MAY 2011

 

Recently, material titled Welcome to Estonian Schools was completed at the request of the Integration and Migration Foundation Our People (MISA) and financed by the Ministry of Education and Research. The material introduces the Estonian school system to those arriving in Estonia and was written by Anu Luure, the director of studies at the Lilleküla Upper Secondary School in Tallinn and instructor Leelo Kingisepp.

 

The material provides an overview of school life and organisation in Estonia, which is intended for families that have recently arrived in Estonia from another country and whose children will be attending school in Estonia. The material provides a short review of the Estonian educational system, introduces the internal regulations at Estonian schools, and makes recommendations on how to help children adapt to the new environment.

 

The material was published in Estonian and English, and the English-language web version is posted on the website intended for new arrivals at http://welcome.teretere.eu/welcome-to-estonian-school.

 

The publication will be distributed free to schools and educational authorities as needed. More information about ordering the materials is available by written request to ave.harsing@meis.ee.

 

For more information, please contact: Ave Härsing, Coordinator of the Language Immersion Unit, phone 659 9037, e-mail ave.harsing@meis.ee

 

 

In the first quarter of 2011, the Integration and Migration Foundation Our People (MISA) paid migration support to 16 people. Of them, 12 received a total of 8,400 euros in return support in order to return to Estonia; four were paid a total of 1,550 euros in remigration support in order to return to their homelands.  

 

These supports have been available to both returning and departing people for years. MISA is dealing with the provision of support for the second year. MISA assumed the responsibility for the topic of migration at the beginning of 2010 when the Integration Foundation merged with the Estonian Migration Fund, and the name of the new agency became the Integration and Migration Foundation Our People (MISA).

 

Remigration support is available to non-Estonians and non-citizens, who after living in Estonia for a long time, have decided to relinquish their residence permits and leave Estonia. The support is meant to help compensate the costs related to the citizens of third countries, who have lived in Estonia for a long time – at least 10 years – and are leaving Estonia.

 

The return support is available to Estonians, Estonian citizens or their descendants that are returning to Estonia. The support is meant to help compensate the costs related to Estonians or Estonian citizens who have lived abroad for a long time – at least 10 years – returning to Estonia, and also, to make it easier for them to adapt to living in Estonia. 

 

More information on the types of migration support and the application conditions are available on the MISA website.

 

For more information, please contact: Martin Eber, Head of the Civil Education and Migration Unit, phone 659 9067, e-mail martin.eber@meis.ee

 

 

 

In cooperation with the Integration and Migration Foundation Our People (MISA), the Ministry of Education granted four development and two media scholarships totalling 5,110 euros.

 

The purpose of the development scholarships is to appreciate the development of the integration field, including innovative and diversified approaches to involving people of various nationalities in cooperative activities. The media scholarship is intended for journalists or media channels/publications for reporting on cultural and mutual understanding and the appreciation of tolerance in the Estonian media. 

 

The scholarship committee decided to give the scholarship for activities that place value on Estonian as the common official to Albu Basic School; the scholarship for activities supporting intercultural dialogue and cooperation between civil associations to the nonprofit East-Viru County Integration Centre; the scholarship for promoting the cultural diversity of Estonia to the nonprofit Studio Joy; and the scholarship for joint activities for the integration of young people to the Haapsalu Vocational Education Centre.    

 

The recipients of the media scholarships are the Visual Collection Association and the cultural magazine Plug.  

 

In addition, ten projects were recognised with letters of thanks.

 

In addition to the Ministry of Culture, the other members of the scholarship committee included representatives from Tallinn University, the Ethnic Minorities Portal – Etnoweb, the Tallinn Õismäe Russian Lyceum, the Youth Assembly of Estonian Nationalities, the Russian Museum and MISA. 

 

The development scholarship in the field of integration was granted for the 12^th time; the media scholarship for the third year. The scholarships and the letters of thanks were delivered on 15 April at the Russian Theatre.

 

For more information, please contact: Tea Tammistu, Coordinator of the Civil Education and Migration Unit, phone 659 9062, e-mail tea.tammistu@meis.ee

 

 

 

Within the framework of the project titled “Estonian Language Instruction in Youth Summer Camps” the Estonian language study programme received a total of almost 32,000 euros in support from eight organisations.

 

The project financed by the Ministry of Culture and organised by the Integration and Migration Foundation Our People (MISA) will support 11 camp sessions with Estonian language instruction at various summer camps, in which about 500 7-to-18-year-olds will presumably participate.  

 

Estonian language instruction for open target groups will take place primarily at the Remniku Youth Camp (see www.lastelaagrid.eu). The families must pay for attendance at the youth camp, but the young people that participate in the corresponding camp sessions and have registered for the language programme will receive free Estonian language instruction. The Estonian language instruction programme will be offered at camp sessions from 5^th to 14^th July and 18^th to 27^th July.

 

In addition, the following also received support for carrying out supplemental programmes for Estonian language study: the nonprofit Fän Clab, Newox Sports Club, Lasnamäe Hobby School, ME Study and Development Centre, Jaan Olesk, Kalev Sports Club in Tartu and the Tartu Child Protection Association.  The list of support recipients and allocated amounts are available on the MISA website.

 

Information about state-supported youth camps is compiled on the website administered by the Estonian Youth Centre at www.noortelaagrid.edu.ee.

 

For more information, please contact: Lianne Ristikivi, Coordinator of the Culture and Youth Work Unit, phone 659 9028, e-mail lianne.ristikivi@meis.ee