The primary objective of the Settle in Estonia Adaptation Programme is to facilitate the seamless integration of individuals who have chosen to make Estonia their home into the local life. Ukrainian Olena Stoliarova moved here last summer for work and due to the war. Now, she tells us of how she heard of the adaptation programme and how it has helped her to integrate into Estonian society.

As I understand, you moved to Estonia because of the war. What made you decide to come here, specifically?

Yes. The war in Ukraine took place in my home district. I was looking for a place that would be safe, and as our culture – the food, for example – is quite similar to that of yours, I decided to come to Estonia. Of course, my choice was also influenced by the fact that I got a job in the local Microsoft office. So, although I have fled Ukraine because of the war, I am officially here for work.

You arrived in Estonia in July of last year. Where did you find information about the adaptation programme?

I am a member of Facebook groups for practicing Estonian. Someone shared this info there, and as it seemed interesting, I decided to participate.

You completed the A1 language course as part of the programme. As I understand, you have continued your language studies. How did Settle in Estonia inspire your further language learning?

I benefited greatly from these studies. On the one hand, I obtained a clearer understanding of the structure of your language, but on the other, it encouraged me to talk, because they taught me everyday phrases I started to use straight away. I was more into pursuing this language further and I recently passed the B1 language level exam. Of course, it is another question whether I can actually communicate at this level at the moment, but I definitely intend to keep trying.

How did learning Estonian with no base language work for you?

Yes, it is true, language learning was based on Estonian, which was difficult at first, but I managed. I think it helped that I had come into contact with the language before, for example, I participated in language cafés before the adaptation programme. On the other hand, I saw many learners who had great difficulties, as they had never even heard Estonian before. Then again, even they overcame these challenges after a few lessons.

What else did the programme give you, other than language learning?

In addition to language learning, participants can choose between 6 different topic modules. I chose the entrepreneurship module and also got to know e-services, where I learned how to start my own company in Estonia and sign things digitally.

How did this knowledge help you manage in society?

These were all things you could easily google, but for someone in a foreign country, it might not be as easy. Although now, a year later, all the things I learned seem like everyday things, I must admit that I would not have managed it all so quickly on my own.

How would you describe communication and collaboration with other participants and the instructors of the programme?

I liked that I never felt alone, which is important for someone who is in a foreign country on their own. Straight away, I got a small circle of acquaintances just by participating in the programme. Also, it was obvious that our teacher was a true professional. The group consisted of people of different cultural backgrounds, and getting all of us to get the hang of the basics of this language all at the same time is a skill in itself.

Would you recommend the adaptation programme to others?

Oh, for sure! As I said before, it helped me manage a lot better in a new country. I do not only mean the language and other necessary skills, but participating in a programme like this enables you to meet other people. I believe that it is important to make friends when moving to a foreign country alone.

What do you do currently and what are your goals for the next year?

At the moment, I am a developer at Microsoft. As I am planning to stay in Estonia for a long time, I want to continue learning the language. Many will probably ask if I want to return home when the war ends. Unfortunately, I already know that I will not. Why? I think that everything has consequences and I am not a person willing to take big risks.

Britta Saks, Head of Adaptation of the Integration Foundation

‘The adaptation programme Settle in Estonia helps foreigners arriving in Estonia to settle here as smoothly as possible. It consists of free trainings that provide an overview of life in Estonia as a whole, support in everyday issues, and teach Estonian. At the same time, people are able to create contacts, who will help them cope with changes.

Foreigners who have lived in Estonia for less than five years are eligible for the adaptation programme. Mostly, foreigners who have arrived in Estonia as part of normal migration (i.e. to study, to work, to join family) and have a temporary residence permit or right of residence take part in the training offered within this framework. They can participate in the adaptation programme within up to five years from the time of their arrival in Estonia and it is voluntary. The training we offer consists of six topic modules (base module, family module, work module, learning module, research module, entrepreneurship module) and Estonian language courses at levels A1 and A2. Currently, this part of the adaptation programme is fully managed by the Integration Foundation.

