Promoting Integration through Expat

Promoting Integration through
Expat-Swiss Collaboration –
BaselConnect Report:
Conference and Outcomes
What Does ‘Expat’ Mean? Was bedeutet ‘Expat’?
An expatriate – or expat – is a person temporarily or
permanently residing in a country and experiencing
a culture other than that of their upbringing. The word
comes from the Latin terms ex (“out of”) and patria
(“country, fatherland”).
Expats usually have a tertiary education and/or special
skills that are sought after in other countries. Expats in
the Basel region include musicians, dancers, dental
hygienists and physicians as well as scientists and
business managers. The overall perception of expats is
that they have come here with something to contribute
both in the workplace and the community.
The Swiss Federal Act on Foreign Nationals recognizes
the need for the contribution of foreigners “in the
interests the economy as a whole,” and emphasizes the
need for “lasting integration in the Swiss employment
market as well as in the social environment.” At the
same time, the importance of foreigners respecting and
understanding “Switzerland’s cultural and scientific
needs” is stressed.
Expats include not only individuals who have moved
here for a job but also their accompanying partners,
spouses and families. Children who spend a significant
part of their developmental years outside their parents’
culture(s) are often referred to as “third culture kids”
even if both parents are from the same culture of origin.
Foreign spouses of locals often identify themselves
with the label “expat”, despite having acquired Swiss
citizenship.
A further misconception is that expat refers only to native
English speakers. English is the international language
of business and is therefore the lingua franca of expats,
but expats can come from any nation. The largest expat
group in Switzerland comprises German nationals.
Though they struggle less with language issues, they
also have difficulties integrating, as numerous media
reports in the past year have noted.
There is an unfortunate confusion in the understanding
of the term “expat” in Switzerland. Many human
resource specialists use it to refer to someone on
a limited international contract (as opposed to a
local contract) instead of the more accurate term
“international assignee”. This misnomer has led to the
perception that expats are only here for a limited time
and will therefore have limited interest in integrating.
Research shows that the average length of the expat
sojourn is significantly longer than the two years of
a typical international assignment. Many expats who
have come to this area on an international assignment
have prolonged their stays indefinitely by becoming
local hires and/or applying for Swiss citizenship.
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Ein Expatriate (in abgekürzter Form, expat) ist eine Person,
die vorübergehend oder dauerhaft ihren Wohnsitz in
einem anderen Land (und in einer anderen Kultur) hat
als in dem sie gelebt hat und aufgewachsen ist. Das
Wort kommt aus dem Lateinischen ex (“aus”) und Patria
(“Land, Vaterland”).
Expats haben üblicherweise eine Universitätsausbildung
und/oder spezielle Fähigkeiten, wonach es in
anderen Ländern eine grosse Nachfrage gibt. Expats
in der Region Basel sind MusikerInnen, TänzerInnen,
DentalhygienikerInnen
und
ÄrztInnen
sowie
WissenschaftlerInnen und ManagerInnen. Im Allgemeinen
kommen Expats hierher, um sich sowohl am Arbeitsplatz
als auch in der Gemeinschaft einzubringen.
Laut Bundesgesetz erfolgt die Zulassung von
erwerbstätigen Ausländerinnen und Ausländer „im
Interesse der Gesamtwirtschaft“. Auch unterstreicht
es die Notwendigkeit einer längerfristigen Integration
im Schweizer Arbeitsmarkt und im sozialen Umfeld.
Gleichzeitig legt man Wert darauf, dass die Ausländer
die kulturellen und wissenschaftlichen Bedürfnisse der
Schweiz verstehen und respektieren.
Expats sind nicht nur Einzelpersonen, die wegen einer
Stelle hierher gezogen sind, sondern auch ihre Partner,
Ehepartner und Familien. Kinder, die einen bedeutenden
Teil ihrer Entwicklung ausserhalb der Kultur ihrer
Eltern verbringen, werden oft als „Drittkulturkinder“
bezeichnet (sogar wenn beide Elternteile aus derselben
Ursprungskultur stammen). Ausländische Ehepartner von
Schweizern bezeichnen sich oft als „Expats“, obwohl sie
die Schweizer Staatsangehörigkeit erworben haben.
Oft glaubt man fälschlicherweise, der Begriff Expat beziehe
sich nur auf Personen mit englischer Muttersprache.
