Integration Calendar – February 2009

 

The winter school for trainers from the language immersion programme will be held in Rakvere on 5 and 6 February. Led by Inscape Koolitus OÜ, the event is designed to polish the participants’ training skills, provide personal development for them as trainers and plan activities for 2009. 25 people will be attending the winter school.

 

Further information: Made Pandis, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9843 / E-mail: made.pandis@meis.ee

 

 

 

The strategy for the language immersion programme until the beginning of 2014 requires coordinated and focused work from all partners. On 9 February the working group will be convening for the third time to put together the action plan for 2009 based on the regional meetings held and proposals made by partners in 2008. The working group is made up of 30 individuals who are connected with the language immersion programme in one way or another. Represented in the working group are the Ministry of Education and Research; local governments; kindergartens and schools who have joined the programme; the association of parents of students in the language immersion programme; immersion programme advisers and trainers; and the Integration Foundation itself. The process of developing the action plan is being led by BDA Consulting OÜ.

 

Further information: Kai Võlli, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9846 / E-mail: kai.volli@meis.ee

 

 

 

The aim of this project competition is to foster intercultural dialogue and inter-community contact through youth work activities promoting cooperation between young people from Estonia, elsewhere in the European Union and third countries and those with unspecified citizenship. The organisers are hoping to receive proposals for large-scale and long-term projects which are aimed at the following: joint activities on key topics and in key areas for young people in Estonia with different languages and cultural backgrounds, including those with citizenship of third countries; involvement of young people in youth work; dealing with integration problems among young people; and enabling contact and communication between young people in order to increase awareness of tolerance, broad-mindedness and equal opportunities.

Applications can be submitted by non-profit organisations, youth associations, youth centres, youth work agencies and local governments.

The competition guidelines are available from the Integration Foundation website at www.meis.ee.

The deadline for submission of applications is 10 February 2009.

 

Further information: Silver Pramann, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9033 / E-mail: silver.pramann@meis.ee

 

 

 

The steering committee of the Language Immersion Programme will convene on 12 February. They will listen to feedback from researchers at Tallinn University regarding the programme, review what was done in 2008 and clarify the tasks that lie ahead for 2009 – both those arising from the agreement between the Ministry of Education and Research and the Integration Foundation and those which are the responsibility of the programme’s other partners. The aim is to ensure that the programme progresses in 2009 taking into account the future directions of the strategic plan approved in 2008.

 

Further information: Kai Võlli, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9846 / E-mail: kai.volli@meis.ee

 

 

 

A regional cooperation seminar to be held in Narva on 13 February will be looking at the experiences of kindergartens, schools and local governments in working together and will also see plans made for further activities within the cooperation network in 2009.

 

Further information: Maire Kebbinau, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9847 / E-mail: maire.kebbinau@meis.ee

 

 

 

The aim of these language courses is to support the learning of Estonian among the participants, including the Estonian they require in their teaching work.

 

160 school teachers and directors will take part in the courses, with the priority target group being teachers of specific subjects at the secondary level from schools with Russian as the language of instruction. Prior to and after the language courses the language skills levels of the teachers will be assessed. The training courses will be held between March and December 2009.

 

The procurement competition is being organised as part of the ‘Language Studies Development 2007–2010’ programme, a measure of the ‘Lifelong Learning’ priority of the ‘Human Resources Development Plan’ financed by the European Social Fund.

 

The tender competition is open until 16 February.

 

Further information: Natalia Reppo, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9855 / E-mail: natalia.reppo@meis.ee

 

 

 

The final competition of the Citizens Day quiz will be held in the House of the Blackheads in Tallinn on 19 February. Being held for the sixth consecutive year, the quiz has become a prestigious test of knowledge among students from general education schools with both Russian and Estonian as the languages of instruction. Its purpose is to improve the students’ knowledge of the constitutional institutions of the Republic of Estonia, human and civil rights, freedoms and duties, and issues associated with the European Union. 1635 students took part in the Internet-based quiz this academic year. Those achieving the best results and the most active schools will be recognised for their efforts.

