Active Refugees in the Community (ARC)

P4 Skilled and socially inclusive region

4.1. More people benefiting from stronger Central Baltic communities

Central Baltic

01.12.2017 - 30.11.2019

264.760 EUR

198.570 EUR ERDF

The ARC project aims at engaging immigrants with refugee background in meaningful activities and interaction with the local community through providing them with systematic guidance in practical activities like building and farming, opportunities to cultural interaction and practicing language skills. This helps to prevent the negative effects of polarization and marginalisation.
 
Immigrants living in Finland and Sweden participate in the project to share their personal challenges and success stories via regular video blog, and thus also enable the local community to better understand the immigrants and their individual journeys. Interaction between Finnish and Swedish immigrants will provide them peer support and strengthen their sense of dignity and belonging. The project organizes study visits as well as develops joint recommendations on cost efficient methods for improving job creation skills of immigrants and integrating them into the society. The recommendations will be disseminated to local public sector and NGOs working with immigrants by local workshops and a joint seminar. 

Lead Partner

Pirkanmaan Martat ry

Country: FI

www.martat.fi/pirkanmaa

Partner budget: 84.349 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 63.262 EUR ERDF

Project Partners

Pirkanmaan muotoilu- ja taideteollisuusyhdistys Modus ry

Country: FI

http://modus.fi/

Partner budget: 102.354 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 76.765 EUR ERDF

Institute of Swedish Safety & Security

Country: SE

www.isss.se

Partner budget: 230 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 173 EUR ERDF

ISSS Resilience Centre

Country: SE

www.isss.se

Partner budget: 77.827 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 58.370 EUR ERDF

Associated Partners

Tampereen kaupunki

Country: FI

Sopimusvuorisäätiö sr

Country: FI

Arbetsförmedlingen Norra Västmanland Heby

Country: SE

Expected results

Achieved results

Project result in category -
Improved community

ARC - Engaging refugees in meaningful activities

ARC improved social inclusion of immigrants with a refugee background. During its implementation, the project found new and cost-effective methods to create meaningful activities for their target group.

The project implemented a variety of activities that included mostly gardening but also other type activities such as building small greenhouses, participation in running a radio station and language classes. Some of the activities provided participants with study credits, thus advancing their position in getting a degree and improving their chances on the labour market.

Feedback from participants was positive; they found meaningful activities in their local neighbourhood, got to know new people, and learnt Finnish and Swedish at the same time. Two participants were also hired via project activities.

In total, the project involved approximately 500 immigrants, thus exceeding its original goal of 100 with flying colours. The exact number may vary as some participants were involved more than one time.

Project page in database
At a glance
  • Meaningful activities for immigrants with a refugee background
  • Involvement of 500 immigrants
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