Now that Annikki and I are retired, we now past the hump of fighting for the rights of the ethnic inorities in Oulu and Finland. It is now your turn to take action along with others, especially CHAFF Participants, as it is YOUR future in Finland that is at stake.
I post here the message I received from Ildikó who is doing a great job for all of us in her capacities in SINNI and Monika. She desperately needs the support of all of you so that she is not seen to be standing alone and crying in the wilderness.
Both Annikki and I know how it is to be in that situation.
Dear fellow immigrants and the like ;-)
This just to remind you: we will meet again on Tue, 30.5. at 15.00 at Isokatu 30, 3rd floor to discuss the future of immigrants in the region together with Ilpo Tapaninen from the Regional Council.
Please look through the attached suggestions and the Council´s focus points and send me your
ideas until Fri, May 26!
See you!
Ildikó
This was the attachment (in English) that she sent:
Suggestions for the Regional Council´s Policy Plan
* Integration of immigrants into Finnish work life:
o Extensive use of immigrants for acquiring foreign contacts:
approaching foreign markets to build a contacts network, research on foreign partners, combining tolerance (trusting immigrants´ expertise) and common sense (financial benefit)
* Kansainvälisyys vs. monikulttuurisuus:
Stark difference between internationalism and multiculturalism:
o International society: bringing high-profile labor force to Oulun
o Multicultural society: often refugees, whose know-how is not used, regarded as a problem-group that needs financial input
o Internationals “turn” into multicultural community members if they are unemployed, never the other way around.
o Suggestions:
+ Mapping the community of unemployed immigrants in Oulu – what is their know-how, how can Oulu labor market use their work force? Use results of labor market analyses and prognosis and compare results. Use immigrants to do this work
+ Use terms of kansainvälisyys and monikulttuurisuus in educational curriculums and in city/regional council releases (ads, posters etc.) to explain difference and problem.
* Immigrant vs. Expat:
o Explain difference between these terms in policies and releases, make them into public to help them develop into common understanding (Brent)
* “Becoming visible”:
o Use immigrants in nurseries, schools and other educational institutes to “tell stories”: make the contact with immigrants as “real” as possible. Use immigrant nurses, kindergarten teachers, teachers etc. Make immigrants a part of the curriculum. Not talking about them – talking with them.
o Immigrants´ Committee:
Advisory/evaluative board of immigrants within the structure of the city of Oulu and the Regional Council. Board (paid duties!) is in charge of internationalization strategy and immigration policy. Permanent cooperation with city authorities on internationalization and improvements of the foreign policy of Oulu instead of few separate projects which end soon and work only for some selected groups of foreigners.
o Best practices:
Let immigrants disseminate their stories to come up with a guide of what works and what not in integration in Oulu and the region. Don´t rely on what´s being done in Helsinki – that´s too far away and the situation is different. Arrange cultural events, release books etc. with the aim of dissemination the best practices.
o Immigrants´ own supporting organizations in Oulu:
o Monika – supporting immigrant women with problems of domestic violence
o SINNI – supporting empowerment of immigrant women
o Setlementti – cultural mentor/cultural mediator
* Language barrier:
o Abolishing Finnish language certificate for (permanent!) jobs in the service of the City of Oulu and in other regional authorities (all of public sector). Permanent jobs are practically non-existent anymore. Positive discrimination to the benefit of foreigners to get jobs with the city/in regional authorities
o No overly exaggeration of language skills in the private sector: more learning by doing! Circle: unemployment continues & language skills don't develop
o Language barrier is very often only excuse for lack of trust in immigrant´s abilities à positive discrimination of immigrants as introduced by city/regional council regulations would help this problem (Yhdenvertaisuuslaki says: “eriarvoinen kohtelu on sallittua silloin, kun sillä pyritään korjaamaan maahanmuuttajien perusteetonta ja merkittävää aliedustusta”)
o Using immigrants´ English skills, which are often better than Finns´
o Russian language is in high demand: there are many skilled Russians in Oulu and the region, but the prejudices are very prevalent à positive discrimination (affirmative action) for native speakers to get jobs where language knowledge is demanded!
* Education:
o Kotoutumiskoulutus:
+ precise inquiries on the educational background of each immigrant in order to be able to divide people into different leveled groups
+ more flexibility in moving between different courses, taking into account every persons own wishes, abilities and situations
+ use immigrants with a long-time background in Finland as examples of “integration success stories”
+ 3 years of immigration course makes a return to the labor market very difficult. Flexibility and the idea, that the best integration course is given in active work life
o Recognizing degrees and skills acquired abroad
o Quality vs. quantity: looking at the person and school, not at the amount of degrees/years studied and all the different possible obstacles that are still set by law
There is a lot of matter in the above - but unless you apply it to your own circumstances and see your problems in the context of the larger issues, you will not fully understand that the problems are endemic in Finland and needs strong concerted action BY YOU!
PLEASE ACT.
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