Good Practice Criteria
Inclusivity & Participation
Does the practice ensure that its services are accessible and responsive to diverse groups?
The Immigrant Council is composed of migrant community representatives who are of different genders, ages, nationalities, cultures, and religions, and who have a variety of migration experiences (some are refugees; others economic migrants; others repatriates or students). The council was established and designed to respond to the specific and differing needs of these diverse groups. Posters sharing information on the hours of availability of the council are published in different languages and distributed through various channels, including digitally via e-mail, at the City Hall and at Neighbourhood Houses .
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 council was created to ensure active cooperation between migrant and host country representatives and local authorities, organisations and institutions. It views and promotes integration as a two-way process, advising on the development of Gdansk’s integration policy and related services.
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?
Migrants were involved in the creation of the Gdansk Immigrant Integration Model, and it was through this involvement that the Immigrant Council was established. Council members are regularly consulted in determining its rules and regulations.
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 Immigrant Council was established to better respond to the needs of migrants, which it understands are best identified by members of migrant communities themselves. One of the council’s main objectives is to advise the authorities and institutions of Gdansk on the needs and expectations of migrants, and at present one of its main tasks is to advise on the development of integration policy and relevant services in Gdansk.
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?
The council promotes the empowerment and autonomy of migrants, both those who participate in it directly and those who are indirectly supported through its recognition of their needs (due to the efforts of migrant council members to speak on behalf of other migrants). With the help of the Immigrant Council, local authorities are able to identify problems of discrimination against migrants and information gaps hindering 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.
✓ Contribute to migrants’ engagement with the community for the common good.
✓ 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 Immigrant Council resulted from the implementation of the Gdańsk Immigrant Integration Model, adopted by the Gdansk authorities in 2016. Council members are consulted on various issues relating to immigrants and their integration, and their advice leads to improvements in the standard of service provision at City Hall and other related institutions.
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 council operates according to its own annual action plans, which contain clear and feasible objectives. The council communicates on an ongoing basis with the receiving society via social media and email, as well as in person and with local authorities across the city. A member of the Social Development Department also regularly attends council meetings.
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.
− Ensure the practice is based on indicators that are measurable, achievable, and relevant.
Sustainability
Is the practice prepared to sustain its positive effects after completion?
The members of the council rotate: they are elected for two-year terms on an ongoing basis, promoting its strength and sustainability in the longer term.
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.
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)
Communication with other relevant actors, especially with local authorities, migrant institutions and migrants themselves, is taken as key to fostering migrant integration and is one of the main tasks of the Immigrant Council.
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?
One of the council’s main tasks is to advise on the implementation of integration policy in Gdansk. Members of the council have representatives in thematic groups in the Immigrant Integration Model Implementation Team.
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.