Neugebauer: Support public services in matters of integration

"Integration is an important task for public services in Europe. Those employed in public services should be more strongly supported in their efforts", demanded CESI-President Fritz Neugebauer during a conference of the CESI-Academy in Vienna on the 29th of September. “Integration is a major social challenge that must be faced by society as a whole,” said Neugebauer. In the future, increased efforts will be necessary in order to support as many people as possible in matters relating to integration at all levels of social life.

The majority of the countries in Europe were destination countries for immigrants during the past decades. “It is necessary that the states promote specific training programmes in public services more strongly. The integration of migrants requires specific competences”, said Neugebauer. It is thus not merely a matter of fulfilling purely formal requirements, but also of adequately satisfying the needs of the migrants. “Integration is not merely a matter of will, rather of both sides recognising the fact that successful integration presupposes participation in social life.” Neugebauer referred in this context to relevant initiatives such as the so-called "Rot-Weiß-Rot-Fibel" (red-white-red primer) in Austria, which illustrates the basic values of Austrian society and is intended to effect a positive change in people’s attitudes.

It is above all important that not only the problems connected with integration but also the advantages thereof are highlighted. “In times of demographic change it would be naive to believe we could do without migration. The new arrivals impart important impulses to the societies – not least to the qualified labour market”, emphasized Neugebauer. Only if public services, from the local administration bodies all the way through to the Ministries, are supported more strongly regarding the challenges presented by integration, will successful integration prove possible at all levels of society.