“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: [email protected]
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.”
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