Claiming to be open to the world, the City of Munich regards integration of those people who live in the city for a longer period as an important task. For this, the services provided by the city and by social service providers must be accessible for all. Intercultural orientation is understood as a mindset of organizations and persons towards equality and acceptance, recognition of diversity and responsiveness to the needs of various groups with different interests. Intercultural openness is the implementation of intercultural orientation. It consists of different instruments that help to break down barriers of access. In the future, intercultural orientation and openness of social service providers should become important criteria for the attribution of public subsidies.

All social, health or education related facilities of the covered areas can participate in the project. Normally, about 35 facilities take part per each 3-year period.

- For a three year period, social service providers of selected programme areas in Munich can participate in the project. - Facilities participating in the project obtain support by the quality management for their development towards intercultural orientation and openness during the three year project period. - Executives and staff of the participants receive training for intercultural orientation. - In the beginning, each facility has to set the objectives they want to reach within 3 years. - 6-8 facilities work together in area-based quality circles in order to help each other to reach the set goals. Among peers, they discuss and exchange their measures undertaken. - The facilities’ staff receives free training in fields such as “intercultural quality management”, “intercultural communication”, “peer counseling”. - The quality management team also offers consultation on migration related issues for kindergartens, schools, initiatives and associations.

36 facilities have participated in a first phase of the project (2005-2007). The results differ from one facility to another and depend on the goals that have been set. To mention some examples: Organisation structures of facilities were changed, leaflets were made available in different languages, public relations became oriented to an intercultural public, manuals and guidelines were compiled etc. In an evaluation that took place eight months before the end of the project, more than two thirds of the participating facilities state that they had achieved the majority of the goals set in the beginning. Close to a quarter of

In April 2007, the first period of the project was evaluated. 34 of 36 facilities were interviewed. At the time of the interviews (8 month before the end of the project) 8 facilities (23.5%) had reached all their objectives that were written down in the project contract. 24 facilities (70.6%) had reached most of their objectives. One facility recognized that the set objectives unrealistic and out of reach. Therefore they adapted the project contract in collaboration with the quality management team.

The project is financed by the City of Munich with a project volume of 120.000 € / year