FORWARD TOGETHER /1.1.2023-1.1.2025
ERASMUS - KA210-ADU - Small-scale partnerships in adult education
ERASMUS - KA210-ADU - Small-scale partnerships in adult education
Project FORWARD TOGETHER aims to address the changing demographic landscape in Europe, specifically focusing on the integration of Ukrainian war refugees into new communities.
Libraries, as community hubs, will play a crucial role in facilitating this integration. The project draws on successful past collaborations and the diverse experiences of partner countries (Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Denmark) to develop innovative strategies for supporting refugees.
Through workshops and meetings, knowledge and skills will be shared, fostering a cohesive approach to help refugees learn the language, culture, and essential skills for a new life in their host countries.
Additionally, the already integrated Ukrainians in the project will contribute their expertise, ensuring a comprehensive and sustainable approach to Ukrainians' integration process.
Libraries, as community hubs, will play a crucial role in facilitating this integration. The project draws on successful past collaborations and the diverse experiences of partner countries (Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Denmark) to develop innovative strategies for supporting refugees.
Through workshops and meetings, knowledge and skills will be shared, fostering a cohesive approach to help refugees learn the language, culture, and essential skills for a new life in their host countries.
Additionally, the already integrated Ukrainians in the project will contribute their expertise, ensuring a comprehensive and sustainable approach to Ukrainians' integration process.
PARTNERS
Kärdla Linnaraamatukogu, ESTONIA
TURUN NAISKESKUS-YHDISTYS RY, FINLAND
Ikast Kultur- og Bibliotek, Ikast-Brande Kommune, DENMARK
Valmieras biblioteka, LATVIA
TURUN NAISKESKUS-YHDISTYS RY, FINLAND
Ikast Kultur- og Bibliotek, Ikast-Brande Kommune, DENMARK
Valmieras biblioteka, LATVIA
TARGET GROUPS
The target group of the project is Ukrainians, who are met during the project and whose activities are observed; and library staff to work with Ukrainians to help them integrate into society and the community and teach them the local language and culture.
THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT
The goal of the project is to help Ukrainians integrate into the community by creating high-quality learning opportunities for them in the library and motivating them to enter the labor market. To this end, the competence of library employees is increased and they are taught how to overcome the intercultural and social gap (main goal) ; how good cooperation between libraries and business could work, and what new courses could be offered to Ukrainians in libraries.
This work is carried out in seminars organized within the project, which take place in different project countries and help achieve the project's goals. For example, intercultural and social gap - all countries; Cooperation between libraries and business - Estonia, Denmark; New courses - all countries. It is important to exchange experiences: to hear and see what kind of work partners have done with Ukrainians, what obstacles they have faced, how they have solved problems, and how they are moving forward with Ukrainians.
This work is carried out in seminars organized within the project, which take place in different project countries and help achieve the project's goals. For example, intercultural and social gap - all countries; Cooperation between libraries and business - Estonia, Denmark; New courses - all countries. It is important to exchange experiences: to hear and see what kind of work partners have done with Ukrainians, what obstacles they have faced, how they have solved problems, and how they are moving forward with Ukrainians.
MEETINGS
Turku, Finland meeting 1.2-3.2.2023
Ikast-Brande, Denmark 31.5.-2.6. 2023
Kärdla, Estonia 22.8.-24.8. 2023
Valmiera, Latvia 10.10-13.10. 2023
Ikast-Brande, Denmark 31.5.-2.6. 2023
Kärdla, Estonia 22.8.-24.8. 2023
Valmiera, Latvia 10.10-13.10. 2023
EVALUATION 2023
1. Compare the situation of Ukrainian refugees at the time of application (autumn 2022) and at the end of 2023.
Write a few comments about your thoughts!
Write a few comments about your thoughts!
- The library has observed that there are more and more Ukrainians who borrow Ukrainian books
- Ukrainians have changed: some have gone back to Ukraine, some to another place in Estonia, some families are new.
- Many of the Ukrainian refugees today look to be well integrated into Danish society
- As a library, we were interested in studying this issue more closely, identifying needs as soon as possible and finding a solution within the limits of possibilities. For example, at the beginning of 2022 we were looking for Ukrainians whom we could help, because they did not have a library as the first place to go when arriving in Latvia. After that, we gradually realized how and what we, as a library, can help. The key word came to light: COOPERATION. Cooperation with Ukrainians as part of the local community, cooperation with institutions from Ukraine, cooperation with institutions representing the interests of Ukrainian residents in Latvia and Valmiera (“Асоціація малих міст України” ). As a result, thanks to the introductions in 2022, several meaningful activities took place in the 2023, and some ideas for the future.
2. Imagine yourself in a situation where you have had to live in a foreign cultural environment and speak a language you don't know!
How important would the following things be?
How important would the following things be?
3. Also put the order of importance?
Would it be possible for you to ask people who have moved to your area (5-10 surveys) what they think?
Would it be possible for you to ask people who have moved to your area (5-10 surveys) what they think?
3. Also put the order of importance?
Would it be possible for you to ask people who have moved to your area (5-10 surveys) what they think?
Would it be possible for you to ask people who have moved to your area (5-10 surveys) what they think?
- If it is possible to make contact with the Ukrainians living here, it will be an opportunity
- We (Hiiumaa) have such a big language barrier that we can't handle the common text easily. Even less voluntarily.
- It is definitely an opportunity to get volunteers to help with that task
- At the moment, we do not have such plans, because the Valmiera library has not established work with volunteers. If there are any offers or initiatives from the side of Ukrainian newcomers, we try to solve them with the efforts of the library staff (arranging exhibitions, sending information to an organization representing the Ukrainian community, etc.). We also help personally by organizing donation campaigns for a specific purpose.
Have you organised courses/events for Ukrainians?
Or are you planning to do so in 2024?
This is important for the objectives set out in the application.
Or are you planning to do so in 2024?
This is important for the objectives set out in the application.
- A theater performance has been organized especially for the Ukrainian refugees
- In the beginning we did, but it is no longer planned because the Ukrainians are not interested and there is sometimes a language barrier.
- Yes - we plan to arrange special offers for Ukrainian refugees in 2024 n
- Yes, of course! For example: From May, 2023 Action #chebookcrossing – books for Ukrainians in Latvia; From June 10 to August 10, 2023, the exhibition "Mosaic in Support of Ukraine". Both were located in the library premises; On June 17, 2023 the Valmiera library organized a cultural research trip to the Latvian Open Air Museum as part of the FORWARD TOGETHER project; In August 2023, cooperation with the Oksana Kirilyk, head of Association of Small Towns of Ukraine (Асоциация малих мист України) began; Cooperation with the association continued at the beginning of October, during the international seminar of the project Forward Together in Valmiera. Participation and presentations in the seminar; The meeting was fruitful. The culmination of the 2023 cooperation with was a video conference on December 12, when the Association of Small Towns of Ukraine held a live meeting for Ukrainian librarians of their project "European integration in action: Latvia's experience for the reconstruction and development of Ukrainian communities" The topic of the meeting: "Library network of Latvia and its cultural role in the European space. Project activities and success stories." More than 100 participants joined this event. And the answer to the 2nd question - yes, we will continue to work in this direction in the future as far as we can.
Anything else you want to ask or comment?
- I wonder where the line is, so that if we offer something to the Ukrainians, it doesn't turn into too much pressure. Because if they don't want something, maybe you shouldn't offer it either.
- Daiga Rokpelne, director of the Valmiera library, summed up the last event, said: "The modern library is a dynamic center of culture, learning and innovation that provides access to a variety of resources. It not only stores books, but also provides access to the Internet, digital resources, organizes events, courses and promotes community development. The library is a place where knowledge is formed, creativity is promoted for the development of educational and cultural initiatives." This was an important message for Ukrainian librarians about what a library in Europe should be.
TURKU 2024
TURKU ABC - continuous support for language and culture learning, co-operation with Turku city library.
Continuing to learn and improve your language skills in a Facebook group, with three types of daily exercises.
Intensive course with emphasis on learning to speak with the help of picture boards - picture boards and vocabulary could be used as a tool in discussion groups, e.g. language cafés.
Folders of professional vocabulary - vocabulary in the field can be easily studied (translations from Ukrainian to Finnish, food and catering, health, transport and logistics).
Increased cooperation with other actors in the City of Turku (International House, Turku Ukrainians, Refugee Centre, City of Turku Monitor Service).
Continuing to learn and improve your language skills in a Facebook group, with three types of daily exercises.
Intensive course with emphasis on learning to speak with the help of picture boards - picture boards and vocabulary could be used as a tool in discussion groups, e.g. language cafés.
Folders of professional vocabulary - vocabulary in the field can be easily studied (translations from Ukrainian to Finnish, food and catering, health, transport and logistics).
Increased cooperation with other actors in the City of Turku (International House, Turku Ukrainians, Refugee Centre, City of Turku Monitor Service).
