Different provenance - equal future (Verschiedene Herkunft - Gemeinsame Zukunft)

Best Practice

Topics

• New forms of decision-making
• Governance capacity, Policies and instruments

Short description

The project "Verschiedene Herkunft - gemeinsame Zukunft" (different provenance - equal future) is an EU-EQUAL-project financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour of the Republic of Austria. Migrants are often discriminated and excluded from work through legal conditions and social barriers. The consequences are higher unemployment, no access to higher qualification, low income and wages, bad working conditions. The project and its pilot communities (one of them is Krems) implement measures to ameliorate the migrants conditions on the labour market.

---

Project executive

Niederösterreichische Landesakademie (Lower Austrian State Academy). To do justice to this requirement, the Landesakademie concentrates on guiding principles and working towards the future, advice on policy, management of innovative projects, research documentation and knowledge management within the scope of its duties in the fields of future and development, social affairs and health, politics and the public sector, the environment and energy // The Academy was assisted in this project by the provincial government of Lower Austria, Interkulturelles Zentrum IZ, Institut für Konfliktforschung, Niederösterreichische Dorf- und Stadterneuerung, Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, Forum Erwachsenenbildung, Landesschulrat Lower Austria, Pädagogisches Institut Baden, Federation of Trade Union, Chamber of Labour, Gender Mainstreaming expert Marietta Schneider.

---

Participants

There were more than 100 participants: residents of Krems, representatives of political parties in Krems, authorities of the Krems Community, social partners, social institutions and associations.

Objectives

The project in Krems aims at enhancing the previous work of integration in Krems, at developing a 'guideline for integration' and a catalogue of different measures. The guideline and the measures were compiled by residents (migrants and non-migrants), politicians, officials, members of social institutions and associations in a collaborative manner.

Activities

Module 1: A new position for the issue 'integration' in the municipality of Krems was filled. This position is supported by a person with migration background. The integration work is co-ordinated and every two months a special meeting takes place. An intercultural kindergarden teacher was engaged. Module 2: A training course for intercultural pedagogy was established. Module 3: Development and implementation of a municipal 'integration concept', Module 4: scientific accompanying research

Process

(1) public start event to sensitise the population of Krems, (2) analysis of problems, elaborating issues, aims and activities by five work groups, (3) formulation of the 'guideline for integration', (4) implementation of measures (5) regular evaluation and controlling. Different methods were used: expert opinions, expert interviews, good practice examples, forum theatre, discussion meetings.

Results

Employment of an intercultural staff member for kindergardens, establishment of a department for integration in the Municipality of Krems, training course 'intercultural pedagogy', intercultural meetings in several organisations and institutions for residents and migrants to get to know each other, intercultural festival and intercultural children's festival, establishment of a migrant's committee for confidence, intercultural rooms/areas in the residential area of Lerchenfeld, establishment of a system for translating in hospitals,...

Evaluation

Advance, results and problems are evaluated regularly on the integration platform.

Difficulties

Many conflicts occured during the discussions concerning e.g. the postulation to assimilation and different value systems concerning lifestyle and behaviour. // Public relations could have been more intensive from the beginning on.

Budget

no information (Euro)

Financial backer

European Union (150.000-200.000 EUR for the whole EQUAL-project in Krems, Hainburg, Traismauer, Guntramsdorf), European Social Fund (EU programme EQUAL), Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour of the Republic of Austria, City of Krems

Source of information

Ansprechperson

Ms Maria Zwicklhuber
Interkulturelles Zentrum Wien
Bacherplatz 10, 1050 Wien, Austria
iz@iz.or.at
+43 1 5867544-14
+43 1 5867544-9

Competition

Participant at the 2005 Future in the Alps competition

Homepage

http://www.krems.at, http://www.equal-noe-lak.at

Publication

Leitbild der Gemeinde Krems, Leitbild der Gemeinde Guntramsdorf, Integrationskonzept der Gemeinde Traismauer, Aktionsplan der Gemeinde Hainburg // CDRom with examples from all four communities

Project executive as above

Comments

Impact on nature and environment

There is no direct impact on nature and environment.

Economic value added

Migrants work at places with low qualification and earn less money. The society loses many professional workers by excluding migrants from the high qualified jobs.

Socio-cultural value added

Migrants are very often discriminated and haven't got social equality. They are working at places with lower qualification, bad working conditions and low payment. The project is a good strategy to act against racism: migrants work as qualified professionals and co-workers in a higher position. The intercultural competence within the authorities can be enhanced. Nursery teachers, teachers and instructors are working directly with migrants and specially with their children.

Innovative content

A special role model for integration in Austrian municipalities was developed. Intercultural centers with intercultural competence in nursery schools and other schools were developed in small regions of Lower Austria. An intercultural team and multipliers are educated and trained.

Good governance

A broad public event was used to sensitise the population of Krems for the EQUAL project, to give information and to invite all to collaborate. In the run-up a culture programme facilitated the participation of several ethnic groups in Krems. Migrants were represented in all work groups.

PR impact

Internet, regional newspapers and a newsletter

Multiplier effect / networking

EQUAL is an EU-programme with a high relevance of networking, exchanging knowledge and working in partnership. Besides Krems three other communities are member of this project: Hainburg, Guntramsdorf and Traismauer.

Transferability

The project was implemented in three other pilot municipalities in Austria.

Remarks

-