Room for Cultures

The project activities are divided into four work packages.

Work Package 1 focuses on promoting inclusion and cultural wellbeing by supporting intercultural dialogue through discussion events and enhancing participation through co-creation workshops. This package also develops a culture-based model that brings together students in regional higher education institutions and strengthens the Cultural Buddy concept.

Work Package 2 focuses on developing a multi-stakeholder strategic partnership model by building and strengthening a cross-sectoral network, and by gathering and sharing existing cultural wellbeing initiatives as a “cultural menu.” This package also establishes a women’s cultural wellbeing network to facilitate dialogue between different actors, share good practices that support inclusion, and create joint activities and visibility from a women’s perspective.

Work Package 3 centres on the development of accessible and multidisciplinary services that promote cultural wellbeing and inclusion, along with the related expertise. Workshops will be organised to explore how cultural diversity and sustainable development appear in work communities and how organisations can better integrate them into their practices. The package also aims to support the parenting role of migrant women and encourage them to build peer networks.

Work Package 4 covers project management and communication, including leadership, coordination of activities, reporting of results, and sharing outcomes more widely through workshops and seminars.

As a result of the project activities, the region’s attractiveness and retention improve as newcomers feel welcome and can more easily become part of the local community. Intercultural interaction increases—for example, international students become better integrated into the wider student community. Attitudes toward different cultures become more positive, and cultural services become more equal, accessible, and inclusive. The opportunities for people with migrant backgrounds to participate in the planning and decision-making of services are strengthened. Expertise in cultural wellbeing grows across both regions, and events and services become open and accessible to everyone. The project places particular emphasis on supporting the participation of migrant women and their attachment to the local community.

The project’s primary target group consists of people from diverse cultural backgrounds who are in the weakest position in the labour market, at risk of social exclusion, or experiencing socio-economic challenges. This includes migrants and international students living in the region. The project also aims to encourage a shift in attitudes within the receiving society toward greater inclusion, rather than expecting only migrants to adapt to the host culture.

The secondary target group includes professionals who work with the primary target group, such as providers of arts, wellbeing, education, and advisory services, as well as library services, along with their management and staff. The project seeks to strengthen cooperation among these actors and to develop their competencies.

The indirect target group includes the relatives of people with migrant backgrounds, clients of arts, culture, and wellbeing services who do not belong to the primary target group, wellbeing services counties, both regions, municipalities in the area, and potential employers.