Participation in the adaptation programme is mandatory for recipients of international protection and temporary protection. In the trainings offered, they get an overview of the Estonian country, society, culture, and language. The volume of training somewhat differs, depending on the person’s status.’

Eda Silberg, Undersecretary for Cultural Diversity at the Ministry of Culture

 Settle in Estonia, an adaptation programme comprised of a series of different free trainings, was created eight years ago to support foreigners arriving in Estonia and to provide them with knowledge about the local way of life in a compact and practical way. At the same time, the programme is not the same for everyone, but provides an opportunity for people who have arrived in Estonia for different reasons to find the training that suits them best. It is crucial for a person who has arrived in a foreign country to not be left in the dark regarding information or with their worries, especially in the beginning, but to get answers to even the most mundane questions in a pleasant atmosphere, and, at the same time, to communicate with people who find themselves in a similar situation. The adaptation programme offers such opportunities, thereby helping people to settle in Estonia more easily and cope independently. For example, in the case of a person who has arrived in Estonia via family migration, such support can be critical, and it is those people in particular who we want to invite to participate even more actively in the adapta

More information about the adaptation program can be found at: https://integratsioon.ee/kohanemine.

The daily work of the Compatriots Service of the Integration Foundation is to make sure that people returning to Estonia could smoothly adapt to the society and that compatriots living abroad would not lose their connection with Estonia. Marika Sulg, Compatriots Service Consultant at the Integration Foundation, speaks about the main achievements in the eyes of the leaders of the field and about the bold steps planned for the coming year.

Your main task is to keep in touch with Estonians living abroad as well as with those who are planning to return. How and with what kinds of tools do you achieve all that?

Returnees are people who have decided to leave the country and have then returned or those who are Estonian by ethnic origin, have never lived here, but now wish to return to their roots. We normally offer counselling services to such people. For example, we help them find appropriate language courses, but also provide with important information such as how to give digital signatures or how to enrol a child in a kindergarten. It may all seem logical at first glance but may prove to be difficult even after a decade abroad.

Our second and a very important task is to stay in touch with people who are from Estonia but live far away from the country. A total of nearly 200 000 Estonians, i.e. almost every fifth Estonian, lives abroad. In cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have opened the information gateway Global Estonian for these people, where we organise joint global web-based activities and welcome young people with Estonian roots to our Estonian language and culture summer camps, which are a great opportunity for the youngsters who do not have any contacts in Estonia.

Speaking of young people, it is important to ask: how well are you doing with engaging them?

Our focus last year was establishing contacts with young people, which was facilitated by the Youth Song and Dance Celebration held this summer. We organised a joint meeting as part of it, where we introduced different opportunities to build a stronger connection with Estonia. We additionally prepared a guide which would provide information to young people through the experiences of other young people and would offer information about different youth programmes. The camp I mentioned before is another way we try to do it. Young people with Estonian roots from all over the world meet there every year. Last year, for example, we had participants from the US, Canada, Australia, even Hawaii, and, of course, from Europe. It is a place that offers young people living in Estonia an opportunity to meet each other, but also a chance to get to know their roots for young people who lack other means to do so. For example, not everyone has grandparents here to visit, so we can offer such visiting opportunities.

What other kinds of projects do you have for young people?

We focus more on adults, but in cooperation with our partners, we are also engaged in several activities for young people living abroad. I definitely want to mention the Global School, which offers year-round opportunities for web-based learning of Estonian language and culture as well as other subjects in Estonian. We additionally assist the National Foundation of Civil Society in spreading information about their scholarship programme, which offers young people abroad opportunities to undergo their work placement here in Estonia.

You have cooperated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for three years already, leading the information portal Global Estonian, which aims to serve as an information channel for Estonians abroad. How is it going?

In cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have made several updates over the past two years, improved the subpages, and written several stories about the activities of Estonian communities abroad and outstanding Estonians across the world. Last year, we also carried out an analysis of the portal users to better understand how to proceed with the webpage over the coming years. The analysis showed that the portal has certainly achieved somewhat of a place within the community of Estonians living abroad, but there is a long way ahead; a total of 80% of the respondents indicated a need for such a page. Our goal is to become the conscious first choice for Estonians living abroad who want to know about things happening in Estonia.

