fortunately Austria offers many of those partnerships. We work with communities, NGOs, partners in education and health and many more. Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how 2011: many participants, how often..) • 21.587 counseling sessions and 11.382 people in counseling • hundreds of people involved in our educational programs and projects of inclusion Added value for the participants: how Getting to know your rights and obligations as a new member of are migrants empowered by the pro- a society is one of the main entry gates. Counseling offers this ject? information. Added value for the organization As a growing organization we permanently learn from our clients, from new projects and new services. We try to reintegrate those learning experiences into our organization so that we can achieve better results in the future. Summary Why is the project a good example? migrare is a good example for innovative services for a better inclusion of migrants in western European societies. Innovation is possible because of 1000 of migrants coming to us and report about their daily life challenges. Therefor we know about the needs of our target groups and develop projects based on those needs. What works well? well connected with the target group, multilingual services, good image among partners, long tradition and expertise, professional and committed employees What doesn‘t work well? lack of funding, that leads to lack of resources (time, employees, …), politics that doesn´t learn as fast as society could learn
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Produktionsschule Steyr - Production school Steyr Partner: BFI OÖ Main topic: In the production school young people who face difficulties in finding a job can learn, gain worklife experience and get prepared for the labor market during a period of six months. It is a combination of occupational qualification, education and acquisitive production. Identification of the organisation Name BFI OÖ Location Steyr (furthermore there are production schools in Gmunden, Leonding, Mattighofen, Ried im Innkreis and Wels) Type of organization VET provider Contact produktionsschule.steyr@bfi-ooe.at Identification of the practice / project Title Production school Steyr Detailed description of the project The original concept of the production school has its origins in Denmark and was adapted for the German-speaking area. The possibility of combining work and learning plus working in small groups is invaluable. Within this project it is possible to work for six months in the production school. All its workshops are led as unique companies in which goods are produced and services are offered. Thereby the students also learn about business administration. If participants do not get a job after those six months, it is possible to prolong the participation at the productions school for another six months – under certain circumstances even up to two years. After analyzing the regional and local labor market this fields were identified for the productions school in Steyr: • metal production and processing, fabrication of metal products • Wood • Engineering and vehicle construction / toolmaking and mold construction, automotive / product engineering • Gastronomy • Office • Trade The students can work in different companies as interns. Additionally personal coaching and extra tuition (German as a foreign language) is offered. Furthermore the participants get benefits to cover their costs of living. Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
People between the age of 15 and 25 years who face difficulties in finding a job can participate. Especially early school leavers, teenagers without an apprenticeship training position, jobless teenagers and dropouts. Participants in general can be acquired via the Public Employment Service Austria (AMS).
Context of the project: What needs/pro- The change in the working life – characterized by the developblems existed that make it necessary to ment of new technologies, the establishment of new organization implement the project? structures, the increase of high qualification, etc. – challenges society.
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Objectives of the project The main goals are motivation, teaching of professional competences, (re-)integration in the labor market and education. In further detail this means: • stabilization through productivity • gaining knowledge through working and producing • acquisition of key skills • development of a positive approach to work • development of social competences • professional and social integration Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- Analysis of labour market needs in the region and implementament the project tion of respective workshops is vital. Location of the schools is important. Resources and costs Costs for the salaries of the staff and the costs for the factories and machines and workshops occur. In Upper Austria production schools are funded by the labour market service and the regional government. Staff (paid, voluntary) Committed, specialized paid trainers and pedagogues with high stress resistance support the participants during their activities. The team consists of: Project manager, pedagogue, secretary, 1 trainer for each occupational field (metal, wood, edv and gastronomy), plus temporary employees. Involvement of migrants in planning and One of the main target groups are migrants. implementation Possible obstacles for implementation Workshops and rooms are necessary. A lot of money is needed. and ways to overcome them Needed partners / support for the pro- Needed partners are companies in which the participants can ject work as interns or get apprenticeship positions. Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how The project was designed for 32 participants (up to 48), average many participants, how often..) number of participants: about 120 a year Added value for the participants: how Migrants and all the other participants are highly empowered are migrants empowered by the pro- by the project as it helps in finding a job. Integration in the labor ject? market as well as social integration is facilitated. Added value for the organization Since a prerequesite of the project is the cooperation to migrant self-organizations and other companies the project helps to intensify contacts and cooperation with other organizations. Summary Why is the project a good example? This project is a good example because of the combination of vocational education and training and production. What works well? The participant’s transfer into the labor market is easier because they already work very independently and gain basic qualifications at the production school.
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What doesn‘t work well? The occupational choice of teenagers often depends on their social background, the predominant and gender specific division of labor in a person’s family and work surroundings and rolespecific prejudices. Moreover its gender division characterizes the labor market in Steyr. Women are still underrepresented in non-traditional occupations and mainly choose typical “woman jobs”. This makes it still very hard for women to gain ground on the male dominated labor market.
