INTEGRATION CALENDAR – APRIL 2009

06.06.2018
 
CONTENTS
  • General information
  • Procurements and competitions in April
  • Coming soon: procurements and competitions
GENERAL INFORMATION
 
Jubilee year development grants to be awarded on April 7
 
This is the 10th year when the Integration Foundation awards integration-related development grants. For the first time we will also give a media commendation for reporting about integration in the press.
 
The grants are meant to facilitate work on integration issues and find new methods and possibilities for involving people of different nationalities in cooperation activities. This year grants in three categories are awarded: Estonian language studies advancement, multicultural Estonia comprehension and advancement, citizenship awareness cultivation.
 
The winners of the 2009 development grants will be announced on April 7 at the Russian Theatre of Estonia.
 
For further information please contact: Iris Järv, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit, phone: +372 659 9029, e-mail: iris.jarv@meis.ee
 
 
Adaptation programme being developed to improve integration of third-country nationals
 
The Integration Foundation in cooperation with Tallinn University has commenced development of an adaptation programme for nationals of third countries to boost their efficient integration in Estonian society. The work is financed by the Office of the Minister for Population and Ethnic Affairs and the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals, which was established as part of the general European Union programme titled “Solidarity and management of migratory flows”.
 
The adaptation programme encompasses different fields and activities. A round table meeting will take place in the first half of April to discuss the programme relevance and its supporting measures and regulations. The round table discussion is set to include, in addition to the partners and our funders, representatives of local governments, the Citizenship and Migration Board, the Labour Market Board, the Ministry of Education and Science and other involved parties that are in direct contact with the target group or have the necessary information about the target group.
 
The initiators of this round table discussion are two staff members of Tallinn University: Mart Rannut, Director of the Estonian Language and Culture Institute, and Ülle Rannut, Docent of Estonian as a foreign language.
 
For further information please contact:   Riina Ring, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit, phone: +372 659 9032, e-mail: riina.ring@meis.ee
 
 
Ida-Virumaa officials begin improving their official language skills
 
In April employees of educational institutions in Tallinn will begin improving their Estonian language skills. In March officials of local governments in Ida-Virumaa and employees of the institutions administrated by these local governments began attending Estonian language courses in Jõhvi, Sillamäe and Narva. In May and June the programme participants will have their language practice and receive their colleagues who work in Estonian-language environments.
 
The labour force exchange programme aimed at improving Estonian language skills consists of brief Estonian language courses and employee exchanges involving colleagues from Estonian-language environments. The programme is carried out by AS Erahariduskeskus, having won the corresponding procurement.
 
The activities are part of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme financed by the European Social Fund.
 
For further information please contact:   Tea Kotkas, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit, phone: +372 659 9061, e-mail: tea.kotkas@meis.ee
 
 
 
Group enrolment to begin for professional training in preparation for Estonian language vocational examination
 
The Integration Foundation has initiated cooperation with Sugesto OÜ to conduct Estonian language training courses for professionals and support their practice in Estonian-language work environments.
 
Estonian language courses are to begin in the autumn of 2009 for young people studying the following professions – salesperson, chef, waiter, hairdresser and beautician – and also, if necessary, for adults already working in these professions. The courses are meant to prepare the participants for the first-level Estonian language vocational examination.
 
The courses comprising 120 academic hours will be available in Tallinn, Jõhvi and Narva.
The target group will be notified in the spring of 2009 and study group enrolment will begin at the same time. For further details write to info@sugesto.ee or call 660 1559.
 
These activities are organised as part of the “Language Studies Development 2007–2010” programme, a measure of the “Lifelong Learning” priority of the “Human Resources Development Plan” financed by the European Social Fund.
 
For further information please contact:   Merlin Mägi, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit, phone: +372 659 9068, e-mail: merlin.magi@meis.ee
 
 
Foundation to define role of local governments in integration activities
 
The winning offer in the public procurement titled “Defining the role of local governments in implementation of the activities outlined in the Estonian integration programme for 2008–2013” was made jointly by the “Institute of Baltic Studies” non-profit association, the “PRAXIS Centre for Political Studies” foundation and OÜ Geomedia.
 
The organisations that won the procurement will now determine which integration programme activities it would be expedient to delegate to local governments. For that purpose the integration programme documents will be analysed and interviews will be conducted with local government officials and state agency representatives.
Consultations and feedback seminars are planned, as well as a course for local government officials introducing relevant best international practice. The experts will also develop a mechanism for administrating and financing activities that will have to supplement delegation by the state of additional tasks to local governments.
 
This preparatory work will result in concrete proposals to the Government of the Republic about changing in 2010 the entities performing actions stipulated in the Estonian integration programme for 2008–2013 and its implementation plan for 2008–2010.
The procurement procedures are financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals and the Estonian State Chancellery.
 
For further information please contact: Ruslan Prohhorenko, Coordinator, Civic Education Unit, phone: +372 659 9035, e-mail: ruslan.prohhorenko@meis.ee
 
 
Improving integration policy indicators
 
The public procurement titled “Improving integration policy indicators” was won by the Ernst & Young Baltic AS auditing company. The goal is to ensure timely, cost-efficient and resultative accomplishment of the Estonian integration programme for 2008–2013 on the basis of its implementation plan for 2008–2010 that stipulates clear objectives, expected results, activities and the corresponding achievement indicators.
 
The winning offer outlines connections between national-level results and those on the European Union level so that the indicators of achievement of the general objectives and sub-objectives of the Estonian integration programme for 2008–2013 could allow comparison of developments in the integration sphere in Estonia with those in other EU countries.
 
The procurement procedures are financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals and the Estonian State Chancellery.
 
For further information please contact: Kersti Peterson, Coordinator, Civic Education Unit, phone: +372 659 9034, e-mail: kersti.peterson@meis.ee
 
 
Foundation to explain to employers principles of ethnic equality treatment
 
The public procurement titled “Campaigns aimed at raising equal treatment awareness and developing tolerance” was won by Alfa-Omega Communications OÜ.
 
The winning company will be responsible for explaining to employers the principles of equal treatment and introducing ethnically diverse working environment experiences shared by various enterprises. The winning company will be also presenting to the general public examples of people residing in Estonia whose native language is a language other than Estonian and of cooperation between people of different nationalities.
 
The procurement procedures are financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals and the Estonian State Chancellery.
 
For further information please contact: Kati Tamm, Coordinator, Civic Education Unit, phone: +372 659 9027, e-mail: kati.tamm@meis.ee
 
 
Estonian language studies for Russian-language school teachers
 
April will see the start of Estonian language courses for secondary-school level teachers from schools where Russian is the language of instruction who already teach or are to begin teaching their subjects in Estonian. The course duration is 80 hours. Course groups are enrolled based on the applicants’ language skills and the subjects they teach. These language courses should support the teachers’ communicative competence development and that is why the courses will focus on creating study situations in which the participants can primarily improve their listening and conversational skills. The course conversational topics are connected with the participants’ activity spheres, mainly with education in general, pedagogy and particular subjects taught in general education school.
The Estonian language courses for teachers who teach their subjects in Estonian at schools where Russian is the language of instruction will be held in Tallinn and Ida-Virumaa. These Estonian language studies for teachers are financed by the European Social Fund.
 
For further information please contact: Natalia Reppo, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit, phone: +372 659 9855, e-mail: natalia.reppo@meis.ee
 
 
 
APRIL PROCUREMENTS AND COMPETITIONS
 
Youth workers’ work practical training procurement deadline approaching
 
11.00 on April 14 is the deadline for the public procurement titled “Arranging practical training for youth workers in multicultural environment”.
The goal of this procurement is to improve the competence of youth workers in intercultural study methods for them to be able to work with young people in multicultural environments (i.e. people with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds) so as to facilitate the integration of young people – including those with third-country citizenship – into society and enhance their intercultural contacts and mutual trust.
The procurement envisages practical training for 18 youth workers in a multicultural environment. The procurement is financed by the European Integration Fund and the Office of the Minister for Population and Ethnic Affairs.
 
For further information please contact: Kaie Kullik, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit, phone: +372 659 9025, e-mail: kaie.kullik@meis.ee
 
 
Deadline of “Estonian and Russian language improvement courses for youth workers” tender approaching
 
11.00 on April 23 is the deadline for the simplified public procurement titled “Estonian and Russian language improvement courses for youth workers”. The goal of the procurement is to provide 20 youth workers whose native language is a language other than Estonian with the chance to improve the Estonian language skills that they need for their work.
 
At the same time 20 youth workers whose native language is a language other than Estonian will be able to improve their Russian language skills for initial native-language youth supervision (it is primarily Russian) so that all young people enjoy equal youth work participation opportunities.
In-service training of 60 academic hours is planned to be organised in Harju, Ida-Viru and Tartu Counties.
 
This is the second such procurement. Previous such courses for 40 youth workers in Tallinn and Ida-Virumaa will end this month.
 
For further information please contact: Kaie Kullik, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit, phone: +372 659 9025, e-mail: kaie.kullik@meis.ee
 
 
Procurement “Organisation of Estonian language courses and teacher training”
 
In late March the Integration Foundation launched the simplified public procurement titled “Organisation of Estonian language courses and teacher training”. The deadline for application submission is April 23, 2009.
 
The goal of the procurement is to conduct until the end of 2010 Estonian language courses free of charge for 800 (400 from Harjumaa and 400 from Ida-Virumaa) stateless persons and citizens of third countries who have been living in Estonia for a long time. Training is also planned for 30 teachers who teach Estonian as the second language and curricula are to be created for the courses.
 
The general goal of the procurement is to support integration into Estonian society of stateless persons and citizens of third countries who have been living in Estonia for a long time. That is to be achieved through high-quality gratis Estonian language courses that will make the learner more independent and provide the language skills needed to function in Estonian society.
 
The procurement is carried out with the financial support of the Estonian State Chancellery and the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals, which was established as part of the general European Union programme “Solidarity and management of migratory flows”.
 
For further information please contact: Tea Tammistu, Coordinator, Civic Education Unit, phone: +372 659 9062, e-mail: tea.tammistu@meis.ee
 
 
Current procurement “Labour force exchange for Estonian language acquisition”
 
The Integration Foundation has announced a new procurement to find an organisation that would arrange brief Estonian language courses and labour force exchange for improving Estonian language skills among those teachers, police officials, medical workers and librarians whose knowledge of the Estonian language is deemed insufficient. The application submission deadline April 24, 2009.
 
The goal of the labour force exchange programme is to create a variety of flexible opportunities for these people to learn the official language to the level necessary for them to be able to function in their everyday lives and professional activities. The training will be financed through the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme of the European Social Fund.
 
For further information please contact: Tea Kotkas, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit, phone: +372 659 9061, e-mail: tea.kotkas@meis.ee
 
 
Current procurement “Publication of preparatory materials for Estonian-language vocational examinations”
 
The aim of the “Publication of preparatory materials for Estonian-language vocational examinations” procurement is to produce profession-specific Estonian-language training materials and glossaries for sales staff, hairdressers, beauticians, chefs and waiters. The procurement will also include audio recording of listening texts for the training materials. The procurement competition is open until April 20, 2009.
 
The procurement competition is organised as part of the “Language Studies Development 2007–2010” programme financed by the European Social Fund (measure “Language studies development” in “Lifelong Learning” priority, part of “Human Resources Development Plan”).
 
For further information please contact:   Merlin Mägi, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit, phone: +372 659 9068, e-mail: merlin.magi@meis.ee
 
 
Current procurement competition for preparing students studying to become teachers
 
On March 25 the Integration Foundation announced the procurement competition “Preparation of teacher training students to work with pupils whose native language is a language other than Estonian”. The application submission deadline is 15.00 on April 24.
 
The procurement is designed to enable students studying to become teachers and those already working as teachers to obtain the knowledge they require to work at general education schools and vocational education institutions with languages of instruction other than Estonian. For this purpose two specialised courses of elective subjects will be developed and carried out as pilot courses on the topics of “Developing skills in the language of study in subject lessons” and “Intercultural differences: students with Russian cultural background”.
 
The procurement is organised as part of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme financed through the European Social Fund.
 
For further information please contact:   Ave Osman, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit, phone: +372 659 9030, e-mail: ave.osman@meis.ee
 
 
 
COMING SOON: PROCUREMENTS AND COMPETITIONS
For the latest updates see www.meis.ee
 
New procurement “In-service training of school management for development of teaching in Estonian at non-Estonian vocational schools”
 
In early April the Integration Foundation will be launching the simplified public tender titled “In-service training of school management for development of teaching in Estonian at non-Estonian vocational schools”.
 
The in-service training goal is to ensure readiness of the management of vocational educational institutions to develop at their schools the integration-related aspects of language and professional studies, implement possibilities for integrated subject and specialty e-studies in Estonian and other languages.
 
The procurement forms falls under the “In-service training for school management and teachers of vocational studies groups instructed in a language other than Estonian” part of the European Social Fund’s “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme.
 
