Civic engagement? Active citizenship? What’s another phrase for political participation? This month’s conversation invites Cem Özdemir, co-chair of the German Green Party, to talk about political life in Germany and the influences that shape his world view.

While popular democratic uprisings sweep across the Maghreb and Egypt, citizen campaigns in Boston and classrooms in Toronto are taking strategies for registering the immigrant vote all the way to the ballot box (webinar).

In the US and Canada, grassroots movements to mobilize city leaders behind local voting rights can look to Dublin and cities in 18 EU member states for inspiration. Political participation is one of the seven themes addressed in the new MIPEX III report: Canada ranks third behind Sweden and Portugal in integration policies for migrants.

The power of ideas to shape change is celebrated all over the world today. For International Women’s Day, we visit a new project from London-based Maslaha, and showcase women in integration.

The best thing about politics? Like spring, change may be just around the corner.

From The Cities of Migration team.

The Good Idea Index: Connect

• Advocacy
• Citizenship training
• Civic engagement
• Community building
• Media
• Political participation
• Volunteering
• Voting rights

If you have good ideas, feedback or other information to share, please contact us at citiesofmigration@maytree.com.

“While policymakers may change their messages from day to day and create a lot of news in the press, we actually see that making a policy or legal change takes a substantial amount of time. It then also takes time to implement that policy and then see the actual effects on immigrants’ opportunities in society.” Thomas Huddleston – Policy Analyst, Migration Policy Group

On February 28, Maytree hosted the Canadian release of the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX). This was the third MIPEX release of data that compares Canada to 30 other countries (mainly EU & the US).

Canada scored third, which is worth celebrating. But, as with all data, scratching below the surface tells us that we have areas for improvement. You can view the recording of the online press conference below.

Featured speakers at the MIPEX press conference were Jan Niessen and Thomas Huddleston of the Migration Policy Group (Brussels), Howard Duncan of the International Metropolis Project & Jack Jedwab of the Association of Canadian Studies (Canada).

Here are the major points our webinar speakers discussed, some key data and links to more information.

Background

MIPEX is the Migrant Integration Policy Index. Researchers reviewed 148 policy indicators in seven policy areas, covering 27 EU member states, Norway, Switzerland, Canada and the USA. Policy areas are labour market mobility, family reunion for third-country nationals, education, political participation, long-term residence, access to nationality, and anti-discrimination. Future reports will include Japan, Australia and New Zealand. For a quick visual overview of the new report, watch this MIPEX online tour, which covers some background about the report and the major, interactive features of the MIPEX website.

Why MIPEX is important

Howard Duncan of the Metropolis Project commented how the policy areas covered by MIPEX are increasing in importance around world. There has been much anxiety recently related to immigrant integration, and how it differs from multiculturalism (especially in Europe). The European dichotomy between integration and multiculturalism is not as evident in Canada. To illustrate, Howard mentioned that Canada just recognized the 40th anniversary of official multiculturalism policy.

Howard went on to say that competition for migrants will be won or lost based on integration policies countries implement. With that in mind, countries are taking immigrant integration more seriously than ever before, but they’re also struggling and looking for help and advice.

Within the policy indicators and theme areas, MIPEX seeks to answer this key question: do all residents have equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities to help them improve their integration outcomes? It’s important to point out that this report is a discussion of policies, not outcomes, although the likelihood of outcomes is taken into account.

What can you do with MIPEX III?

• Analyze seven policy areas which shape a legal resident immigrant’s journey to full citizenship;
• Examine how policies compare against the standard of equal rights and responsibilities for migrants;
• Find out how one’s country’s policies rank compared with other countries;
• Track if policies are getting better or worse over time;
• Dig into real examples of how to improve policies; and
• Use it to design and assess new laws and proposals on an on-going basis.

The key findings include changes since MIPEX II. Comparative data is available in the Play with data section of the MIPEX site. You can also view country-specific reports. Start with how Canada did

Where Canada leads

Canada has improved because of increased policy work on foreign credential recognition. Canada leads in labour market mobility, family reunion (but because of our backlog issue we scored the same as MIPEX II). Canada and the US have the strongest anti-discrimination laws and equity policies. European countries are catching up in anti-discrimination. It is important to note that MIPEX measures integration policies (not outcomes or actual status) up to May 31, 2010. Time will tell if recent issues and legislative direction in Canada (such as changes to family reunification) will have an impact on our position in these standings.

Where Canada is weak

While Canada is generally strong, it is weak in some areas. We know that immigrants face challenges on the ground. MIPEX points to the following important areas where Canada could improve:

• The need to remove the large backlog for processing immigrant applications; in 20 countries under study, there are legal time-limits to do so;
• The recognition that non-citizen residents should be given the right to vote in local elections; 18 EU Member States have extended this right to their non-EU residents; and
• The importance of giving leaders of immigrant associations the chance to inform integration policy through immigrant consultative bodies; 14 European countries and leading US states and cities have formal structures in place to seek the views of newcomers.

