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The Majakka-Beacon Project Resource-Oriented Case Management
and Supported Employment for Immigrants
The main aim of the Beacon (in Finnish Majakka) project is
to develop innovative ways to promote full social inclusion
and empowerment of people whose employment and everyday coping
is impeded by cultural and language barriers as well as health
and social problems. This goal is reached by developing an
empowering rehabilitation and employment services modified
according to the special needs of the target group. The services
are targeted to immigrants living in the Helsinki region who
are in severe risk of social exclusion and are in need for
special support. The Development Parntership (DP) addresses
EQUAL Pillar 1 "Employability" Theme field A. The
main activities of the project are: 1) employment and rehabilitation
services, 2) information services, 3) training of employment
specialists, and 4) evaluation and dissemination.
Immigrants and employment
- The majority of immigrants have moved to Finland only
during the past decade. This means that the integration
process to the new country is still at its beginning.
- There are approximately 145 000 foreign-born inhabitants
in Finland, and 98 000 are still foreign citizens. The amount
of immigrants is 1.8 % of the total population in Finland.
This number is smaller than in any other European Union
country.
- The largest groups of immigrants have come from the former
Soviet Union (47 000), former Yugoslavia (4 500), Somalia
(4 300) and Iraq (3 200).
- One third of all immigrants live in the Helsinki region.
- The unemployment rate of immigrants is manyfold when
compared to native Finns. Every third immigrant is unemployed.
Reasons for unemployment range from non-correspondence of
vocational education, insufficient language skills and weak
social networks to negative employer attitudes. During 1990's
the economic recession weakened employment opportunities.
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