When you look back on your achievements, what were the main activities and services you offered in 2023 that truly had an impact?

This year, we carried on with the main activities of our service area. I would like to highlight separately that we have somewhat renewed the format of the experience-sharing meetings of the returnee club, actively engaging the families and children of the returnees as well. We decided to include a cultural and entertainment aspect in the renewed format so that people could open up more easily. We have visited different museums, the zoo, the botanical gardens, and spent this year’s final meeting watching a film together. We can see that these meetings are important for the returnees: the interest in them is high and the number of participants has increased each time. The participants include young people, families with children, as well as older people.

One important activity was certainly the analysis we ordered of the use of the Global Estonian portal. We received so much important information about how to proceed with the development of the site. Second of all, it must be mentioned that a large part of our work is made up of the processing of the return support applications.

What are your objectives for 2024?

To continue our work so that our compatriots feel like they matter to Estonia. Our communities are important for us, which is why it we must continue supporting their activities and sharing their stories also in the future. The Cultural Diversity Year, which is about to begin, will certainly play a huge part in our work. Why? Because we do not often realise that our international diaspora is one of our major sources of cultural diversity, as it is these people who share and spread our culture all over the world. We must ensure a functioning connection with our homeland for this to continue. So, we will do everything we can for the current projects to continue.

Johanna Kaasik (New York, USA)

‘Even though I have lived my whole life in America, I am Estonian. My mother was born in Tartu and my father is a foreign Estonian. My family also lives in Estonia. I really want to communicate with them, which is why this is my fourth year of studying Estonian language and culture at the Global School. I travelled almost 7,000 km to take part in a language and culture camp for foreign Estonian youths. I met other young people from different countries there, we practised Estonian together, visited different places in Estonia, and it was a really cool summer!’

Ronald Pelin (Moscow, Russia)

‘I returned to Estonia after twelve years abroad. I worked in the field of film and theatre and would have certainly studied something film-related at the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School, had I returned sooner. I am glad that I found the services of the Integration Foundation. I am getting useful advice and taking part in events where we spend a good time together with other returnees and exchange our experiences. I would have returned to Estonia sooner, had I known how easy it would be.’

Liina Viies, Advisor for Diaspora Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 Estonia is a special small country with a large and scattered diaspora. According to different sources, it is estimated that there are up to 200,000 people with Estonian roots living abroad, which is a rather significant number in terms of our population. That is why everyone matters. This becomes evident when travelling abroad – sometimes, you will need to explain in a foreign country where Estonia is located and what makes us special. To some, the most important part of Estonia is its untouched nature, to others, it is being the nation of song celebrations, and for others still, it is our image as the land of startups and entrepreneurship, the digital state, the Old Town – which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List – or our sauna culture. It is a country like all of us – small but bold. And each of us can be an Estonian ambassador – some more and some less, each according to their wishes and abilities. And for that, I am sincerely grateful to our people. Together, we are making Estonia bigger!

On 12 December, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, we announced the recipients of the Integration Award. 

Recipients of the Integration Award were selected by a panel of experts in the field from among the 64 nominations submitted by Estonian individuals and organisations during this year’s public competition. In the ‘Bridge Builder of the Year’ category, the commission nominated Maria Sakarias, leader of the Mondo Ukrainian Academy; in the ‘Messenger of the Year’ category, the editorial team of Radio 4; in the ‘Spark of the Year’ category, Kirill Badikin, leader of Estonia’s largest Ukrainian refugee community; and in the ‘Integration Armoury’ category, media expert Pavel Ivanov received the honour.

Read interviews with this year’s winners:

‘Bridge Builder of the Year’ Maria Sakarias

‘Messenger of the Year’ Radio 4

‘Spark of the Year’ Kirill Badikin

‘Integration Armoury’ Pavel Ivanov

During this year’s Integration Awards ceremony, the Building Blocks of Integration 2023 award was given to Pavel Ivanov, media expert and journalist at Radio Kuku and Radio 4. Pavel has been hosting and editing the show called Kirillitsas Eesti (‘Estonia in Cyrillic’) on Radio Kuku for almost 15 years. The show has become one of the few media platforms where people who speak Estonian and Russian as their mother tongue can meet, discussing social issues from the perspective of the non-Estonian speaking population. Pavel is also involved in work focused at detecting and refuting hostile information and disinformation in the Estonian media space.

