Municipality/Region

Darmstadt-Dieburg, Germany

Summary

Since 2005, the Darmstadt-Dieburg district (Germany) has had a central ‘language advice’ unit within the municipal job centre, under the authority responsible for labour market integration. Staff trained in German as a second language offer support in applying for language courses and reimbursement of expenses, in addition to initial consultation and individual advice on suitable types of courses. The language advice process is directly tied in with the overall process of labour market integration and goes hand-in-hand with the work of staff in case management.

Areas of integration covered by practice

• Integration of migrants in the labour market
• Language learning

Background and purpose

For the integration of migrants into the labour market, language learning and acquiring job-related language knowledge constitute important and often decisive steps. It is not always easy, however, to find a suitable language course, particularly in a rural area. Guidance and advice can often be a lengthy process, and there can be long waiting periods until a person can attend a course.

Where courses do not match a person’s language level or pace of learning, or the timing of courses clashes with other commitments such as family or existing work opportunities, it is not unusual for people to drop out of courses, which is frustrating for all parties concerned.

Timeframe

The language advice unit was set up in 2005 and is still operating.

How does it work?

The work of the language advice unit is directly tied into the process of labour market integration. Case managers who monitor the process of labour market integration, but who do not necessarily have expert knowledge in the area of learning a second language, can make appointments for their clients with the language advice unit.

Staff of the language advice unit conduct a detailed assessment of the language level and pace of learning of the person concerned, their geographical mobility and time flexibility. In agreement with case managers, the unit provides support in choosing a suitable course, registering for it and applying for reimbursement of the costs.

Results and evaluation

Personalised advice and speedy placement in suitable courses significantly speed up the process of labour market integration for migrants whose mother tongue is not German. The number of people dropping out of courses is thus reduced.

Against the background of the sharply increasing migration numbers in the 2014-2017 period and, for the time being, increased complexity of types of language learning available (based on age, language levels, residency status, country of origin, etc.), this well-established procedure has proven exceedingly valuable for all parties concerned.

Funding

The service is fully financed from the district’s municipal funds.

Contact

Office of the District Councillor, Frau Hahn

Email: migration+inclusion@ladadi.de