Easy language helps immigrants to integrate into society. The Guarantee Foundation and partners have found that financial guidance material in easy language is not readily available to integration professionals. Solutions to this problem are now being developed.
Tuesday 28 May is International Plain Language Day. Selkokeskus estimates (2019) that there are around 650 000-750 000 people in Finland who need to learn easy language.
The Guarantee Foundation's project Kotouttavat taloustaidot (Integration Financial Skills) addresses the lack of easy language material by developing easy language financial guidance material for integration professionals. The materials developed in the project will be tested in financial literacy courses in integration training.
The financial literacy courses will cover sustainable everyday financial skills, planning your own finances and managing contracts and credit. The financial literacy courses organised by the project have received good feedback from the first participants. Participants report that they have gained a lot of new knowledge and that learning important words and terms in Finnish has been particularly important.
The partners with whom the project is carried out play a key role in the project. We have gained valuable information from professionals about the phenomena they encounter in integration work. Many of the professionals' observations have been eye-opening, which is why we believe it is important to work closely with good partners in the development process. Indeed, many of the topics covered in the economic education courses have been chosen precisely at the request of the partners.
Positive feedback
An online course for professionals, Integration and Money, has been published in March 2024 and will be available to integration professionals until the end of 2024. The online course provides information and practical tools for dealing with everyday money matters, including discussions and peer support. The online course also includes content produced by Moniheli's Katto programme on housing topics. Cooperation with Moniheli will continue in the autumn in the form of a communication partnership.
In the spring, we have participated in events such as the Social Sector Expert Days and the Youth 2024 Fair. At these events we have presented the materials we have developed. Among these materials, a task on personal money management and a budgeting form in plain language were presented at the fair. The feedback from professionals has been positive and they have told us that the materials are suitable for use with a wide range of client groups. The materials are clear and work well as a support to the process of talking.
Our aim is that in the future, more professionals who meet migrants will have tools to deal with money issues in a concrete and understandable way. Financial literacy is for everyone!
Sources (articles in Finnish):
Aluehallintovirasto 2020. Selkokieli auttaa maahanmuuttajaa integroitumisessa. https://www.saavutettavuusvaatimukset.fi/selkokieli-auttaa-maahanmuuttajaa-integroitumisessa/. Accessed on 13 May 2024.
Terveyden- ja hyvinvoinnin laitos 2023. Selkokieli. https://thl.fi/julkaisut/kasikirjat/vammaispalvelujen-kasikirja/asiakasprosessi/neuvonta-ja-ohjaus/selkokieli. Accessed on 13 May 2024.