More information about this project: › www.produktionsschule-ooe.at › http://www.bfi-ooe.at/bfiweb/produktionsschulen.html
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STEP IN Partner: BFI OÖ Main topic: Decrease of the drop out rate in schools and apprenticeship in Upper Austria.
Identification of the organisation Name BFI OÖ, with Upper Austrian Federation of Trade Unions (ÖGB OÖ), Chamber of Economy in Upper Austria (OÖ), Community College Linz Location Upper Austria (Linz, Linz Land, Urfahr Umgebung, Perg, Wels, Wels Land, Rohrbach, Freistadt) Type of organization VET provider Contact Berufsförderungsinstitut OÖ www.bfi-ooe.at Identification of the practice / project Title STEP IN Detailed description of the project The project “STEP IN” aims to help teenagers at the age between 15 and 24 years with social disadvantages and migration background who might or already did drop out of school or professional education. The measures are miscellaneous and the whole project is split in four parts: (1) BFI OÖ • individual coaching and workshops for 90 drop-outs • Topics discussed: potentials, skills, goals, career counseling, improvement of social competences, application training and presentation skills, the labor market in Austria, future plans, … (2) ÖGB OÖ, WK OÖ • Support of firms where apprentices with migration background and social disadvantages are employed • Approximately 35 teenagers are coached (3) ÖGB OÖ, WK OÖ • Support of ethnic clubs concerning work and education • Approximately 30 teenagers are coached (4) Volkshochschule -Stadtbibliothek Linz, BFI OÖ, ÖGB OÖ, WK OÖ • Creative, open learning and media education • Workshops on how to pass a test successfully, learning languages with interactive media, topic research, radio and tv workshops, personal coaching, implementation of an online learning environment Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
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Early school leavers and teenagers with migration background and/or social disadvantages after the compulsory education without further education on level ISCED 3. To reach the teenagers different measures are taken: • Multipliers inform teenagers • Implementation of a support system in firms and ethnic clubs • Informative meetings in youth centers • Visiting teenagers in places where they spend time (e.g. parks)
Collection of good practices
Context of the project: What needs/pro- The rate of teenagers dropping out of school assumes alarming blems existed that make it necessary to proportions in Austria. implement the project? Employers pointed out for years that young people often are not able to cope with the entry into professional life and the effects on the job market are crucial. Drop outs should find an alternative as soon as possible. Therefore they need to get structured assistance. An essential approach to avoid teenagers from dropping out in the first place is prevention. Preventive measures inform, support and help, avoiding expensive time-consuming programs for reintegration. For those who cannot inhibit dropping out, it is important to minimize the risk of becoming part of “Out of Labourforce”. Objectives of the project Teenagers should develop perspectives, produce individual career plans or start their education with professional assistance. STEP IN improves chances on the labor market for socially deprived teenagers or teenagers with migration background. This is achieved through securing their professional education, motivation and support. Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- Concepts for individual coaching and workshops have to be ment the project prepared in multi-professional teams. It is also necessary to win the faith of teenagers in order to work with them on individual issues. Concepts to work in companies and ethnic clubs have to be developed. Resources and costs For the workshops and the individual coaching it is necessary to have experts. A room for individual coaching is needed. Office supplies for applications For the workshops you need various materials and information brochures. Staff (paid, voluntary) Staff is needed for: • reaching the participants, informative meetings • individual coaching • workshops • application corner • work with parents • work in firms and ethnic clubs Involvement of migrants in planning and Migrants act as multipliers as they inform others about their eximplementation periences in the project. Migrants act as experts on their own life and how they became what they are. Migrants act as individual coaches and trainers in workshops. Possible obstacles for implementation There could be a problem in reaching young people and in conand ways to overcome them vincing them to work with the coaches. Dropped out teenagers can sometimes be demotivated and it is a challenge to show them how important it is to cooperate with the coaches and take the reins of their own future. As the project involves many people and different institutions, the communication and cooperation between them has to be well organized in order to prevent misunderstandings and other problems.