Englisch ist die internationale Geschäftssprache und ist
daher die lingua franca der Expats. Aber Expats können aus
jeder Nation kommen. Die grösste Gruppe der Expats in
der Schweiz sind Deutsche. Obwohl diese Gruppe weniger
Mühe mit der Sprache hat, gibt es Schwierigkeiten mit der
Eingliederung, wie aus zahlreichen Medienberichten der
letzten Jahre hervorgeht.
Leider gibt es in der Schweiz Unklarheiten bezüglich des
Begriffs „Expat“. Viele Personalverantwortliche benutzen
den Begriff für jemanden, der einen zeitlich begrenzten
Arbeitsvertrag hat (im Vergleich zu einem festen
Vertrag), statt den korrekteren Begriff „internationaler
Mitarbeiter“ (International Assignee) zu verwenden.
Diese unzutreffende Bezeichnung erweckt den Eindruck,
dass Expats nur für eine befristete Zeit hier sind und
deshalb wenig Interesse daran haben, sich zu integrieren.
Untersuchungen zeigen, dass Expats im Durchschnitt
meist länger als zwei Jahre (typischer Zeitraum eines
International Assignments) bleiben. Viele Expats, die auf
einem International Assignment in diese Gegend kamen,
haben ihren Aufenthalt auf unbestimmte Zeit verlängert,
weil sie entweder einen lokalen Arbeitsvertrag bekommen
oder die Schweizer Staatsbürgerschaft beantragt haben.
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Who We Are
Round Table Participants
Christoph
Brutschin
Sabine
Horvath
Hans Beat Moser
Hans Georg
Signer
Valerie GuertlerDoyle
Caroline
Luscombe
Daniela Seabrook
Christiane
Schumacher
Kathy HartmannCampbell
Lorraine RytzThériault
Guy Morin,
President
Executive Council
Basel-Stadt
Nicole von Jacobs
Head Diversity
& Integration
Basel-Stadt
Organizers
Maureen Carlson
Reinertsen
Patrons
David Epstein,
Division Head
Novartis Pharma AG
We would like to thank our photographers, Anitra Green, Brigitta Hänggi, and Sally Jaeggin for the wonderful
still shots they contributed to this report. Mark Hanks spent hours as our editor-in-chief and introduced us to
our layout, graphics and publishing specialist Chris Maynard at Design Matters. We thank Canton Basel-Land
for financing the design and printing of this report.
We are grateful to all of the individuals who have so generously donated their time and energy to make this
volunteer effort possible.
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Contents
1
What is BaselConnect?
2
BaselConnect becomes a Verein
3
Roundtable Discussion
4
Workshops
Education
Employment/Entrepreneurs Workshop
Internet Solutions Workshop
Volunteering Opportunities Workshop
Language Learning Workshop
Welcome Information Workshop
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Moving Forward
ist eine europäische Stadt: ihr Flair, Ihre Bewohner und die Nähe zu
“Basel
Deutschland und Frankreich, machen sie zu einer offenen und attraktiven
Stadt. Ich selber bin ursprünglich Italienerin und spreche verschiedene
Sprachen, da mich das Grenzüberschreitende sowie andere Kulturen schon
immer fasziniert haben. Als ich dann vom BaselConnect erfuhr, dass sie
einen Anlass veranstalten, um Göttis und Gotten für hier lebende Expats zu
suchen, habe ich mich sofort angemeldet. Der Anlass war liebevoll gestaltet
sowie professionell organisiert und die ehrenamtlichen MitarbeiterInnen
von BaselConnect haben mit ihrer sympathischen Art, allen das Gefühl
gegeben willkommen zu sein. Mein Mann und ich haben dann auch ein
isländisch-amerikanisches Paar kennen gelernt, mit dem wir uns bis heute
regelmässig treffen und jeweils viel Spass haben. Was mir an den Expats, die
ich bisher kennengelernt habe gefällt, ist diese herzliche und unkomplizierte
Art auf Menschen zuzugehen. Ich hoffe, dass mehr Menschen in Basel
die Veranstaltungen von BaselConnect besuchen, damit sie sich durch
die Begegnung mit diesen Menschen aus anderen Ländern, die für kurze
oder lange Zeit mitten unter uns in dieser schönen Stadt wohnen, ebenfalls
beglückt und bereichert werden.
”
Anna Felicetta
What Is BaselConnect?