Read more about Pavel and his activities in the interview below.

Why have you decided to contribute to the field of integration and why do you find this work important?

I didn’t start doing it on purpose. Over the years, I have found the thoughts of non-Estonian speaking people personally educational and a societal need has also arisen to understand these people, especially over the last few years.

How have you personally contributed in this area and where have you felt that you have truly succeeded?

I receive feedback that Estonian-speaking listeners try to acknowledge, understand, and compare the things we talk about in the show with their own thoughts.

What do you see as the major challenges in the field of integration?

Harmonising the value scale.

What is the significance of this year’s award for you? What kind of strength will it give you for the future?

It is a pleasant and unexpected acknowledgement! It gives me courage to be even more open and straightforward.

Who were the people who have helped and inspired you in your work this year and in general?

I would say I am rather inspired by life itself. The events, contexts, and comments of people provide food for thought.

How do you evaluate your work today and how do you intend to proceed in the future?

This requires serious contemplation. Currently, I plan to proceed with what I am already doing.

Things do not always go according to plan. What kind of recommendations would you give to other people for such moments? How to stay inspired in the face of difficulties?

You have to be honest. And honest also in the sense of laying all your cards on the table. Honesty always comes at a price.

Next year will be dedicated to cultural diversity. What does cultural diversity mean to you personally and where is it expressed in Estonia?

I would urge Russian-language journalism in Estonia to pay more attention to the Russian-language cultural and social life in Estonia. And the Estonian-language media should consider if the above-mentioned is relevant to the Estonian-language society or not. Is cultural diversity a richness we share?

During this year’s Integration Awards ceremony, the Spark of the Year 2023 award was given to Kirill Badikin, leader of the Facebook group ‘Ukraina sõbrad Eestis’ (‘Friends of Ukraine in Estonia’), which has become the largest community of Ukrainian refugees in Estonia. Kirill created the group in the fateful days in March 2022, when the first people of Ukraine seeking refuge from the war started to arrive in Estonia. Above all, the group became an environment where local volunteers could hand out vital supplies necessary for daily life. As time went by, Kirill started to consistently share information from state authorities and other organisations in support of the acclimatisation of the new compatriots in Estonia.

Read more about Kirill and his activities in the interview below.

Why have you decided to contribute in this field and why do you find work like this important?

Since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, I have considered it my mission to dedicate nearly all of my free time to supporting Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in Estonia. Having volunteered in different organisations and listened to the emotional stories of people, it became quite clear to me that people who have been forced out of their homes and who have had to leave behind their belongings as well as their loved ones should be actively supported in any way possible. As I am a Russian language speaker and had a good overview of the accommodation opportunities in Estonia when welcoming people in the Tallinn Refugee Centre at the beginning of the war, I decided to raise awareness to reach more people and therefore help refugees to adapt in their new environment as quickly as possible. I consider it important to ensure that our country is a safe living space that ensures the welfare of people so that they can manage life independently – I rely on the same principles in my work as well as in my volunteering actions. This is why I contribute to the integration of refugees – so that they would be able to start rebuilding their personal lives from scratch in a foreign country.

How have you personally contributed to this area and where have you felt that you have truly succeeded?

I have contributed to integration in different ways. At first, I was organising adaptation-themed group counselling sessions across Estonia through the Estonian Refugee Council, meeting refugees and supporting their integration into our society. At the same time, I was the administrator of the Facebook group ‘Ukraina sõbrad Eestis’ (‘Friends of Ukraine in Estonia’), where I started organising live information sessions supporting adaptation with guest speakers from state authorities and aid organisations. During the information sessions, refugees can ask questions, which helps state authorities understand the concerns better and, where necessary, adapt local assistance accordingly. Additionally, refugees contact me directly with their private concerns every other day and I try to advise them or refer them to a competent authority.