For further information please contact:   Kristina Johannes, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit, phone: +372 659 9065, e-mail: kristina.johannes@meis.ee
 
 
Procurement “Training on method of integrated subject and language studies (ISLS)”
 
In April the Integration Foundation will launch the simplified procurement “Training on method of integrated subject and language studies (ISLS)”. This training is meant to raise awareness among staff of schools where the language of instruction is other than Estonian about the ISLS essence and the language immersion programme methodology, offering support to teachers working with children in the language immersion programme and with children whose household communication language is not the same as the language of school instruction.
 
The training courses will be offered to 160 teachers and the priority target group comprises basic school teachers from Russian-language schools, including language immersion schools. The training courses will take place in May-September of 2009.
 
The training will consist of four 3-day courses, two of which will be conducted both in Estonian and Russian. At least 2/3 of the total training volume will be topics connected with the language immersion methodology and up to 1/3 will be about supporting teacher and pupil development and other psychological topics.
 
This training will be financed by the Ministry of Education and Science.
 
For further information please contact: Maire Kebbinau, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit, phone: +372 659 9847, e-mail: maire.kebbinau@meis.ee
 
 
Competition of “Our Estonia” projects
 
The competition of “Our Estonia” projects will commence in April. The goal of the project competition is to support familiarisation of pupils with the timeline and cultural history of the Estonian state and the corresponding places/locations and cooperation of pupils from Estonian, Russian and other-language schools (general education schools and vocational education institutions providing secondary vocational education). The activities must give the project participants information and practical experience useful for living and studying/working in Estonia. The activities must involve citizens of third countries living in Estonia, stateless persons and citizens of the European Union.
The projects will be financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals.
 
For further information please contact: Toivo Sikk, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit, phone: +372 659 9850, e-mail: toivo.sikk@meis.ee

INTEGRATION CALENDAR – MAY 2009

06.06.2018
 
Contents
GENERAL INFORMATION
“Implementing active learning methods in subject and language studies” language immersion methodology training
 
Jüri Secondary School will play host to the first session of a training course on language immersion methodology for subject teachers from basic schools in the Tallinn region on 7 and 8 May.
 
The total volume of the course is 80 hours, of which 48 will comprise seminars. The working language of the course is Estonian. The course is being organised by the Multicultural Education Unit of the Integration Foundation.
 
For further information please contact: Maire Kebbinau, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9847 / E-mail: maire.kebbinau@meis.ee
 
 
Study trip to Helsinki
 
On 8 May representatives of schools planning to take part in the language immersion programme and future teachers interested in language immersion work will be going on a study trip to visit Helsinki’s language immersion schools. The aim of the trip is to introduce the participants to immersion schools with experience in teaching in another language. They will meet students, teachers and education officials.
 
For further information please contact: Maire Kebbinau, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9847 / E-mail: maire.kebbinau@meis.ee
 
 
Study trip to Vaasa
 
A study trip to Vaasa in Finland will be taking place from 10 to 13 May for nursery school language immersion teachers as a joint project of the Multicultural Education Unit of the Integration Foundation and Vaasa University. During the trip the participants will visit the university, Vaasa Language Immersion Centre and language immersion nursery schools.
 
For further information please contact: Svetlana Belova, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9848 / E-mail: svetlana.belova@meis.ee
 
 
‘City of the Future’ game
 
The ‘City of the Future’ game will be taking place in Keila on 27 and 28 May with the support of the European Social Fund and the Ministry of Education and Research. The game was developed by the British Council in order to involve local residents in the development of their community.
 
Young people with different native languages work with city officials to produce potential solutions to key social issues. The ‘City of the Future’ game is being run as a joint initiative of the British Council, the Association of Estonian Open Youth Centres and the Integration Foundation.
 
For further information please contact: Lianne Ristikivi, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9028 / E-mail: lianne.ristikivi@meis.ee
 
 
Free constitution and citizenship law courses
 
The Integration Foundation has launched a partnership with BDA Consulting OÜ for the organisation of preparatory courses for the Estonian constitution and citizenship law examination for individuals with unspecified citizenship and citizens of third countries. The free courses will be offered to 2000 people until the end of 2010.
 
The first activity to be carried out will be training of teachers, which will take place in May. The courses themselves, including registration of participants, will start in May/June. More detailed information about the courses will be made available on the website of the Integration Foundation shortly.
 
The courses and related activities are being financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals and from the resources of the State Chancellery.
 
For further information please contact: Tea Tammistu, Citizens Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9062 / E-mail: tea.tammistu@meis.ee
 
 
Best practice in the Netherlands
 
Ernst & Young Baltic AS, who are charged with the task of implementing the activities related to the “Updating of integration policy indicators” public procurement, will be organising a study trip to the Netherlands from 18-21 May for those officials responsible for introducing the Estonian Integration Strategy 2008-2013.
 
The aim of the trip is to gain experience in the best practice employed by member states of the European Union in the development and implementation of integration policy indicators.
 
During the trip the officials are scheduled to visit the Dutch Ministry of Integration; the Ministry for Residential Construction, Planning and the Environment; the Ministry of Education, Research and Culture; and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment.
 
The activities related to the public procurement are being financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals and from the resources of the State Chancellery.
.
See press release
 
For further information please contact: Kersti Peterson, Citizens Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9034 / E-mail: kersti.peterson@meis.ee
 
 
Winner of youth worker practical training procurement announced
 
The deadline for the “Organisation of practical training for youth workers in a multicultural environment” procurement was 14 April and the winner was Narva College of the University of Tartu.
 
The goal of the procurement is to improve the competence of youth workers in intercultural study methods for them to be able to work with young people in multicultural environments (i.e. people with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds) so as to facilitate the integration of young people – including those with third-country citizenship – into society and enhance their intercultural contacts and mutual trust.
 
The procurement envisages practical training for 18 youth workers in a multicultural environment. The procurement is being financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals and from the resources of the Minister of Population Affairs.
 
For further information please contact: Kaie Kullik, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9025 / E-mail: kaie.kullik@meis.ee
 
 
Winner of “Estonian and Russian language courses for youth workers” procurement announced
 
The deadline for the “Estonian and Russian language courses for youth workers” simplified open procurement was 23 April and the winner was Narva College of the University of Tartu.
 
The goal of the procurement is to provide 20 youth workers whose native language is a language other than Estonian with the chance to improve the Estonian language skills that they need for their work.
 
At the same time, 20 youth workers who do not speak Russian as their native language will be able to improve their Russian skills for initial guidance of young people in their own language (primarily Russian) so that all young people enjoy equal youth work participation opportunities.
In-service training of 60 academic hours is planned to be organised in Harju, Ida-Viru and Tartu Counties.
 
The activities of this procurement are being financed by the Ministry of Education and Research.
 
For further information please contact: Kaie Kullik, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9025 / E-mail: kaie.kullik@meis.ee
 
 
PROCUREMENTS AND COMPETITIONS – MAY

 
“Training of mentors” simplified procurement launched
 
The aim of this procurement is to organise in-service training for mentors so that they are capable of supporting the individual language studies of secondary school subject teachers at schools with Russian as the language of instruction.
 
Up to 40 mentors who already have basic mentoring skills will take part in the training. The course will be held from May to July 2009.
 
The procurement competition is being organised as part of the ‘Language Studies Development 2007–2010’ programme, a measure of the ‘Lifelong Learning’ priority of the ‘Human Resources Development Plan’ financed by the European Social Fund.
 
The competition is open until 6 May.
 
See press release
 
For further information please contact: Natalia Reppo, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9855 / E-mail: natalia.reppo@meis.ee
 
 
“Supporting the acquisition of Estonian language skills in children with native languages other than Estonian in preschool children’s institutions” project competition launched
 
Projects may be submitted to the competition until 21 May. The project will lead to the creation of equal opportunities for children with native languages other than Estonian in acquiring basic education. The target groups for the project’s activities are children with native languages other than Estonian (with the exception of children of new immigrants) in Estonian- and Russian-language children’s institutions; teachers of Estonian as a second language, movement, music and group studies working with the children; and the children’s parents.
 
The project will support activities which contribute to children with native languages other than Estonian adapting to an Estonian-language learning environment; which promote cooperation and the sharing of practical experiences between nursery school teachers of Estonian as a second language, movement, music and group studies; which contribute to the creation of cooperation and friendship ties between nursery schools and educational institutions (other nursery schools, regional schools, interest schools, etc.); and which support the professional development of the teachers through in-service training.
 
For further information please contact: Marje Sarapuu, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9852 / E-mail: marje.sarapuu@meis.ee
 
 
 
PROCUREMENTS AND COMPETITIONS – COMING SOON
For the latest updates see www.meis.ee
 
Project competition: Cultural activities for the promotion of a common field of information
 
May will see the launch of a project competition which will support cooperation projects involving theatres; the translation of literature and drama; and communication activities within the field of culture.
 
The aim of the competition is to translate Estonian literature and the works of Estonian dramatists into other languages (through written translations and performances), primarily Russian. The competition will also promote cooperation projects between theatres operating in Estonian and other languages; and intercultural communication with the involvement of citizens of the European Union (including Estonia) and of third countries within Europe (including individuals with unspecified citizenship).
 
The project competition is being financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals and from the resources of the Minister of Population Affairs.
 
For further information please contact: Iris Järv, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9029 / E-mail: iris.jarv @meis.ee

INTEGRATION CALENDAR – APRIL 2009

06.06.2018
 
CONTENTS
  • General information
  • Procurements and competitions in April
  • Coming soon: procurements and competitions
GENERAL INFORMATION
 
Jubilee year development grants to be awarded on April 7
 
This is the 10th year when the Integration Foundation awards integration-related development grants. For the first time we will also give a media commendation for reporting about integration in the press.
 
The grants are meant to facilitate work on integration issues and find new methods and possibilities for involving people of different nationalities in cooperation activities. This year grants in three categories are awarded: Estonian language studies advancement, multicultural Estonia comprehension and advancement, citizenship awareness cultivation.
 
The winners of the 2009 development grants will be announced on April 7 at the Russian Theatre of Estonia.
 
For further information please contact: Iris Järv, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit, phone: +372 659 9029, e-mail: iris.jarv@meis.ee
 
 
Adaptation programme being developed to improve integration of third-country nationals
 
The Integration Foundation in cooperation with Tallinn University has commenced development of an adaptation programme for nationals of third countries to boost their efficient integration in Estonian society. The work is financed by the Office of the Minister for Population and Ethnic Affairs and the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals, which was established as part of the general European Union programme titled “Solidarity and management of migratory flows”.
 
The adaptation programme encompasses different fields and activities. A round table meeting will take place in the first half of April to discuss the programme relevance and its supporting measures and regulations. The round table discussion is set to include, in addition to the partners and our funders, representatives of local governments, the Citizenship and Migration Board, the Labour Market Board, the Ministry of Education and Science and other involved parties that are in direct contact with the target group or have the necessary information about the target group.
 
The initiators of this round table discussion are two staff members of Tallinn University: Mart Rannut, Director of the Estonian Language and Culture Institute, and Ülle Rannut, Docent of Estonian as a foreign language.
 
For further information please contact:   Riina Ring, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit, phone: +372 659 9032, e-mail: riina.ring@meis.ee
 
 
Ida-Virumaa officials begin improving their official language skills
 
In April employees of educational institutions in Tallinn will begin improving their Estonian language skills. In March officials of local governments in Ida-Virumaa and employees of the institutions administrated by these local governments began attending Estonian language courses in Jõhvi, Sillamäe and Narva. In May and June the programme participants will have their language practice and receive their colleagues who work in Estonian-language environments.
 
The labour force exchange programme aimed at improving Estonian language skills consists of brief Estonian language courses and employee exchanges involving colleagues from Estonian-language environments. The programme is carried out by AS Erahariduskeskus, having won the corresponding procurement.
 
The activities are part of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme financed by the European Social Fund.
 
For further information please contact:   Tea Kotkas, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit, phone: +372 659 9061, e-mail: tea.kotkas@meis.ee
 
 
 
Group enrolment to begin for professional training in preparation for Estonian language vocational examination
 
The Integration Foundation has initiated cooperation with Sugesto OÜ to conduct Estonian language training courses for professionals and support their practice in Estonian-language work environments.
 
Estonian language courses are to begin in the autumn of 2009 for young people studying the following professions – salesperson, chef, waiter, hairdresser and beautician – and also, if necessary, for adults already working in these professions. The courses are meant to prepare the participants for the first-level Estonian language vocational examination.
 
The courses comprising 120 academic hours will be available in Tallinn, Jõhvi and Narva.
The target group will be notified in the spring of 2009 and study group enrolment will begin at the same time. For further details write to info@sugesto.ee or call 660 1559.
 
These activities are organised as part of the “Language Studies Development 2007–2010” programme, a measure of the “Lifelong Learning” priority of the “Human Resources Development Plan” financed by the European Social Fund.
 
For further information please contact:   Merlin Mägi, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit, phone: +372 659 9068, e-mail: merlin.magi@meis.ee
 
 
Foundation to define role of local governments in integration activities
 
The winning offer in the public procurement titled “Defining the role of local governments in implementation of the activities outlined in the Estonian integration programme for 2008–2013” was made jointly by the “Institute of Baltic Studies” non-profit association, the “PRAXIS Centre for Political Studies” foundation and OÜ Geomedia.
 