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Needed partners / support A network including schools, corporations, clubs, ethnic econofor the project mies, works councils, communities, youth centers, parents and the Landesschulrat (schools inspector) for Upper Austria help to achieve that goal. Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how Project duration: 1.10.2011 - 30.6.2013 many participants, how often..) All in all 155 young people, 3-4 supporting systems in companies, 3-4 supporting systems in ethnic clubs. Added value for the participants: The young participants can become part of the labour market. how are migrants empowered This is very important for their self-esteem and a positive vision by the project? of their own future. They take part in the labour market and they can be a role model for other migrants. Added value for the organization Working on a project in a multi-professional team is a big chance for everybody to learn from each other. The contacts to other institutions can be useful in the future. Summary Why is the project a good example? The project is a good example because preventing teenagers from dropping out of education, training and employment is very important for the economic system as well as for the society. What works well? Get the young people interested in doing something for them selves. Empower them to get more self-esteem. To get through to the young people, find out what their ideas are, dreams, so its possible to work with them and find a profession they really want do learn or work in. What doesn‘t work well? It’s not so easy to get groups for the workshops. They prefer to talk to the coaching person and they need time to work together with other young people. Also the age difference of the participants can make the workshops individual and more challenging. More information about this project: › www.bfi-ooe.at › http://www.bfi-ooe.at/bfiweb/step-in.html
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Haus der Begegnung Haibach - House of Encounter Haibach Partner: BFI OÖ Main topic: learning from and creating with each other
Identification of the organisation Name Haus der Begegnung Haibach - House of Encounter Haibach Location Römerstraße 1, 4083 Haibach ob der Donau, Austria Type of organization Initiative by 2 women, founded in August 2011 Contact Mirjami Ledermüller, Gerlinde Freller-Steindl Identification of the practice / project Title Haus der Begegnung Haibach - House of Encounter Haibach Creativity, Encouragement and Development Detailed description of the project The dream of founding a „Haus der Begegnung“ already existed a few years ago. It developed due to the enriching friendship between two women from Finnland and Austria, Haibach. Both tried to promote international contacts and reduce prejudices concerning strangers and the unknown through common activities. The idea is to build bridges, live cultures and feel mutual appreciation. • The first activities between 2003 and 2010 were introduced with the title „ARGE Begegnung“: ‘Haibach meets…’ Finnland and the Arabian world in the parsonage Haibach • ‘Cooking without boarders’ (Egyptian, Armenian, Spanish, Polish, Japanese food) in the school kitchen Haibach 2011 a family in Haibach provided the house „Römerstraße 1“ and in collaboration with the inhabitants of Haibach and friends it was refurbished and turned into the ‘House of Encounter’. Common activities, workshops on various topics, readings, writing workshops and computer courses are carried out. Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
Inhabitants from our village, as well as interested people from the region and beyond. Marginal groups (foreigners, handicapped people, etc.) should be integrated. Within the framework of our events and workshops first encounters can take place and fears can be reduced. Another aim is to push collaborative projects. being open, looking for encounters actively, offering divers activities and raising the level of awareness.
Context of the project: What needs/pro- Meeting without boarders of political parties, religion, culture, blems existed that make it necessary to language and nationality. Talents should be visualized. implement the project? Objectives of the project We wish for even more openness, interest and participation of the inhabitants. Areas should be filled with happy and inspiring encounters all over Europe. The project moves people and can support a zest for live and a sense of community in the village. Our exhibition room shall be transformed into a little shop and one room on the ground floor shall become a small factory. If we had more employees, opening hours could be expanded. Collection of good practices
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Steps to take Required time to prepare and Building a place for encounter and meeting as well as public implement the project relations are crucial parts of the project. PR measures: • putting up posters in nearby shops • articles in regional newspapers • mailing list for interested people • personal conversations • information about events on the community and regef website • facebook page Honorary employees and people interested in current topics add to the success of the project. Resources and costs The refurbishment was financed and conducted by ourselves (with the help of our husbands). Day-to-day costs (electricity, municipal rates, chimney sweeper) have to be earned at our events. No fixed employees, voluntary aides at bigger events Staff (paid, voluntary) • • •
Two honorary leaders of the ‘House of Encounter’ (no income) Help and support from volunteers Course instructors charge a fee for participation and ask for a donation for using the accommodation
Involvement of migrants in The establishment and handling of the “Haus der Begegnung” planning and implementation Haibach is a collaborative project of a Finn and an Austrian. We both generate ideas for the events and projects and plan them equally. In the ‘House of Encounter’ people get the chance to organize workshops and activities and give others an understanding of their skills and talents. Possible obstacles for implementation Maintenance of business (a special challenge is heating the and ways to overcome them house with individual stoves) Needed partners / support Support of the community and the mayor for the project house is rent-free, international contacts with like-minded people Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how • 26 events (some of them lasting several days) took place in many participants, how often...) the first year • each Friday: open house The number of participants varies from 2 to 20. Added value for the participants: Migrants meet inhabitants of the village and therefore friendhow are migrants empowered ships can develop as well as mutual appreciation. Furthermore by the project? migrants are enabled to show their skills and talents and present their country of birth in a positive way. Natives experience openness and commitment of migrants, get to know other countries, cultures and traditions. Added value for the organization Encouraging encounters with people in our environment and throughout Europe who like to introduce new creative ways – as we do. We want to show and develop projects.
