The integration network in Västernorrland over 40 years

In Västernorrland County, an integration network has been active since 1985. The network's work has been crucial in coordinating a welcoming reception and facilitating policies that support the long-term settlement and integration of newcomers. It has served as a cohesive organization for exchanging experiences and providing support, with the opportunity to influence whether the group of newcomers could contribute to population growth and skills supply. Countless projects and strategies have been tested over the years. However, a disadvantage is that the experiences from them are not systematically compiled, which complicates future learning.

Therefore, this project aims to compile and analyze experiences – in the form of a knowledge bank – from the Västernorrland Integration Network during the period 1985-2024. The goal is for such an analysis to form the basis for future integration-promoting measures in Västernorrland and contribute to population growth and skills supply. In the project, material is collected from municipalities and other relevant stakeholders and compiled. The material is then analyzed through a chronological compilation, exemplifying important events in the network's history according to a timeline. Secondly, the material is analyzed focusing on both good experiences and challenges. The project's findings can be of great value for future integration work in the county as well as elsewhere. An analysis of this nature is as unique as the network's long history itself