The organisations that won the procurement will now determine which integration programme activities it would be expedient to delegate to local governments. For that purpose the integration programme documents will be analysed and interviews will be conducted with local government officials and state agency representatives.
Consultations and feedback seminars are planned, as well as a course for local government officials introducing relevant best international practice. The experts will also develop a mechanism for administrating and financing activities that will have to supplement delegation by the state of additional tasks to local governments.
 
This preparatory work will result in concrete proposals to the Government of the Republic about changing in 2010 the entities performing actions stipulated in the Estonian integration programme for 2008–2013 and its implementation plan for 2008–2010.
The procurement procedures are financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals and the Estonian State Chancellery.
 
For further information please contact: Ruslan Prohhorenko, Coordinator, Civic Education Unit, phone: +372 659 9035, e-mail: ruslan.prohhorenko@meis.ee
 
 
Improving integration policy indicators
 
The public procurement titled “Improving integration policy indicators” was won by the Ernst & Young Baltic AS auditing company. The goal is to ensure timely, cost-efficient and resultative accomplishment of the Estonian integration programme for 2008–2013 on the basis of its implementation plan for 2008–2010 that stipulates clear objectives, expected results, activities and the corresponding achievement indicators.
 
The winning offer outlines connections between national-level results and those on the European Union level so that the indicators of achievement of the general objectives and sub-objectives of the Estonian integration programme for 2008–2013 could allow comparison of developments in the integration sphere in Estonia with those in other EU countries.
 
The procurement procedures are financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals and the Estonian State Chancellery.
 
For further information please contact: Kersti Peterson, Coordinator, Civic Education Unit, phone: +372 659 9034, e-mail: kersti.peterson@meis.ee
 
 
Foundation to explain to employers principles of ethnic equality treatment
 
The public procurement titled “Campaigns aimed at raising equal treatment awareness and developing tolerance” was won by Alfa-Omega Communications OÜ.
 
The winning company will be responsible for explaining to employers the principles of equal treatment and introducing ethnically diverse working environment experiences shared by various enterprises. The winning company will be also presenting to the general public examples of people residing in Estonia whose native language is a language other than Estonian and of cooperation between people of different nationalities.
 
The procurement procedures are financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals and the Estonian State Chancellery.
 
For further information please contact: Kati Tamm, Coordinator, Civic Education Unit, phone: +372 659 9027, e-mail: kati.tamm@meis.ee
 
 
Estonian language studies for Russian-language school teachers
 
April will see the start of Estonian language courses for secondary-school level teachers from schools where Russian is the language of instruction who already teach or are to begin teaching their subjects in Estonian. The course duration is 80 hours. Course groups are enrolled based on the applicants’ language skills and the subjects they teach. These language courses should support the teachers’ communicative competence development and that is why the courses will focus on creating study situations in which the participants can primarily improve their listening and conversational skills. The course conversational topics are connected with the participants’ activity spheres, mainly with education in general, pedagogy and particular subjects taught in general education school.
The Estonian language courses for teachers who teach their subjects in Estonian at schools where Russian is the language of instruction will be held in Tallinn and Ida-Virumaa. These Estonian language studies for teachers are financed by the European Social Fund.
 
For further information please contact: Natalia Reppo, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit, phone: +372 659 9855, e-mail: natalia.reppo@meis.ee
 
 
 
APRIL PROCUREMENTS AND COMPETITIONS
 
Youth workers’ work practical training procurement deadline approaching
 
11.00 on April 14 is the deadline for the public procurement titled “Arranging practical training for youth workers in multicultural environment”.
The goal of this procurement is to improve the competence of youth workers in intercultural study methods for them to be able to work with young people in multicultural environments (i.e. people with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds) so as to facilitate the integration of young people – including those with third-country citizenship – into society and enhance their intercultural contacts and mutual trust.
The procurement envisages practical training for 18 youth workers in a multicultural environment. The procurement is financed by the European Integration Fund and the Office of the Minister for Population and Ethnic Affairs.
 
For further information please contact: Kaie Kullik, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit, phone: +372 659 9025, e-mail: kaie.kullik@meis.ee
 
 
Deadline of “Estonian and Russian language improvement courses for youth workers” tender approaching
 
11.00 on April 23 is the deadline for the simplified public procurement titled “Estonian and Russian language improvement courses for youth workers”. The goal of the procurement is to provide 20 youth workers whose native language is a language other than Estonian with the chance to improve the Estonian language skills that they need for their work.
 
At the same time 20 youth workers whose native language is a language other than Estonian will be able to improve their Russian language skills for initial native-language youth supervision (it is primarily Russian) so that all young people enjoy equal youth work participation opportunities.
In-service training of 60 academic hours is planned to be organised in Harju, Ida-Viru and Tartu Counties.
 
This is the second such procurement. Previous such courses for 40 youth workers in Tallinn and Ida-Virumaa will end this month.
 
For further information please contact: Kaie Kullik, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit, phone: +372 659 9025, e-mail: kaie.kullik@meis.ee
 
 
Procurement “Organisation of Estonian language courses and teacher training”
 
In late March the Integration Foundation launched the simplified public procurement titled “Organisation of Estonian language courses and teacher training”. The deadline for application submission is April 23, 2009.
 
The goal of the procurement is to conduct until the end of 2010 Estonian language courses free of charge for 800 (400 from Harjumaa and 400 from Ida-Virumaa) stateless persons and citizens of third countries who have been living in Estonia for a long time. Training is also planned for 30 teachers who teach Estonian as the second language and curricula are to be created for the courses.
 
The general goal of the procurement is to support integration into Estonian society of stateless persons and citizens of third countries who have been living in Estonia for a long time. That is to be achieved through high-quality gratis Estonian language courses that will make the learner more independent and provide the language skills needed to function in Estonian society.
 
The procurement is carried out with the financial support of the Estonian State Chancellery and the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals, which was established as part of the general European Union programme “Solidarity and management of migratory flows”.
 
For further information please contact: Tea Tammistu, Coordinator, Civic Education Unit, phone: +372 659 9062, e-mail: tea.tammistu@meis.ee
 
 
Current procurement “Labour force exchange for Estonian language acquisition”
 
The Integration Foundation has announced a new procurement to find an organisation that would arrange brief Estonian language courses and labour force exchange for improving Estonian language skills among those teachers, police officials, medical workers and librarians whose knowledge of the Estonian language is deemed insufficient. The application submission deadline April 24, 2009.
 
The goal of the labour force exchange programme is to create a variety of flexible opportunities for these people to learn the official language to the level necessary for them to be able to function in their everyday lives and professional activities. The training will be financed through the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme of the European Social Fund.
 
For further information please contact: Tea Kotkas, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit, phone: +372 659 9061, e-mail: tea.kotkas@meis.ee
 
 
Current procurement “Publication of preparatory materials for Estonian-language vocational examinations”
 
The aim of the “Publication of preparatory materials for Estonian-language vocational examinations” procurement is to produce profession-specific Estonian-language training materials and glossaries for sales staff, hairdressers, beauticians, chefs and waiters. The procurement will also include audio recording of listening texts for the training materials. The procurement competition is open until April 20, 2009.
 
The procurement competition is organised as part of the “Language Studies Development 2007–2010” programme financed by the European Social Fund (measure “Language studies development” in “Lifelong Learning” priority, part of “Human Resources Development Plan”).
 
For further information please contact:   Merlin Mägi, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit, phone: +372 659 9068, e-mail: merlin.magi@meis.ee
 
 
Current procurement competition for preparing students studying to become teachers
 
On March 25 the Integration Foundation announced the procurement competition “Preparation of teacher training students to work with pupils whose native language is a language other than Estonian”. The application submission deadline is 15.00 on April 24.
 
The procurement is designed to enable students studying to become teachers and those already working as teachers to obtain the knowledge they require to work at general education schools and vocational education institutions with languages of instruction other than Estonian. For this purpose two specialised courses of elective subjects will be developed and carried out as pilot courses on the topics of “Developing skills in the language of study in subject lessons” and “Intercultural differences: students with Russian cultural background”.
 
The procurement is organised as part of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme financed through the European Social Fund.
 
For further information please contact:   Ave Osman, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit, phone: +372 659 9030, e-mail: ave.osman@meis.ee
 
 
 
COMING SOON: PROCUREMENTS AND COMPETITIONS
For the latest updates see www.meis.ee
 
New procurement “In-service training of school management for development of teaching in Estonian at non-Estonian vocational schools”
 
In early April the Integration Foundation will be launching the simplified public tender titled “In-service training of school management for development of teaching in Estonian at non-Estonian vocational schools”.
 
The in-service training goal is to ensure readiness of the management of vocational educational institutions to develop at their schools the integration-related aspects of language and professional studies, implement possibilities for integrated subject and specialty e-studies in Estonian and other languages.
 
The procurement forms falls under the “In-service training for school management and teachers of vocational studies groups instructed in a language other than Estonian” part of the European Social Fund’s “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme.
 
For further information please contact:   Kristina Johannes, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit, phone: +372 659 9065, e-mail: kristina.johannes@meis.ee
 
 
Procurement “Training on method of integrated subject and language studies (ISLS)”
 
In April the Integration Foundation will launch the simplified procurement “Training on method of integrated subject and language studies (ISLS)”. This training is meant to raise awareness among staff of schools where the language of instruction is other than Estonian about the ISLS essence and the language immersion programme methodology, offering support to teachers working with children in the language immersion programme and with children whose household communication language is not the same as the language of school instruction.
 
The training courses will be offered to 160 teachers and the priority target group comprises basic school teachers from Russian-language schools, including language immersion schools. The training courses will take place in May-September of 2009.
 
The training will consist of four 3-day courses, two of which will be conducted both in Estonian and Russian. At least 2/3 of the total training volume will be topics connected with the language immersion methodology and up to 1/3 will be about supporting teacher and pupil development and other psychological topics.
 
This training will be financed by the Ministry of Education and Science.
 
For further information please contact: Maire Kebbinau, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit, phone: +372 659 9847, e-mail: maire.kebbinau@meis.ee
 
 
Competition of “Our Estonia” projects
 
The competition of “Our Estonia” projects will commence in April. The goal of the project competition is to support familiarisation of pupils with the timeline and cultural history of the Estonian state and the corresponding places/locations and cooperation of pupils from Estonian, Russian and other-language schools (general education schools and vocational education institutions providing secondary vocational education). The activities must give the project participants information and practical experience useful for living and studying/working in Estonia. The activities must involve citizens of third countries living in Estonia, stateless persons and citizens of the European Union.
The projects will be financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals.
 
For further information please contact: Toivo Sikk, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit, phone: +372 659 9850, e-mail: toivo.sikk@meis.ee

Integration Calendar – March 2009

06.06.2018
“Two Steps Closer” youth conference
 
The “Two Steps Closer” conference will be held at the Nelijärve Recreation Centre on 6 and 7 March. Anyone who is interested is invited to attend!
 
Discussing topics related to participation and democracy, the conference – being organised by the Integration Foundation with financing from the European Social Fund – is open to all young people in Estonia between the ages of 14 and 19. As with the similarly-themed “One Step Closer” conference held in 2008, the home language of half of the young people taking part will be Estonian and that of the other half Russian.
 
Together they will undertake team work exercises and make plans for further joint activities. The working language of the conference will be Estonian, providing the Russian-speaking attendees with an excellent opportunity to practise the language in an everyday environment.
 
For further information please contact: Lianne Ristikivi, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9028 / E-mail: lianne.ristikivi@meis.ee.
 
 
Language immersion programme – what is it, who is it for and how does it work?
 
At an information day to be held at the Teachers Building in Tallinn on 10 March the foundation’s early childhood education coordinators will be introducing the nursery school language immersion programme and talking about its results and the methods used. Specific examples will be used to encourage nursery school directors and teachers to work with immersion nursery schools. An overview will also be given of the language immersion training sessions for 2009, which will be open to all nursery school teachers and are designed to get them thinking about the role of language immersion teachers.
 
For further information please contact: Svetlana Belova, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9028 / E-mail: svetlana.belova@meis.ee.
 
 
Deadline of “Language camp for Estonian youth living outside of Estonia” tender approaching
 
11.00 am on 12 March is the deadline for the simplified public tender for the “Language camp for Estonian youth living outside of Estonia” project.
The aim of the tender is to support the development of Estonian as a language of communication for youth with Estonian origins and to promote Estonia and Estonian culture through language camp exchanges.
Between 2000 and 2003 and between 2005 and 2007 the foundation organised Estonian language and life camps for children and young adults with Estonian roots living in the CSI states, Latvia and Lithuania. Almost 300 young people from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia and Lithuania have attended such camps. Unlike in previous years, the chance to take part in the 2008 language camp was offered to young people with Estonian roots wherever they were living outside of the country.
 
For further information please contact: Kristina Pirgop, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9024 / E-mail: kristina.pirgop@meis.ee.
 
 
Language immersion produces results – children have things to share with one another
 
The first basic school graduates of the early language immersion programme will be presenting overviews at a meeting of students and teachers from the first schools to join the early language immersion programme – Läänemere Secondary School in Tallinn, Mustamäe Secondary School of Humanities and Kohtla-Järve Secondary School – to be organised by Narva Old Town State School at the Hermann Fortress in Narva on 12 March. The recollections of students, teachers and parents will be presented in an almanac covering their nine years in the programme. The schools will also have the chance to present the home town legends collected or created by their students. The organisers look forward to welcoming officials from the Ministry of Education and Research and the Education Foundation, representatives of colleges and universities and education officials from the City of Narva as guests.
 
For further information please contact: Maire Kebbinau, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9847 / E-mail: maire.kebbinau@meis.ee.
 
 
Presentation of language immersion methodology to Finnish colleagues
 
On 20 March Tallinn’s language immersion nursery schools (Vindi, Allika and Mahtra) will receive 40 teachers from Finland as guests who are interested in finding out about their experiences in implementing immersion methodology. This will be followed by a seminar in the Ministry of Education and Research, where the participants will be given an overview of the education system in Estonia and of the activities of the Integration Foundation in the field of preschool education.
 
For further information please contact: Svetlana Belova and Marje Sarapuu, Coordinators, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9028 / E-mail: svetlana.belova@meis.ee or marje.sarapuu@meis.ee.
 
 
Language immersion nursery school theatre day
 
24 March will be the 5th theatre day of Tallinn’s language immersion nursery schools. Ten Estonian-language performances by language immersion groups will begin in the Kanutiaed rooms at 10.00 am.
 
For further information please contact: Svetlana Belova, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9028 / E-mail: svetlana.belova@meis.ee.
 
 
Participants in language immersion programme showcase their work
 
Language immersion teachers from nursery schools in Ida-Viru County will be presenting the teaching materials they have produced at the Tuhkatriinu nursery school in Kohtla-Järve on 26 and 27 March.
 
For further information please contact: Svetlana Belova, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9028/ E-mail: svetlana.belova@meis.ee.
 
 
Training on integrated subject and language studies
 
The second part of a three-session training course will be held in Rakvere on 27 and 28 March for teachers of Estonian-language subjects from schools with Russian as the language of instruction. The training groups comprise teachers of up to three different subjects, with a total of up to 60 participants. The course will have a duration of 80 hours, of which 48 will form seminar-based work. The working language of the course is Estonian. The training is being organised by Koolituse Korralduskeskus.
The topics covered will include subject didactics, implementing active study methods in subject studies and in the teaching of language for a specific subject, and integrated subject and language studies.
 
For further information please contact: Maire Kebbinau, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9847 / E-mail: maire.kebbinau@meis.ee.
 
 
Training commences for teachers from vocational education institutions
 
The Integration Foundation has launched a partnership with BDA Consulting to produce a 4 CP in-service training programme for teachers from institutions of vocational education, develop training materials and conduct the training courses throughout Estonia. The in-service training is designed to provide participants with knowledge of ways in which subject and language teaching can be brought together, e-studies and the development of language skills, and to prepare them to work in another vocational education institution in another language. The training is being provided for teachers of both vocational and general subjects. Information about registration, training locations and schedules is available from BDA Consulting’s project manager Reilika Paas by e-mailing reilika@bda.ee or telephoning +372 627 4414.
The training is being organised as part of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme financed through the European Social Fund.
 
For further information please contact: Kristina Johannes, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9065 / E-mail: kristina.johannes@meis.ee.
 
 
Exchange programmes for students from vocational schools
 
The Integration Foundation is offering vocational education institutions yet another language learning opportunity, which the schools themselves have been seeking.
As part of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme financed from the European Social Fund, students from institutions of vocational education will be able to take part in a linguistic and cultural exchange programme. Students whose native languages are other than Estonian will have the chance to go to another school as an exchange student to study Estonian and professional language, with students who speak Estonian able to go to other schools as support students. The costs involved will be covered by the Integration Foundation.
In order to take part in the programme, institutions will have to find themselves a partner school in Estonia which offers the same subjects and to which it can send its students. The opportunity can also be provided by schools which are capable of offering an Estonian-language learning environment. The cultural programme forms an important part of this activity – the school which the exchange student attends must think of ways of showcasing Estonian culture and customs in its area.
Applications to take part in the exchange programme can be submitted to the Integration Foundation by vocational education institutions at any time. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that the programme will come to an end at the end of 2010.
 
For further information please contact: Edydt Johanson, Lifelong Learning Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9842 / E-mail: edydt.johanson@meis.ee.
 
 
COMING SOON
For the latest updates see www.meis.ee
 
Procurement competition for preparing students studying to become teachers
 
In early March the Integration Foundation will be launching the procurement competition “Preparation of teacher training students to work with pupils whose native language is a language other than Estonian”. The procurement is designed to enable students studying to become teachers and those already working as teachers to obtain the knowledge they require to work in general education schools and vocational education institutions with languages of instruction other than Estonian. To this end two specialised courses of free subjects will be developed and carried out as pilot courses on the topics of “Developing skills in the language of study in subject lessons” and “Intercultural differences: students with a Russian cultural background”.
The procurement is being launched as part of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme financed through the European Social Fund.
 
For further information please contact: Ave Osman, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9030 / E-mail: ave.osman@meis.ee.
 
 
“Publication of preparatory materials for Estonian-language professional examinations” procurement
 
In March the Integration Foundation will be launching a simplified public tender for the “Publication of preparatory materials for Estonian-language professional examinations” project. The aim of this tender is to produce training materials and glossaries for professional Estonian for sales people, hairdressers and beauticians and chefs and wait staff. The procurement will also include the recording of listening texts for the training materials.
The procurement forms part of the “Preparation of adults with insufficient skills in Estonian for professional examinations” strand of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme.
 
For further information please contact: Merlin Mägi, Lifelong Learning Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9068 / E-mail: merlin.magi@meis.ee.
 
 
“Organisation of preparatory courses for the Constitution and Citizenship Act of the Republic of Estonia examination” procurement
 
In early March the Integration Foundation will be launching a simplified public tender for the “Organisation of preparatory courses for the Constitution and Citizenship Act of the Republic of Estonia examination” project.
 
The procurement is designed to provide free preparatory courses for the Constitution and Citizenship Act of the Republic of Estonia examination for 2000 people with undetermined citizenship or from third countries until the end of 2010.
 
The procurement is being carried out with the financial support of the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals, which was established as part of the general European Union programme “Solidarity and management of migratory flows”. The support of the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals will also see the launch of a procurement in March which is designed to find an organiser or organisers of free Estonian language courses for people with undefined citizenship and citizens of third countries.
 
For further information please contact: Tea Tammistu, Coordinator, Citizens Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9062 / E-mail: tea.tammistu@meis.ee.

Integration Calendar – February 2009

06.06.2018
2009 winter school for language immersion programme trainers
 
The winter school for trainers from the language immersion programme will be held in Rakvere on 5 and 6 February. Led by Inscape Koolitus OÜ, the event is designed to polish the participants’ training skills, provide personal development for them as trainers and plan activities for 2009. 25 people will be attending the winter school.
 
Further information: Made Pandis, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9843 / E-mail: made.pandis@meis.ee
 
 
Language immersion programme action plan 2009-2013
 
The strategy for the language immersion programme until the beginning of 2014 requires coordinated and focused work from all partners. On 9 February the working group will be convening for the third time to put together the action plan for 2009 based on the regional meetings held and proposals made by partners in 2008. The working group is made up of 30 individuals who are connected with the language immersion programme in one way or another. Represented in the working group are the Ministry of Education and Research; local governments; kindergartens and schools who have joined the programme; the association of parents of students in the language immersion programme; immersion programme advisers and trainers; and the Integration Foundation itself. The process of developing the action plan is being led by BDA Consulting OÜ.
 
Further information: Kai Võlli, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9846 / E-mail: kai.volli@meis.ee
 
 
“Intercultural cooperation activities for young people” project competition
 
The aim of this project competition is to foster intercultural dialogue and inter-community contact through youth work activities promoting cooperation between young people from Estonia, elsewhere in the European Union and third countries and those with unspecified citizenship. The organisers are hoping to receive proposals for large-scale and long-term projects which are aimed at the following: joint activities on key topics and in key areas for young people in Estonia with different languages and cultural backgrounds, including those with citizenship of third countries; involvement of young people in youth work; dealing with integration problems among young people; and enabling contact and communication between young people in order to increase awareness of tolerance, broad-mindedness and equal opportunities.
Applications can be submitted by non-profit organisations, youth associations, youth centres, youth work agencies and local governments.
The competition guidelines are available from the Integration Foundation website at www.meis.ee.
The deadline for submission of applications is 10 February 2009.
 
Further information: Silver Pramann, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9033 / E-mail: silver.pramann@meis.ee
 
 
Language Immersion Programme steering committee to convene
 
The steering committee of the Language Immersion Programme will convene on 12 February. They will listen to feedback from researchers at Tallinn University regarding the programme, review what was done in 2008 and clarify the tasks that lie ahead for 2009 – both those arising from the agreement between the Ministry of Education and Research and the Integration Foundation and those which are the responsibility of the programme’s other partners. The aim is to ensure that the programme progresses in 2009 taking into account the future directions of the strategic plan approved in 2008.
 
Further information: Kai Võlli, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9846 / E-mail: kai.volli@meis.ee
 
 
Regional cooperation
 
A regional cooperation seminar to be held in Narva on 13 February will be looking at the experiences of kindergartens, schools and local governments in working together and will also see plans made for further activities within the cooperation network in 2009.
 
Further information: Maire Kebbinau, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9847 / E-mail: maire.kebbinau@meis.ee
 
 
Simplified public tender for Estonian language studies of teachers and directors of educational institutions with Russian as the language of instruction
 
The aim of these language courses is to support the learning of Estonian among the participants, including the Estonian they require in their teaching work.
 
160 school teachers and directors will take part in the courses, with the priority target group being teachers of specific subjects at the secondary level from schools with Russian as the language of instruction. Prior to and after the language courses the language skills levels of the teachers will be assessed. The training courses will be held between March and December 2009.
 
The procurement competition is being organised as part of the ‘Language Studies Development 2007–2010’ programme, a measure of the ‘Lifelong Learning’ priority of the ‘Human Resources Development Plan’ financed by the European Social Fund.
 
The tender competition is open until 16 February.
 
Further information: Natalia Reppo, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9855 / E-mail: natalia.reppo@meis.ee
 
 
Final round of Citizens Day quiz
 
The final competition of the Citizens Day quiz will be held in the House of the Blackheads in Tallinn on 19 February. Being held for the sixth consecutive year, the quiz has become a prestigious test of knowledge among students from general education schools with both Russian and Estonian as the languages of instruction. Its purpose is to improve the students’ knowledge of the constitutional institutions of the Republic of Estonia, human and civil rights, freedoms and duties, and issues associated with the European Union. 1635 students took part in the Internet-based quiz this academic year. Those achieving the best results and the most active schools will be recognised for their efforts.
 
Further information: Toivo Sikk, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9850 / E-mail: toivo.sikk@meis.ee
 
 
Training on integrated subject and language studies
 
The first part of a three-session training course will be held in Rakvere on 27 and 28 February for teachers of Estonian-language subjects from schools with Russian as the language of instruction. The training groups will comprise teachers of up to three different subjects, with a total of up to 60 participants. The training will cover a number of topics, including subject didactics, implementing active study methods in subject studies and teaching the language of a specific subject, and integrated subject and language studies. The course will be conducted by Koolituste Korralduskeskus. The Estonian-language course will have a duration of 80 hours, of which 48 will form seminar-based work.
 
Further information: Maire Kebbinau, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9847 / E-mail: maire.kebbinau@meis.ee
 
 
“Let’s do it together” project competition
 
This competition is designed to increase contact and communication between citizens of the European Union and third countries and to reduce the differences in the participation of citizens of the European Union (including Estonia) and third countries in citizens’ associations and the public sphere.
Joint events, campaigns, discussion forums and other such events will be supported as part of the competition with the involvement of citizens with the involvement of citizens of third countries (including those with unspecified citizenship) and the European Union.
Applications can be submitted by non-profit organisations, foundations and agencies managed by local governments.
The deadline for submission of applications is 3 March 2009.
 
Further information: Iris Järv, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9029 / E-mail: iris.jarv@meis.ee
 
 
Additional courses in Estonian as a second language for tertiary students
The Integration Foundation awaits proposals from institutions of higher education in terms of organising additional training courses in Estonian as a second language for tertiary level students. The aim of organising these studies is to provide students with the chance to develop their general Estonian skills as well as those they need to successfully complete tertiary studies. Bearing this objective in mind, the Integration Foundation is inviting institutions of higher education to submit proposals as to the kind of additional courses that need to be organised and the kind of additional Estonian language materials that need to be produced.
 
More detailed information about the terms and conditions of these proposals will be published on the website www.meis.ee in early February. We would ask that you submit your proposals on the form provided by 5 March to ave.osman@meis.ee.
 
Organisation of additional Estonian language studies is taking place as part of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme financed from the European Social Fund.
 
Further information: Ave Osman, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9030 / E-mail: ave.osman@meis.ee
 
 
Two Steps Closer youth conference
 
On 6 and 7 March the Integration Foundation will be hosting the participation and democracy-themed Two Steps Closer youth conference, financed from the European Social Fund. Young people from all over Estonia between the ages of 14 and 19 are invited to attend the conference, which is being held in Nelijärve. As with the similarly-themed One Step Closer conference held in late 2008, the home language of half of the young people taking part will be Estonian and that of the other half Russian. Together they will undertake team work exercises and make plans for further joint activities. The working language of the conference will be Estonian, providing the Russian-speaking attendees with an excellent opportunity to practise their Estonian in an everyday environment.
 
Further information: Lianne Ristikivi, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9028 / E-mail: lianne.ristikivi@meis.ee
 
 
Deadline for submission of proposals for additional language studies is 31 March
 
The Integration Foundation once more awaits proposals from institutions of vocational education in terms of organising additional language courses. The aim is to ensure that as many vocational education institutions as possible are able to develop their teaching of Estonian in different ways based on the needs of and options open to their students. The format and cost of the teaching have not been prescribed. Some schools may wish to provide bridging courses, others summer schools, while others may prefer to build on their work experience programmes or combine their teaching of professional and language skills. All proposals are welcome. What is important is that they comply with the aims of the programme and the description of the activity. The language studies will be organised in cooperation with experts from the foundation and schools.
 
The deadline for proposals is 31 March 2009. Schools may submit a number of proposals. What is important is to know that the amount indicated in the budget will not be transferred to the school’s budget, but that the Integration Foundation will order the required services itself.
We would ask that proposals be submitted on the form provided (available from www.meis.ee or kutsekeel.ee) and that these be forwarded to us by e-mail by the due date.
 
Organisation of additional Estonian language studies in vocational schools is taking place as part of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme financed from the European Social Fund.
 
Further information: Edydt Johanson, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9842 / E-mail: edydt.johanson@meis.ee
 
 
Work exchanges for officials to develop their professional Estonian language skills
 
The Integration Foundation has entered into a partnership with Mainor Business School to organise 60-hour Estonian language short courses for local government officials and workers from agencies managed by local governments who have insufficient Estonian language skills, as well as two to four-week work exchanges with colleagues from other language environments. The training will commence in February.
 
The aim of the work exchanges is to create a variety of flexible opportunities for these people to learn the national language to the level necessary for them to be able to function in their everyday and professional lives.
 
The courses and exchanges are being organised as part of the ‘Language Studies Development 2007–2010’ programme, a measure of the ‘Lifelong Learning’ priority of the ‘Human Resources Development Plan’ financed by the European Social Fund.
 
Further information: Tea Kotkas, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9061 / E-mail: tea.kotkas@meis.ee
 
 
In-service training for teachers of Estonian as a second language
 
The methodology-based in-service training for teachers of Estonian as a second language from general education schools and vocational education institutions which began in November 2008 is continuing in 2009. The studies are being organised in cycles based on a training schedule, with the Wednesday sessions for the 1st and 2nd training groups taking place in Southern Estonia in February.
 
The February sessions will cover a number of topics, including active learning and communicative language learning methods, opportunities for integrated subject and language learning, ways of creating a supportive language environment and topics related to subject didactics. In partnership with teachers from Tartu’s Annelinna Secondary School, a seminar will be held at which the participants can find out about best practice in Estonian language teaching in schools with Russian as the language of instruction and discuss the role of Estonian language teachers and support for subject teachers in implementing Estonian-language studies with representatives of the Ministry of Education and Research.
 
The training is being organised by the Multicultural Education Centre of the Integration Foundation as part of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme financed from the European Social Fund.
 
Further information: Natalia Reppo, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9855 / E-mail: natalia.reppo@meis.ee
 
 
Training for youth workers
 
The Viljandi Cultural Academy of the University of Tartu recently won an Integration Foundation tender which will see the university carrying out training for current and future youth workers starting from spring.
The aim of this procurement is to increase the youth workers’ competence in intercultural study methods so as to work with young people in multicultural working environments (i.e. people with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds) and facilitate the integration of young people – including those with third-country citizenship – into society both in Estonia and generally within the European Union. The target group will comprise 40 youth workers and 40 youth work students. 40 hours of training are planned as part of the course, which will also include a study trip to another European country.
The training is being financed by the State Chancellery of Estonia and the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals, which was established as part of the general European Union programme ‘Solidarity and management of migratory flows’.
 
For further information please contact: Silver Pramann, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9033 / E-mail: silver.pramann@meis.ee
 
 
Simplified public tender for “Language camp for Estonian youth living outside of Estonia” project
 
In early February the Integration Foundation will be launching a simplified public tender for the “Language camp for Estonian youth living outside of Estonia” project. The aim of the tender is to support the development of Estonian as a language of communication for youth with Estonian origins and to promote Estonia and Estonian culture through language camp exchanges.
Between 2000 and 2003 and between 2005 and 2007 the foundation organised Estonian language and life camps for children and young adults with Estonian roots living in the CSI states, Latvia and Lithuania. Almost 300 young people from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia and Lithuania have attended such camps. Unlike in previous years, the chance to take part in the 2008 language camp was offered to young people with Estonian roots wherever they were living outside of the country.
 
Further information: Kristina Pirgop, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9024 / E-mail: kristina.pirgop@meis.ee
 
 
“Fostering integration of individuals with unspecified citizenship in Estonia” project comes to an end
 
The overall purpose of the project was to increase the number of Estonian citizens among people of unspecified citizenship and those from third countries residing in Estonia for a long period by increasing their awareness of the conditions for acquiring Estonian citizenship and offering them assistance in preparing for the examination that tests their knowledge of the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia and the Citizenship Act.
Comprehensive study programmes and materials for preparatory courses for the examinations were developed as part of the project, and 80 trainers who had the right to conduct courses as part of the project were trained and attested. Between July 2006 and December 2008 more than 4000 people with unspecified citizenship and citizens of third countries took part in the courses.
The “Help for future citizens” study material was also produced, which is designed to assist people to prepare individually for the Constitution and the Citizenship Act examination. The booklet will be available to all applicants for Estonian citizenship free of charge from National Examination and Qualification Centre examination points from the end of January.
The results of the project and a summary thereof are available on the website of the Integration Foundation at http://www.meis.ee/est/sihtasutusest/struktuur/TFSU/index.php?articleID=131.
 
Further information: Tea Tammistu, Coordinator, Citizens Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9062 / E-mail: tea.tammistu@meis.ee
 
 
Changes to the structure and staff of the Integration Foundation
 
The Integration Foundation now has five units instead of the former six. The language immersion centre and educational programmes centre have been merged to form one unit – the multicultural education centre, led by Ulvi Müürsepp.
Starting from January the culture and youth work unit is being led by Silver Pramann, and the citizens education unit is being led by Külli Vollmer.
 
Further information: www.meis.ee (contact section)

Integration Calendar – January 2009

06.06.2018
Starting from 2009 people who have studied Estonian can apply for a refund
In January 2009 a new activity “Refunding Estonian Language Learning Fees” financed under the European Social Fund’s “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” program will be implemented. It means that every person who does not apply for citizenship or has not been sent to the language examination by the Language Inspectorate can apply for the refund of language studies fees.
To get a refund, the person must have taken language courses in an institution granted with an education licence and must have passed the Estonian language proficiency examination at A2, B1, B2 or C1 level as set in the Common European Framework of References for Languages. The tuition fee paid for learning Estonian will be refunded to each person in the maximum amount of 6,000 kroons per proficiency examination passed with positive results.
In order to apply for a refund one has to submit an application form with documents proving the payment of tuition fees to the National Examination and Qualification Centre for verification. Next the application and expense receipts will be forwarded to the Integration Foundation and it will pay the refund to the applicant’s bank account.
Further information on refund terms and conditions will soon be available on the websites of the Integration Foundation at www.meis.ee and the National Examination and Qualification Centre at www.ekk.edu.ee.
 
For further information please contact: Merlin Mägi, Lifelong Learning Unit
 
Professional language learning kits for vocational schools under way
The Integration Foundation has closed a public service contract with Pro Lab Group OÜ for compiling professional language learning kits for vocational educational institutions.
The object of the contract is to develop professional Estonian language learning kits for non-Estonian students of vocational educational institutions who will qualify as electricians or pastry chefs. The study kits will advance the students’ professional language proficiency and will support vocational schools graduates whose native language is not Estonian in taking their professional examination in Estonian and finding a job in an Estonian-speaking environment.
There will be a video (study videos for learning professional language), plus an electronic part (interactive textbook and workbook) as well as printed materials (textbook and workbook) and an electronic teacher’s book complied for every learning kit.
The learning kits will be ready by December 2010 and are designed to be used in the classes of Estonian as a second language and/or in the classes of professional Estonian language to teach electricians and pastry chefs.
 
For further information please contact: Reet Kallo, Lifelong Learning Unit
 
New training events for vocational school teachers
The Integration Foundation launched a cooperation project with the BDA Consulting LLC to draw up a 4 CP in-service training program for vocational schools teachers, compile study materials and arrange countrywide training courses. The aim of the training is to inform the participants of the possibilities of connecting professional studies with language learning, e-learning, development of language skills and to prepare teachers for traineeship in the vocational educational institution where the language of instruction is different from their own school.
The training events are meant for professional subject teachers as well as for general subject teachers and are scheduled to commence in February 2009.
 
For further information please contact: Kristina Johannes, Lifelong Learning Unit
 
 
The 3-session training for teachers who teach in another language to start soon
There will be a briefing held on 20 January in Tallinn that will give an overview of integrated subject and language teaching, present the good practice of learning in Estonian based on the example of the Language Immersion Program and introduce the principles of advising to support teachers’ professional development. The briefing will be an introduction to the 3-session training of teachers who teach in another language.
 
For further information please contact: Maire Kebbinau, Multicultural Education Unit
 
Estonian language learning kit to nursery schools almost finished
The national curriculum of preschool child care institutions establishes that every child whose domestic language is not Estonian should learn it starting from the age of three. The Integration Foundation has arranged for the Estonian language learning kit to be compiled to support non-Estonian preschool child care institutions in organising the Estonian language studies for children aged from 3 to 7. The Estonian language learning kit includes 4 CDs with children’s song recordings in Estonian, series of pictures to illustrate the songs and a teacher’s book. The project is funded by the Ministry of Education and Research.
The Estonian language learning kit will reach non-Estonian nursery schools and kindergartens in the autumn of 2009.
For further information please contact: Ave Härsing, Multicultural Education Unit

Language Immersion Program to develop further
The advisors of teachers will meet in Tallinn from 15 to 16 January. The agenda will focus on the tasks arising from the advisory activities concept of the Language Immersion Program and on planning activities for 2009. The DISC training that was first provided in the summer of 2008 will continue. The training will be delivered by Avatud Meele Instituut and Inscape.

 
For further information please contact: Made Pandis, Multicultural Education Unit
 
On 6 January the Multicultural Education Unit and the Narva College of the University of Tartu will organise an event for sharing experiences in language immersion. Presentations will be given by the representatives of stakeholders and there will be workshops held on how to support learners, increase performance and promote cooperation.
 
For further information please contact: Maire Kebbinau, Multicultural Education Unit
 
From 9 to 10 January there will be a seminar held in Tallinn for the educators of early language immersion program in nursery schools to summarise the activities in 2008, discuss the training needs in 2009 and plan measures to support nursery school teachers. The seminar will be attended by 12 educators from Tallinn, Jõhvi, Sillamäe, Kohtla-Järve and Narva.
 
For further information please contact: Svetlana Belova, Multicultural Education Unit
 
New training courses for youth workers who work in multicultural environment
The training aims at improving the skills of existing and future youth workers on the methods of intercultural learning, on how to work with young people in a multicultural working environment (that includes people of different linguistic and cultural backgrounds) and foster the integration of young people – including people from third countries and without citizenship – to European and Estonian society. The target group consists of 40 youth workers and 40 youth work students. The training will comprise 40 hours of studies and a field trip to a European country.
The training will be provided by University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy.
The project is funded by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-country Nationals that was established under the European Union’s framework programme “Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows” and by the State Chancellery.
 
For further information please contact: Silver Pramann, Culture and Youth Work Unit
 
“The Future City game” in Lasnamäe District
On 16 and 17 January the Future City game that is supported by the European Social Fund and the Ministry of Education and Research will take place in the Lasnamäe District. The method was developed by the British Council and is designed to involve local residents in the development of local community. Young people whose native languages may be different will seek feasible solutions to current social issues with the town officials.
 
For further information please contact: Lianne Ristikivi, Culture and Youth Work Unit
 
 
COMPETITIONS
Simplified open tender for “Activities in support of the professional Estonian language learning and traineeship in the Estonian language working environment”
The aim of the procurement is to prepare the students who are trained to work as shop assistants, hairdressers, beauticians, chefs or waiters and waitresses as well as adults working in these specialities to take their Level 1 language proficiency examination in Estonian. For this purpose, the tenderer has to arrange the courses of professional Estonian language lasting for 120 academic hours and support the learners’ traineeship in Estonian-speaking working environment.
The training events will take place in Tallinn, Jõhvi and Narva from September 2009 to November 2010.
The tender competition is arranged under the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” program (financed by the European Social Fund under the “Lifelong learning” priority axes of the “Operational Programme for Human Resources Development”; “Language Studies Development” action line).
 
The tender competition is open until 2 February 2009.
 
For further information please contact: Merlin Mägi, Lifelong Learning Unit
Simplified open tender for “Developing and piloting an adaptation program for adult third-country nationals”
The object of the procurement is to develop and pilot an adaptation program for third-country nationals so they integrate in Estonian society better. The procurement will be carried out by financial support provided by the European Fund for the Integration of Third-country Nationals that was established under the European Union’s framework programme “Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows.”
So far the activities that focused on the integration of third-country national were not coordinated centrally and tended to be project-based. In the coming years there will be measures developed and implemented to foster the more successful adaptation of third-country nationals.
 
The competition for submitting tenders for the development of the adaptation program is open until 26 January 2009.
 
For further information please contact: Riina Ring, Lifelong Learning Unit

New call for proposals for the organisation of additional Estonian language studies in vocational educational institutions
Vocational schools are invited to submit their proposals for the organisation of additional Estonian language studies to their students in the frames of “The Organisation of Additional Estonian Language Studies for Students Whose Native language Is Not Estonian” program. The aim is to ensure that as many vocational schools as possible can promote the learning of Estonian in different ways by particularly taking into account their students’ needs and possibilities. The study forms and costs are not pre-defined. Some schools might be more interested in preparatory courses, some in summer schools, some might want to improve their traineeship programs or integrate professional studies with language studies. All proposals are welcome!

Deadlines for proposals are 2 February and 31 March 2009.
 
One school can submit several proposals. It should be noted, however, that the sums specified in the budget are not to be paid to the school’s bank account – the Integration Foundation will order all necessary services instead.
Cooperation proposals should be submitted on a required form and forwarded to the Integration Foundation by e-mail by the specified time. Please find the proposal form and the description of the program activity at www.kutsekeel.ee.
 
For further information please contact: Edydt Johanson, Lifelong Learning Unit
 
 
Estonian language camp project competition
The project competition for the organisation of the 2009 language camps is still open. It is the first part of the two-part competition financed by the State Chancellery. The second part will be launched in spring 2009 along with the project competition for the organisation of family studies. Organisations who arrange youth camp exchanges and project camps are being invited to take part in the competition. Organisations supported in the first round will not be able to take part in the second round of applying (in spring 2009). Therefore programme-based projects that enable camp activities to be conducted all year around will be preferred.
The competition guidelines are available at the Integration Foundation’s website www.meis.ee.
 
Deadline for project applications is 28 January 2009.
 
For further information please contact: Lianne Ristikivi, Culture and Youth Work Unit
 
 
Project competition for “Activities promoting intercultural cooperation between young people”
The aim of the project competition is to support intercultural dialogue and inter-community contacts through youth work activities, which promote mutual cooperation between young people from Estonia, the European Union, third countries and of undefined citizenship. We are particularly interested in large-scale and long-term projects that focus on the cooperation and joint activities of young people from Estonia and of different native languages as well as cultural background, including young people with third country citizenships; target issues and areas that matter to the young; involve young people in youth work; deal with integration problems among the young and promote contacts and communication between young people in order to increase their tolerance and their awareness of equal opportunities.
We expect applications from NPOs, youth groups, youth centres, youth work organisations and local governments.
The competition guidelines are available at the Integration Foundation’s website www.meis.ee.
 
Deadline for project applications is 9 February 2009.
 
For further information please contact: Silver Pramann, Culture and Youth Work Unit

Integration Calendar – December 2008

06.06.2018
Results of “Integration Monitoring 2008” study presented on 10 November
 
Sociologists from Tallinn University and the University of Tartu carried out monitoring of integration processes in April 2008 at the behest of the Office of the Minister of Population Affairs and the Integration Foundation in order to ascertain the attitudes of people of different national backgrounds and the changes that have taken place in their attitudes towards integration. The results of the monitoring have been published on the website of the Office of the Minister of Population Affairs at
 
Summaries of the results are available in Estonian and Russian at the following links:
 
For further information please contact: Tea Tammistu, Citizens Education Unit
 
New professional Estonian language teaching materials to be produced
The Integration Foundation has launched cooperation with the Institute of Estonian Language and Culture of Tallinn University to produce professional Estonian language training materials, glossaries and training programmes. The materials will help adults who do not have a sufficient grasp of Estonian to prepare for Level I professional exams held in the language.
A total of three sets of training materials, glossaries and training programmes for five professions will be developed as part of the project, covering sales assistants, hairdressers, beauticians, chefs and wait staff.
The chief author of the training materials is Mare Kitsnik, while the group of co-authors includes professional subject teachers from vocational schools. An expert from each field will be involved in the production of each set of materials, taking part in the compilation of the glossaries, giving advice on the selection of texts and tasks and editing the material.
The training materials are due to be completed by May 2009. Training for Level I professional examinations in Estonian will commence in autumn 2009.
For further information please contact: Merlin Mägi, Lifelong Learning Unit
 
 
Advisors to support teachers from schools with Russian as the language of instruction in launching Estonian-language studies
 
A monitoring and advisory system for Estonian-language secondary school studies is to be launched through four regional advisory centres (in Tartu, Narva, Kohtla-Järve and Tallinn). The pilot project will run from November 2008 to the end of May 2009.
 
At the opening of the centres in early December the monitoring and advisory system will be introduced along with the work of the centres, the regional advisors and the book Lõimitud aine- ja keeleõpe /Integrated Subject and Language Studies/. Publication of the Estonian-language book was supported by the European Social Fund, the Integration Foundation and the Ministry of Education and Research.
 
A special ceremony will be held to mark the opening of the Tallinn and Harju County regional advisory centre on 10 December. The work of the centre will be coordinated by the Language Immersion Centre of the Integration Foundation.
 
For further information please contact: Kai Võlli, Language Immersion Centre
 
 
Language immersion programme teachers learn new skills
 
The 4th session of the 80-hour language immersion methodology training course for subject teachers at the 2nd and 3rd stages of study will be held in Toila on 3 and 4 December. Providing the training will be Ane Kloren, Maire Kebbinau, Anna Sele and Liina Norit from the Language Immersion Centre of the Integration Foundation.
 
A training course for kindergarten teachers titled “Reading together and working with books in language immersion groups” will be held in Jõhvi on 4 and 5 December. The course will be led by Angelika Lall, Hedi Minlibajeva and Nonna Meltsas.
 
The “Parent-teacher meetings with parents of language immersion group pupils” training course will be held in Jõhvi on 6 December. The course will be given by Hedi Minlibajeva and Nonna Meltsas.
 
Training on supportive immediate feedback – the 5-minute review method is coming to an end: both the Tallinn and Narva training groups will complete their courses in December.

On 15 and 16 December language immersion teachers will be developing their skills in producing teaching materials. They will also be examining the principles behind producing lesson plans. The materials produced by the teachers will be made available on the website of the Language Immersion Centre.

For further information please contact: Made Pandis and Svetlana Belova, Language Immersion Centre

 
Youth group members come together in Tallinn
 
The “One Step Closer” conference will be held in Tallinn on 5 and 6 December for members of regional youth groups. A range of organisations will be promoting their inclusion activities at the two-day event, which will feature of variety of interesting activities designed for young people. Members of youth groups will also have the chance to get to know one another.
 
Attendees will be issued with the Estonian National Youth Council’s Inclusion Anthology, reprinted with the support of the European Social Fund.
 
The event is being held as part of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme.
 
For further information please contact: Lianne Ristikivi, Culture and Youth Work Unit
 
 
COMPETITIONS
 
Simplified public tender for “Additional training for youth workers in a multicultural environment”
 
The aim of this procurement is to provide basic competence in intercultural study methods to youth workers who work with young people in multicultural working environments (i.e. people with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds) so as to facilitate the integration of young people – including those with third-country citizenship – into society and increase intercultural contact and trust between young people. The tender will result in the organisation of additional training designed to improve competence related to intercultural studies and a study trip for 40 youth workers and 40 youth work students (a total of 4 groups).
 
The procurement is being financed through the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals.
 
The tender competition is open until 17 December.
 
The guidelines for the competition are available by e-mailing the project manager at silver.pramann@meis.ee.
For further information please contact: Silver Pramann, Culture and Youth Work Unit
 
 
Estonian language camp project competition
 
The project competition for the organisation of the 2009 language camps will be launched in December. This round of applications will form the first part of a two-part competition. The second part will be launched in spring 2009 along with the project competition for the organisation of family studies. Organisations who arrange youth camp exchanges and project camps are being invited to take part in the competition. Programme-based projects as part of which camp activities can be conducted all year round will be preferred. Organisations supported in the first round will not be able to take part in the second round (in spring 2009).
 
The competition is being financed by the State Chancellery.
 
The competition guidelines will be available from the Integration Foundation website or from the project manager at lianne.ristikivi@meis.ee once the competition has been launched.
 
For further information please contact: Lianne Ristikivi, Culture and Youth Work Unit
 
 
“Open competition” project competition
 
A competition will be launched in December which is designed to ensure that all of Estonia’s citizens, regardless of their nationality or native language, are able to participate in the social life and politics of the country equally, as prescribed in legislation; to involve third-country citizens residing in Estonia more in the activities of civic associations; and to inform them of what is going on in society in the European Union, including Estonia.
 
Activities which contribute to an increase in tolerance and the raising of awareness will be supported as part of the competition: joint events, campaigns, discussion forums et al for third-country citizens with the involvement of citizens of the European Union, primarily Estonia.
 
The competition is being financed from the state budget and through the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals.
 
For further information please contact: Iris Järv, Culture and Youth Work Unit
 
Project competition in support of activities promoting cooperation between Estonian and Russian-speaking young people
This competition supporting activities that get Estonian and Russian-speaking young people working together in youth groups, youth centres, youth work institutions and local governments will be launched in December.
 
The competition is being financed from the state budget and through the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals.
 
The competition guidelines will be available from the Integration Foundation website at www.meis.ee or from the project manager at silver.pramann@meis.ee once the competition has been launched.
 
For further information please contact: Silver Pramann, Culture and Youth Work Unit

Integration Calendar – November 2008

06.06.2018

NEWS

219 organisations (17 umbrella organisations with 202 member associations) successfully complete national minority culture society evaluation and can apply for activity support for 2009

An evaluation committee working with the Office of the Minister for Population and Ethnic Affairs has assessed the umbrella organisations of national minority culture societies and their member associations in accordance with the directive of the Secretary of State of 23 September 2008 entitled ‘Base financing of the umbrella organisations of national minority culture societies and their members’. 288 associations operating under 20 umbrella organisations were registered for evaluation.

The aim of the evaluation was to find cooperation partners for the state among representatives of different nationalities operating under the auspices of umbrella organisations in order to promote cultural diversity, support national culture societies in preserving and promoting their cultural heritage, develop cooperation between Estonia’s cultural societies and improve the flow of information between members of umbrella organisations.

The umbrella organisations who successfully completed the evaluation now have the right to obtain activity support for 2009 through the round of applications for the base financing of national minority culture societies which will be launched by the Integration Foundation at the end of October. Information about the application round will be posted on the website.

For further information please contact:
Iris Järv, Culture and Youth Work Unit

 

In-service training opportunities for national minority Sunday school teachers

The Centre for Educational Programmes of the Integration Foundation is launching a training course for teachers from national minority Sunday schools entitled ‘Teaching in a dialogue between yourself and a child’ in association with the in-service training centre of Tallinn University’s Open University. On the course the teachers will be able to build on their pedagogical and language teaching knowledge, develop their skills in organising linguistic and cultural cooperation and prepare themselves to work with children of different ages and those with special educational needs. The course will run for a total of 120 hours, with the first session being held on 26 and 27 November.

In November the Centre for Educational Programmes of the Integration Foundation is organising a culture and study trip to Hiiumaa for teachers from national minority culture society Sunday schools. They will see the sights of the island and learn about the culture of its people. A training session on psychological drama will also be held as part of the trip.

For further information please contact:

Zoja Tint, Centre for Educational Programmes

 

Integration Foundation provides 650,000 kroons for promotion of national minority languages and cultures

The national culture society project competition came to an end in October. 51 projects were submitted which were designed to raise awareness of the activities of national minority culture societies and/or promote cooperation between societies. Support was designated to 22 of the projects.

As part of one of the projects to be funded, the Ukrainian Cultural Centre’s “Promoting Ukrainian Culture IV”, an exhibition of icons and toys from the country will be organised in Tallinn and master classes held in traditional Ukrainian ceramics, including toys and toy instruments.

The “Ukrainian folk songs in Estonia and for Estonians” project of the folklore ensemble Žurba will highlight the similarities between Estonian and Ukrainian folk music and see the presentation of both Ukrainian folk songs in Estonian and Estonian folk songs in Ukrainian.

The competition was financed by the State Chancellery. The projects will be carried out until June 2009.

For further information please contact:

Kristina Pirgop, Culture and Youth Work Unit

 

Russian-language schools to receive additional Estonian literature materials for secondary students

Secondary schools with Russian as the language of instruction are set to receive additional materials for the teaching of Estonian literature this November in the form of ‘Contemporary Estonian literature: a collection of worksheets for secondary students’. The collection contains extracts from the work of young Estonian authors published between 2000 and 2007 and accompanying exercises. The texts were selected and the tasks compiled by Leili Sägi from the Russian Secondary School in Pärnu, Diana Joassoone from Annelinna Secondary School in Tartu, Annelii Juhkama from the Tallinn High School of Humanities and Natali Happonen from the Vocational Education Centre in Tartu. The teaching materials provide an overview of the diversity of modern Estonian literature, enabling students to improve their functional reading skills and skills in Estonian by working with literary texts.

For further information please contact:

Ulvi Müürsepp, Centre for Educational Programmes

 

Language immersion programme teachers learn new methodology skills

November will see the continuation of Russian-language methodology training for subject teachers (20–21.11), basic immersion methodology training for class teachers (12–13.11) and advanced methodology training for class teachers from schools which joined the language immersion programme in 2000 (25–26.11). The Tallinn and Ida-Viru County groups will also continue their training on immediate feedback (the ‘5-minute observation’).

For further information please contact:

Made Pandis, Language Immersion Centre

 

Matters related to the way in which parent–teacher meetings are conducted (the structure of such meetings, the role of the immersion teacher as group teacher, et al) will be discussed and the different plans for child–teacher meetings will be analysed as part of ‘Parent–teacher meetings’, the November training course for kindergarten teachers. The course will be held in Tallinn on 12 November and in Jõhvi on 14 November and presented by trainers from the Language Immersion Centre.

For further information please contact:

Svetlana Belova, Language Immersion Centre

 

Language immersion kindergarten and school teachers to witness Welsh immersion programme at work

From 2 to 7 November a group of language immersion kindergarten and school teachers, parents and Language Immersion Centre workers will be on a study trip in Cardiff, Wales, to find out more about Welsh language policy and the Welsh-language immersion programme. They will meet students, teachers, education officials and parents.

For further information please contact:

Svetlana Belova, Language Immersion Centre

 

Training of language immersion programme advisors reaches final stages

Everyone who completes the second stage of training for language immersion programme advisors will be issued with a certificate of graduation. In the course of the training, those taking part introduced practice exercises in their kindergartens and schools. The action plan for the launch of the counselling system and a description of the role of the advisor are being developed in parallel with the training, under the guidance of the Open Mind Institute. The advisory concept of the language immersion programme is also being refined.

Regional information days for schools and kindergartens will be held prior to the launch of the counselling system.

For further information please contact:

Made Pandis, Language Immersion Centre

 

Language immersion programme strategy 2008–2013 almost complete

The language immersion programme strategy 2009–2013 is nearing completion in the Language Immersion Centre. Development of the strategy has involved the programme’s steering committee, the heads of the educational institutes that have joined the programme, employees of the Language Immersion Centre, experts on the language immersion programme and representatives of local governments.

The general strategy – that language immersion should be widespread in Estonia as a high-quality programme bringing language and other subject studies together – will be broken down into five more specific strategic objectives.

Regional meetings will be held to perfect the wording of the strategy and finalise the responsibilities of the local governments and agencies involved in the programme in implementing the strategy.

 

For further information please contact:

Marju Randlepp, Language Immersion Centre

 

Courses in Estonian as a second language set to begin for tertiary students

The Integration Foundation has launched cooperation with the Estonian Aviation Academy, the Estonian Maritime Academy and the Estonian Public Service Academy to organise additional Estonian language courses for their students who speak Russian as a mother tongue. The courses are designed to help the students develop the professional Estonian skills they will need in the workforce.

Preparations are currently being made for the courses in association with the Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tallinn University, Tallinn University of Technology and the Virumaa College of Tallinn University of Technology, the Estonian Academy of Arts, the University of Tartu and the Narva College of the University of Tartu and Tallinn Health College.

The courses are being organised as part of the ‘Language Studies Development 2007–2010’ programme, a measure of the ‘Lifelong Learning’ priority of the ‘Human Resources Development Plan’ financed by the European Social Fund.

For further information please contact:

Ave Osman, Lifelong Learning Unit

 

Three youth events scheduled for the next six weeks

A youth conference entitled ‘Are you ready?’ will be held in Viinistu on 31 October and 1 November. 100 young people of different nationalities are expected to attend the event. There will be a general discussion on democracy and the values it entails, as well as workshops looking at the state of youth today and issues that are important to young people: education, the future, relationships, health and addictions and making the world a better place.

The City of the Future game will be played in Pärnu on 12 and 13 November. Students from schools with Estonian and Russian as the languages of instruction will work with officials to find solutions to key social problems. The way in which the game works was developed by the British Council in order to involve residents in community development work.

An inclusion-themed seminar is due to be held in Tallinn on 5 and 6 December for members of regional youth groups. A range of organisations and institutions will be promoting their inclusion activities at the event, during which attendees will be issued with the Estonian National Youth Council’s Inclusion Anthology, reprinted with the support of the European Social Fund.

All three of these events are being organised as part of the ‘Language Studies Development 2007–2010’ programme, a measure of the ‘Lifelong Learning’ priority of the ‘Human Resources Development Plan’ financed by the European Social Fund.

For further information please contact:

Lianne Ristikivi, Culture and Youth Work Unit

 

6700 Estonian-language and 2000 Russian-language Citizen’s Handbooks issued in September

The fourth print-run of the new edition of the handbook was primarily distributed to general education schools, but also to vocational schools and libraries. The Citizen’s Handbook provides updated information about how the state is run and dealing with state agencies. New topics have also been included in the latest edition, and links are provided to institutions and organisations from which more information can be obtained if required. A significant addition compared to previous publications is a list of key terms, which makes using the handbook much easier.

Publication of the new edition was funded by the Ministry of the Interior and its distribution supported by the Ministry of Education and Research. The book was published by the Integration Foundation.

For further information please contact:

Tea Tammistu, Citizens Education Unit

 

PROCUREMENTS AND COMPETITIONS

Simplified public tender for the development of professional language subject programmes

The ‘Development of subject programmes for professional language’ tender will see the production of programmes for computer servicing, automatics, car mechanics, electricians and electrical equipment, the organisation of transport, general construction, construction finishing, bakers and confectioners, environmental technology locksmiths and metal industry workers. Each programme will comprise a description of the professional language skill requirements, a list of the minimum required vocabulary and expressions, the study programme and the evaluation guidelines forming the basis for the targeted teaching of the professional language.

The professional language subject programmes will be of support to teachers of Estonian as a second language from vocational education institutions in the effective teaching of professional language so that graduates are able to pass vocational examinations in Estonian and take up work in an Estonian-language environment.

The programmes are being developed as part of the ‘Language Studies Development 2007–2010’ programme, a measure of the ‘Lifelong Learning’ priority of the ‘Human Resources Development Plan’ financed by the European Social Fund.

The procurement competition is open until 17 November.

For further information please contact:

Reet Kallo, Lifelong Learning Unit

 

Simplified public tender for worker exchanges designed to increase Estonian skills

The aim of this procurement is to create a variety of flexible opportunities for adults with mother tongues other than the national language to learn Estonian to the level necessary for them to be able to cope in their everyday and professional lives.

With the support of the European Social Fund, short Estonian language courses will be held for teachers, police officials, medical workers, prison officers, library workers and public servants who speak languages other than Estonian as well as worker exchanges with colleagues from Estonian-language environments.

The procurement competition is being organised as part of the ‘Language Studies Development 2007–2010’ programme, a measure of the ‘Lifelong Learning’ priority of the ‘Human Resources Development Plan’ financed by the European Social Fund.

The competition is open until 10 November.

 

For further information about the competition see.

For further information please contact:

Tea Kotkas, Lifelong Learning Unit

 

Estonian language camp project competition

The project competition for 2009 language camps will be launched in November. Organisations who arrange youth camp exchanges and project camps are invited to take part in the competition. Programme-based projects as part of which camp activities can be conducted all year round will be preferred.

The procurement represents the first part of a two-part competition. The second part will be launched in spring. Organisations which are supported in the first round will not be able to take part in the second round (in spring 2009). A project competition for the organisation of family studies will also be launched in spring.

The competition guidelines will be available from the Integration Foundation website or from the project manager lianne.ristikivi (at) meis.ee once the competition has been launched.

For further information please contact:

Lianne Ristikivi, Culture and Youth Work Unit

Integration Calendar - October 2008

06.06.2018
Integration Foundation introduces new language development programme
 
The Integration Foundation introduced a new language studies development programme at its information day in Tallinn on 17 September.
 
The “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme was established on the basis of the “National Strategy for the Use of Structural Resources 2007-2013” and the related “Human Resources Development Plan” for the implementation of “Language Studies Development”, a priority of the “Lifelong Learning” measure. The programme is being financed by the European Social Fund.
 
In association with the Ministry of Education and Research the Integration Foundation will be creating additional opportunities through 12 different activities for a range of target groups to learn Estonian.
 
The target groups of the Language Studies Development programme are students aged 14 and older whose native language is a language other than Estonian; educators and officials who work with these students whose native language is a language other than Estonian; and working people whose level of Estonian is not sufficient.
 
With the support of the European Social Fund additional Estonian language studies will be organised in institutions of higher education and vocational education institutions for students and for police officials, rescue workers, prison officials, medical workers and other public sector employees through work exchanges.
 
Educators can study Estonian on courses and individually with a mentor, while young people can do so through joint activities.
 
The programme will contribute to the development of an integrated professional and language studies system, to preparing participants for Estonian-language professional exams and to creating professional language learning materials for vocational schools.
 
For further information please contact:
 
Eduard Odinets
Programme Director
Lifelong Learning Unit
 
 
Training for adult informal education training institutions
 
As part of the European Social Fund programme “Language Studies Development 2007-2010”, the Integration Foundation has launched cooperation with the non-profit organisation Kodanikukoolitus ja Koolituse Korralduskeskus OÜ to organise in-service training in the fields of multiculturalism, language learning and integrated language and professional studies for training institutions offering informal education training or enabling hobby education.
 
The training will take place between November 2008 and October 2009.
 
The in-service training will broaden participants’ knowledge and skills base, enabling them to manage better with the teaching of people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
 
For further information please contact:
Riina Ring
Project Manager
Lifelong Learning Unit
 
 
Courses in Estonian as a second language for students
 
The Integration Foundation has launched cooperation with eleven institutions of higher education to organise additional training courses in Estonian as a second language for tertiary level students. The aim of these additional studies is, with the support of the European Social Fund, to help those students whose native language is a language other than Estonian to develop their everyday communication and the skills in Estonian that they need for studying at the higher education level.
 
For further information please contact:
Ave Osman
Project Manager
Lifelong Learning Unit
 
 
“In-Service Training of Educators for the Development of Teaching in Estonian in Non-Estonian Vocational Schools” open procurement competition
 
The competition to find a trainer for the organisation of in-service training for educators from vocational schools is open until 10 October.
 
One of the aims of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme funded by the European Social Fund is to develop the Estonian language and subject and language teaching integration skills of professional and general subject teachers from vocational education institutions, as well as to prepare the teachers for service in another institution of vocational education.
 
As part of the programme 40 vocational teachers will receive in-service training on the opportunities of developing professional and language teaching and the use of e-studies in the implementation of professional teaching and knowledge of the development of language skills.
 
The aim of the work placement part of the training course is to offer 100 professional and general subject teachers the chance to teach their subject in Estonian. Teachers with Russian or another language as their native language will teach their subjects in a study group with Estonian as the language of instruction, and at the same time Estonian-speaking teachers from Estonian-language study groups will give lessons in Estonian in Russian-language study groups.
 
The emphasis in the training will be placed on teaching in multicultural study groups.
 
The procurement competition is being carried out for the implementation of the “Language Studies Development” measure of the “Lifelong Learning” priority area of the “Human Resources Development Plan”.
 
Information about the competition is available online at http://www.meis.ee/est/konkursid/index.php?newsID=1647&show=events.
 
For further information please contact:
Maria Ratassepp
Project Manager
Lifelong Learning Unit
 
 
“Issuance of professional language study sets for vocational education institutions” open procurement competition
 
The aim of this procurement is to improve the abilities of graduates of vocational education institutions whose native languages are languages other than Estonian to pass their professional examinations in Estonian and to take up work in an Estonian-language environment. In order to achieve this professional language study sets for electricians and bakers/confectioners will be developed for vocational students with native languages other than Estonian. The study sets will develop the students’ professional communication skills and will conform to the principles of the European language learning framework document.
 
Each study set will represent an 80-hour professional language course enabling students to obtain professional language level A2. The sets will be made up of four parts:
1) video (study videos for learning professional communication);
2) electronic (interactive textbook and workbook);
3) paper (textbook and workbook); and
4) electronic teacher’s guidelines.
 
The study sets will look at the relevant professional examinations, the requirements of them and work instruction vocabulary. They will also examine the modules of the curriculum. They will encourage students to discuss subjects related to motivation for language learning, self-realisation and attitude to life. With the help of the study sets the students will be prepared for professional work experience.
 
The study sets are designed for use in lessons of Estonian as a second language and/or Estonian as a professional language for electricians and bakers/confectioners.
 
The procurement competition is open until 14 October.
The terms and conditions of the competition are available online at http://www.meis.ee/est/konkursid/index.php?newsID=1651&show=events.
 
For further information please contact:
 
Reet Kallo
Project Manager
Lifelong Learning Unit
 
 
Publication and DVD completed promoting a multicultural Estonia
 
The Centre for Educational Programmes of the Integration Foundation has presented two sets of teaching material designed for basic schools:
 
1) The “Nationalities in Estonia: Uzbeks” publication. Authors Zulfia Nurmanova, Lola Sahhibnazarova and Ita Serman provide an overview of Uzbeks, their ancestral homeland, traditions, authors, artists, composers and Uzbeks in Estonia and around the world.
Three booklets have already been published in the “Nationalities in Estonia” series, featuring Lithuanians, Kazaks and Russians.
 
2) The “Ethnomosaic IV” DVD. This episode of the series of television programmes provides an overview of Polish, Korean, Mordvan, Dagestani and Bulgarian customs, traditions and more. The DVD was produced by Jevgenia Haponen. 9 films were released as part of “Ethnomosaic I”, 6 films as part of “Ethnomosaic II” and 5 films as part of “Ethnomosaic III”.
 
Centre for Educational Programmes director Ulvi Müürsepp says that the DVD is an additional teaching resource which can be used in social studies and history lessons, adding that both series provide a good overview of the different nationalities living in Estonia.
 
The publication of both resources was supported by the Ministry of Education and Research. They will be sent to all schools.
 
Zoja Tint
Project Manager
Centre for Educational Programmes
 
 
Joint activities of Estonian and Russian-speaking youth
 
A range of joint activities of young speakers of Estonian and Russian will be taking place in October, organised by the Integration Foundation with the support of the European Social Fund.
In cooperation with the British Council, the City of the Future game will be held in Narva in October and in Pärnu in November. Taking part will be Estonian and Russian-speaking youth and city officials. They will be identifying areas that need development in the cities and offering solutions for the future. The best solution will be chosen as part of the game, having received the input of city officials and specialists. Young people can take part in the decision-making process and have a say on issues affecting youth.
The “Are You Ready?” youth seminar will be held in Viinistu from 31 October to 1 November and is expected to be attended by up to 100 young Estonian and Russian-speaking people. The central theme of the seminar will be democracy. Presentations and workshops will allow the attendees to have their say in interpreting democracy, understand the nature of democratic values and take part in a democratic working process.
 
A seminar will be held within the framework of extracurricular language learning on 28 October for those carrying out 2008 language camp projects, those taking part in project competitions, potential 2009 project applicants and Estonian and Russian-language youth who attended language camps and family studies in 2008. In association with Luguteater the terms and conditions of the extracurricular language learning project competition will be reviewed, summertime activities will be analysed and proposals will be drawn up for the Estonian language studies of young Russian-speaking people outside of general education schools.
 
For further information please contact:
Lianne Ristikivi
Project Manager
Culture and Youth Work Unit
 
“Estonian and Russian language in-service training courses for youth workers” open procurement competition to be launched in October
 
The aim of the procurement is to provide youth workers whose native language is a language other than Estonian with the chance to improve the Estonian language skills they need for youth work. In-service training in Russian will be organised for youth workers whose native language is Estonian in order for them to be able to advise youth in Russian. The target group will comprise 40 youth workers. In-service training of 60 academic hours is planned to be organised in Harju and Ida-Viru Counties. The procurement is being financed by the Ministry of Education and Research.
 
For further information please contact:
 
Project Manager
Culture and Youth Work Unit
 
 
International conference on integrated subject and language studies to be held in Tallinn on 24 and 25 October 2008
 
Specialists in integrated subject and language learning from around the world will be making presentations at the conference on the following topics:
  • activities of successful integrated subject and language learning groups (expected and unexpected results)
  • integrated subject and language learning methodology (best practice)
  • studying and brain research (implementation of new knowledge in support of learning)
  • inclusion and avoiding elitism (broadening the availability of integrated subject and language studies)
  • intercultural dialogue (coping with cultural differences in the classroom)
  • success in the working world through integrated subject and language learning.
 
For further information please contact:
 
Made Pandis
Project Manager
Language Immersion Centre
 
 
Language immersion programme methodology training (in Russian)
 
The 3rd session of methodology training for the 2nd group of teachers of Russian-language subjects from language immersion classes will be held on 1 and 2 October in Jõhvi’s Russian-Language Secondary School.
The 4th session of methodology training for the 2nd group of teachers of Russian/English will be held on 20 and 21 October at the Toila Training Centre.
 
For further information please contact:
 
Maire Kebbinau
Project Manager
Language Immersion Centre
 
 

Immediate feedback in support of the language immersion programme – the 5-minute review method

 
Language immersion programme training is set to begin for the directors of schools which have joined the programme. The training sessions will be held regionally in Tallinn and Ida-Viru County between October and December 2008. Training will begin in Tallinn on 17 October at Laagna Secondary School.
A group will start in Narva at the end of October at the Narva Old Town State School.
 
For further information please contact:
 
Made Pandis
Project Manager
Language Immersion Centre
 
 

Development of a consultation system for the language immersion programme

 
Stage 2 of training for language immersion programme advisers is set to continue, led by the Open Mind Institute, between September and November 2008. The training sessions will be held regionally in Tallinn and Ida-Viru County. The training will be attended by 42 future language immersion programme advisers, who have already completed a 6-day training course representing Stage 1.
Development of the methodical counselling concept for teachers will continue under the guidance of the Open Mind Institute.
 
For further information please contact:
 
Made Pandis
Project Manager
Language Immersion Centre
 
 
Estonian/Finnish bilingualism seminar
 
This seminar will be held on October 10 at the Estonian Embassy in Helsinki.
Maintaining a language is of great importance as it represents a key aspect of culture. Those who consciously preserve their native language are culturally stronger. Learning a second language opens the doors to a new culture and helps you better understand it. Attendees at the seminar will get an overview of the Language Immersion Programme in Estonia.
 
For further information please contact:
 
Svetlana Belova
Project Manager
Language Immersion Centre

Integration Calendar - September 2008

06.06.2018

 

NEWS

National Culture Society project competition

The national culture society project competition came to an end on 27 August. The aim of the competition was to support the promotion of the languages and cultures of national minorities in Estonia.

The projects submitted have been designed to keep people in Estonia informed about national minority culture societies and their activities and to foster cooperation between culture societies in the country.
51 projects were submitted. The results of the competition will be announced in September. Project activities will last until June 2009. They will be financed by the State Chancellery.

For further information please contact:
Kristina Pirgop
Culture and Youth Work Unit

Evaluation of national minority culture societies

In September the Office of the Minister for Population Affairs will be initiating evaluation of the umbrella organisations and members of the umbrella organisations of national minority culture societies applying for base financing. In the course of evaluation the umbrella organisations and their members will be assessed in terms of whether they comply with the conditions for base financing (see www.rahvastikuminister.ee).

Based on UNESCO’s definition of intellectual heritage, activities which directly reflect the nature and characteristics of a national minority will be established as activities related to intellectual heritage as part of base financing. These are primarily language, music, singing, dancing, handicrafts, observance of traditions and customs, knowledge of nature and the world and the organisation and celebration of folk festivities.

In order to be evaluated umbrella organisations must submit a list of their members on the form provided to aleksandr.aidarov@riigikantselei.ee. The form is available from www.rvke.ee.

A committee has been formed to carry out the evaluation, made up of representatives of the Office of the Minister for Population Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Integration Foundation, Tallinn City Government and the Network of Estonian Non-Profit Organisations. The committee will review the articles of association, B-cards and 2007 annual reports of the organisations submitting applications and check that their previous agreements have been fulfilled.

Meetings will be held between the committee and representatives of the umbrella organisations until 25 September 2008 for the provision of feedback and the elimination of any shortcomings.

The Integration Foundation will launch a round of applications for the base financing of national minority culture societies in October 2008 in which those organisations which have been successfully evaluated may participate.

For further information please contact:
Aleksandr Aidarov, Adviser to the Minister for Population Affairs
Telephone: +372 693 5257
E-mail: aleksandr.aidarov@riigikantselei.ee

New rounds for the submission of proposals for vocational education institutions “Organisation of additional studies of Estonian for vocational students with native languages other than Estonian”

As part of this programme proposals are awaited from schools with regard to how they wish to organise the provision of additional studies of Estonian for their students. The aim is to ensure that as many vocational education institutions as possible are able to develop their teaching of Estonian in different ways based on the needs of and options open to their students. The format and cost of the teaching have not been prescribed. Some schools may wish to provide bridging courses, others summer schools, while others may prefer to build on their work experience programmes or combine their teaching of professional and language skills. All proposals are welcome. What is important is that they comply with the aims of the programme and the description of the activity. Thereafter, working with both experts and schools, we will begin to organise the language studies.

The Integration Foundation will be accepting proposals from vocational education institutions during the following periods:

  1. 1 September-31 October 2008
  2. 1 February-31 March 2009
  3. 1 September-31 October 2009
  4. 1 February-31 March 2010

Reviewing the ideas submitted by schools, including input from experts, may take a couple of months (depending on the volume of teaching work and the number of proposals received). Schools may submit a number of proposals. What is important is to know that the amount indicated in the budget will not be transferred to the school’s budget, but that the Integration Foundation will order the required services itself.

We would ask that cooperation proposals be submitted on the allocated form and that these be forwarded to us by e-mail by the due date. The proposal form and a description of the programme activity can be found at www.kutsekeel.ee.

For further information please contact:
Edydt Johanson
Lifelong Learning Unit

Results of the Integration Foundation’s “In-Service and Language Training for Non-Estonian Speaking Unemployed People” project

The main aims of this project, which ran for a total of 16 months, were to assist in reducing the level of unemployment and social ostracism among people with native languages other than Estonian and thereby to raise the levels of employment and integration within Estonian society. Job search training, vocational and Estonian language courses, work experience and professional and psychological counselling were offered to participants in order to achieve these aims. In addition to language courses, information days were also held at which attendees were introduced to the conditions of and possibilities available to them in taking the state language examination and in training to get to know and understand how the Estonian constitution and Estonian citizenship works.

The total cost of the project was 6,128,068 kroons, 80% of which was funded by the European Social Fund and 20% co-funded through Estonian public sector financing.

For further information please contact:
Riina Ring
Lifelong Learning Unit

Development of the Integration Foundation’s information systems

The “Support for the Implementation of the National Integration Programme and for the Capacity-Building of Integration-Related Institutions” project has been won by Columbus IT Partner Eesti AS.

The aim of the procurement was to bring the financial management of the Integration Foundation to a new level, modernising and integrating financial management and accounting processes and guaranteeing the information technology solutions required for their effective operation. Another objective was to introduce an electronic document administration system so as to improve the operativeness and effectiveness of administration.

The updated and modernised financial information system will help to guarantee transparent financial management, adequate financial supervision and effective reporting and control systems for the appropriations and resources administered by the foundation.

The activities of the project are being funded from the resources of EU Transitional Support, the State Chancellery and the Ministry of Education.

For further information please contact:
Inna Pusikova
Citizens Education Unit

Development of a consultation system for the language immersion programme

Stage 2 of training for language immersion programme advisers is set to begin, led by the Open Mind Institute. The training will run from September to November 2008. Regional training sessions will be held in Tallinn and Ida-Virumaa. The training will be attended by 42 future language immersion programme advisers, who have already completed a 6-day training course representing Stage 1.

Development of the methodical counselling concept for teachers will continue under the guidance of the Open Mind Institute.

For further information please contact:
Made Pandis
Language Immersion Centre

Language immersion programme for the 2008-2009 academic year

There are language immersion groups in the early language immersion nursery programme in 27 nurseries this academic year. Newcomers to the programme are Vaivara nursery, the Punamütsike and Tuhkatriinu nurseries in Kohtla-Järve and the Päikseke nursery in Sillamäe. Extensive renovation work is being carried out on the Päikese nursery in Narva, so the language immersion groups are continuing on other temporary premises.

No language immersion groups have been opened at Tallinn’s Muhu nursery again this year although it has joined the programme.

Language immersion classes forming part of the early language immersion school programme are continuing in 14 schools. The first graduates of the early language immersion programme (from five classes in four schools) will receive their diplomas in spring.

Language immersion classes forming part of the late language immersion programme are continuing in 17 schools.
Narva Joala School has merged with Narva School no. 6. Narva School no. 6 is ready to continue with the late language immersion programme.

Due to reorganisation as a classics secondary school, Pärnu Hansa Secondary School is no longer taking part in the programme.

Tallinn’s Karjamaa Secondary School, which recently joined the programme, will launch classes in brand new class rooms.

For further information please contact:
Maire Kebbinau
Language Immersion Centre

“Let’s Read Together” series of large-format picture books

All Estonian nurseries have received the “Let’s Read Together” series of large-format picture books for the start of the new academic year, as ordered by the Ministry of Education and Research. The set is aimed at children between the ages of 5 and 7. They provide material for practising vocabulary and developing speech; material and examples for the revision of certain expressions; impulses for the reproduction and development of words and texts; and the joy of improvisation for nursery teachers in presenting sample and listening texts.

All 14 books in the series are eight pages long. Every page features a picture illustrating the aims of the book. Each book therefore comprises eight pictures (illustrations). The pictures are child-friendly, colourful and rich in detail.

The format of the books allows groups of up to 20 children to read them together (and describe the pictures).

For further information please contact:
Maire Kebbinau
Language Immersion Centre

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