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Summary Why is the project a good example? We want to show that visions and dreams can be achieved with little money but much love and dedication. We have possibilities and chances! (In a time where many people feel powerless and chanceless) We need each other – together we can develop something new. What works well? Until now we could always afford the operation expenses of our house. Many people support us – ideational, materialistic and with financial means. We can always find people who are willing to offer workshops and courses. We are able to inspire each other. What doesn‘t work well? 1. Challenge of heating our house 2. Our exhibition room and shop is not known well enough More information about this project: › We can be found on facebook: “Haus der Begegnung Haibach” › Mirjami Ledermüller Tel:0664/73841625 e-mail:ledermueller@aon.at › Gerlinde Freller-Steindl Tel: 0664/4001378 e-mail:gerlinde.freller@aon.at
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“Roots and Cultures” – African drums group Partner: Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V. Main topic: teaching African drums
Identification of the organisation Name Multicultural Center Kompassi / Settlement Puijola ry, Kuopio Location Kuopio, Finland Type of organization Non-profit organization Contact Maarit Rönkönharju Identification of the practice / project Title “Roots and Cultures” – African drums group Detailed description of the project This group teaches African drums to immigrant as well as Finnish people. The group was started to show case the African culture through its music. Drums group started in the year 2008 autumn, with a Nigerian volunteer. Now the coordinator of the group is a Gambian. The group teaches drumming with authentic African drums and singing the local tribal songs. The group performs at Kompassi’s own festivities and in several other places and events in the Kuopio region spreading the African culture to the society. Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
The main target group is the immigrant as well as Finnish people of Kuopio region. Target groups are reached through local immigrant associations, local university emailing service and community centers. An extensive advertisement through emails, personal contacts and face book pages are the measures that are required to reach out to people.
Context of the project: What needs/pro- There were no groups that represented the African migrant comblems existed that make it necessary to munity through music here in Kuopio. The need was to find free implement the project? time fun activities which involved ethnic music in it. Also, there was demand for such a group in the region since native teachers are hard to find. Goals of the project This club aims at: a. Teach African drums to immigrants and Finns as well b. Spread the African culture through songs and music to the society c. encourage immigrants to participate in the project Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- The coordinator takes care of the drums etc. About 15 min of ment the project preparation each time before the group meets Resources and costs Kompassi provides the space for the group to meet and support to buy the CDs, drums and bears the costs of the repairs of the drums. Sometimes Kompassi also covers the travel costs of the group if it is representing Kompassi at other places. The group also gets paid for it’s performances at different place in the city and they use it for their group requirement. Staff (paid, voluntary) There is one immigrant volunteer coordinator with Finnish volunteers to help with translations etc. The staff of Kompassi helps and guides them in finding members. Involvement of migrants in planning and The coordinator of this club is a volunteer immigrant. There are implementation several immigrant participants also in the project.
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Possible obstacles for implementation Finding a suitable day and time for all the participants to particiand ways to overcome them pate in the group. The coordinator teaches the interested people privately whenever it is convenient for both of them Needed partners / support for the pro- Multicultural Center Kompassi ject Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how Meeting held once a week for two hours. Number of participants many participants, how often..) around 10-15 from different nationalities. . Added value for the participants: how This project is not just for the benefit of the immigrant commuare migrants empowered by the pro- nity, it involves Finnish people too. The coordinator sings tribal ject? songs along with the drums and explains the old customs and cultures of his region to the group. This helps him spread awareness about his culture that has grown up with and the satisfaction that he is able to make the better side of his culture known to the outside world. This kind of cultural exchange certainly benefits his situation in Finland when he feels appreciated by many people before who represents his country. Added value for the organization African drums group is a very popular group in Kuopio and they are in demand from many other organizations in the region for a performance throughout the year. While they play at different place, the group always makes it a point to refer to the organization for the support. This way the work that is done for the migrant by our organization is spread around the region and it bench marks our efforts in this regard. Summary Why is the project a good example? This is a good example because it is handled entirely by immigrant volunteer who came to Finland as a refugee. He has been equally benefited and empowered in the process as he got several different contacts with Finnish people here, made friends and elevated his life situation in Finland. Along with it, he also inspired several other immigrants to come forward to either participate or start their own group. The Finnish community benefited from his expertise in playing drums and they also got a glimpse of the age old tradition of Africa through his songs. What works well? Teaching drums to people. Performances around the city and getting new people to join the group. The coordinator has Finnish people in the group that handle group communications. Kompassi and group’s other Finnish members help the coordinator schedule his performances around the city easily. What doesn‘t work well? Learning drums can be quite difficult especially for the new comers. It takes hard practice. Sometimes, people drop out because they cannot handle it. Also, being a migrant, the coordinator has had problems in communicating with the people because of the language.
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Fish 4 English – Family club Partner: Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V.
Identification of the organisation Name Multicultural Center Kompassi / Settlement Puijola ry, Kuopio Location Kuopio, Finland Type of organization Non-profit organization Contact Varsha Shurpali Identification of the practice / project Title Fish 4 English – Family club Detailed description of the project Fish 4 English is a club which has creative activities for children under the age of 7. The activities are directed towards: a. development of English language skill amongst the kids b. learning new games and story telling c. singing and dancing d. hobby crafts and e. Outdoor activities. This group is aimed at the overall development of the children as well as meeting of families who speak different languages but would like their kids to learn some English. The parent’s involvement in the activities is imperative and hence the group provides for an entertaining evening for the children as well as some activity to do along with their parents. It’s beneficial both the ways. Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
Target groups are immigrant families with English speaking parents, families where either of the spouses speaks English, families with immigrant background and Finns who wants their children to learn English. Reaching out to them is through emails, face book pages, personal contacts, and universities, advertisement in different schools and kindergartens and word of mouth.
