Municipalities have general and coordination responsibility for planning, developing and monitoring the integration of immigrants and integration clients. Planning the promotion of integration can improve the vitality of municipalities, the wellbeing and equality of residents, balanced population development and the availability of labour.
The national objectives set in the Government Integration Programme (VALKO) and the national employment promotion objectives for integration clients confirmed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment must be taken into account in planning the promotion of integration in municipalities. The Government Integration Programme is drawn up for each government term.
A regional immigration strategy has been drawn up in some regions, and the regional strategic programme of some regions includes themes related to the promotion of integration. ELY Centre is responsible for the regional planning, development and strategy on the referral of immigrants to municipalities. It is advisable to take these regional programmes and strategies into account in the local planning of integration promotion.
Good planning of integration promotion advances the objectives considered important in the municipal strategy, possible regional strategies and the Government Integration Programme at the local level.
A separate action plan or inclusion in other strategies?
Municipalities should assess which implementation method best supports planning and monitoring in the municipality. A separate action plan for the promotion of integration may ease the monitoring of immigrant integration as a whole and the good relations between population groups. The action plan or other planning document may make use of existing documents, practices and forms of cooperation.
Even if the municipality draws up a separate action plan, it must also consider immigrants and the promotion of integration in the
- municipal strategy
- budget and financial plan
- wellbeing account and plan
- plan on the organisation of employment services
- other municipal planning and services.
The action plan or other planning document for the promotion of integration may, together with the municipal integration programme, serve as a tool for bodies promoting integration in the municipality. The municipal integration planning sets the local objectives for promoting integration and the measures to achieve them. The purpose of the municipal integration action plan or other planning document is to describe the municipal measures to promote integration in various municipal sectors, including employment services, and in other services and activities, such as educational institutions, organisations and companies.
One of the foundations for the planning of integration promotion is the municipality’s operating environment and changes to it:
- What kind of immigrants live in the municipality?
- Which age groups and nationalities are mostly represented in the municipality?
- How are the relations between population groups and how receptive is the municipality?
- How should we prepare for the future?
Internationalisation, different immigrant groups residing in municipalities and successful integration support require cooperation between different municipal sectors and other municipal operators, such as organisations, companies, educational institutions and employment services, as well as careful planning of cooperation. An action plan or other planning document for the promotion of integration may serve as a roadmap for a successful promotion of integration in the municipality.
A key element in the planning and monitoring of integration promotion is the preparation and implementation process, regardless of whether the municipality draws up a separate action plan or incorporates the measures into another municipal strategy. Different operators will be engaged in cooperation and municipal decision-makers will be committed to the objectives of integration promotion.
A checklist that can be used in the planning of municipal integration promotion is available at kotoutuminen.fi.
More information:
Planning and developing the promotion of integration
Checklist: Planning the promotion of municipal integration
Integration programme