International House Kouvola
Systematized alliance operators' cooperation in Kouvola
The project aims to build International House Kouvola (IHK) using an alliance model, develop service structures that promote the integration, inclusion and equality of immigrants, and model cooperation structures for different actors, in parallel with a systematic evaluation.
A new, synchronized alliance model based on common goal setting, which functions as a systematized structure that brings together service production targeting immigrants in Kouvola..
The significance and starting points of the project
International House Kouvola (IHK) is a joint service that provides most of the initial advisory and guidance services needed by immigrants under one roof, at or near the Kohoa Synergia Centre in Kouvola. The service is aimed at all new international residents who have arrived in Kouvola. In addition to individual customers, IHK also serves companies and employers in matters related to foreign labour and recruitment. The service speeds up and streamlines the settlement and labour market integration of new international residents and their families. It also makes international expertise already available in the area more accessible to companies and employers and strengthens the retention of people with an immigrant background in the city. The work is closely linked to entrepreneurship and cooperation. Services are provided in person, through a one-stop service point, as a network, and through outreach/mobile services.
Compared with International House (IH) models in other cities, the novel aspect of International House Kouvola is its implementation through an alliance model. During the IHK project, different actors form an alliance to deliver the service, and the alliance’s operating approach is gradually developed and strengthened. The key elements of the alliance are a shared goal and close cooperation focused on achieving it. For ecosystem actors that are willing to set common goals, annual planning is adapted to fit the alliance model. A core feature of the model is that the goals are shared by all alliance partners. When the goals are achieved, everyone succeeds together and benefits from the results. The aim of the project is to build an alliance model that functions as a structure for bringing service production together and for aligning different actors to develop services in the same direction. The alliance coordinates the services and specialised expertise of IHK actors and partners into a coherent service offering that facilitates settlement and supports pathways to employment.
Systematic coordination of service production among alliance actors and the development of cooperation models will strengthen services that support the integration of immigrants, reduce fragmentation and service bottlenecks, and develop new services that promote integration and participation. Through the new IHK service package, Kouvola’s ability to retain immigrants will be strengthened by making settlement smoother and by making pathways to work and education more systematic. Strengthening retention will also have a positive effect on the area’s demographic development. With a systematic and agile service package, immigrants’ experiences of inclusion and everyday life management, as well as their connection to different employment and education pathways, will be strengthened. Overall, a smooth service package strengthens the agency of people with an immigrant background, which is reflected in an increased ability to influence their own solutions, life choices, and their operating environment.
As part of the solution – a smooth and agile service package targeting immigrants, further strengthening vitality and attractiveness.
International House Kouvola is a joint service that offers most of the initial advisory and authority services needed by immigrants under one roof at or very close to the Kohoa Synergia Centre. The service is aimed at all new international residents who have recently arrived in Kouvola.
In addition to individual customers, IHK also serves companies and employers in matters related to foreign labor and its recruitment. The service speeds up and streamlines the settlement and labor market integration of new international residents arriving in Kouvola and their families, and makes the international expertise already available in the area more accessible to companies and employers, and strengthens the retention of people with an immigrant background in the city.
International services are being renewed – International House Kouvola will start in autumn 2025.
The development of international services supports the vitality and attractiveness of Kouvola. Smooth and diverse services help immigrants settle into the Kouvola community and labor market, which strengthens the city’s growth and diversity.
Project objectives and key measures
1. IHK alliance
The main goal of the project is to build an International House Kouvola, a service center for immigrants in Kouvola, using an alliance model.
In the work package under objective 1, an IHK ecosystem alliance will be built, which will bring together a broad service package for the further development of international services in Kouvola. An interactive website utilizing artificial intelligence will be developed to support and concretize the service package.
Operational steps:
- Stakeholder work and gathering ecosystem actors and collaboration forums to determine common target starting points
- Benchmarking of operating models
- Strategic vision work to guide the creation of the alliance model
- User panels and stakeholder webinars
- Communication plan
- Conceptualization of the IHK operating model and operational implementation of the service model in the kick-off-week event
- Development of a Pop-up deployable IHK model
- Assessment of the expansion opportunities of alliance partnerships from a 3rd sector actor perspective
- Determination of the IHK strategic vision and goals for the future
- All measures are accompanied by the development and iteration of an interactive website together with key alliance actors and users.
Developed, piloted and modeled International House alliance model
2. Services and modeling of cooperation between different actors
The second objective of the project is to develop various forms of cooperation and partnerships to strengthen the provision of services that support inclusion and pathways to education and employment for people with an immigrant background. The work package under objective 2 aims to build the following models:
A) Educational pathway: The aim is to build an educational pathway that strengthens pathways from integration training to vocational training and from there to working life or higher education, and increases inclusion and equality.
B) Job training model: The aim of job training is to strengthen the employment of people with an immigrant background in the open labour market in a paid employment relationship in accordance with the scientifically researched IPS model.
C) Development of statutory integration cooperation: Developing the actors’ approach to work from a systemic framework puts the customer with an immigrant background at the centre of their own affairs and is responsible for themselves. The person becomes the subject of their own life. The aim is to strengthen inclusion and the customer’s own agency through this.
D) Immigrant employment is accelerated step by step: An operating model is created that lowers the entrepreneur’s threshold for hiring an international employee as an opportunity for the company’s sustainable growth. Strengthening the inclusion and resilience of immigrants.
E) Welcome to Kouvola program: The goal of the program is to be a program that focuses on the study location, implemented by ecosystem actors, intended for integration, networking, and strengthening entrepreneurship and employment capabilities, which increases the retention power of people with an immigrant background and strengthens their networks, thus supporting employment.
Concrete models, paths and modeling
3. Evaluation for effectiveness
The project’s cross-cutting focus and third objective is continuous systematic evaluation through the service design process, utilizing the service design phases. The work package under the project’s third objective evaluates the different perspectives underlying the project’s measures from the perspectives of participants, stakeholders and project actors, emphasizing a strong experience actor perspective.
- Self-assessment: project actors’ perspective on continuous learning and development
- Experience perspective: functionality from the perspectives of different services and operations, and the experience of inclusion
- Stakeholder perspective: operating model development needs and commitment
- Web platform: web analytics as a tool for data control
A systematic review
Contact information
Partners
Kouvolan kaupunki
Tiina Pönni, project manager
020 615 7802
tiina.ponni@kouvola.if
Kouvolan ammattiopisto Oy, Eduko
Päivi Kalliomäki, project manager
+358 40 488 4384
paivi.kalliomaki@eduko.fi
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