Ukrainians are very open in their communication, so it is possible to receive quick and immediate feedback. Many refugees have become good acquaintances of mine and it is a pleasure to see them doing well. They take active part in local events, learn Estonian, have their say in significant matters, and thus also contribute to our society.

What do you see as the major challenges in the field of integration?

Naturally, mass immigration is a serious challenge for our country. Successful integration is inhibited by the fact that many refugees consider Estonia their temporary place of residence and hope to return to their homeland soon. As it has become clear by now that we are dealing with a war of attrition that may last for years, it is important to acknowledge the gravity of the situation quickly, because this enables people to integrate into their new environment faster. It is therefore important to find the right approach to make people understand the benefits of learning the local language and taking active part in local life. It has to be mentioned that alongside all this, it is important to support the mental health and welfare of refugees, as it is the foundation of everything.

What is the significance of this year’s award for you? What kind of strength will it give you for the future?

Receiving an integration award was unexpected and it was nice to know that my contribution has been noticed. This confirms that my sincere wish to support those in need by dedicating nearly all of my free time at the expense of my family and other activities has been necessary and useful. It inspires me to carry on and I hope it inspires many people to notice those in need and to initiate important community-based projects that support the independent coping and welfare of people.

Who are the people who have helped and inspired you in your work this year and in general?

I have been personally inspired first and foremost by the Ukrainian people, but also helped and supported by my great colleagues of the Social Insurance Board and of course by the administrators of the Facebook group ‘Ukraina sõbrad Eestis’. I am sincerely grateful that the state authorities and aid organisations dared to trust me enough to jointly share important refugee information on a social media platform of such capacity.

How do you evaluate your work today and how do you intend to proceed in the future?

I have received a lot of positive feedback on how the information sessions and the Facebook group that has become an important information channel have helped people gain clarity, better contacts, and acquaintances among locals, giving them strength to manage their daily lives. By now, I have completed 40 information sessions with a total of 150,000 views and the interest in the sessions and the knowledge I share is still high. I plan to continue with my actions for as long as the refugees need me to – it has to be taken into account that the war is still ongoing and refugees continue to arrive in Estonia. I plan to use the information sessions to further empower people to integrate into our society.

Things do not always go according to plan. What kind of recommendations would you give to other people for such moments? How to stay inspired in the face of difficulties?

My friends and family have supported me through difficult moments. I have kept my focus on the purpose of my activity and considered how difficult it has been for the people who have been forced out of their country, having had to leave behind their belongings as well as their loved ones. It is definitely important to acknowledge one’s limits and take care of one’s mental health. When it comes sustainable action, self-care must become a daily routine comparable to something like cleaning your teeth. I guess it is a matter of attitude – if you do things consciously, the passion keeps burning and setbacks become opportunities for development.

Next year will be dedicated to cultural diversity. What does cultural diversity mean to you personally and where is it expressed in Estonia?

For me, cultural diversity is made up by the uniqueness of different nations in their language, cuisine, architecture, as well as traditions. I think that our small Estonia is very diverse in terms of culture and that we have a lot to share, from folk dancing and singing to the heritage of Võromaa and Setomaa. We have bogs, lakes, forests, four seasons, and clean air – this is something of an increasing value in the increasingly urban world. We are very open as a nation that communicates and relates to the rest of the world, and I believe that diversity will enrich us even further.

At this year’s Integration Awards ceremony, the title Messenger of the Year 2023 was given to the editorial staff of Raadio 4. Raadio 4, the most popular Russian-speaking radio channel in Estonia, which celebrated its 30th birthday this year, has been dedicated to supporting non-Estonian listeners in Estonian society throughout the years. The editorial staff has been facilitating the mutual communication, understanding, and respect of the communities every step of the way. The audiences have been treated to shows of the ethnic minorities living in Estonia, as well as shows about Estonia which connect different communities. The award was given for the show Hüvasti, relvad! (Farewell to Arms) for its consideration of different points of view.

Read more about the editorial staff of Raadio 4 in the interview below.

