Good Practice Criteria
Inclusivity & Participation
Does the practice ensure that its services are accessible and responsive to diverse groups?
The practice runs throughout Finland. In order to ensure accessibility it offers the use of interpreters and delivery in other languages, and is adaptable to different social and local contexts. It is aimed at people in various stages of life, for whom support with home economics and housekeeping would be useful. Target groups are reached through cooperation with other relevant organisations and institutions. Participation in the practice is voluntary, and services are adjusted according to the needs of participants.
In.
Good practice checklist
✓ Adopt a participatory, gender mainstreaming, age sensitive, inclusive approach and secure equal opportunities for beneficiaries.
✓ Make sure to provide precise and accessible information on how to access services in different languages, formats and through different communication channels
✓ Ensure that equality and diversity are an essential part of how services are delivered, taking into consideration different needs and capacities.
✓ Make reasonable adjustments to service delivery in order to take into account particular needs of the target group.
Does the practice involve the active participation of the receiving society?
The receiving society is involved in the implementation of the practice. The courses are delivered by local professionals who work as staff for the organisation, and local volunteers are heavily involved in several services including those that promote migrant integration. The practice is run through cooperation with other organisations and institutions that represent both migrants and the receiving society.
Good practice checklist
✓ Consider integration as a two-way process, and aim for change on the side of the receiving society.
✓ Foresee an active role for the receiving society in the design and implementation stages of the practice, and involve actions that encourage native communities and beneficiaries to work together.
Does the practice consult its beneficiaries and involve them in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the action?
The practice consults its beneficiaries in order to take their needs and wishes into account when designing course content
Good practice checklist
✓ Organise consultation activities with migrant beneficiaries in order to co-create actions where possible and secure their feedback on the design and evaluation of the action.
✓ Provide appropriate feedback mechanisms by which beneficiaries can safely express their opinions on service quality.
✓ Use flexible and interculturally-adapted formats and compensate participants for their contribution.
Relevance & Complementarity
Are the objectives of the practice relevant to the needs of the migrants?
The practice aims to ease the difficulties faced by migrants when navigating everyday life in a new environment and culture, by offering assistance and training in home economics and management. It also offers support with learning the local language and understanding the local culture, and organises opportunities for social interaction with local people. The specific needs of each group are considered during the design phase of each course.
Good practice checklist
✓ Identify and analyse the needs of the relevant migrants and prioritise methods which directly ask them about their needs.
✓ Identify and analyse gaps in integration support and design actions to fill these gaps.
– Aim for systemic improvement, satisfying the needs of the majority of target groups in the target area.
Is the practice relevant to the empowerment of migrants, the strengthening of their autonomy and the support of their long-term integration?
By offering migrants assistance with the management of day-to-day life – such as with understanding seasonal food, clothing, and grocery shopping – the practice promotes their autonomy in the longer term. By offering a safe environment for socialising with locals and in which to learn the local language, it also furthers their long-term integration.
Good practice checklist
✓ Devise actions with the overarching goal of providing positive feedback and making migrants more confident, autonomous and independent.
✓ Contribute to migrants’ engagement with the community for the common good.
✓ Ensure that services contribute to the strengthening of the capacities of migrants/migrant communities.
✓ Include (or create the preconditions for) actions that facilitate long-term integration.
✓ Address discrimination and information gaps as obstacles to long-term integration.
Does the practice align with the priorities, strategic goals and policies of other relevant stakeholders, and contribute to the wider integration framework?
The practice follows local human rights laws and integration policy.
Good practice checklist
✓ Ensure that all actions are in line with international and European human rights standards.
– Employ regional/local, national and EU/international level integration-related guidelines and tools.
✓ Make sure that the services offered contribute to the strengthening of the capacities of relevant institutions to support future development.
Effectiveness
Is the practice adequately planned and based on a comprehensive design?
The practice is adequately planned and based on a comprehensive design, its objectives are clear and feasible, and it has sustainable resources and funding options. Its intended outcomes are achievable and – to some extent – observable. The courses are delivered by trained professionals, and additional training is offered to those working with the practice.
Good practice checklist
✓ Aim for actions that achieve observable outcomes among the target group or contribute to changes during the implementation of the action.
✓ Make sure that the objectives and planned results of the activity are feasible and clear.
✓ Develop a communications strategy during the design phase of the action and pay attention to communication with host communities and local authorities.
✓ Develop a staff management plan to identify team members with the right skills to work with beneficiaries, and their needs for training and further qualification.
Does the practice regularly monitor implementation and evaluate its results?
The practice is regularly monitored and evaluated by the implementing organisation, including through the gathering of feedback from participants and partners. In addition, monitoring is carried out to meet funding stipulations from the Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations (STEA).
Good practice checklist
✓ Ensure regular monitoring of action implementation and compare actual performance to goals set during the design phase.
✓ Anticipate obstacles that might occur and plan alternative scenarios during the design phase of the action.
✓ Ensure achievement of intended outputs / outcomes.
✓ Determine whether practice outcomes are considered successful by beneficiaries, the host and practitioner communities, funders, and policymakers.
− Assess whether interventions contribute to long-term sustainable change.
Sustainability
Is the practice prepared to sustain its positive effects after completion?
The practice has been running for more than 20 years, proving its sustainability (in which collaboration with other relevant actors plays a big part). At the individual level, everything a participant learns during a course or activity can be used outside the realms of the practice and in the future.
Good practice checklist
– During the design phase, anticipate opportunities to continue the intervention after completion.
✓ Prepare and apply a well-defined sustainability plan to ensure the continuation of positive effects / outcomes.
✓ Devote resources to building capacities during the implementation phase, in order to ensure that the necessary human resources, expertise and infrastructure are in place to sustain the services upon completion of the action.
Does the practice attract structural funding and support from new sponsors and individuals, or have the potential to develop a business model to generate its own resources?
The practice receives funding from STEA, and follows The Martha Organization’s existing business model for organising courses, events and other activities.
Good practice checklist
✓ Develop partnerships and relations with relevant stakeholders at the early stage of the action to ensure that the practice has strong support and potential partners for after the primary funding terminates.
✓ Identify new EU and national funding opportunities for long-term integration (e.g., shifting from project-based initiatives that are limited in time or dependent on one (external) donor to a comprehensive, multi-year strategy based on secured funding or diverse funding opportunities).
– Diversify funding opportunities and identify options for self-financing through business activities or social entrepreneurship.
Partnership & Collaboration
Does the practice establish communication and coordination with other relevant actors to foster the integration of migrants? (e.g., migrants, civil society, public authorities, businesses)
The Martha Organization collaborates with other relevant actors to deliver project services.
Good practice checklist
✓ Ensure the involvement and participation of key stakeholders in the development phase and create strategies to involve them in the action.
– Include multi-stakeholder consultation with professionals, institutions, and citizens, in order to promote the meaningful participation of refuges and migrants and support a joint sense of ownership of decisions and actions.
Does the practice contribute to discussion on the improvement of integration support policies?
Whereas The Martha Organization actively contributes to discussion on the improvement of integration support policies via its other projects, this specific practice delivers only targeted support for participants in better managing their day-to-day lives.
Good practice checklist
– Seize opportunities to contribute to the development of comprehensive integration strategies involving EU-level/national/regional/local authorities, service providers and civil society.
✓ Work with relevant partners to jointly review operations, practices, services, and integration outcomes.