Synergies between integration and local development in rural inner areas

COUNTRY

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PROJECT ENDS

VALIDATION DATE

CONTACT DETAILS

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FUNDING

OBJECTIVES

INSPIRATION

Good Practice Criteria

Inclusivity & Participation

Does the practice ensure that its services are accessible and responsive to diverse groups?

Understanding integration as a two-way process that can promote the development of the whole community, this practice adopts a comprehensive approach to meet the needs of both migrants and locals. In rural inner areas where opportunities are limited, it uses a ‘matching’ process to find employment opportunities that meet job seeking migrants’ profiles and community requirements.

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?

In an area characterised by socio-economic weakness, the creation of new job opportunities for refugees may also create the opportunity to improve welfare services. This cannot be achieved without the involvement of local communities, including – notably – local mayors, who play central roles as leaders and focal points.

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 national SAI reception system structures individual integration plans (involving, for example, training courses and job experience placements) in consultation with beneficiaries, scheduling regular meetings to monitor their achievements and the challenges they face.

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?

Employment plays an essential part in the integration process, and finding a job while living in a reception centre in a rural area with socio-economic weaknesses can be difficult. The practice offers beneficiaries access to relevant experiences and professional courses in order to increase their capacity to secure a job, thereby promoting their integration in the short and long term.

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?

Being conscious of limited local opportunities the practice offers professional training courses to those looking to move elsewhere, and creates job opportunities connected to local needs for those interested in staying in the area. The creation of services that promote a better quality of life and the active involvement of refugees in local communities promotes their independence and their development of social networks, supporting their integration in the long term.

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?

As the practice forms part of the national reception system, activities are designed in line with the relevant guidelines and meet national standards. In addition, the planning of some activities in collaboration with local authorities helps to promote expertise and efficiency at the local level.

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?

Considering the small size of the local community, the direct impact of the practice is easily observed. Practice funding sources ask for precise and specific monitoring and evaluation, which it carries out, and the national SAI reception system also requires that programmes such as this one meet specific criteria when it comes to the composition of team members: teams must include an educator, a legal expert, and a planning expert.

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.

✓ 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?

Aiming to promote the autonomy of participant refugees, the practice supports them in creating individual progress plans that establish personal objectives. Results are evaluated using these objectives as criteria. Monitoring and evaluation is carried out regularly and is in line with the requirements of relevant funding sources.

Aiming to promote the autonomy of participant refugees, the practice supports them in creating individual progress plans that establish personal objectives. Results are evaluated using these objectives as criteria. Monitoring and evaluation is carried out regularly and is in line with the requirements of relevant funding sources. 

 

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?

Kicken ohne Grenzen is well established and has the funding and plans in place to continue its projects for at least another three years. It attracts sponsors anThe practice demonstrates a ‘win-win’ scenario, where both the local community and participants benefit. Because of the social and economic weakness of the area, SAI support remains essential for the continuation of the practice in the long run. d has established sustainable cooperation between stakeholders (NGOs, schools, and football players, for example). Furthermore, sustainability of the activities is secured through the training of former participants in coaching, and their eventual hiring within the project.

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?

A multi-year strategy based on diverse funding opportunities has been adopted by PIAM and new resources and valuable contacts (such as important stakeholders) have been secured.

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 contribute to discussion on the improvement of integration support policies?

The practice’s ongoing dialogue with the central service of the national SAI reception system and relevant funders provides opportunities to contribute to the improvement of integration support policies at local and national level.

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.

Consortium

Non- EU Partners

Associate

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