Why have you decided to contribute in this field and why do you find such work important?

Raadio 4 celebrated its 30th birthday this year. We have been engaged in activities facilitating integration all these years. It is important that other ethnic groups living in Estonia receive the same kind of information as Estonian-language listeners do. We want our listeners to have their say and engage in discussions to be able to be a part of the life, culture, and history of Estonia.

How have you personally contributed in this area and where have you felt that you have truly succeeded?

An overview of our activities: we have provided Estonian language lessons (the shows Naljaga pooleks, Rääkimine on kuld, Keelekõdi) and published books, CDs, and DVDs as study material for Russian-language schools prepared on the basis of our shows, such as Eesti Rahvakalender (Estonian Folk Calendar) based on the shows of Jüri Kuuskemaa, Vana Tooma Lood (Tales of Old Thomas) by Jüri Nikiforov, and the history show Hüvasti, 20. sajand! (Farewell to the 20th Century) by Hardo Aasmäe. For all of these 30 years, we have also made shows for the minority groups living in Estonia (Ukrainians, Belarusians, Jews, Georgians, Armenians, Tatars, and so on). Over the past five years, we have made shows about the history, culture, and heritage of Estonia every year. I would like to highlight some of them: Eesti taldrikul (Estonia on a Plate) was a summer show where we introduced Estonia through culinary experiences; Якоря не бросать! was a broadcast series about Estonia’s maritime history and our famous ships; Иди на свет talked about Estonia’s lighthouses; Застывшая музыка discussed our architectural gems (the Arvo Pärt Centre, the Estonian National Museum, Fotografiska, the Maarjamäe memorial for victims of communism, Haapsalu Castle, Thule Koda in Saaremaa, Narva College, Põhjala Factory, and so on); Jelena Skulskaja’s literature series Литературный диксиленд was about Estonian children’s literature. This year, we aired three new series of Hüvasti, relvad!, which spoke about our military history through 11 military museums across Estonia; Арт-альбом featured Estonian artists who introduced their vision and world view through their creative work.

What do you see as the major challenges in the field of integration?

The information in the Russian-language information space, including on social media, is oftentimes oriented towards disinformation and the creation of negative attitudes. This has a negative effect on the Estonian society, including our defensive ability and the efficiency of the integration process.

What is the significance of this year’s award for you? What kind of strength will it give you for the future?

Each recognition has an uplifting effect – it makes you feel like you are doing the right thing and gives strength to keep going.

Who are the people who have helped and inspired you in your work this year and in general?

The entire staff of Raadio 4 and, of course, our loyal listeners.

How do you evaluate your work today and how do you intend to proceed in the future?

We are certainly very unique and the feedback from listeners has shown that they are very pleased with what we offer. We are planning a new powerful culture project already for this summer, but it is currently still in development.

Things do not always go according to plan. What kind of recommendations would you give to other people for such moments? How to stay inspired in the face of difficulties?

When things fail or do not work out the way you wanted, you should never give up and should try again.

Next year will be dedicated to cultural diversity. What does cultural diversity mean to you personally and where is it expressed in Estonia?

One part of it is the country we live in, its culture and heritage. The other part is the diversity and the simultaneous similarity of all the ethnic minorities living in Estonia – together, they form the common part of our lives, our cultural diversity.

At this year’s Integration Awards ceremony, the Bridgebuilder of the Year 2023 award was given to Maria Sakarias, leader of the Mondo Ukrainian Academy, which supports educators who have fled to Estonia from the war in Ukraine. The Mondo Ukrainian Academy is the only community in Estonia which supports the educators who have fled to Estonia from the war in Ukraine. Lead by Maria, the academy offers teaching staff an opportunity to get adjusted to the daily life in Estonia, a chance for professional self-actualisation in Estonia, to support Ukrainian children and families, and to create cooperation ties with educators in Estonia.

Read more about Maria and her activities in the interview below.

Why have you decided to contribute in this field and why do you find work like this important?

