Those who work with immigrants in Äänekoski cooperate closely
Äänekoski has been very successful in integrating immigrants, and for example, 132 people from Ukrainians who fled the war have applied for home municipality registration from Äänekoski. Äänekoski has already had a support group for immigrants operating for two years. Including all actors who are involved in some way in the daily life and integration of immigrants in Äänekoski. Cooperation between actors plays an important role and the city's immigration coordinator guides and helps people in the new society.
- Immigrants in Äänekoski feel good; the children have started school well, attachment and language learning happen mainly through hobbies and some of the young people have found youth facilities. At the moment, immigrants especially wish for hobby opportunities and want to learn handicrafts. Families like Äänekoski and the families have close-knit communities, which helps in getting attached to the new place of residence, immigration coordinator of the city of Äänekoski Mimmi Pekurinen describes.
In the support group for immigrants, different actors can have a low threshold and regularly discuss, exchange experiences about the belonging of actors and immigrants. The group shares successes and good practices and solves challenges together.
Cooperation between operators is an important issue in Äänekoski's successful immigration work.
The working group includes representatives of the city of Äänekoski, e.g. from school, early childhood education, youth services and cultural activities, as well as numerous other operators and volunteers. Includes e.g. Koskelan Settlement, Central Finland welfare area, SPR, Äänekoski reception center, parishes and sports clubs. New operators are also welcome to join!
In the joint project of Humak, Kirkkohallitus and SPR, several volunteer community godparents have also been trained in Äänekoski. Trained community guardians help quota refugees in their new everyday life and in getting to know Finnish society and their place of residence. In Äänekoski, the SPR, the city of Äänekoski and ev.lut cooperate on the project. congregation.
The immigration coordinator helps people
The immigration coordinator of the city of Äänekoski acts as the convenor of the support group for immigrants. Has started as a new immigration coordinator Titta Veijanen. Mimmi Pekurinen will move from the position to become a full-time entrepreneur and will leave at the end of March. The city's immigration counseling works as usual at Perhekeskus Kerkä.
Titta Veijanen from Jyväskylä is a community pedagogue by training and has spent her entire working career working with the family work of minor asylum seekers and immigrants. In Veijanen's opinion, the best thing about the work of an immigration coordinator is when you can guide and help people in a new society. Getting to know new cultures and learning new languages is also interesting, even though there is an interpreter at work.
- In this job, you have to know a lot of actors and know the service network in order to guide customers to the right services. Here you can participate in many networks, says Veijanen.
The comprehensive reform of the Integration Act, which has overlaps with the TE24 reform, will mean new statutory integration services for municipalities in the future.
The immigration coordinator in Äänekoski is currently mostly employed by quota refugees, of whom 34 people came to Äänekoski from Afghanistan in the fall. The number of quota refugees in the whole of Finland will decrease this year, so this year there will be fewer of them in Äänekoski as well. About 300 Ukrainians who fled the war live in Äänekoski.
- The city really cannot do everything alone, but networks and volunteers are needed. You can contact me if you have enough time and enthusiasm for voluntary work with immigrants, says Titta Veijanen.
For more information:
Immigration coordinator Titta Veijanen, 040 701 8642, titta.veijanen@aanekoski.fi
News published, modified 20.3.2024 at 10:24
