The path of the newly arrived citizen: What is happening in the area of Päijät-Häme

Jenni Korjus, Regional integration service point, Alipi 24.9.2019 University of Applied Sciences Päijät-Häme region

• People move from abroad to the region because of various reasons: family relations, work, studies, international protection • Immigrants moving from other parts of • Attractive location in Southern Finland, cheap housing, good services and already existing communities of own countrymen/women

maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 2 2015 turning point

• Finland and Päijät-Häme became a destination for larger scale immigration, put pressure on the system • 32 476 asylum seekers to Finland in 2015 • In the region 8 asylum reception centres 2016 with 2 000 asylum seekers • Now 2 centres (Lahti and , Heinola closing in late 2019) and one centre for intensive support (Tetu), with 600 asylum seekers • Cooperation in dealing with migration flows and migration management • Lahti became a host city for a large number of people with a refugee background from all over Finland • Agreements on reception of quota refugees. Lahti 20, 15, 20, Heinola 15 annually

maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 3 Number of foreign nationals and native speakers of other than Finnish/Swedish/Sami in Päijät-Häme 2010 - 2018

12000 10576 10000 9542 10097 8363 8757 8000 7559 7972 6488 6988 6524 6649 7032 6000 5623 5595 5789 5894 5993 4924 4000 2000 0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Foreign nationals Foreign language speakers

Lähteet: Tilastokeskus/Väestörakenne maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 4 7 234 foreign nationals in the area of The Immigaration Programme of Päijät-Häme 31.12.2018

5 409 Päijät-Häme 7 032 , Myrskylä, Pukkila 202 Total 7 234

481 425 328 137 76 94 55 48 104 53 24

Iitti Lahti Hollola Sysmä Heinola Kärkölä Hartola Pukkila Orimattila Myrskylä

maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 5 Lähde: Tilastokeskus/Väestörakenne The biggest groups of foreign nationals in Päijät-Häme 31.12.2018 (Top 10)

1 507 1 490 902

Top ten 5 360 404 338 126 160 125 189 119

Iraq Syria China Turkey Eritrea Estonia Thailand Sweden Afghanistan

Lähde: Tilastokeskus/Väestörakenne maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 6 Cooperation in Päijät-Häme

• Services for immigrants, PHHYKY, Refugee reception • Regional integration Service Point Alipi, Multi-Culti • Lahti region translation services, PHHYKY • Municipalities • Educational institutions • State services: Te-services, Kela • Churches, NGOs, volunteers • Projects

maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 7 Which are the biggest issues immigrants are facing today?

• Complicated system difficult to understand • Language issues – being heard and understood, literacy and numeracy skills • Weak labour market participation: unemployment, lack of Finnish experience • Lack of friends, especially Finnish, loneliness, worries about family back home • Economic problems, handling of money, lack of it, debts, hire, instalment • Lack of real information on services available and how to apply • Electronic services – lack of it skills and equipment, no internet banking codes • New roles for men and women and old roles, living between two cultures • Two way integration – the society and its citizens: racism, intolerance, discrimination, also among immigrant groups

maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 8 Alueellinen integraatiopalvelupiste (Alipi) /Regional Integration Service Point

• Started as European Social Fund (ESF) project in 2008. Project ended 2013. • Became permanent service in 2014 • Organisation: City of Lahti, Participation and Wellbeing Services • Service area 12 cities of municipalities: Whole area of Päijät Häme: Lahti, Hollola, Heinola, Orimattila, Kärkölä, Sysmä, Padasjoki, Hartola, Asikkala and Iitti and 2 municipalities outside Päijät-Häme: Myrskylä and Pukkila (Eastern Uusimaa). • Funded by participating cities and municipalities, biggest funder City of Lahti (73,92%). 3 permanent staff memberts. • Work is based on the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration / Laki kotoutumisen edistämisestä 1386/2010

maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 9 Services of Alipi

• Alipi offers information, multilingual guidance and counseling services for immigrants or international students living in the service area or foreigners planning to move to the service area • Services are intended for all immigrants in the service region, regardless of the reason for moving to Finland or the period of residence • All services are free of charge and based in confidentiality • Possibility to be served anonymously • Alipi will arrange translator if necessary. Most frequently interpreter is needed in Arabic, Tigrinya, Persian/Dari, Kurdish, Somali and Thai • On-site interpreting or telephone interpreting • The advisory service does not include the making of actual official decisions • Alipi can not offer financial aid, but can help finding it

maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 10 Alipi – other services

