Better Integration of Immigrants in Swedish Society Through ... - eDem

Asylum seekers 2008Iraq…………………………………. 6,083Somalia …………………………….. 3,361Serbia……………………………….. 1,989Stateless……………………………. 1,051Russia……………………………….. 933Eritrea …….………………………… 857Iran …………………………………. 799Mongolia …………………………… 791Afghanistan ………………………… 784Uzbekistan ………………………… 741Other countries…………………….. 6,964Total 24,353Source: Swedish Statistics (SCB)

Problem IdentificationImmigrantsMulticultural PopulationDifferent LanguagesIntegrationNewSocietyDiversified Social Values

Integration Process (Contd….)

…. Integration Process (Contd….)• Process of settlement of the immigrants in the hosting society• How it works:• "Integration involves more than just self-support and languageknowledge, it also involves feeling involved in and an affinity withsociety," -- Integration Minister Nyamko Sabuni,• Occurs at individual and community levels• Depends on political framework, social and cultural values andthe economic conditions• Intensity of Integration:• explained in terms of having relative scope of housing,employment, education, social and cultural adoption by theimmigrants, etc.

Motivation & Research Goal• Immigrants’ Concern– Use Internet for searching information– Information is limited in the Municipality websites,specially in English and/or other languages– Amount of information varies from language tolanguage– Lack of information about job market• Aim of the Research– Identify the communication gap– Maximization of the usages of ICT for BetterIntegration

Research QuestionsQ1. What is the immigrant’s potentials in terms of ICT usage,specially Internet usage?Q2. What is the immigrant’s desire towards Swedish cultureand social values?Q3. What are the present facilities and resources as well asproblems and opportunities available for the subjectmatter?Q4. How ICT, more specifically Internet, could be used forbetter integration of the immigrants with the local society?

E-Government TeleologyPolitical participationthrough e-services such as online voting and surveysVertical and horizontal integrationIntegrating separate systems at different levels (vertical) and from differentdepartments (horizontal)Services and financial transactionsbetween governments and individuals (or businesses)Two way communicationinteraction like request and responseInformation disseminationsimply posting information on the web sites.Source: Hiller and Belanger (2001)

EU’s e-Government Assessment FrameworkEelaborated. This change results inminimal overall impact at aEuropean level for year-on-yearcomparability

Method• The Survey (Q1, Q2 & Q3)– New Immigrants learning Swedish language in SFISchool, Wadköping UC, Örebro– 61 respondents captured– Operating variables• Ethnic origin, education, usage of Internet/website use,personal opinion toward availability of information, etc.• Interviews (Q3)– 2 administrative staffs, 2 teachers & 3 students– To know the existing integration system• Q4 Q1 + Q2 + Q3

Major Characteristics of the Respondents- Nationality : Iraq (30%), Iran (10%) and China (7%)- Age range : From 21 to 70 years- Staying time in Sweden ranges : From 2 to 30 months- Secondary Language : English (69%), Arabic (11.4%)French (6.5%), Swedish (8.2%)- Average competency (good/ verygood/excellent) in EnglishLanguage.- Average competency (good/ verygood/excellent) in SwedishLanguage.: Reading (75%), writing (65%) and speaking (62%): Reading (23%), writing (8% ) and speaking (7%)- Education level completed : Secondary (1.6%), College (26.2% ),Bachelors degree (52.5% ), Masters degree (11.5%),M.Phil/Ph.D (3.3%) and Others degree (4.9%)- Have computer at home : 98%- Have Internet access foreveryday use: 95%

Percentage of Immigrants using Internets(Purpose & How frequently use)PurposeE-mail CorrespondenceNeverUseMonthlyOnceaWeekTwiceaWeek Daily Total5 7 3 21 64 100Searching InformationOnline ServicesOnline ChattingOnline Distance EducationOTHERS6 11 7 18 57 10033 28 10 15 15 10028 8 7 13 44 10055 7 3 15 20 100- - 2 2 5 100

Percentage of Respondents using various Mediato search InformationRadioTVMedia TypeNeverUseMonthlyOnce aWeekTwice aWeek Daily Total44 16 16 8 15 10020 3 11 13 52 100NewspaperVisiting Concerned OfficesInternet/ Website28 7 28 20 18 10048 33 10 7 3 10012 8 13 15 52 100

Relationship–Internet-based Tutorial for LearningSwedish Language * Time Spent Per Week Using InternetTime Spent Using Internet (Per Week)Never UsedLess than 1hourMore than1 hour butless than 4hoursMore than4 hours butless than 8hoursMore than 8hours but lessthan 12 hoursMore than12 hours TotalInternetbasedTutorial –SwedishLanguageLearningAgreed CompletelyAgreed a littleHad no ideaDisagreed a littleDisagreed CompletelyNon-ResponseTotal(%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)0 3.3 11.5 8.2 9.8 23.0 55.71.6 1.6 6.6 6.6 6.6 6.6 29.50 1.6 0 0 3.3 0 4.90 0 1.6 1.6 0 1.6 4.90 1.6 0 0 1.6 0 3.30 0 0 1.6 0 0 1.61.6 8.2 19.7 18.0 21.3 31.1 100.0

Percentage of Respondents with respect to their opinion emphasizing theNecessity of InformationOthers ()982Environmental Protection278341831Consumer Protection3710391031----> Information TypeSw edish Govt. OfficesInfo on Schools and Child CaresLocal Community ClubsSw edish Law and RulesCareer Guidance and JobHousing and Transportation5223 107 7157 232 2 2 212 102333333311251811232559384415493311Non-ResponseNot ImportantLess ImportantImportantMore ImportantVery ImportantSw edish Language2 2 2161167Information about Local Society28312633Sw edish Culture2 274420260% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%----> % of Repondents in specified category of opinion

Extent of Information getting from different sourcesabout Swedish Society (% of respondents)Sources/ MediaRadioTVNewspaperNoInformationNotSufficientHave noIdeaSufficientCompleteInformationTotal31 15 28 16 10 10013 15 13 38 21 10015 25 20 31 10 100Visiting ConcernedOffices 25 8 23 31 13 100Internet/ SpecificWebsite 15 5 13 39 28 100

Percentage of Respondents visiting major Swedish websitesto get information about Swedish societyMajor Swedish websitesNevervisitedVisited onlyonce ortwice Monthly Weekly Daily Totalwww.orebro.se46 23 18 10 3 100www.migrationsverket.se36 38 13 13 100www.skatteverket.se98 2 100www.hsv.se69 16 10 5 100www.sweden.se46 28 20 5 2 100www.sweden.gov.se67 20 7 7 100www.manskligarattigheter.gov.se80 8 5 7 100www.studera.nu59 13 20 7 2 100www.naturvardsverket.se78 10 7 3 2 100Others2 100

Percentage of Respondents according to satisfaction level with theinformation in Örebro Municipality website (www.orebro.se)Non-response11.48%Hav e no Idea45.90%22.95%Satisfied16.39%Not Satisfied 3.28%Partially Satisfied

Highlights• Internet access (95%)• Daily internet use– e-mail correspondence (64%)– Searching information (57%)– Online chatting (44%)• Time spent using Internet per week– More than 12 hours (31%)– 8 - 12 hours (21%)– 4 - 8 hours (18%)– Never use (2%)• Introduction of Internet-based tutorial for Swedishlanguage learning (85%)

Better IntegrationModel for Better Integration of ImmigrantsExisting tools(example)Investigation results Problems identified Recommendations(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)Participation ofimmigrants in localsociety throughICTCross-Govt.boundary servicesSpecific servicesfor immigrants tofacilitateintegration (e-Services)Tow wayCommunication(Govt.-Immigrants)Info disseminationGovt. and local authoritywebsites and offices, languageinstitutes, Other institutesconcerning health care, job,education etc.• Municipality websites,• Central government websites• Physical presence in therespective office or institutions• Swedish language learning atSFI, Medberganskolan• Face to face interactions.• Partial E-mail correspondence• Telephone• Postal mailNational govt. websites,municipality websites, SFISchools, Introduktion ochMottagning Non-govt.organizations like Red Cross etc.Major activities are notmentioned in the policyFew linkages with othergovernment websites• Several manual forms areused for integrationpurposes in SFI• Limited use of ICT inlanguage learningMost of the immigrants areinternet literate which canbe utilized and motivatedfor communicating withgovernment authoritiesonline.• Language barrier•Integration policymentionedFrustration and lack ofconfidence amongimmigrantsLack of links forimmigrants relatedwebsites• Forms have to collectfrom the specific offices• Language software canonly be used in SFIschool• E-mail response inSwedish• Cultural gap,• Lack of awareness bythe immigrants• Poor ICT usages• Limited information inother languages•Lack of awareness bythe immigrants• Activities should bespecified in website• Motivation of immigrantsto use ICT• Relevant web-link at oneplace• Link to other Municipalitywebsites• Harmonize the contentsand services• Provision of online formsubmission• Introduction of Internetbasedtutorial for Swedishlanguage• E-mail correspondence,• Online feedback• Modification of websiteswith languages, contents• Motivate immigrants forICT usage

Conclusion & Recommendations• Immigrants need motivation and awareness towardsearching complete information online.• Local Authority website (like Örebro Municipality) needto link all aspects of information regarding allgovernment activities and about society• Harmonization of the contents and services in allwebsites of cities and municipalities• Introduction of Internet-based tutorial for Swedishlanguage learning• Some online forms not available on immigrant issues• The activities of integration process according tointegration policy should be specified in a specificwebsite

Thank you all