“Improving cooperation between employment authorities and immigrant communities, and empowering immigrant organisations”

OPEN DAYS 2007European week of Regions and Cities

Brussels 8 – 11 OctoberWorkshop 10D33

Ulla Grönlund

Overcoming discriminatory practices against immigrants and ethnic minorities in employment

Our vision:

Genuine cooperation and communication

between immigrant communities and

authorities exist and evolve;

And it provides concrete benefit

for both of them.

Project: PROMENIO – Third Sector Labour Professionals

Program: EQUAL community initiative

Period: 1.1.2005 – 31.10.2007

Region: Turku and Tampere regions, Finland

Managing organisation: Turku Employment Office

Development partner: Tampere Employment Office

Other partners: City of Turku

City of Tampere

60 immigrant organisations in the regions of Turku and Tampere

Other projects and organisations in the region

Transnational partners: AWEMA (Wales) AFISAI (Spain) VIOZ (Netherlands)

Budget: 736 800 €

Personnel: 4,75

Contact: ulla.gronlund@mol.fi

www.promenio.net

FOR IMMIGRANT ORGANISATIONS:

* ACTIVATION AND OPENING UP TO THE SOCIETY * UNDERSTANDING OF FINNISH WORKING

CULTURE, SOCIETY AND LABOUR MARKET

* DEVELOPMENT OF CAPACITY AND SKILLS

* MORE CO-OPERATION WITH THE AUTHORITIES AND BETWEEN COMMUNITIES

* INVOLVEMENT OF IMMIGRANT ORGANISATIONS IN THE SERVICE DELIVERY PROCESS, AS 1) AN EXPERT AND A VOICE FOR THEIR

COMMUNITY AND 2) AS A SERVICE PROVIDER

FOR AUTHORITIES:

* DEMAND AND CUSTOMER DRIVEN SERVICES

* KNOWLEDGE OF IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES/IMMIGRANT ORGANISATIONS AND THEIR NEEDS

* NEW WORKING PRACTICES

* MORE CO-OPERATION WITH THE IMMIGRANTS ORGANISATIONS

PROMENIO’S OBJECTIVES

FOR BOTH: NETWORK DEVELOPMENT, ENLARGEMENT AND CONSOLIDATION AS WELL AS DEVELOPMENT OF GENUINE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE AUTHORITIES AND IMMIGRANT ORGANISATIONS

METHODS USED

• Short courses and open to all training days

• Personal advice and tutoring

• Promoting immigrant organisations’ participation in forums, working groups etc.

• Opening up discussions

• Organising visits for the authorities to meet representatives of immigrant organisations

• Organising visits for representatives of immigrant organisations to meet the authorities

• Seminars

• Strategic consultations

• Channelling information (www, leaflets, e-mails)

• Marketing the skills of immigrant organisations and benefits of cooperation

GUIDING PRINCIPLE IN ALL METHODS:

”DOING TOGETHER”

CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED

1) Difficulties in communication – hardly any personnel of immigrant

background in the public sector

2) The expertise and abilities of immigrant communities and organisations not

acknowledged very little cooperation with the public sector

3) Lack of information

4) The authorities have limited knowledge of the needs of immigrant

communities

5) The role of the voluntary sector as an important link in the service delivery

process realized, but no recourses are allocated to it.

6) Immigrant organisations have very limited recourses and

‘ do not know how to apply for funding

‘ when receive funding, usually only on a yearly basis, which

restricts the development of their activities

7) Immigrant organisations and the authorities have different working hours

8) Prejudices

WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED?

1) EMPLOYMENT SERVICES (and other public sector institutions)

* More accepting and open attitudes - the general discourse strongly suggests this

* Inclusion of immigrant organisation into their forums

* Requests for expert’s opinions/reports from the authorities to the immigrant organisations

* Purchasing of services from the immigrant organisations

* Quality working groups (continuous discussion important, one-off hearings not productive)

2) IMMIGRANT ORGANISATIONS

* Two regional umbrella organisations: SONDIP and HESHU (cooperation within and across communities)

* Representation of immigrant organisations in several consultative forums, steering groups and working groups etc.

* Activation of many organisations

* Cooperation between communities; acting on shared objectives

* More funding from the national level for the local organisations as a result of new skills

2005

2007

2012

PROMENIO Establishment of cooperation between the authorities and immigrant organisations

REAL RESULTS and REAL ADDED-VALUE will be realized as a result of continuous cooperation between the two over a period of time

The two continue to work together without the aid of PROMENIO

PROMENIO’S TRUE RESULTS?

WHAT REMAINS TO BE DONE? (immigrant organisations)

• New models of voluntarism and better organisation of voluntary work are needed

• Better use of existing human resources as well as more efficient recruitment

• More ”professionalism”, willingness to develop and to learn

• Willingness to influence on a political level

• Sharing resources (human, financial etc.) more often

• More cooperation with the authorities

WHAT REMAINS TO BE DONE? (the authorities)

• Flexibility with working hours and language requirements

• Continuous funding (for NGOs providing added-value to the society) and other support services directed at NGOs to match the expectations towards them

• Move away from ”hearings” and irregular meetings towards continuous, regular and systematic partnerships

• Genuine partnership thinking and cooperation with immigrant organisations

• More transparency and channelling of information

• Recruiting immigrants and representatives of ethnic minorities

“In order for a service to be fit for its purpose, it needs the continuous input from immigrant communities from the offset.”