This document discusses introductory and language courses as part of integration policy in Flanders, which is a multi-level governance issue. Integration policy in Flanders has two phases - inburgering for newcomers and integratie for longer-term integration. Inburgering includes an introductory program coordinated by welcome offices consisting of Dutch language training, social orientation, and career guidance. The program aims to encourage social participation. Integration is a partnership between various authorities at the federal, Flemish, and local levels.

1. Introductory and Language
courses : in Flanders a multi-
level governance issue
Inge Hellemans
Agency for Internal Affaires
Flemish Autority

2. Belgium : a brief reminder
• 1 federal state
• 3 communities : Flemish, French & German
• 3 regions : Flanders, Wallonia & Brussels
• Different policies by different authorities
• “Integration” is a competence on regional
level.

3. Integration policy in Flanders
- Inburgering (1st phase of integration):
= a categorial policy (mainly for newcomers)
- Flemish Parliament Act on Civic Integration
- Integratie (2nd phase of integration):
= mainly an inclusive policy, however,
categorial when necessary
- Flemish Parliament Act on Integration

4. Introductory and Language courses
Inburgering:
a specific programme as a first step
• Coordinated by welcome office
• Consists of:
- Training programme:
› Elementary Dutch course
› Social orientation course
› Career orientation
- Supported by programme
counselling
- Social participation

5. Introductory and Language courses :
training programme
Dutch course:
- Elementary course (A.1. Breakthrough level)
- 240 h, 180 h, 120 h or 90 h, depending on the
case

6. Introductory and Language courses :
training programme
Career orientation:
- From the perspective of the person integrating:
professional, educational or socio-cultural
- Guidance towards continuing education, work,
participation in socio-cultural provision,
volunteer work and other leisure activities
- Basis: experience and qualifications (such as
diplomas)
- Guidance towards work
- During a 20 hour course or through interviews

7. Introductory and Language courses :
training programme
Social orientation course:
- Introduction to Flemish society
- Themes: Belgian state structure, education,
mobility, health,…
- Broad attention to values and standards
- Given in the mother tongue of the people
integrating
- 60 h

8. Integration is not something you just do in
a classroom
Social participation:
Encouraging the persons integrating to:
 build up a social network,
 to get to know their local town
or community,
 to practice their Dutch,
 to sign up to become a member of a
local association or sports club,
 to take up voluntary work,…
f.e. project “Samen Inburgeren”
www.sameninburgeren.be
(coaching on voluntary basis)

9. Inburgering: one-stop-shop ?
• First line activities
• “One-stop shop”
- for ‘service’, not for ‘documents’
• Data of people integrating are entered into
central database (a Cross Roads Bank)

10. Inburgering = multi-level partnership
• Municipalities
› Informing newcomers
• Welcome offices
› Establishing initial contact with people
integrating
› Providing assistance
› Organising social orientation courses

11. Inburgering = multi-level partnership
• ‘Dutch Language Houses’
› Guiding people towards the most suitable
Dutch provision
• Dutch language providers
› Dutch language courses are provided by
adult basic education centres, adult education
centres and university language centres

12. Inburgering = multi-level partnership
• Flemish Service for Employment and
Vocational Training (VDAB)
› Career orientation courses
› Assist people integrating to find a job
• OCMW (Openbaar Centrum voor
Maatschappelijk Welzijn) (Public Centre for
Social Welfare)
› Guiding people towards ‘Inburgering’ if
necessary

13. Overview Partners
Arrival at the Welcome
office municipality
Integration House of Dutch
contract
Language providers
VDAB
Elementary Social Career
OCMW
Dutch course orientation orientation
other
Programme counselling
Social participation
Integration certificat Regular
educational
services
Secondary integration programme

14. Multi-level partnership
Authorities Involved
• Federal authorities:
- Competent for access to territory
• Flemish authorities:
- Competent for integration policy
- Legislative and executive role
- Subsidises the institutions concerned
• Local authorities
- Informing newcomers

15. Multi-level partnership
Authorities Involved
Flemish authorities – policy areas involved:
• Internal Affairs
• Education
• Work

16. Inburgering = multi-level partership
• 8 welcome offices
+ 8 ‘Dutch Language Houses’
+ VDAB
• Areas of activity:
- One welcome office in each of the five Flemish
provinces
- One welcome office in cities of Antwerp, Ghent
and Brussels

17. Implementation of Inburgering by welcome offices
Structures of welcome offices:
• 6 non-profit organisations
• 1 urban service (Antwerp)
• 1 belong to a provincial authority
No (legal) role for the private sector

18. Figures on welcome offices Inburgering
2009 2010 2011 2012
Total of integration contracts 14.158 18.608 20.824
in Flanders and Brussels
Budget for the 8 welcome 28,2 mil 24,4 mil 27,3 mil 29 mil
offices

19. Case Antwerp – urban service
• The ‘Atlas-building’ : one-stop-shop

20. Case Antwerp
• Different services together in one building:
- Welcome office Antwerp
- Huis van het Nederlands (the Dutch Language House Antwerp)
- Servicepoint volunteers
- Servicepoint associations
- Secretariat of the ‘neighbourhood’
- Documentation centre
- Polyvalent meeting place

21. Integration is not something
you just do in a classroom

22. Integration: horizontal and inclusive policy
• Focus on the entire society, with special attention to the
targetgroup (1st and 2nd generation + social deprivation
factors)
• 3 main goals
Participation,
Accesibility of organisations and services,
Sociale cohesion.
• Importance of local authorities

23. Local integration policy
• Financing (granting of a subsidy) of local authorities willing
to implement a proactive integration policy
• Financing based on:
Request of the local authority (no obligation),
Conditions: minimal presence of the target group +
problems of social deprivation
Agreement between the Flemish authority and the local
authority (goals, actions, indicators)
→ current situation: 46 local authorities have an
agreement

24. Thank you for your attention !
Inge.hellemans @ bz.vlaanderen.be
Tel: 00 32 2 553 33 19
www . Inburgering . be