Despite the number of immigrants in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodship doubling in the last four years (estimations are 80-150 000 immigrants for more than 2 m residents), the local authorities’ measures are still only drafting strategic documents. People responsible for policy do not have the perspective, neither know needs, and problems of immigrants living in the region. Employees of public institutions have a poor command of foreign languages and do not have intercultural skills. There are no multicultural integration locations or a sphere for self-organization of immigrants.
The project addresses the lack of institutional support for employees of public institutions when serving foreigners and the low level of self-organization of immigrant communities.
We will provide all-embracing training for immigrants on self-advocacy, social worker assistance, self-organization, and self-help. In total we envisage 160 hours of workshops. We will form and train to be publicly active a Regional Immigrant Team (consulting on the voivodship strategy being formulated; 8-12 people), and form an immigrant network – of assistants supporting public authorities in serving foreigners (working with fifteen institutions). We will help immigrants to form a social cooperative. We will ensure creation of two collaborating integration Urban Housewife Associations (self-help network).
The project will mainly improve competencies in representing immigrants’ own interests, and self-organization and self-help, and their inclusion in devising institutional tools, cooperation with fifteen institutions, opening a cooperative, and women’s self-help. Forty people in the immigrant community will benefit directly.
The project is intended for immigrants from third countries residing in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodship.