1. 1. september – 31. oktoober 2008
2. 1. veebruar – 31. märts 2009
3. 1. september – 31. oktoober 2009
4. 1. veebruar – 31. märts 2010

• Euroopa põhiväärtused (demokraatia, õigusriik, rahu, üksikisiku enesemääramise õigus, inimõigused, kultuuriline mitmekesisus);
• Põhiseaduslikud väärtused (eesti keel kui riigikeel ja igaühe õigus säilitada oma rahvuskuuluvus);
  Võrdsete võimaluste tagamine olenemata rahvusest ja emakeelest;
• Rahvuspõhise eraldatuse vältimine;
• Riigiidentiteedi tugevdamine;

• hariduslik ja kultuuriline,
• sotsiaalne ja majanduslik,
• õiguslik poliitiline lõimumine

• Eesti keele oskus inimeste hulgas, kelle emakeel ei ole eesti keel, on kõigil tasemetel paranenud;
• kontaktid ja suhtlus erineva emakeelega inimeste vahel on suurenenud ning erinevused eesti- ja muukeelsete elanike osalemises kodanikuühendustes ja avalikus sfääris on vähenenud;
• määratlemata kodakondsusega isikute osakaal Eesti elanike hulgas on püsivalt vähenenud;
• valdav osa Eesti elanikest usaldab muust rahvusest inimesi ja vastupidi;
• enamik inimestest, kelle emakeel ei ole eesti keel, saab regulaarselt infot eestikeelse meedia kaudu ja usaldab seda;
• erinevused tööhõives ja sissetulekutes eri rahvusest töötajate vahel on vähenenud

1. teadmiste laiendamine rahvusvähemuste kultuuridest ja Eesti ühiskonna informeerimine rahvusvähemuste kultuuriseltside tegevustest;
2. Eesti mitmekultuurilisuse teadvustamine, erinevate rahvusvähemuste kultuuride eripära tutvustamine ja tundmaõppimine Eesti ühiskonnas avalikkusele suunatud kultuuriprojektide kaudu (avalikud üritused, loengud, näitused, seminarid, saated, infolehed jms);
3. koostöö arendamine teiste rahvusvähemuste kultuuriseltsidega (avalikud üritused, loengud, näitused jms);
4. koostöö arendamine eesti kultuuriseltsidega (avalikud üritused, loengud, näitused jms).

DISPATCHES

Overview of the decisions of the supervisory board of the Integration Foundation and its plans for the year

In 2008 the foundation will be launching more than one hundred different activities which will contribute to better integration in Estonian society. The Integration Foundation’s key activities in 2008 are as follows:

Educational and cultural integration

• PA project competition will see support for Estonian language teaching activities in 23 kindergartens and for the acquisition of teaching materials and resources;
• 150 teachers will be taking part in in-service training;
• The studies in general education schools of 50 new immigrant children will be supported;
• A total of 120 teachers will undergo training on the teaching of new immigrant children;
• A total of 1200 young Estonians and young speakers of other languages as their native language will take part in extracurricular summer language study projects;
• Through a project competition and base financing, 170 national minority culture associations will receive funding, with 3 training sessions arranged for them;
• 12 national minority native language and culture teachers will undergo in-service training in their motherlands;
• 8 educational institutes will join the language immersion programme, making a total of 62 members by the end of the year;
• The language immersion consultation system will be completed;
• A total of 480 school and kindergarten teachers will receive training on language immersion methodology;
• An international language immersion conference will be held in October 2008;
• 80 students from higher education institutions will undergo further studies of Estonian;
• 160 teachers who will be teaching subjects in Estonian will take a 10 CP training course, including:
  • 40 geography teachers
  • 40 music teachers
  • 40 social studies teachers
  • 40 history teachers
• An online environment bringing together the teaching and methodological material for vocational education institutes will be set up at www.kutsekeel.ee.

Social and economic integration

• 129 public sector employees from the police and rescue services who speak languages other than Estonian as their native language will take part in free language courses;
• 262 officials will take part in working assignments to improve their skills in the national language;
• Additional training will see 150 teachers of Estonian to adults boosting their competence to work with the target groupa.

Legal and political integration

• 350 people will attend free language courses;
• 2200 people will take courses on the constitution and citizenship laws of the Republic of Estonia;
• Awareness-raising campaigns will be launched to boost people’s awareness of the conditions for obtaining citizenship, tolerance and equal treatment.

The projected 2008 budget comes to a total of 117,859,448 kroons, which may change depending on the funding decisions made by the European Migration Network and the European Social Fund.

For the purpose of simplification, the supervisory board took the decision to shorten the foundation’s name from the Non-Estonians Integration Foundation to the Integration Foundation. The new name will take effect when the registry details are changed.

The Integration Foundation was established on 31 March 1998 by the Estonian government with the aim of initiating, supporting and coordinating projects designed to promote integration in Estonian society. These projects are funded from the state budget as well as from external sources. The Ministry of the Interior held founder’s rights until 31 December 2007; these have now been assumed by the State Chancellery.

For further information please contact Mart Soonik from the Support Unit

New print-run of Citizen’s Handbook completed

Reaching users in the coming weeks will be 5000 copies of the Citizen’s Handbook, the updating of which was supported by the Ministry of the Interior. The book is published by the Integration Foundation.

The Citizen’s Handbook is designed to provide as many people as possible – including those who do not use the Internet on an everyday basis – with information in a convenient format about the running of the state and dealing with state institutions.

New to this edition of the handbook are links to institutions and organisations from which more information can be obtained if required. The book also includes more practical advice on coping in particular situations. A significant addition compared to previous publications is a list of key terms, which makes using the handbook much easier.

In terms of content, the new edition goes into greater detail on issues related to the labour market and legal matters. There are overviews of all state institutions and a brand new chapter on Estonia’s defence policy and national defence.

The handbook was first published in 2004 with the support of the Embassy of the United States of America. The new edition is the fourth to be published, having been updated to reflect changes in the law and to include new topics.

The print-run is being distributed free of charge to citizens associations, local governments, libraries, vocational schools and county development centres. The handbook will also be published this year in Russian.

For further information please contact Ülle Kraft at the Transition Facility Support Unit

Competition launched for the funding of extracurricular language study projects

Extracurricular language studies are conducted on the basis of age-appropriate teaching methods with the aim of developing the skills, knowledge, values and attitudes of young people for the use of Estonian.
Applications can be submitted by non-profit organisations, foundations and public law organisations and institutions. The competition documents and application forms are available from the Integration Foundation website at www.meis.ee. The deadline for applications is 11.00 am on 14 March 2008. Further information will be available from the project manager until 5 March by e-mailing lianne.ristikivi@meis.ee.

In her 2007 reports, Kristi Tamm, responsible for the monitoring of language study projects, highlighted the fact that “studies of the national language in schools have improved markedly over the years, as can be seen in the way the language skills and willingness to communicate of children from schools with Russian as the language of instruction are getting better every year.” Thus all kinds of language learning-based activities involving children are supporting their language use and skills, be they excursions, camps, plays, handicraft, hiking or role-playing, Tamm added.

The Integration Foundation has supported the participation of around 24,000 children in language camps, family studies and other extracurricular language study activities over the last 10 years as part of the extracurricular language study projects.

For further information please contact Lianne Ristikivi from the Project Unit

Dozens of children with Estonian roots able to study the language in Estonia again

Dozens of children whose families have roots in Estonia will again have the chance to come to Estonia this summer to study Estonian in language camps, get to know Estonian culture and the country and meet their Estonian peers.

Language camps for young people with Estonian roots are organised in the country by the Integration Foundation in accordance with the state’s countrymen programme, which is designed to support Estonians living outside of Estonia and mutual cooperation.

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 different parts of the former Soviet Union have taken part in such language camp projects.

Unlike in previous years, the chance to take part in the 2008 language camp will be offered to young people with Estonian roots wherever they live outside of the country. Integration Foundation project manager Eduard Odinets says that this means summer should see the arrival of young Estonians wishing to study the language in the country from further afield than merely Russia or Ukraine. “The only restrictive factor here might be the budget, as the cost of getting the kids here will vary widely depending on whether they’re from St. Petersburg, Sweden or Canada,” he added.

The activities of language camps to date have been funded by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Education and Research. In 2008 the camps will be financed by the State Chancellery.

For further information please contact Eduard Odinets from the Administrative Unit of the Structural Funds

Competition launched for integration-based development grants

The Integration Foundation has launched a competition for three integration-based development grants valued at 20,000 kroons each. The grants are awarded in recognition of the development of integration work. Applications are open to all funding recipients with whom the Integration Foundation entered into project support agreements as part of project competition in 2007 and whose agreement has come to an end by the time they apply.

Applications can also be made by institutions and organisations who submitted and carried out projects and the people who took part in them.

The grants will be awarded in three categories:

1. Public law institutions (including those under the jurisdiction of state or local governments);
2. Third sector organisations;
3. National culture associations.

Written applications will be accepted by the foundation until 12 March 2008. A committee will be formed for the allocation of the grants which will evaluate the applications based on the content of a project, how innovative it is and the opportunities to use experience. They will also assess how many target groups were included and what the participants thought of the projects. The winners of the 2007 development grants will be announced at the beginning of April during the tenth anniversary celebrations of the Integration Foundation.

For further information please contact Kristina Pirgop from the Project Division

National minority culture societies can apply for base financing

The Integration Foundation has launched the round of applications for the base financing of national minority culture societies. Applications can be made until 4.00 pm on 4 March 2008.

These associations are supported through the application round in covering their running costs, thereby increasing the stability of their development of culture and educational life. Other goals are raising awareness of the multicultural nature of Estonia, introducing people to the unique natures of national minority cultures and developing cooperation between cultural associations.

Since 2006 the State Chancellery and the Integration Foundation have worked together in distributing more than 7 million kroons in support of more than 150 national culture societies.

The budget for the 2008 application round is 4 million kroons, including information days and training for societies. This year the foundation is paying closer attention to training for the improvement of the administrative sustainability of these societies in terms of both their actual and financial operations. The accountants from the societies’ umbrella organisations will also continue to be trained as part of the programme which began in 2007. The foundation would also like to provide training on project writing and management for the directors and project leaders in these societies.

In addition to the base financing of minority group cultural societies, the Integration Foundation organises annual project competitions for national culture associations to implement culture projects such as exhibitions, seminars, concerts, festivals and newsletters. The foundation also supports national culture association Sunday schools and the in-service training of their teachers both in Estonia and their motherlands. It is also with the support of the foundation that the Rahvused Eestis /Nationalities in Estonia/ book series and Etnomosaiik /Ethnomosaic/ television series are produced. The foundation supported the promotion of minority education and culture in 2007 with 6,350,000 kroons of funding.

For further information please contact Iris Järv from the Project Unit

Book on Uzbeks published

March will see the publication of The Uzbeks as part of the Nationalities in Estonia series by AS Kirjastus Ilo. The book provides an overview of Uzbekistan and its peoples’ traditions, food and more. The book will be distributed to all schools throughout March.

For further information please contact Eda Silberg from the Centre for Educational Programmes

Seminar-camp for geography teachers from schools with Russian as the language of instruction

A seminar-camp for geography teachers from schools with Estonian and Russian as the languages of instruction will be held from 13 to 15 March. The camp is designed to give Russian-speaking teachers the chance to improve their willingness and ability to speak Estonian, to promote cooperation between teachers from Estonian-language and Russian-language schools and to allow their knowledge on matters related to school life and the education system to be shared. In addition to the seminar work, the camps will also include excursions and study trips to southern Estonia.

For further information please contact Ave Osman from the Administrative Unit of the Structural Funds

Final of the student play competition

The grand final of the short play competition based on Estonian literature will take place on 29 March. Participating are students from schools with Russian as the language of instruction in two age groups: those in years 7 to 9 and those in years 10 to 12. The three best plays in each age group will be selected by a panel of judges in a preliminary round to compete in the final, which will decide the overall winners. Details are available from http://www.meis.ee/est/uudised/index.php?newsID=1540.

For further information please contact Ave Osman from the Administrative Unit of the Structural Funds

Methodology training

A second group will commence training on language immersion methodology for teachers from schools with Russian (or English) as the language of instruction on 28 and 29 March. The training will be held in Russian and primarily directed at teachers who give lessons to language immersion classes. The 80-hour course is to take place in the Language Immersion Centre on the basis of its study programme. Participants will gain an overview of the history and principles of language immersion, team work, the creation of the learning environment and teaching materials, active learning methods and children’s development. The course will be led by Liina Norit and Anna Sele.

For further information please contact Marju Randlepp from the Language Immersion Centre

COMPETITIONS

Support for Estonian-language subject teaching

For the fifth year running, the Integration Foundation’s Centre for Educational Programmes is organising a competition designed to support Estonian-language subject teaching in schools with Russian as the primary language of instruction.

The target group this time is basic, municipal and private school projects which contribute to consistent and systematic Estonian-language subject teaching in schools with Russian as the language of instruction.

For further information please contact Tiina Kuurmaa at the Centre for Educational Programmes

In-service training of national culture society Sunday school teachers in their motherlands

Applications can be made for the funding of in-service training for national culture society Sunday school teachers in their motherlands.

The competition will help finance such things as travel and visa costs, accommodation and the cost of purchasing study materials. The amount of the grants that can be applied for from the foundation is 80,000 kroons.

National culture society Sunday schools who would like their teachers to take part in further training must submit confirmation from the university or higher education institute in the motherland that they will accept the teacher. More detailed conditions can be found in the competition guidelines.

For further information please contact Eda Silberg from the Centre for Educational Programmes

In-service training for teachers in kindergartens with Russian as the language of instruction

The general aim of the tender is to offer additional training to teachers who are involved in the teaching of Estonian in kindergartens so as to make them better prepared to teach Estonian.

The direct goal of the tender is to broaden the knowledge and experience of the participants in the following areas:

1. Children’s linguistic development;
2. Teaching methodology for Estonian as a second language;
3. Producing individual study programmes.

For further information please contact Marje Sarapuu at the Centre for Educational Programmes

NEWS

In-service training for language teachers

The “National Examination and Qualification Centre Training Services Tender” public procurement competition organised as part of the “Support for the Implementation of the National Integration Programme and for the Capacity-Building of Integration-Related Institutions” project has been won by Bradley Dunbar Associates Estonia OÜ.

The activities of the tender will support the transition in July 2008 to the language skills levels defined in the European language studies framework document produced on the initiative of the Council of Europe. The course will provide 150 language teachers with in-service training related to language teaching methodology, information about the Council of Europe’s language skills levels system and practical knowledge for the assessment of language skills.

The aims of the tender are, via the training course, to bolster and contribute to the development of the Estonian language level examination system in the National Examination and Qualification Centre, and to raise language teachers’ awareness of the principles of assessment of language skills and of the latest developments in language policy in Europe’s big institutions (European Commission and Council of Europe).

The target groups for the course are teachers of Estonian as a second language from both general education schools and language companies, teachers of foreign languages, and those responsible for producing curriculums and study materials.

The project is being funded from the resources of the EU’s Transitional Support and the Estonian Ministry of Education.

For further information please contact Inna Pusikova from the Transition Facility Support Unit

Preparatory courses for Estonian constitution and citizenship examinations continue

The preparatory courses being organised as part of the “Support for the Integration of Individuals with Unspecified Citizenship in Estonia” project will be carried out from the new year by Bradley Dunbar Associates Estonia OÜ.
Courses for up to 1200 participants will be run over six months. Starting from the new year, citizens of third countries who are motivated to apply for Estonian citizenship will also be able to take part in the courses, which are free for all participants.

The latest information about when and where the courses will be taking place can be obtained by phoning the free national number 800 9999. You can also phone this number to register for courses. Advisory centres for citizenship applicants operate in Tallinn, Narva and Jõhvi:

Tallinn advisory centre:

Tallinn, Tõnismägi 2
BDA Estonia OÜ rooms
Advisor Reet Valing
Telephone: 627 4412

Open in February on the following days at the following times:

5 February 10.30 am-12.30 pm
7 February 1.00 pm-3.00 pm
12 February 10.30 am-12.30 pm
14 February 1.00 pm-3.00 pm
19 February 10.30 am-12.30 pm
21 February 1.00 pm-3.00 pm
26 February 10.30 am-12.30 pm
28 February 1.00 pm-3.00 pm

Jõhvi advisory centre:

Jõhvi, Tartu mnt 2
Kersti Võlu Training Centre
Advisor Kersti Võlu
Telephone: 800 9999
Open Monday-Friday 10.00 am-4.00 pm.

Narva advisory centre:

Narva, Kerese 14
Eesti Kodu Narvas
Advisor Maritsa Ort
1st floor, room 118
Telephone: 356 1985
Open Monday-Friday 10.00 am-4.00 pm.

Further information about courses and the terms and conditions of applying for citizenship are available from www.meis.ee/kodanik.

For further information please contact Ülle Kraft at the Transition Facility Support Unit

Teachers teaching subjects in Estonian receive new methodology materials

The Integration Foundation has signed a contract with AS Kuma for the production of new methodology materials for teachers teaching at schools with a language of instruction other than Estonian. In addition to textbooks and workbooks, teachers teaching geography, music and social studies in Estonian will receive worksheets and lesson plans.

Sets of the materials will be delivered to schools in summer 2008. Contributing to the development of the methodology material are teachers from schools in Tartu who have experience teaching the Estonian-language subjects. The total value of the contract is 1.5 million kroons.

Partial teaching in Estonian has been mandatory in schools at the high school level with languages of instruction other than Estonian since September 2007. 63 such schools introduced studies of Estonian literature in Estonian in 2007. In the coming years it will be joined by geography, music, social studies and history.

For further information please contact Ave Härsing from the Administrative Unit of the Structural Funds.

“How to Teach Business Language” handbook published

The language methodology handbook for vocational education institutions is the first attempt to bring methodological guidelines and advice for teachers of Estonian together in one publication. It is targeted at teachers of business language from vocational education institutions, but the majority of the advice it provides is useful for language teachers generally.

The authors of the handbook, which is to be distributed free of charge to schools, are Tallinn University lecturers Kristi Saarso and Elle Sõrmus, who worked closely with teachers of Estonian from vocational schools before beginning the writing process. May 2008 will also see the release of a series of business language mini-textbooks and audio CDs designed for the Russian-speaking groups in vocational schools, as well as a handbook covering the relevant subject syllabi.

“How to Teach Business Language” was developed as part of the Non-Estonians Integration Foundation’s “Development of Estonian-Language Teaching and Study Materials in Vocational Schools with Languages of Instruction other than Estonian” project (2005-2008). The project, financed through the European Social Fund, was implemented in response to the results of the Faktum survey “Development of Vocational Education in Vocational Education Institutions with Russian as the Language of Instruction” (2004).

In today’s world of business, science and technology there remain few fields in which workers can make do with one language: it has become almost impossible for people in Estonia and abroad to get by in their working lives without international and intercultural communication. Not only do they need general language skills, but also specific business language skills, because the scope of professional vocabulary and texts is enormous. Business language courses are provided by Estonia’s vocational schools, colleges and language companies in a wide range of subjects, from technology and business to construction and cookery.

The online version (PDF) of the handbook can be found here.

For further information please contact Helena Metslang from the Administrative Unit of the Structural Funds.

News from the “Support for the Transition of Non-Estonian General Education Schools to Bilingual Studies” project:

Training for history teachers from schools with Russian as the language of instruction

• The fourth and final cycle of the series of seminars on turning points in Estonia’s history designed for history teachers from schools with Russian as the language of instruction will be held from 4 to 6 February in Tallinn. This cycle will look at the deportations that took place in Estonia in 1941 and 1949 and the new awakening. The seminars are being organised by the Open Mind Institute.
• Methodology training for history teachers from schools with Russian as the language of instruction will be held on 14 and 15 February in Tallinn and Narva, with visits to classes being delivered in Estonian and discussions of the methodology involved in teaching subjects in Estonian. The course is being organised by the Open Mind Institute.

Training for teachers and subject coordinators from schools with Russian as the language of instruction and education officials

• Training will be held for teachers and subject coordinators from schools with Russian as the language of instruction on 6 February and on 28 and 29 February and for education officials and school management on 21 February. The courses will examine issues related to the transition to studies in Estonian. The training is being organised by Koolituse Korralduskeskus OÜ.

A short play competition has been launched for students from schools with Russian as the language of instruction. Students from years 7 to 12 are invited to submit short plays based on Estonian literature. Further information about the rules of the competition can be found at http://www.meis.ee/est/uudised/index.php?newsID=1540.

February will also see two excursions for journalists and students from schools with Russian as the language of instruction. Students from Tallinn schools will visit the Mustvee Russian High School, while those from schools in Ida-Viru County will visit Annelinna High School in Tartu. Discussions will be held during the visits regarding studies in Estonian, with experts from the Ministry of Education and Research taking part.

For further information please contact Ave Osman from the Administrative Unit of the Structural Funds.

“In-Service and Language Training for Non-Estonian Speaking Unemployed People” – 2007 in review

A number of training courses were organised in 2007 as part of the “In-Service and Language Training for Non-Estonian Speaking Unemployed People” project for unemployed speakers of languages other than in Estonian registered with the Harju and Ida-Viru County departments of the Labour Market Board.

Job search training was provided to 5 groups with a total of 66 participants; Estonian language training commenced with 7 groups, of which 5 – a total of 48 participants – completed the course; and the participants received vocational and psychological counselling on around 500 occasions.

The surveys carried out by the organisers of the training and the results of the language tests show that the participants acquired the necessary elementary knowledge and skills and improved their language skills.

As part of the project in 2007 the Non-Estonians Integration Foundation began working with SALO Baltic International OÜ, who provide job search training and professional and psychological counselling, and Edukool Grupp OÜ, who arrange Estonian language training. The project is supported by the European Social Fund and the Estonian Ministry of the Interior.

For further information please contact Riina Ring from the Administrative Unit of the Structural Funds.

ADDITIONAL STUDY & TEACHING MATERIALS

“How Cultural Differences are Construed in the Media”

The authors of these new media-based study and teaching materials believe that discussion in class as to why journalists present news and why readers, viewers and listeners in turn interpret news in different ways will lead to a better understanding of cultural diversity among students.

“How Cultural Differences are Construed in the Media,” a CD and booklet produced by the Centre for Education Programmes of the Non-Estonians Integration Foundation in association with the department of journalism and communication of the University of Tartu, is designed for high schools with Estonian and Russian as the languages of instruction.

The CD includes 6 examples and analysis of television news stories which will illustrate the way in which journalists play up an event. The authors of the material – Halliki Harro-Loit, Kristina Veidenbaum, Kadri Ugur, Valeria Jakobson and Mare Räis – also conducted an experiment in which they showed television news to students from high schools with Estonian and Russian as the language of instruction and looked at how those from different socio-cultural backgrounds and those with different knowledge, attitudes and experiences interpreted the same stories. The interviews conducted with them and analysis of the interviews is included among the study materials.

The authors hope that the chance to look at and compare how the people around them interpret everyday events and the news stories based on them will foster a deeper interest in the reasons for and effects of the differences found therein.
Teachers are also provided with methodological guidelines on working with their students to analyse the news and examine how it is received, as well as information on (television) news and reception theories.

The sample material encourages classes to look at the news as constructions; the differences in their own and other students’ interpretations; and how different background knowledge or a lack thereof can affect interpretation of the news.
The materials will be sent to regional educational offices at the beginning of February. The CDs and booklets will be distributed to schools free of charge.

For further information please contact: Toivo Sikk or Kristina Veidenbaum at the Centre for Educational Programmes.

COMPETITIONS

The Centre for Educational Programmes will be launching the following competitions in February:

“New immigrants in Estonian education institutions”

The competition is designed to support the teaching of new immigrant students in educational institutions with Estonian as the language of instruction. The acquisition of study materials, additional fees and in-service training for teachers, the salaries of support teachers and the organisation of events designed to meet the objectives of the competition shall be financed as part of it.

This year there will be two separate competitions: the first will provide support for the teaching of new immigrant children in kindergarten and the second for new immigrant students in general education schools.
For further information please contact: Külli Vollmer from the Centre for Educational Programmes.

“Studies of Estonian for Non-Estonian Speaking Children in Preschool Institutions”

The aim of this competition is to support the Estonian language studies in preschool institutions of children who speak languages other than Estonian as their native language. The operations of local governments and preschool institutions will be supported within the framework of the competition, as will the carrying out of teaching activities, the acquisition of study materials and resources, and the salaries and in-service training of teachers.

Information days will be held in Tallinn and Jõhvi in February. Further information is available from the website of the Integration Foundation: www.meis.ee.

For further information please contact Marje Sarapuu at the Centre for Educational Programmes.