• Alipi also offers services to authorities, employers, organizations and other parties that are in need of information or consultation on matters related to immigration • Organises seminars, trainings and public hearings in actual matters • Coordinates working grups and networks • Project work: own projects and participation in projects of other project organisations (Suomi taskussa, AMAL, Lahti TalentHub and many more)

maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 11 Alipi statistics

Clients TOP 10 countries 2018 • 2018: 2 729 1. Eritrea • 2017: 2 509 2. Iraq • 2016: 2 057 3. Russia • 2015: 1 517 kpl 4. Syria • 2014: 1 045 kpl 5. Afghanistan 6. Finland • Cooperation partners: 786 7. Ukraine • Groups: 65 with 906 people 8. Yemen 9. Iran Source: Alpo-register 10. Somalia

maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 12 Alipi clients – changes in last years

• New geographical distribution of clients: earlier more clients from Russia and former Soviet Union, now more clients from the Gulf States and Africa • More younger clients • More clients with refugee/asylum seeker background • More male than female clients, earlier more women • Number of illiterate clients growing • Unaccompanied minors a new client category • Torture survivors, post traumatic stress • Mental health issues more severe than before, potentially dangerous clients • Growth in client numbers from outside Lahti • Growng use of interpretation services

maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 13 www.alipi.fi/ossi

• OSSI is a web portal, where you can find courses, study possibilities and events arranged for immigrants by various organizations in Lahti and elsewhere in Päijät-Häme region • Created in OSSI-osaaminen esiin -project by LUAS, Salpaus and Alipi • Located in Alipi´s website • Administrated by Alipi • Free of charge • Only course orgnisers need login passwords

maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 14 In which cases do clients need help of Alipi?

• family reunification applications • residence permits, work permits, registration of EU-citizens, citizenship • job opportunities and work search, starting a business, cooperatives, occupational safety and rights of workers, labor union membership • social security and health services • housing, consumer questions • courses and other training and education issues. • Recognition of qualifications from abroad, professional practicing rights • getting help in a crisis • legislation, legal aid services, appeal processes • free time activities, cultural and leisure services, sports (especially free of charge) • family issues (kindergarden school, services for families) • use of electronic services • Integration plans (for others than PHHYKY and TE-service clients)

maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 15 Suomi taskussa www.suomitaskussa.eu

• Finnish in your pocket – methods for language learning • 1.2.2017 - 31.10.2018 (21 months) • 90 videos • Coordinator: Alipi • Partner: Suomi taskussa Ltd • Funding: Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund –AMIF) (75 %), City of Lahti and Suomi taskussa Ltd (25 %) • Business–private –pilot, volunteers in important role

maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 16 maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 17 Lahti TalentHub ESF project application for 2020-2022

• Lahti TalentHub - International Talents to boost the Growth of Päijät-Häme Region • The project will strengthen the attraction of Lahti region as great place to work for international talents • The main target group are the companies in need to recruit new staff. Secondary target groups are the public employment networks and the international talents in the area • The project is coordinated by City of Lahti, Employment services / Trade and Business services & Urban Environment Division. Other main co-operatives are Accelerator (Vauhdittamo), Contact Point, One-Stop-Guidance-Center Lahti (Ohjaamo Lahti), Alipi, Lahti University of Applied Sciences / LUT University, Salpaus Further Education, Häme Employment Services, Häme Chamber ry , Russian Trade Guild in Häme Region and EURES-Service Päijät-Häme Immigration Programme 2016-2020

Written by Alipi in cooperation with municipalities and other cooperation partners Three main categories: 1) integration measures, 2) adult education, employment and entrepreneurship 3) promotion of ethnic relations and equality Available in www.alipi.fi www.paijat-hame.fi Preparation of new programme for 2021-2024 started

maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 19 Kotouttamo concept @ Lahden Palvelutori

• Opening soon – December 2019 in Shopping centre Trio, a popular meeting place in the heart of the city of Lahti • Will provide a wide range of information and public authority services to meet the needs of international newcomers moving to Päijät-Häme and immigrants already living in Päijät-Häme all under one roof • Will also offer free advisory and counselling services to employers on issues related to international workforce (Yrityspiste / Lahti TalentHub)

maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 20 Welcome to Kotouttamo and Lahden Palvelutori

maanantai 23. syyskuu 2019 21 Thank you!

Jenni Korjus [email protected] +tel t358 5+0ye 539 16 [email protected] 50 539 16 [email protected]