Regional expert pools

Expert Pool Integration

Project

Client

Region Alkmaar, Rotterdam, Twente, Zwolle, Friesland

Duration

2019-2023

Product

Expert pools

Project description

How do we know how our local integration policies work out in practice?
How can we better use the knowledge and creativity of newcomers?
How do we ensure that the implementation of new Integration Act connects to the lives of the people it affects?

We received these questions from the Alkmaar, Rotterdam, Twente, Zwolle and Friesland regions. Good, justified questions. Because how do we prevent laws and regulations from backfiring because we don't know how they affect the lives of the people they affect?

Support in developing and evaluating policies

In consultation with these regions, we developed the expert-pool methodology, based on our experience with community building, social design and organizing participation. Expert pools are lively, diverse, trained communities of newcomers from one region. They support governments and other organizations in developing and evaluating policy and implementation. They do this by sharing experiences, making recommendations and designing solutions.

"We noemen de leden experts omdat ze dat zijn: experts op het gebied van inburgering vanuit het perspectief van de gebruiker."

Results & insights

Regionale expertpools in 40 gemeenten in de regio Alkmaar, Rotterdam, Twente, Zwolle en Friesland. In totaal ca. 100 opgeleide, duurzaam betrokken en goed genetwerkte nieuw- en oudkomers. Een deel van de expertpools tijdelijk, een deel loopt door met onze coördinatie en in Rotterdam wordt het beheer van de pool overgenomen door de gemeente, onder begeleiding van OpenEmbassy.

Concrete advice and designs

The expert pools provided concrete advice that lead to better aligned policies, culture-sensitive implementation and a better supply of CSOs through better market consultations and procurement processes. In addition, they made concrete designs of components of integration, such as; PVT, MAP, KNM, PIP and Broad Intake. But also, for example, the profile of the ideal client manager.

Examples impact regional expert pools

Design of a model for the Broad Intake and the Labor Market and Participation Module (Friesland)
Input to market consultation Learning routes and concrete ideas for improving contact between municipality and newcomers (Rotterdam)
Expertpool integral part of the project organization that will implement the new Integration Act and determined the preconditions for such things as financial unburdening and social guidance (Twente).

Related projects

Expertpool Almere

The municipality of Almere wants a proper plan of action for the 1,350 Ukrainian displaced persons they are hosting.

View project

Expert pool of flow-through sites

Together with newcomers, we drew up preconditions for developing good transit locations in the province of Utrecht.

View project

Integration chain communication expert pool

At the request of VNG, we organized an expert pool that contributed ideas on how chain partners should communicate with persons integrating under the new Integration Act.

View project

Action-oriented learning about integration

The province of Gelderland wants to collect, deepen, disseminate and operationalize the knowledge on integration that has been developed in recent years.

View project