{"id":29396,"date":"2023-06-19T12:47:48","date_gmt":"2023-06-19T10:47:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esf.se\/artiklar\/unikt-samverkansprojekt-etablerar-utrikesfodda-pa-arbetsmarknaden\/"},"modified":"2025-09-24T16:27:21","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T14:27:21","slug":"unikt-samverkansprojekt-etablerar-utrikesfodda-pa-arbetsmarknaden","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.esf.se\/en\/artiklar\/unikt-samverkansprojekt-etablerar-utrikesfodda-pa-arbetsmarknaden\/","title":{"rendered":"Unique collaborative project helps to establish foreign-born jobseekers on the labour market"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Personer
Shagol, one of the participants in the project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

Publicerad 12:47<\/p>\n

While many similar projects demand that participants first learn the language, Etableringslyftet [Establishment Boost] sees potential participants from the moment they arrive in Sweden. Shagol, a housewife in her homeland, lacked both work experience and knowledge of the Swedish language; today, she is a much-appreciated member of staff at the Sn\u00e4ckbacken preschool in Sollentuna. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shagol arrives at work at 8am each morning, even though she actually starts at 9. For Shagol, the opportunity to go out to work has never been something she could take for granted. In her homeland she was a housewife and she was unemployed for almost eight years after arriving in Sweden. She encountered many job coaches over the years but it was not until she heard about the Etableringslyftet<\/em> project funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) that a door to the labour market opened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was physically trying to be unemployed for so many years. At one place, I had a work placement for four years but it never led to a job. I felt terrible and wondered if I was doing something wrong. When I heard about Etableringslyftet<\/em>, I got in touch immediately,\u201d says Shagol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, she serves food at Sn\u00e4ckbacken preschool in Sollentuna. She was offered a work placement there through Etableringslyftet<\/em>, and that led to employment at 75 per cent of a full-time equivalent. While her aim is to work full-time, Shagol is delighted to finally have a job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow I\u2019m someone who fulfils a function in society\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving this job makes me feel good. I used to be on medication but I\u2019ve stopped that, because nothing helps as much as being at work and meeting the kids and my colleagues. Now I\u2019m someone who fulfils a function in society. I even have an apartment in my own name and no longer need to worry about how I\u2019m going to pay the rent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working has also helped Shagol to expand her network and improve her Swedish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI get on really well with my colleagues and they make me feel really welcome. And it\u2019s going really well with my Swedish; I talk a great deal to the kids at the preschool and they understand what I say,\u201d says Shagol.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n \u201cNow I\u2019m someone who fulfils a function in society\u201d<\/q>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving this job makes me feel good. I used to be on medication but I\u2019ve stopped that, because nothing helps as much as being at work and meeting the kids and my colleagues. Now I\u2019m someone who fulfils a function in society. I even have an apartment in my own name and no longer need to worry about how I\u2019m going to pay the rent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working has also helped Shagol to expand her network and improve her Swedish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI get on really well with my colleagues and they make me feel really welcome. And it\u2019s going really well with my Swedish; I talk a great deal to the kids at the preschool and they understand what I say,\u201d says Shagol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Collaboration across the north of Region Stockholm<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Funded by the Swedish ESF Council, Etableringslyftet<\/em> is a collaborative project involving three municipalities in the north of Region Stockholm: Sollentuna, Sigtuna and Upplands V\u00e4sby. The project continues to work closely with the Swedish Public Employment Service, which previously played an active role. Launched in 2018, the project was intended to address both the need to bring foreign-born jobseekers into the labour market and difficulties employers were facing in finding staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMuch of the project consists of matching participants to suitable workplaces. Most places are in kitchens and restaurants, preschools, schools or manufacturing. After taking part in the project, an impressive 75 per cent of participants have either found work or started studies that entitle them to student finance from CSN,\u201d explains project manager Annika Nordgren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The enormous success of the project can largely be attributed to its unique approach to language and culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMany similar projects and activities only accept those who have passed Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) with at least a C or D grade. There is too much faith that knowledge of the language solves everything. We see potential participants from the moment they arrive in Sweden. To help them overcome the language barrier, participants have access to our intercultural case managers,\u201d continues Nordgren.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n \"Sanaz\n
Sanaz Mirzajee, Case manager<\/figcaption>\n
\n
\n \"Annika\n
Annika Nordgren, project manager<\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n
\n \"Shagol,\n
Shagol, participant<\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Sanaz Mirzajee is one of the project\u2019s case managers. She offers linguistic support, but her role is much broader than that. She helps participants to understand cultural differences and other things about the labour market and Swedish society that are useful to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMuch of my time is spent getting to know participant and identifying the reasons why she or he doesn\u2019t have a job. Many have lost faith in themselves and they find the system demoralising. The great challenge is often getting people to realise their own potential.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The project ended in February 2023. Etableringslyftet<\/em> has now been granted funding until 2025 to develop social innovations. Objectives include expediting the establishment of migrants on the labour market and reducing segregation. Using social innovations as a toolbox, the project will focus even more on women. Annika Nordgren is hopeful about the new project:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor our part, we don\u2019t think there is any problem that can\u2019t be solved. Between us, we always find solutions. We work cross-sectorally with participants, government agencies, the business community and civil society. Municipalities tend to be constructed in organisational silos, which doesn\u2019t always benefit the goals. It also makes delegation difficult. We address these problems in a new way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n

Examples of initiatives and activities within the project<\/h2>\n \n
    \n
  • Multidimensional mapping.<\/li>\n
  • Introduction and dialogue on the Swedish labour market based on the employer\u2019s perspective and the participant\u2019s culture.<\/li>\n
  • Ongoing support for job-seeking and recruitment meetings.<\/li>\n
  • Language interventions.<\/li>\n
  • Dialogue on and introduction to various occupations.<\/li>\n
  • Matching to placements, including language and cultural support.<\/li>\n
  • Brief placements with the goal of employment, as well as regular follow ups with both participants and employers.<\/li>\n
  • Interview technique and social codes.<\/li>\n
  • Workshop on gender equality and gender roles.<\/li>\n
  • Support for and coordination of contact with public authorities.<\/li>\n
  • <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Shagol arrives at work at 8am each morning, even though she actually starts at 9. For Shagol, the opportunity to go out to work has never been something she could take for granted. In her homeland she was a housewife and she was unemployed for almost eight years after arriving in Sweden. She encountered many …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":28866,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"_helpful_pro_status":0,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[],"class_list":["post-29396","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esf.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/29396","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esf.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esf.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esf.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28866"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esf.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29396"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esf.se\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29396"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}