 

Further information: Toivo Sikk, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9850 / E-mail: toivo.sikk@meis.ee

 

 

 

The first part of a three-session training course will be held in Rakvere on 27 and 28 February for teachers of Estonian-language subjects from schools with Russian as the language of instruction. The training groups will comprise teachers of up to three different subjects, with a total of up to 60 participants. The training will cover a number of topics, including subject didactics, implementing active study methods in subject studies and teaching the language of a specific subject, and integrated subject and language studies. The course will be conducted by Koolituste Korralduskeskus. The Estonian-language course will have a duration of 80 hours, of which 48 will form seminar-based work.

 

Further information: Maire Kebbinau, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9847 / E-mail: maire.kebbinau@meis.ee

 

 

 

This competition is designed to increase contact and communication between citizens of the European Union and third countries and to reduce the differences in the participation of citizens of the European Union (including Estonia) and third countries in citizens’ associations and the public sphere.

Joint events, campaigns, discussion forums and other such events will be supported as part of the competition with the involvement of citizens with the involvement of citizens of third countries (including those with unspecified citizenship) and the European Union.

Applications can be submitted by non-profit organisations, foundations and agencies managed by local governments.

The deadline for submission of applications is 3 March 2009.

 

Further information: Iris Järv, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9029 / E-mail: iris.jarv@meis.ee

 

 

The Integration Foundation awaits proposals from institutions of higher education in terms of organising additional training courses in Estonian as a second language for tertiary level students. The aim of organising these studies is to provide students with the chance to develop their general Estonian skills as well as those they need to successfully complete tertiary studies. Bearing this objective in mind, the Integration Foundation is inviting institutions of higher education to submit proposals as to the kind of additional courses that need to be organised and the kind of additional Estonian language materials that need to be produced.

 

More detailed information about the terms and conditions of these proposals will be published on the website www.meis.ee in early February. We would ask that you submit your proposals on the form provided by 5 March to ave.osman@meis.ee.

 

Organisation of additional Estonian language studies is taking place as part of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme financed from the European Social Fund.

 

Further information: Ave Osman, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9030 / E-mail: ave.osman@meis.ee

 

 

 

On 6 and 7 March the Integration Foundation will be hosting the participation and democracy-themed Two Steps Closer youth conference, financed from the European Social Fund. Young people from all over Estonia between the ages of 14 and 19 are invited to attend the conference, which is being held in Nelijärve. As with the similarly-themed One Step Closer conference held in late 2008, the home language of half of the young people taking part will be Estonian and that of the other half Russian. Together they will undertake team work exercises and make plans for further joint activities. The working language of the conference will be Estonian, providing the Russian-speaking attendees with an excellent opportunity to practise their Estonian in an everyday environment.

 

Further information: Lianne Ristikivi, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9028 / E-mail: lianne.ristikivi@meis.ee

 

 

 

The Integration Foundation once more awaits proposals from institutions of vocational education in terms of organising additional language courses. The aim is to ensure that as many vocational education institutions as possible are able to develop their teaching of Estonian in different ways based on the needs of and options open to their students. The format and cost of the teaching have not been prescribed. Some schools may wish to provide bridging courses, others summer schools, while others may prefer to build on their work experience programmes or combine their teaching of professional and language skills. All proposals are welcome. What is important is that they comply with the aims of the programme and the description of the activity. The language studies will be organised in cooperation with experts from the foundation and schools.

 

The deadline for proposals is 31 March 2009. Schools may submit a number of proposals. What is important is to know that the amount indicated in the budget will not be transferred to the school’s budget, but that the Integration Foundation will order the required services itself.

We would ask that proposals be submitted on the form provided (available from www.meis.ee or kutsekeel.ee) and that these be forwarded to us by e-mail by the due date.

 

Organisation of additional Estonian language studies in vocational schools is taking place as part of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme financed from the European Social Fund.

 

Further information: Edydt Johanson, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9842 / E-mail: edydt.johanson@meis.ee

 

 

 

The Integration Foundation has entered into a partnership with Mainor Business School to organise 60-hour Estonian language short courses for local government officials and workers from agencies managed by local governments who have insufficient Estonian language skills, as well as two to four-week work exchanges with colleagues from other language environments. The training will commence in February.

 

The aim of the work exchanges is to create a variety of flexible opportunities for these people to learn the national language to the level necessary for them to be able to function in their everyday and professional lives.

 

The courses and exchanges are being organised as part of the ‘Language Studies Development 2007–2010’ programme, a measure of the ‘Lifelong Learning’ priority of the ‘Human Resources Development Plan’ financed by the European Social Fund.