 For Mondo, it was a logical step to start supporting educators who have migrated from Ukraine to Estonia. We have worked in Ukraine since 2014, mainly contributing in the educational and psychosocial field and in the development of democracy. Despite the current situation, we have continued our cooperation with the educational network in Ukraine – since February 2022, we have organised trainings on digital skills, mental health, and psychosocial support for over 4,000 teachers and school psychologists in 7 Ukrainian oblasts. Therefore, our team is experienced in training Ukrainian teachers and we have an understanding of the differences in the educational field between Ukraine and Estonia. In addition, many study materials on global education have been translated into either Ukrainian or Russian.

In spring 2022, we witnessed a lack of sufficient support of Ukrainian educators in Estonia, although they had a significant role in supporting Ukrainian students in our schools and a long-term potential to work as teachers in Estonian educational institutions. Today, the Mondo Ukrainian Academy (MUA) is the only community in Estonia which supports the educators who have fled to Estonia from the war in Ukraine by offering them trainings and assistance. More than 50 teachers have actively participated in the training programme, but the activities in our information field bring together over 200 Ukrainian educators.

How have you personally contributed in this area and where have you felt that you have truly succeeded?

The MUA was created in summer 2022 and its activities will continue in the new academic year. The Ukrainian educational environment is very different from that of Estonia – therefore, the trainings of the MUA tackle themes that are, in many ways, new to the teachers. The training sessions held about once per month cover methods of active learning, global education, and project-based learning as well as introduce the Estonian educational system and interactive and digital teaching methods. The focus is on cooperation between learners and teachers and with the Estonian educational staff. Several members of the MUA are motivated teachers whose Estonian language skills are improving rapidly.

I have participated to ensure funding, create a team, and develop the programme. Today, the network is still provided by Mondo, but the content is managed by Ukrainian teachers.

We feel that our activity has made a difference when we hear about the impact the programme has had on Ukrainian teachers. They have opened up to share that thanks to the programme, they feel accepted in Estonia, have found a (professional) community, and appreciate the actions that make their work in the Estonian educational field meaningful – all of this supports their long-term adaptation in the Estonian society.

What do you see as the major challenges in the field of integration?

First and foremost, language learning – the transition to Estonian-language education is necessary and welcomed, but it will surely become a major challenge for educators from Ukraine. Many of them are ready to stay in Estonia and would like to work at schools, but the success of language learning is individual and achieving level C1 will take time and active practice. It is especially complicated for those living in regions where daily language practice opportunities are limited. As it may be difficult to fulfil the language requirements to seek professional employment, they are forced to work in areas below their qualification – this has a negative impact on their self-confidence and mental health and may also cause economic instability.

What is the significance of this year’s award for you? What kind of strength will it give you for the future?

I am very touched and thankful. For me and the Mondo Global School, this award means that our efforts to support educators from Ukraine have been recognised – this gives us strength and ensures us that their contribution in this field is important, supporting integration and mutual understanding.

There are nearly 8,500 Ukrainian refugee students learning in Estonian schools and kindergartens. The educational pathway of these children must not be interrupted, but the addition of refugees in such a capacity is a major challenge for the local teachers. Ukrainian educators play an important role here in assisting the learners in adapting to the new environment and learning meaningfully. Through teacher trainings, the students will gain better access to the methods applied in Estonian schools, such as active learning, as well as to finding common values with their class- and schoolmates. The MUA has also organised art therapy and other lessons, UN hikes, and opportunities to participate in Mondo’s youth contests for students. We wish to continue offering as meaningful and supportive a programme as possible.

Who are the people who have helped and inspired you in your work this year and in general?

We are thankful to the educational foundation Heateo Haridusfond, which helped us launch the first season of the programme, to be then continued with the help of the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR and the US Embassy. We have been helped the most and I have been personally most inspired by teacher Hanna from Ukraine, who works at the Old Town Educational College as a teacher for Ukrainian children. She contributes towards the MUA as a community coordinator and helps to develop activities that would be most valuable to educators from Ukraine.

How do you evaluate your work today and how do you intend to proceed in the future?

The journey has not been easy, but we definitely want to continue and offer opportunities for experts who have fled to Estonia from the war in Ukraine to work in their area of expertise and make use of their strengths here. We hope that this will be beneficial for the young Ukrainians, the educators themselves, as well as the entire educational system and Estonia as a whole.

