Social work and integration of migrants: Mainstreaming Qutomo project's culture and gender sensitive integration model

The European Union defines integration as a two-way process in which both the migrant and the receiving society have to adapt to, and accommodate, each other. In Finland, the current integration policies and indicators of... [ view full abstract ]

The European Union defines integration as a two-way process in which both the migrant and the receiving society have to adapt to, and accommodate, each other. In Finland, the current integration policies and indicators of integration focus on employment and the learning of the Finnish language. Other indicators of integration beyond those two aspects are often quite difficult to measure or paid any attention to. In line with the dialogue platforms recommended in the European Commission’s Handbook on Integration, Qutomo Project organises “cooperation forums”. Utilizing the concepts of participatory action research, the forums are organized to facilitate integration of migrants through dialogue with the different sectors (government officials, NGOs, academics, and third-country nationals) with emphasis on promoting active participation of migrants and the development of an innovative culture and gender sensitive model of integration. Unlike other dialogue platforms, migrants are viewed as equal partners in the dialogue and more importantly, as a valuable resource for the development of integration services. Based from the data gathered in the forums, the project has published: “Towards a culture and gender sensitive integration path: a handbook for integration service providers”. This handbook as well as the model, is currently being mainstreamed in the City of Vantaa through a series of workshops offered to a pilot group that consists mostly of social workers and other integration service providers from the City. The workshops encourage the participants to first, reflect on their own practices in providing social services for migrants; second, build a functioning cooperation network for promoting best practices and information exchange (practical and research-based) and lastly, to ensure that the culture and gender sensitive integration model will be mainstreamed in the City’s integration services. The Qutomo Project has already been cited as a good practice at both the national and local level in Finland.