Immigrants in Flanders

1. Immigrants in Flanders Barriers to participation in society and education

2. Content • Introduction • Barriers according to surveys

3. Introduction • Ghent has 6.6% immigrants (Genk: 15.6% Antwerp:11.3%) • Takinginto account thoseimmigrantswhoadopted the Belgian nationality: 15% (33,250) of which 30% of Turkishorigin, 6% of Moroccanorigin • Average age = 32 years • Poorlyqualified • Weakpositionon the labourmarket (due to bad knowledge of the language, pooreducation, poorcontactswithnativepeople, discrimination)

4. Barriers according to surveys • The content of the courses/projects we offer (our programme) • Technical/practical barriers • Social-economic barriers • Communication • Social-cultural barriers

5. The content of most of the programmes • We need to stimulate the cultural expression of immigrant groups • More chances • More opportunities for education, training and cultural creation • We need to promote the existing etnic-cultural programmes

6. Technical/practical barriers Lack of: • Spare time • Information • Transport • Nursery • Language comprehension

7. Social-economic barriers Limited income Poor education

8. Communication • Language in brochures is toodifficult • We do notreachimmigrantswithour brochures, website, magazines, newspapers • Text is tooargumentative (notnarrative) • Toolittlepersonalapproach • Toolittle promotion by word of mouth •  Needintercultural mediators (e.g. multiculturalstaff, volunteers)

9. Social-cultural barriers Immigrants do not recognize themselvesin our view on culture and education Shortage of immigrant employees We reflect too much the view and competence of the native, well-educated middle-class

10. Technical/practical barriers Language is the main barrier. In some projects we have interpreters involved. Nursery is very important if you want the participation of women Timing evening or late-afternoon courses (when school is out) are difficult for women At 11 a.m a lot of women left the course to prepare lunch

11. Technical/practical barriers • Transport • Difficult in the evening • Some immigrants do not leave their neighbourhood • Some immigrants do not dare to come all alone on unknown territory • It is less threatening when the courses are in the immigrants’ classrooms/mosque

12. Social-economic barriers Our courses are too expensive! Acceptable price is 1 or 2 euro It’s not a habit to pay for spare time activities Some Muslim women have to ask their husband for money Many people dot not have a “learning attitude” Many people do not know their wants

13. Communication We use the media we know (internet, particular newspapers, magazines) Written promotion does hardly work! Face-to-face communication and working with mediators is necessary Some participants did not dare to speak directly to the educator when there was a problem: they spoke to the mediator

14. Social-cultural barriers • Manyimmigrants are illiterate • It is reallynecessary to co-operatewith mediators and immigrant organisations • Keepingappointments (also the immigrant organisations) • There is a lot of socialcontrolwithin the immigrant families (Turkish) and the neighbourhood • There is a strongsocial and familynetwork and thereisn’talways a need/interest to meet otherpeople, orotherculturalexpressions • Someimmigrantsidentifythemselveswith the streetthey live in (not the neighbourhood, let alone the city) • Immigrants have to deal withracismfromnativepeople and fromeachother!

15. To end… • Many educators emphasize that most barriers in working with immigrants are the same as those in working with poorly educated native people… • TIPS: • Start from similarities, not from the differences • Do not see immigrants as one homogenous group • Take time to build a relation based on trust • Don’t make things too difficult but don’t make it too childish either • Know the different cultural codes • Know the wants of your group