 Things do not always go according to plan. What kind of recommendations would you give to other people for such moments? How to stay inspired in the face of difficulties?

During difficult moments, I advise to stay flexible, learn from your failures, be there for your team, and consciously create positive moments. The experience with the Mondo Ukrainian Academy has shown us the importance of adapting and finding alternative solutions – we try to develop our programme on the go according to the needs of the teachers, which demands continuous listening and conscious observation. We view challenges as opportunities for growth and learning and stay motivated by setting realistic goals.

The most important things are a positive attitude and courageous initiative. As much as we can, we try to practice appreciative discovery – meaning that we resolve challenges, but also feel gratitude and celebrate things that are already working.

Next year will be dedicated to cultural diversity. What does cultural diversity mean to you personally and where is it expressed in Estonia?

For me, cultural diversity means richness stemming from different cultural elements, traditions, languages, and ways of expression which all enrich our society. In Estonia, cultural diversity is expressed in multiple ways – for example, it encompasses our rich cultural heritage, language diversity, art, music, food culture, and many other things.

Most importantly, cultural diversity is expressed in the joint activity of different communities and ethnic groups, where different people contribute with their perspectives and traditions for the enrichment of society. I think that a culturally rich Estonia could be defined as a diverse and open society that values differences and sees cultural diversity as an asset, not an obstacle.

We share various reading, listening, and viewing recommendations selected by our own employees. We appreciate it in advance if you let us know about your observations so we can share them with others. You can send your suggestions to press@integratsioon.ee.

Recommendations from the Integration Foundation's employees in January:

"When increasing literacy, attention must be paid to the accessibility of language learning" Read more (https://www.err.ee/1609190722/sisserande-suurendamisel-tuleb-tahelepanu-poorata-keeleoppe-kattesaadavusele)

 "The ministry does not grant a time extension for the transition to Estonian-language education" Read more (https://www.err.ee/1609203253/ministeerium-ei-anna-eestikeelsele-oppele-uleminekuks-ajapikendust)

"Interest in the year-end gathering of returnees' network was high" Read more (https://globalestonian.com/et/news/huvi-tagasipoordujate-vorgustiku-aastalopu-koosviibimise-vastu-oli-suur)

"Interview with Aiva Plauča, a teacher at the Riga Estonian School" Read more (https://globalestonian.com/et/news/intervjuu-riia-eesti-kooli-opetaja-aiva-plaucaga)

"Report on Human Rights in Estonia 2024" Read more (https://humanrights.ee/2023/12/varske-aruanne-inimoiguste-olukord-eestis-on-paranenud)

We offer free Estonian language courses at level A2 to foreigners who have lived in Estonia for less than five years and acquired a temporary residence permit or primary right of residence under the normal migration procedure*. These courses last for an average of five months (150 academic hours) and take place in Estonian without a base language. To register for training at level A2, you must have completed a level A1 language course of at least 100 academic hours, either as part of the adaptation programme Settle in Estonia, at a language school, at university, or elsewhere**. Registration is open for language courses that will start in January, and take place online, in Tallinn, and in Narva: registration link.

At the end of January, we are going to open additional places of study for courses at levels A1, A2, and B1. Information about new places of study will be published on the social media account of Settle in Estonia and on the website of the Integration Foundation. 

For more information about the Estonian language learning or other adaptation-related issues, please visit the according website and contact us at info@settleinestonia.ee.

Important: 

* These courses are intended only for individuals who are in Estonia on a regular migration basis, i.e. who have been granted a temporary residence permit or primary right of residence and who have arrived in Estonia for the purpose of study or work, are joining a family member, related business, etc.

We offer separate language courses for all beneficiaries of temporary or international protection. We await all beneficiaries of temporary protection to sign up for Estonian language courses at level A1 (beginner level): registration link.

** If you have completed a level A1 language course not through the adaptation programme Settle in Estonia (e.g. through the Unemployment Insurance Fund), please send your certificate to info@settleinestonia.ee.