Our policies, in terms of legal framework, are generally free of discriminatory approaches. But, we can’t divorce this from the day-to-day experience of newcomers in Canada.

Webinar Q&A with: Jan Neissen, Thomas Huddleston and Jack Jedwab

How could the Canadian government respond to this report, especially in areas where we’re weak?

There is some value in debate being organized on issues about political involvement and engagement. We need to do more work around policy involvement and engagement of immigrants in Canada.

Has health policy been considered for MIPEX?

Such a comparative study moves slowly, but has expanded from four to seven policy areas. It would take time to determine proper research questions. For example, what, specifically, would we want to cover regarding health? Some aspects, such as anti-discriminatory access to services are covered indirectly.

This is the third year. How did Canada do compared to previous years? Did this study take into account some of the more recent policy shifts in Canada?

Research reflects the situation as of May 31, 2010. Canada only went up one point because of the pan-Canadian framework on credential recognition. Researchers recognize that this is a massive undertaking. Very few other countries have been doing this kind of work on credential recognition. Changes after May 2010 will be factored into the next MIPEX study, in two years time.

What were your findings of how well new Canadians (and immigrants elsewhere) fared in the job market?

The study looks are legislative framework, not actual labour market integration, unemployment rates, etc. This type of information is available from Canadian Census data, and other reports. However, the study encourages dialog around these issues, including expert exchanges between countries.

Which of the MIPEX indicators is most useful to addressing issues of immigrant integration in local communities?

Integration is not uniquely local, national policies are essential. Cities do have a big stake. MIPEX can be used to review national policies. Cities can lobby national government to enhance policies. When a legal framework is in place, support is delivered locally. Cities can create targeted measures, develop the systems, work to get funding to implement, work with local actors.

[In Canada] Education is an example of provincial responsibility, which needs support nationally for even support across the country. National and local connections do exist. Stakeholders can decide on the importance of a particular area and do their own weighting. Play with MIPEX data at www.mipex.eu/play.

Will MIPEX look at the gap between legal structure/policy framework and social and economic integration of immigrants in reality?

Yes. It is important to determine how good policy translates into good outcomes. This will be looked at during the upcoming Metropolis conference and other gatherings. Future plans include to connect policy inputs and policy outcomes.

Source: Maytree Conversations (February 4, 2011).

Related links:

• Canadian MIPEX immigration data released (Maytree)
  
• Canadian MIPEX: les données canadiennes sont maintenant disponibles (Maytree)
  
• Comprehensive MIPEX mainstream media coverage
• MIPEX Press Conference, February 2011, British Council Brussels,  on Vimeo.

MIPEX

2011 is the centenary year of International Women’s Day and to commemorate this, UK-based Maslaha is launching TenSquared, a project exploring and celebrating the lives of some of the amazing Muslim women in Britain today.

Throughout the year, TenSquared will be chronicling the lives of ten inspirational Muslim women, each of whom are making important, tangible changes to their communities. Using photography, fine art and other media, the project aims to provide a deeper understanding of these women’s lives and the scale of their achievements.

The first of these portraits will be unveiled on March 31, 2011 at a launch event in Whitechapel with more to follow throughout the year.

Maslaha is looking for contributions. Do you know (or are you) a Muslim woman who is making a difference, bringing about change or pioneering in her field?

For more information about Maslaha’s new project on the role Muslim women have played through history in parallel with the powerful achievements of Muslim female role models today, visit Women at Maslaha.

About Maslaha (A Cities of Migration Good Idea)

Maslaha is an exciting new organisation which connects technology with the community to create inventive and effective resources to tackle issues around health and education, with a particular focus on Muslim communities and their service providers.

Maslaha works with artists, historians, scientists, young people, community leaders, religious scholars, ethnographers, dynamic local charities, teachers, doctors, film makers, and plenty of unashamedly proud geeks to bring interesting things to life!  Maslaha also uses a range of media to break down barriers and increase understanding of Islam and its contribution to society in a broader context.

Visit www.maslaha.org for more information.

Good Ideas for Women

• London (UK): Dealing with Diabetes: The Maslaha Project
• Montreal (Canada): Sports Hijab Helps Girls Make the Team
• Frankfurt (Germany): School for Mama and Me
• Copenhagen (Denmark): Women at Work, The KVINFO Mentor Network
• Antwerp (Belgium): Betet Skara, Reviving an Ancient Art for Entrepreneurial Success
• Oakland (USA): CEO Women: A Soap Opera for Success: Grand Cafe Telenova
• London (UK): Kalaayan, Putting Justice to Work for Domestic Caregivers
• Barcelona: Odame School of Entrepreneurship for Women

Good Ideas about successful integration practice are easy to export and are traveling from city to city. This month Beatriz Hernandez de Fuhr, from Copenhagen, Denmark, finds some answers from a Good Idea about mobilizing the vote from Los Angeles. Do you have a story to share? Submit a good idea!