Context of the project: What needs/pro- Finland is a country which is proud of its culture and language. blems existed that make it necessary to The main language of studies is Finnish in Kuopio though there implement the project? is an English school and an English kinder garden. Many families would also like their children to grow up in an environment which helps them pick up English language and culture at an early age. Also, this would greatly help them in meeting people with similar backgrounds and build up friendship. Since Finnish families are also involved, this group presents a very nice mixture of multiculturalism and globalization. Goals of the project Goals are to provide a family evening for people, overall development and entertainment for children in English language, hobby crafts for personal development, involvement of Finnish families to exclude prejudices in the society and children growing up with the knowledge that several different cultures exist which will help them in the future to adapt to it easily. Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- It takes one day to think up of activities for each meeting time, ment the project buy the materials, send out emails and arrange the meeting.
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Resources and costs Human resources are the volunteers who will handle the meetings. Kuopio’s Finnish-British Society ry provides funding for the materials and other expenses. Multicultural Center Kompassi provides its space and a staff to overlook the project, provides necessary help and guidance whenever needed. Staff (paid, voluntary) Basically volunteers but the Finnish-British Society ry of Kuopio will provide funds for a part-time staff in case of necessity. Involvement of migrants in planning and The volunteers or the staffs are of immigrant background with implementation English as their native language. This is so because the members of the group would like their coordinators to be native English speakers so that the children will learn proper English. Possible obstacles for implementation Getting people for regular meetings is a bit of a problem. Since and ways to overcome them children can be sick or tired in the evening meetings, the attendance number for each meeting may vary depending upon the weather, school times and parent’s own work hours and evening programs. Getting volunteers for the club is also a little difficult. Frequent changes in the coordinator could put off children or the families and there is also a danger of them losing interest in the club. Needed partners / support The Finnish-British Society ry of Kuopio is the main partner with for the project Kompassi which provides funding for the project. Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how As said above, the participation varies but the number of particimany participants, how often..) pants would be about 15 families. Young people around 20 -25 and adults around 30. The meeting is held twice a month for one and half hours. Added value for the participants: how Peer support is the biggest benefit. Quality family time with childare migrants empowered by the pro- ren, child’s entertainment as well as learning new things help the ject? families a great deal.. Added value for the organization Recognition. The collaborative work with different schools and kinder gardens, friendship societies etc. benefits the organization in gaining new customers and image. Summary Why is the project a good example? Children are the future of the society and they can be our cultural ambassadors too. Learning to adapt to different cultures at an early age is a great benefit for the child also which in future will help in understanding the evils of racism. The families benefit with the quality time that they spend with their children. What works well? An evening full of activities. Children are naturally very energetic and enthusiastic. Doing several activities together is great fun as well as educative. It is interesting to observe how fast children adapt to situations and enjoy themselves thoroughly. What doesn‘t work well? Getting volunteers for the club is a little difficult. Frequent changes in the coordinator could put off children or the families and there is also a danger of them losing interest in the club. Also, the kids grow and go off to school and the members keep changing all the time. Getting new members can be challenging at times.
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Irish dance group Partner: Monikulttuurikeskus Kompassi Main topic: Teach people without any dance background to dance and cooperate in a multicultural environment Identification of the organisation Name Monikulttuurikeskus Kompassi Location Kuopio, Finland Type of organization non-profit association Contact Varsha Shurpali Identification of the practice / project Title Irish dance group – Kipeät Jalat Detailed description of the project Kipeat Jalat is an amateur Irish dance group which is open to everybody all the year round. People can select between two levels: beginner and primary and attend the classes up to three times per week. People, who attend the dance classes come from different countries and have different cultural background. Besides learning to dance, participants learn how to communicate with others and work as a team. The dance group has several main activities: • Learning how to dance • Participating in festivals and shows • Organizing own events Our dance group provides lots of opportunities to be creative. Participants learn how to dance and start to teach others (at public events) as soon as possible. They pass their knowledge to other people and bring them joy and good emotions via dancing. Dance is used as an international language that eliminates the barriers between different age groups, gender and is understood by everybody. Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
Our main target group are people aged 18-27, but in reality we have participants aged 14-35 years old. The group is open to everybody who is willing to dance. New members are invited via social media and printed advertisement.