 

Further information: Tea Kotkas, Coordinator, Lifelong Learning Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9061 / E-mail: tea.kotkas@meis.ee

 

 

 

The methodology-based in-service training for teachers of Estonian as a second language from general education schools and vocational education institutions which began in November 2008 is continuing in 2009. The studies are being organised in cycles based on a training schedule, with the Wednesday sessions for the 1^st and 2^nd training groups taking place in Southern Estonia in February.

 

The February sessions will cover a number of topics, including active learning and communicative language learning methods, opportunities for integrated subject and language learning, ways of creating a supportive language environment and topics related to subject didactics. In partnership with teachers from Tartu’s Annelinna Secondary School, a seminar will be held at which the participants can find out about best practice in Estonian language teaching in schools with Russian as the language of instruction and discuss the role of Estonian language teachers and support for subject teachers in implementing Estonian-language studies with representatives of the Ministry of Education and Research.

 

The training is being organised by the Multicultural Education Centre of the Integration Foundation as part of the “Language Studies Development 2007-2010” programme financed from the European Social Fund.

 

Further information: Natalia Reppo, Coordinator, Multicultural Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9855 / E-mail: natalia.reppo@meis.ee

 

 

 

The Viljandi Cultural Academy of the University of Tartu recently won an Integration Foundation tender which will see the university carrying out training for current and future youth workers starting from spring.

The aim of this procurement is to increase the youth workers’ competence in intercultural study methods so as to work with young people in multicultural working environments (i.e. people with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds) and facilitate the integration of young people – including those with third-country citizenship – into society both in Estonia and generally within the European Union. The target group will comprise 40 youth workers and 40 youth work students. 40 hours of training are planned as part of the course, which will also include a study trip to another European country.

The training is being financed by the State Chancellery of Estonia and the European Fund for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals, which was established as part of the general European Union programme ‘Solidarity and management of migratory flows’.

 

For further information please contact: Silver Pramann, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9033 / E-mail: silver.pramann@meis.ee

 

 

 

In early February the Integration Foundation will be launching a simplified public tender for the “Language camp for Estonian youth living outside of Estonia” project. The aim of the tender is to support the development of Estonian as a language of communication for youth with Estonian origins and to promote Estonia and Estonian culture through language camp exchanges.

Between 2000 and 2003 and between 2005 and 2007 the foundation organised Estonian language and life camps for children and young adults with Estonian roots living in the CSI states, Latvia and Lithuania. Almost 300 young people from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia and Lithuania have attended such camps. Unlike in previous years, the chance to take part in the 2008 language camp was offered to young people with Estonian roots wherever they were living outside of the country.

 

Further information: Kristina Pirgop, Coordinator, Culture and Youth Work Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9024 / E-mail: kristina.pirgop@meis.ee

 

 

 

The overall purpose of the project was to increase the number of Estonian citizens among people of unspecified citizenship and those from third countries residing in Estonia for a long period by increasing their awareness of the conditions for acquiring Estonian citizenship and offering them assistance in preparing for the examination that tests their knowledge of the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia and the Citizenship Act.

Comprehensive study programmes and materials for preparatory courses for the examinations were developed as part of the project, and 80 trainers who had the right to conduct courses as part of the project were trained and attested. Between July 2006 and December 2008 more than 4000 people with unspecified citizenship and citizens of third countries took part in the courses.

The “Help for future citizens” study material was also produced, which is designed to assist people to prepare individually for the Constitution and the Citizenship Act examination. The booklet will be available to all applicants for Estonian citizenship free of charge from National Examination and Qualification Centre examination points from the end of January.

The results of the project and a summary thereof are available on the website of the Integration Foundation at http://www.meis.ee/est/sihtasutusest/struktuur/TFSU/index.php?articleID=131.

 

Further information: Tea Tammistu, Coordinator, Citizens Education Unit / Telephone: +372 659 9062 / E-mail: tea.tammistu@meis.ee

 

 

 

The Integration Foundation now has five units instead of the former six. The language immersion centre and educational programmes centre have been merged to form one unit – the multicultural education centre, led by Ulvi Müürsepp.

Starting from January the culture and youth work unit is being led by Silver Pramann, and the citizens education unit is being led by Külli Vollmer.

 

Further information: www.meis.ee (contact section)