The city of Äänekoski invests in immigration services
The most important thing is to help people
The immigration coordinator of the city of Äänekoski moved to the welfare area at the turn of the year and the city hired a new immigration coordinator Mimmi Pekurinen to take care of Äänekoski quota refugees and asylum seekers, immigration counseling and cooperation with the welfare area.
Cooperation with the welfare area is close and multidisciplinary
Previously, immigration services were managed through the city's social services, and now the city's new immigration coordinator, Mimmi Pekurinen, works as part of the teaching and education activities. Pekurinen takes care of Äänekoski's quota refugees, asylum seekers in municipal places and their practical matters and statutory services.
Pekurinen handles, for example, all the initial preparations before the arrival of the refugees, renting apartments from Ääneseudun Asunni, furnishing and equipping the apartments, and acts as a contact person for e.g. health matters and children's daycare and school matters. The immigration coordinator offers general guidance on, for example, registration and travel documents, and also gives advice to immigrants who have lived in Äänekoski for a longer period of time.
The number of Äänekoski quota refugees and asylum seekers is decided by the city council. Currently, Äänekoski can accept 20 quota refugees and 10 asylum seekers per year (this number does not apply to Ukrainians fleeing the war). This spring, 14 Iranian Afghans are expected to move to Äänekoski. Those who come to Äänekoski are chosen by the UN refugee agency UNHCR, and mainly mothers, children and families with children have been invited to Äänekoski.
At Helsinki-Vantaa airport, SPR volunteers welcome the arrivals and they are transported by bus to Äänekoski. Mimmi Pekurinen receives them in Äänekoski and guides them to their own apartments and helps with all practical matters.
Responsibilities for quota refugees and asylum seekers are shared with the welfare region of Central Finland. In addition to social and health services, for example Kela cooperation is handled by the welfare area.
- Now, after the social security change, we are looking for interfaces with the welfare area. In Äänekoski, the cooperation has been really good. We already know each other quite well and the cooperation is close and multidisciplinary, Mimmi Pekurinen describes.
Äänekoski city's immigration counseling service serves as usual twice a week and is run by two Koskela employees together with Pekurinen, and interpreter services are used if necessary. Immigration advice is open to everyone and intended for all immigrants. From time to time, immigration information is also organized in the council hall.
Ukrainians who fled the war to Finland are clients of the reception center organized by the Finnish Immigration Service. They can apply for home municipality registration after living here for a year, and the first Ukrainians in Äänekoski can apply for home municipality in May at the earliest. Then the person moves from a customer of the reception services to a customer and citizen of the services of the municipality and the welfare area.
Understanding the everyday life of an immigrant
Mimmi Pekurinen knows English well and uses interpreter services in her work if necessary. He is a restaurateur by training (AMK) and has years of experience in international missions in Africa.
- I have worked with the most vulnerable people, such as abused women and orphans in Mozambique and South Sudan. I can meet people as people, unconditionally, regardless of background. Through that, I have an understanding of the everyday life of an immigrant and an understanding of different cultures and religions. The most important thing is to help people and that is meaningful to me. I myself have also lived in the countries from which people also come here, says Pekurinen.
- You can contact me at a low threshold and I look forward to working with different parties and people interested in volunteering with immigrants.
In his free time, Pekurinen especially enjoys the wonderful nature of Äänekoski and the good sports services.
For more information:
Immigration coordinator Mimmi Pekurinen, 040 627 5655, mimmi.pekurinen@aanekoski.fi
News published 27.2.2023, modified 24.4.2023/11/29 at XNUMX:XNUMX