Context of the project: What needs/pro- Hobby groups that include immigrant as well as the Finnish blems existed that make it necessary to people are quite rare. These kinds of groups are needed for the implement the project? society as they help in the better understanding of other cultures and music and dance are one of the best ways to submerge into different cultures. During the classes participants relax and forget their problems, find new friends and enlarge their network. For newcomers it is an easy way to find a new hobby, be active and meet new people. Objectives of the project The aim of the project is to teach people Irish dance, be active by participating in hobby groups and by performing several times per year. Other aim is to show to participants that anyone can dance and let them enjoy the process of learning. Because we also dance group dances, it is easy to feel what the group support means and how nice are people around us. ›› Collection of good practices
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The positive atmosphere at the dance classes motivates participants to come back and work on their dance skills for their personal joy and happiness. Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- Irish dance group is operating in Kuopio since May 2008 with the ment the project support of multicultural center Kompassi (3,5 years). Keeping dance classes is a continues process, but it is possible to make short dance master classes that can last 2 hours, 2 days, 2 weeks etc. (depending on teacher and participants) Resources and costs Dance class (with a mirror), CDs, a teacher. Other possible costs: marketing materials, DVDs, dance shoes, costumes. The hall for dance practice is provided by the Cultural Arena in Kuopio. Staff (paid, voluntary) Dance teacher is working voluntarily. Kompassi’s staff helps out when needed. Involvement of migrants in planning and Participants have the right to say what kind of dances they implementation prefer to learn (solo, group, soft or hard shoes). Participants may decide if they are interested in public performances. The timings of the group meeting were initially scheduled looking in to the convenience of majority of the participants and the coordinator. Possible obstacles for implementation Dance class cannot be organized without participants. Marketing and ways to overcome them of the dance group should be planned carefully and advertisement should be on early in advance. Since there is age restriction for the members, sometimes it is hard to advertise it to the general public who may get disappointed about the restriction. Advertisements are generally directed towards the preferred target group. Needed partners / support for the pro- The dance club needs a dance room to practice. A school or a ject cultural centre can provide the premises. Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how Dance classes are organized 2-3 times per week. Duration is 1,5 many participants, how often..) hours. Min size of the group is two persons, max 15 persons. (that depends on the size of the dance hall) Added value for the participants: how The empowerment comes from participation and from the positiare migrants empowered by the pro- ve energy of the Irish music and dancing. The role of the teacher ject? is very important, because he/she should motivate students and teach them in an easy, understandable way. Students are very often motivated by seeing their results and by finding new friends. It is fun to do something together with others. For migrants it is an easy way to meet Finnish people and become friends with them. We have about 50/50 proportion between immigrants and local people. (that happens naturally). Same is for Finnish people – they meet migrants and learn more about them by dancing in one group. Dance creates a suitable environment for communication and friendship. Added value for the organization Dance group enlarges the service portfolio of the multicultural centre. It represents Puijola and Kompassi in several of its performances around Kuopio and Finland which bench marks Puijola’s and Kompass’s work to the larger public.
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Summary Why is the project a good example? The dance group exists for 3,5 years – it is a well-tested project. During these years the number of participants has grown and we take part in lot of activities, i.e. as a group we are an active element of social life in Kuopio. The achievements of the group are also the personal achievements of each participant. Continues dance routine organizes the life by bringing an activity which gives tonus and motivation, which makes you sweat and smile, which gives you a possibility to express yourself via dance. Many participants have brought their friends, that simply means that they like is so much that they want to spread the information around and introduce this possibility to people around them. Last but not the least, this is one of the best examples of a multicultural group in the sense that the teacher is a Russian living in Finland teaching Irish dance to Finns as well as other immigrants! What works well? It is important to have different activities during the dance classes, i.e. a bit of theory, a bit of technique, a bit of simple or group dances and lots of fun. People come to have fun, they value their time and it should be worth it. From time to time we organize a movie evenings and watch Irish dance shows, we visit other cities to meet other dancers, participates in festivals and workshops. We do also organize parties together. It is a good feeling to be involved and see the results of you work and contribution. The teaching is in Finnish, English and Russian that allows immigrants and local people join the classes and feel comfortable. What doesn‘t work well? Irish dance is not that easy. And students have to work hard. It is important to understand that it is not for everyone and that’s normal that not all people stay. Nevertheless, those who stay are ready to do their best to learn how to dance Irish dance. It is hard to get male participants. That could relate to the speciality of the Irish dancing, it is not that popular in Finland. The situation can be different in future. More information about this project: › http://kipeatjalat.weebly.com/ › http://kipeatjalat.weebly.com/gallery.html (photographs)
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Language tandem Partner: Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V. Main topic: learning different languages through native speakers as tandem pairs Identification of the organisation Name Multicultural Center Kompassi / Settlement Puijola ry, Kuopio Location Kuopio, Finland Type of organization Non-profit organization Contact Maarit Rönkönharju Identification of the practice / project Title Language tandem Detailed description of the project Language tandem is a program that helps two people to learn the two different languages at the same time. Though the main reason for making a tandem is to find two people who speak different languages and want to learn one another’s language, it serves several other purposes too. Mainly: • it helps making two different people from different back grounds friends • it makes people having tandem understand one another’s culture, country and customs better • gives some quality time for two new friends where they can spend time with each other and do different activities together • builds a nice social network Tandem is a means to build up a support system between two different people with different cultural and linguistic background. In tandem: two people get together to learn different languages they meet with each other at their own convenient time they get in touch with each other and fix time for meeting they can meet at a place is convenient for them both Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
The target group for this program are immigrants as well as Finnish people since this requires language exchange. Advertisement on Kompassi’s web pages, to its customers, emailing list etc. are the methods to use to get participants. Every new comer to Kompassi, immigrant or Finn, is told about this program.
