The aim of the At Home in Finland project was to develop services and processes supporting immigrant integration. The project had two mutually supportive sub-projects: Good Start and Good Path.
- In Good Start, models and recommendations for a service for immigrants were created on the basis of the results of pilot projects.
- In Good Path, the aim was to strengthen the impact of local efforts supporting immigrant integration with the help of regional coordinators.
The project resulted in the following reports on supporting integration:
- Language skills and wellbeing: Report on the training models supporting the integration of immigrant parents caring for their children at home (in Finnish)
- Report on immigrant integration training models (in Finnish)
- Report on the recruitment of immigrants (in Finnish)
- “Everything went fine” Report on views on integration services (in Finnish)
All material produced during the project is listed on this page. Please note that the material produced during project may contain partly outdated information.
Good Start
Four pilot project application rounds were carried out in the Good Start sub-project and they were used as a basis for 28 independent pilot projects. The purpose of the Good Start was to coordinate and support the pilot projects and to formulate their results at national level. The pilot projects coordinated as part of the sub-project used a variety of different priorities to develop
- early-stage integration services
- services at the juncture after completion of integration training
- models for guidance to work, education or entrepreneurship intended to immigrants not taking part in the integration training.
The main findings and results of the pilot projects were entered in three modelling reports:
- Model for early-stage integration services (in Finnish)
- Recommendations for providing services at the juncture after integration training (in Finnish)
- Opportunities, hope and trust - cost-efficient solutions for employment of immigrants (in Finnish)
The Good Start sub-project was evaluated in spring 2016, and the final evaluation conclusions are contained in the final report of the development evaluation.
A summary of the multilingual material on Finnish society and culture produced by different parties was prepared in the sub-project to support customer work. A list of tips was also drawn up on how to organise remote orientation to Finnish society in the immigrants’ own languages.
- Development evaluation compilation report of At Home in Finland pilot projects (in Finnish)
- Compilation of multilingual reports to support customer work (in Finnish)
- Tips for organising remote orientation to Finnish society (in Finnish)
Material in different languages was prepared for the project’s YouTube channel. It is intended for integrating immigrants and for immigrants who have lived in Finland for a longer time, as well as for those teaching and guiding them.
- Understanding Finnish video series (in 14 languages)
- Creating Finnish welfare: a century of Finland and the Virtanen family (in eight languages)
- Roles of officials and interpreters in Finland (in ten languages)
Finnish texts for the Understanding Finnish video series are also available. The texts can be used for such purposes as study assignments based on the videos.
- Applying for jobs and working in Finland PDF
- Taxation and how the welfare society operates PDF
- Democracy and influence in society PDF
- Human rights, equal rights and non-discrimination PDF
- Honour-based violence PDF
- Rights of the child and education PDF
- What is the average Finn like? PDF
Good Path
The objective of the Good Path sub-project was to provide more effective and consistent-quality integration services in all parts of Finland. Seven regional coordinators worked in the sub-project in the expanded immigration areas of the ELY Centres. Their task was to develop the competence of professionals working with integration matters by arranging training, creating networks and providing information, and to disseminate regionally information on the activities of the Centre of Expertise in Immigrant Integration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.
Opi kotoutumisesta (Learning about integration) online training package was created in the Good Path sub-project. It is a comprehensive induction training package for employees starting in integration-related tasks.
Several webinars were also produced and some of them can be viewed on the YouTube channel of the At Home in Finland project. Five podcasts on integration themes were also produced.
- Learning about integration online training package (in Finnish)
- Webinars on At Home in Finland YouTube channel
- At Home in Finland podcasts (Soundcloud)
Hundreds of training and other events on integration and immigration were arranged in the Good Path sub-project between 2015 and 2020 and they attracted about 14,000 participants. At Home in Finland product cards contain descriptions of frequently used and well-proven training and event concepts. The purpose of the product cards is to support and guide the individuals organising similar events in the future.
The project is administered by the ELY Centre for Uusimaa
The At Home in Finland project was coordinated by the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Uusimaa. The project manager, the manager of the Good Start sub-project and the project planner worked in the ELY Centre for Uusimaa and the regional coordinators in the expanded areas of immigration work of the ELY Centres in different parts of the country. The Centre of Expertise in Immigrant Integration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment was a partner in the Good Path sub-project, which implemented the Centre’s activities at regional level.
The national project financed by the European Social Fund was carried out between 2015 and 2020.
