Community Powered Integration (YKS), as the name suggests, offers integration services in collaboration with immigrant communities and associations. The project involves Finnish Ukrainians ry, Multicultural Early Childhood Education, School and Home ry (Mvkk), Sateenkaari Koto, YHDESSÄ Association, and the City of Salo as recipients of the transfer.
From the beginning, partners have included the Finnish Arab Council, Turun Som Nuoriso ry, Bosnian Cultural Center in Finland ry, International Women Community Turku & S-W Finland, and the Finnish Red Cross Reception Center in Turku. The partner network will expand throughout the project.
The key objective is to jointly create the Community Powered Integration model, which accelerates the integration of the target group by addressing the early stages of integration together with immigrant communities.
The City of Turku serves as the initiator of the YKS project, coordinating activities within a broad municipal network in Southwest Finland. In addition to Salo, the collaborating municipalities include Uusikaupunki, Raisio, Marttila, Rusko, Paimio, Sauvo, Kaarina, Pöytyä, Somero, Loimaa, Laitila, Kustavi, Aura, Vehmaa, Nousiainen, Naantali, Koski Tl, Mynämäki, and Masku.
New residents in these municipalities receive services from mentors who speak their native language, guiding them through local services according to the comprehensive integration model based on Stiglitz’s well-being framework. The dimensions of well-being include health, skills, material well-being, employment and work life, social well-being, safety, voice in society, and living environment.
The duration of the project
1.4.2024 – 28.2.2027
Funding
The European Union’s Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the City of Turku. The approved total budget for the project is €883,915.88, of which 90% is funded by the EU/AMIF.