Context of the project: What needs/pro- Learning language is always educative and broadens one’s blems existed that make it necessary to perspective about many things including cultures. Finnish people implement the project? like to learn different languages. On the other hand it is imperative that any foreigner living in Finland has to learn the local language to adapt, socialize and get jobs. Of course Kompassi and the city provide for Finnish language courses but there are not enough seats for everyone in these courses and also it proves to be a bit difficult for people who are working or otherwise occupied to be in the courses at a fixed time. Hence the system of tandem works better and since it is not a classroom teaching, it helps in learning the language in more natural environment. Goals of the project • • •
bringing people of two different cultures and languages together helping them find friends with different cultural background integration of immigrants into the social life in a foreign country
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Required time to prepare and imple- It takes one whole day of preparation for including people in the ment the project list, searching for proper tandem pairs, sending them contact info of each other etc. It is a continuous process since an update is always required of the status of the tandem, if there are any problems etc. Resources and costs Kompassi’s worker coordinates the project. All the expenses and costs are borne by multicultural center Kompassi. Staff (paid, voluntary) Kompassi’s paid worker is the coordinator of this project. There is no other staff. Involvement of migrants in planning and The staffer who coordinates this project is an immigrant. implementation Possible obstacles for implementation One main obstacle in the project is that that there could often be and ways to overcome them lack of communication between the tandem participants themselves as well as the coordinator. People tend to forget to inform the coordinator about situations like, • if there are any changes in the existing tandem • if the tandem pair is not suitable • if they have moved away from the city • if they cannot participate in the tandem for some reason • their email address or phone numbers have changed • And also finding proper pair for all the registered persons is a problem since the language that they want to learn may not be available for tandem. It is hard to coordinate during such situations. The only way to overcome such obstacles is to be in constant touch with the people, ask about their situation periodically, update the register regularly, hold meeting and talk to the people and offer them other options. Needed partners / support for the pro- The main support staff wise and expense wise is given by Multiject cultural Center Kompassi. Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how There are about 180 participants in the tandem and about 60 many participants, how often..) pairs who are having tandem practice. Most of the pairs meet at least once a week for about 2 -3 hours. Added value for the participants: how Added value is that you gain a good friend, learn about different are migrants empowered by the pro- cultures. For immigrants to Finland it’s of benefit in the ways that ject? they get a lot of information that they wouldn’t otherwise understand as it is in Finnish, get a Finnish friend, and learn the ways of the society. It’s a two way value for both the interested parties. Added value for the organization It creates interest amongst the Finns as well as immigrants since they are both benefiting from this program. At the same time, they become the customers for our other activities also there by spreading good word about our several activities. We gain many volunteers for us because of this program. Summary Why is the project a good example? It’s a good example because it builds bridge between two different cultures; it helps in making friends and also helps them learn about the local ways of life. What works well? Tandem pairs. People take a lot of interest in getting in touch with each other and learning the language. What doesn‘t work well? Information and communication. The coordinator has difficulties in gaining up to date information about the tandem pairs, if they are still in touch with each other etc. Secondly, finding a proper pair for all. Collection of good practices
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Let’s read together Partner: Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V. Main topic: Teaching Finnish to the immigrants with the help of Finnish volunteers in a different setting than the regular class room teaching. Identification of the organisation Name Multicultural Center Kompassi / Settlement Puijola ry, Kuopio Location Kuopio, Finland Type of organization Non-profit organization Contact Maarit Rönkönharju Identification of the practice / project Title Let’s read together - model Detailed description of the project Let’s Read Together Network supports immigrant women in integrating into Finnish Society. A network of Finnish women volunteers offer tuition in literacy and the Finnish language to immigrant women in various locations all over Finland. The background of the project lies in the teaching of reading of Finnish, organized by members of a Local Un Women association in Vantaa, Helsinki Metropolitan Area, to immigrant women who could not, perhaps, read or write even in their own language. Action according to this model has now spread over whole Finland. During the period of 2011-2012, the Let’s Read Together –project is supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation, and the lead of the project is taken by the Finnish Federation of University Women. UN Women in Finland and Zonta International District 20 as founders remain as collaborating partners. received prizes from YWCA, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Finland Two groups were started in Kuopio at the end of 2011 under Puijola Settlement NGO. Target group: who should be reached by the project? Which measures have to be taken to reach them?
Initially: mothers of small children and elderly women In practice: depends on the needs of the region. In Kuopio any immigrant who is motivated in learning Finnish. However 1st priority is given to immigrants, not degree students or other short term “immigrants” To reach: absolutely essential is to have some committed partners through whom you can contact the immigrants. Mostly social workers / family workers. To get the group rolling it might take time and patience, even though the need is there. The best communication is done face to face. The “jungle drum” will be very effective. It is also very important in the beginning to really invest in the quality of the meetings so that people will come again and spread a good word.
Context of the project: What needs/pro- Initially: It had been noted that certain immigrant groups, e.g. blems existed that make it necessary to mothers of small children and elderly women remained often implement the project? without training. Goals of the project Aim to promote the overall integration of the immigrant women in the Finnish society. In Kuopio: to promote integration of immigrants both men and women and not just illiterate immigrants
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Steps to take Required time to prepare and imple- To start a group you should have at least 2-3 reliable volunteers. ment the project The group will have to meet regularly and if you cannot participate every time you should be many to make sure there are always enough teachers each time During the first meeting you should find out the level of the students. If one teacher has to take more than 1 student they should be on the same level. Materials: the network will provide the materials. The can also support students if they want to purchase a book by taking a much smaller fee (5-10 euros) Time should be enough to get organized among the volunteers, to get a place for the meeting, to get materials and to advertise the group. The place should be spacious with a chance to make many smaller study corners. Office facilities (printing copying). A very simplified clear flyer. If needed you can visit already established group in neighboring city to see the concept in practice. Support from other groups but also from the network. Resources and costs Volunteer work. Some costs are provided by the network. Each local group can have different financial supporters. Staff (paid, voluntary) no paid staff In Kuopio: multicultural center Kompassi’s coordinator Involvement of migrants in planning and Ideal would be to have immigrants involved in the planning part... implementation Possible obstacles for implementation • and ways to overcome them • • •
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Volunteers and students might not become committed Students come late and you can never know who is coming beforehand. Students might change a lot and then the initial idea of planned progress cannot be worked on Don’t take this too professionally, the meetings are as much about social interaction and meeting with the natives as it is about progressing in the language skills motivation problems of volunteers: backup from the network you never know how many students come: frustrating if too many teachers, I am not needed students might suddenly stop coming and the teachers can easily think it’s something they did Often, after a while the volunteers start getting feelings of inadequacy and seem to only be aware of what they don’t know how to do.teaching methods....
Needed partners / support for the pro- Essential: local official or social workers which have relations ject with the immigrants Effects of the practice /project Quantitative results of the project (how in 2011 more than 60 study groups were meeting in Finland. many participants, how often..) Volunteer teachers: over 300 and students around 800. In Kuopio there are 2 groups, other only for women. The groups are meeting once a week. Usually there are around 10-15 participants, most of them students. In 2012 the experiences gained in the project are utilized in the recently initiated Women’s Mentor Network WOMENTO, which aims at the promotion of the position of the educated immigrant women in Finland. Collection of good practices
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Also now there are volunteers who are visiting immigrants homes to do the same as many women cannot come the where the group is meeting. Added value for the participants: how Learning a language as one to one method. Individually tailored are migrants empowered by the pro- needs. Meeting normal Finnish people and maybe getting new ject? friends outside of the group. Specialty is the chance to take children with you. Added value for the organization Trust from the immigrant participants. Development of the understanding of how to teach Finnish as a foreign language. Complements wonderfully the traditional classroom setting. Summary Why is the project a good example? • • • •
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Children can participate Families/couples /friends can participate together Utilization of big number of retired teachers As a supporter in the back is the national network which organizes seminars, plans materials and coordinates the good practices. Support from other cities. Regardless of the national model one can plan the activities quite freely locally as in relations to the local needs. Individually tailored chance to learn with a native speaker
What works well? Easy to “sell” for potential volunteers as the concept is very simple and concrete. Flexible for the volunteers to get involved. Other more experienced can help the newcomers. What doesn‘t work well? The initial idea of making student/teachers pairs that meet and study with a plan can be quite difficult to fulfill. Getting feedback from students very difficult. Personal development as a teacher difficult as students changes all the time and no feedback. People coming and going requires a lot from the teachers as well. Also to teach someone who knows language quite well is difficult; often natives don’t know the grammar.
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_Imprint and contact
Support with translation: Stephanie Schrage
Design & Layout by: Katharina Spatz › With the support of Andreas Schrank
Contact details: Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V. Leopoldstr. 9 D- 94032 Passau/ Germany Phone: 0049-(0)851-2132740 E-Mail: wingerter@gemeinsam-in-europa.de www.gemeinsam-in-europa.de Multicultural Center Kompassi, Kuopio Setlement Puijola ry Hapelähteenkatu 33 FI- 70110 Kuopio/ Finland Phone: 00358-447872872 Maarit.ronkonharju@puijola.net www.puijola.net/kompassi Berufsförderungsinstitut Oberösterreich Region Linz / Mühlviertel Bulgariplatz 13 AT- 4020 Linz/ Austria Phone: 0043 / 664 / 8542950 E-Mail: gabriele.einsiedler@bfi-ooe.at www.bfi-ooe.at
Disclaimer This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of “Gemeinsam leben & lernen in Europa” and its partners within the Grundtvig learning partnership “-Engaged migrants: Pathways overcoming
We want to thank all the other volunteers and migrants, who contributed to our project and the making of the guideline. Without your involvement, help and quotes it would have been impossible for us to reach our goals. THANK YOU!
Worries, Exclusion & Racism” (2011 - 2013) and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
Š by Gemeinsam leben und lernen in Europa e.V., 2013. All rights reserved.