The cooperation and open dialogue between the Integration Foundation and its partners have been and will continue to be extremely important to us. This is what inspired the idea to create a newsletter focused on the field of adaptation.
How have we been?
While I would like to start with the news right away, in the first newsletter, I want to take the opportunity to look back and give you an update on previous developments.
It is no secret that recent years have posed a major challenge for Estonia in terms of migration policy. We have offered support and knowledge to all newcomers – from war refugees from Ukraine and elsewhere to those who have migrated for work, study, or family reasons – so that they can successfully start a new life in Estonia. Due to the growing number of immigrants, it was decided that the adaptation programme needed a new home, and in the spring of 2023, it moved from the Ministry of Culture to the Integration Foundation.
In the first two years, we have focused on building a strong foundation for the adaptation programme. We have increased the volume of trainings, developed online learning courses, and expanded language learning opportunities. In 2024 alone, nearly 7,000 people participated in the free Estonian language courses of the Integration Foundation – among them people who had come to work or do research, as well as refugees from war zones. We will continue with these activities this year.
Many of you have expressed a wish to see a consolidated events calendar that would reflect upcoming courses of the adaptation programme and events in the field. We are very grateful for this feedback and will do our best to share relevant information already in this newsletter.
Towards a common goal
We are working every day to make adaptation services even more accessible for new migrants and make these services correspond to their needs. However, it is important to understand that adaptation does not just happen in the classroom or in an online course, but requires a comprehensive approach where new arrivals are supported by the state, local governments, as well as local residents, all working towards a common goal.
I am sincerely grateful to you for your consistent contribution and I invite you to cooperate even more closely. Feel free to share information about the Roadmap to Adaptation and other services of the Integration Foundation with your clients. Do not hesitate to contact us with your thoughts and suggestions – this is how we can create even better conditions for people to settle in Estonia. If you think your colleague could also receive this newsletter, please send them a form to fill in.
Thank you very much!
Let us work together for a cohesive and friendly Estonia, where everyone feels welcome and cared for!