Beatriz Hernandez de Fuhr, Mentor Network Coordinator, KVINFO (Danish Centre for Information on Gender, Equality, and Ethnicity), Copenhagen, Denmark

The Good Idea that really caught my eye was: From Los Angeles, The Partnership for Immigrant Leadership and Action’s (PILA) Mobilize the Immigrant Vote Toolkit for mobilizing people into action.

Why?

In Demark, not enough women, and of course, not enough immigrant women, are involved in political life; so in 2009 KVINFO used mentoring as a first step towards encouraging political participation of immigrant women at the municipal level and it worked! However, after reading PILA’s MIV Toolkit I realized that there is a lot to be done to mobilize voters.

How did you share this Good Idea?

I’ve sent the link to all the individuals and organizations in Denmark for whom I thought the PILA’s experience could be relevant.

Related Good Ideas

• Toronto: Building Professional and Occupational Networks: The Mentoring Partnership

• New York: Interviewing the Up and Coming at Upwardly Global

• Bremen: Family Mentoring For Migrants: MEMI

• Birmingham: Meeting, Mediating and Mentoring: The Power of Peer Mentoring

• London: Time Together: Mentoring for Daily Life

Last month Learning Exchange webinar presented “Ballot Box to Podium: Mobilizing Immigrant Voters and New Leadership.” This city-to-city conversation between Alejandra Bravo, manager of leadership programs at Maytree and manager of the School4Civics program, and Eva Millona, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) in Boston, focused on the political participation of diverse communities. Watch the webinar recording and find new related resources online.

73% of webinar survey respondents have told us they would adapt these good ideas in their own cities. So, what does it take to start your own political training program and leadership network, or run a successful political and media campaign? Here are some highlights of transferable lessons from our presenters!

Alejandra Bravo, Manager of the School4Civics program, shares her tips for building a successful non-partisan mentoring program and leadership network that trains new candidates to run for office or manage a campaign:

• Design a training curriculum that offers leadership development (identifying values and impact); practical election and campaign workshops (fundraising, communications, identifying and getting out the vote); and participatory learning styles including hands-on exercises and online formats
• Leadership: find someone with political experience and broad political network across party lines to run the program
• Find trainers, mentors and coaches with a multi-partisan spirit who can share their experience to bring practical lessons from the field.
• Train the trainers – provide trainers with tools – they may have strategic, fundraising, communications, or other expertise, but they may not be teachers. Equip them with interactive exercises and other learning tools.
• Invest in success… especially with limited resources, it makes sense to invest more (support, time, opportunities), in people who will truly benefit.
• Partner with other organizations working to promote political leadership and participation of other underrepresented groups
• Wait for long-term impact: the program may end, but the political journey just begins, so remain connected. The success of the leaders you trained, and their social impact, could be months or years in the making.
• Share the stories of success of the leaders you train to garner media attention
• Maintain a network and be deliberate about connecting people, not just with each other, but also with people in positions of power and influence (this could be an elected official or a well-connected activist behind the scenes).

Watch the webinar recording and find new related resources online.

Read more about Toronto’s  School4Civics , a Good Idea for developing diverse political leadership, and how to get in touch.

Eva Millona shares success tips for mobilizing new immigrant voters for political participation from the campaigning experiences of Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition:

• Build strong ethnic media contacts over time to reach targeted constituencies, including utilizing your own network (members and staff) for connections.
• Excite the media by pitching compelling stories of success (from voter turnout and engagement to positive stories about active immigrants participating in civic life)
• Speak the language: find celebrities and allies to reach out in various languages and conduct multilingual interviews
• Give voters the information they need to make informed decisions (i.e. voter guides that outline issues from health to safety)
• Find the new voters (e.g. make use of naturalization ceremonies for photo opportunities and story pitches), while maintaining and growing your voters database from previous campaigns
• Spread the word using many channels, many formats – direct-mail, door-to-door, telephone, postering, postcards
• Reduce physical and language barriers for new voters by offering transportation services to polling stations, translation services, weekend hours

Watch the webinar recording and find new related resources online.

Read more about Media Advocacy at MIRA, the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition , a Good Idea from Boston, and how to get in touch.

Cem Özdemir, Co-Chair of The Green Party/Die Grünen (Germany) is the first party leader in Germany to come from an immigrant background. The son of Turkish “guest workers”, he has become the de facto expert on immigration and integration issues for his party.