Integration Coordinators in Saxony-Anhalt
About this good practice
The region of Saxony-Anhalt finances integration coordination in the municipalities, as this is where the majority of practical integration tasks take place. The municipalities are to be supported and protected from overload. These positions help to offer additional integration services, particularly with regard to the labor market. The Integration Coordinators of Saxony-Anhalt further develop the structures of the local public administrations (quality management, personnel and organizational development) together with the specialist areas and the public offices. The Integration Coordinators cooperate within the departments of the administrations and also with external stakeholders within the regions.
The Integration Coordinators control the local integration management, coordinate all integration services and offers and support projects in the district. Moreover, they are contact persons who serve as a bridge between offices and administrations and migrant organizations, communities and volunteers.
They also take care of the integration network (e.g. in the district of Burgenlandkreis) and plan regular meetings, promote the volunteer work to help refugees and create and implement training concepts for migrants and employees of the administration.
The main stakeholders and beneficiaries are all relevant institutions of each district of Saxony-Anhalt related to integration matters (within and outside the local administrations), funding bodies and grant providers.
Resources needed
The region of Saxony-Anhalt spends up to 1.54 million euro per year for a total of 14 municipalities, which allows each one to get up to 110,000 euros per year for a maximum of 4 coordinators per district.
Evidence of success
The Integration Coordinators deal with all kind of challenges, easing and enabling quick solutions, take care of the short communication paths within the administration and thus build bridges for a successful integration work: what was discussed in crisis teams were implemented by the players and their managers the very same day, which enables implementing approaches quickly. Coordinators also support new project ideas and are interested in making processes easier.
Potential for learning or transfer
The more suitable target group of a transfer would be other national or regional authority, since this would enable a broader networking and cooperation – but this depends on the EU member state. A very important aspect to consider is the political and structural framework conditions, since this fact has a high influence in in the possibility for transfer of this good practice.
Experience also shows the importance of regular meetings among the Integration Coordinators within the region in order to exchange information, processes and approaches and also to actively network. The effect of this model approach is that cross-divisional cooperation is strengthened. These are levels, that didn't exist before the creation of the Integration Coordination, in order to be able to support each other.
Further information
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Ministerium für Arbeit, Soziales, Gesundheit und Gleichstellung des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt