ANNEX 4. All Recommendations on Participation in Society 1.
Residents who don’t speak Estonian and Estonians communicate mostly with people in their own communities and there is little contact
1.1.
Education on integration and socio-psychological approaches are needed for both sides, minorities as well as the majority, since right now the need to bring these sides closer to each other is not acknowledged.
For whom? All Estonian residents By whom? MoES, MISA
1.2.
Expand mixed kindergartens, where there are teachers who speak both languages, where play methods appropriate for mixed groups are used. This will create a prerequisite for future communication between the communities; it will provide primary contacts.
For whom? All Estonian residents By whom? MoES
1.3.
State institutions, businesses, as well as NGOs should organise events and projects to bring together those who don’t speak Estonian with Estonians. Especially good would be to organize and support events that are geared towards bringing together the youth of different ethnicities and to bring common ideas that support the society to life. Common undertakings bring people together and the younger these people are the more likely it is future communication and common participation in the society will continue.
For whom? All Estonian residents, especially the youth By whom? Programme funders, educational institutions, media channels, NGOs
1.4.
In decision-making procedures or when putting together strategies, common working groups should be formed, to enable direct communication between different sectors and people of different ethnicities. The organisers of the working groups have to do a lot of preliminary work to find the best work methods in order for the culturally diverse groups to be able to work together.
For whom? All Estonian residents By whom? Institutions that apply the integration strategy, regional and specialised umbrella organisations, local governments, NGOs
1.5.
Developing the political literacy of society. Here being informed has to be mentioned again. People need more explanations, not a rewrite of history. People need an understanding of the whole, not of a fractured society.
For whom? All Estonian residents By whom? MoES and educational institutions, media channels, advocacy organisations, politicians and officials
1.6.
Continue with the language immersion programs in families and camps, these should be supplemented and expanded for different target groups. It is important to involve not only children, but adults as well. All who wish should be allowed to participate, not just noncitizens, because among the smaller minorities of new immigrants and citizens there are those, who do not speak Estonian.
For whom? All Estonian residents, those who don’t speak Estonian and Estonians who speak little Russian By whom? MoES, MISA, trainers/ teachers, NGOs
2.
Residents who don’t speak Estonian don’t have a representative body that participates in decision making processes on the state level
2.1.
Create an organisation or union, where minority interests would be represented and protected, and which would mediate relations between the state and the Russian speaking community.
3.
Residents who don’t speak Estonian have more difficulties participating in local or state decision-making processes (for example, when voting or contacting a politician)
3.1.
State officials, parliament members, and NGOs should include non-Estonians in politics and policy making. People have lost the motivation to participate and faith in the fact that they can change anything. There should be more talk about how anyone’s active participation can bring about results – this would get more people to act. Possibilities for participation and actively providing feedback should be created, so that inclusion would not just be a formality.
For whom? Minorities By whom? Minority representatives, NGOs
For whom? The Russian speaking population, new immigrants By whom? State officials, parliament members, local governments and NGOs
Open Forums on Integration: Report on Recommendations by Third-Country Nationals regarding Estonia’s Integration Policy
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