In order to give immigrants flexible paths in education and/or working life, validation of non-formal and informal learning had to be enhanced to make their competences visible. The quantitative aim is to start the validation process with ca. 300 immigrants. The aim of the process is either employment or training or both.

The project also aims to promote the readiness of companies in Eastern Finland to work in a multicultural environment and to employ immigrants. The quantitative aim was to get at least 10 major companies and four other type organizations to co-operate with the project.

A training programme for immigrant counselors and teachers was developed to help them gain the required competences and to be able to use the tools required in validation of non-formal and informal learning. The aim was to pilot the training programme during the project and continue the training programme independently after the project’s cessation.

The validation procedure for the immigrants involves intense individual guidance, compiling their portfolio, interviews and monitoring. Under guidance, the candidate is interviewed by a professional teacher to verify the level of skills and competences. The candidate in most cases receives an on-the-job training position in the field of his/her experience and that highlights his/her competences. The counsellor, professional teacher and the work place tutor assess the candidate according to a learning outcome based criteria of the given field. The candidate is given a certificate where his competences are described in terms of learning outcomes.

All quantitative results were reached and exceeded in terms of immigrant participants and number of participating companies or other employer organisations.

The pilot training programme was carried out in four different organisations, with more than seventy participants. One pilot training was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which in turn contributed to the ongoing development of a new national integration programme for immigrants.

Many immigrants gained employment (both short and long term) and many were able to shorten their study times for formal qualifications due to validation procedures.

Empowerment has been the most important qualitative result of the project.

Evaluation was carried out according to the ESF requirements by reporting every six months of the quantitative and qualitative results of the project. The steering committee monitored outcomes. Self assessment was carried out on a regular basis.

Project resources were sufficient in terms of staff and funds. There were eight assigned project workers and additional expertise was acquired.

Success factor was to combine all relevant actors as target groups: the primary target group was the immigrants and the secondary one was the companies’ staff and teachers and counsellors. This way the whole chain of process owners were involved in the process.

Unemployed immigrants, who don’t have formal qualification or their qualification gained abroad is not relevant in Finland.

Staff of potential employers; counsellors and teachers working with immigrants.

127 long and 194 short term immigrant clients. Persons attending dissemination events 620.

Funding came from the European Social Fund. Total amount of funding was 550 000 euros of which 8 percent was our own contribution.

The assigned project staff consisted of the project manager, four counsellors and two researchers and their supervisor. In addition to the assigned staff, experts were used (mostly professional VET teachers and assessors). Without the funding none of the development processes would have been carried out to such an extent. Also sufficient funding ensured the sustainability of the results: the duration of the project was long enough to change the ways of the process owners working and thinking patterns.