BaselConnect is a new, non-profit association
formally registered in Basel-Stadt. The group
is dedicated to promoting increased cultural
understanding and exchange between
expats and locals in the tri-national region
centered on Basel, Switzerland. What started
as a single event has become a grass-roots
movement all about integration.
The Basel Region has always been
international but never more so than today.
The past decade has witnessed a sizeable
increase in the number of expats arriving
here, mainly for jobs in the Life Science
industries. Recent estimates put the expat
population in the region at approximately
36,000.
But living in a place does not equal being
integrated there. BaselConnect wants to help
change that.
Many newcomers arrive with good intentions
to get involved but end up feeling held
back by barriers such as language, social
isolation in their daily environment and lack
of familiarity with local customs. This leads
to limited meaningful contact with locals and
stands in the way of mutual understanding.
As a result, some locals and expats may view
each other with undue caution.
BaselConnect believes that, through focus
on and improvement of existing resources,
coupled with the development of new
ways to bring people together, Basel will be
enriched for locals and expats alike. In a time
when walls are being built in various parts of
the world to keep out foreigners, our aim is
to build bridges to help people benefit from
increased interaction with each other.
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The story so far
The brainchild of long-term expats Maureen
Carlson Reinertsen and Kathy HartmannCampbell, BaselConnect started with a halfday conference held in Basel on 29 August
2011 to which stakeholders from both public
and private sectors, locals and expats, were
invited. The nearly 150 participants wanted to
be actively involved in making a difference to
the region. Workshop groups first identified
key areas for improvement in resources.
A lively round table discussion followed
during which key decision makers from the
public and private sectors pledged financial
and personal commitment to the practical
implementation of BaselConnect’s vision and
to ideas generated from the workshops.
So far, enthusiasm for our ideas and efforts
has been overwhelmingly positive. After all,
who wouldn’t want to see a more united,
culturally and professionally integrated
Basel? As projects begin to move from ideas
to reality, we are seeking a wider pool of
contributors from both private and public
sectors. With its registration as an official
association in the Basel City Commercial
Registry on 3 July 2012, BaselConnect is
firmly committed to expanding its non-profit
programs in many areas.
This report provides an introduction to what
we are, who we are, what we have achieved
so far and what we still need to do in order to
get where we want to be.
BaselConnect believes in the power of people
coming together. We hope you will join us on
this journey.
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Was ist BaselConnect?
BaselConnect ist ein neuer, gemeinnütziger
Verein, registriert in Basel-Stadt. Zweck des
Vereins ist es, das kulturelle Verständnis
und den Austausch zwischen Expats und
den Einheimischen im Dreiländereck
(Schwerpunkt Basel) zu fördern. Was mit
einer einmaligen Veranstaltung begonnen hat,
entwickelte sich zu einer Bürgerinitiative mit
dem Ziel Integration.
Die Region Basel war schon immer
international, heute mehr denn je. Während
des letzten Jahrzehnts ist die Anzahl der
Expats beträchtlich gestiegen, hauptsächlich
aufgrund von Jobs in der Pharma-/ChemieIndustrie. Laut neuester Schätzung leben
heute etwa 36.000 Expats in der Region.
Aber an einem Ort zu leben bedeutet nicht,
integriert zu sein. BaselConnect möchte
dabei helfen, das zu ändern.
Viele Zugezogene kommen mit der guten
Absicht, sich zu integrieren, sehen sich
jedoch konfrontiert mit Problemen wie z.B.
Sprache, sozialer Isolierung in ihrer täglichen
Umgebung und fehlendem Verständnis für
örtliche Sitten. Dies führt zu eingeschränktem
Kontakt mit Einheimischen und behindert das
gegenseitige Verständnis. Das hat zur Folge,
dass sich einige Expats und Einheimische mit
übertriebener Vorsicht begegnen.
BaselConnect glaubt, dass eine Verbesserung
der existierenden Mittel, verbunden
mit der Schaffung neuer Möglichkeiten,
Menschen zusammenzuführen, für Basel
eine Bereicherung sein wird, sowohl für
Einheimische als auch für Expats. In einer
Zeit, in der in verschiedenen Teilen der Welt
Mauern gebaut werden, um Fremde draussen
zu lassen, ist es unser Ziel, Brücken zu
bauen, um Menschen zu helfen, von einer
verbesserten Interaktion miteinander zu
profitieren.
Die bisherige Entwicklung
Die Idee der langjährigen Expats Maureen
Carlson Reinertsen und Kathy HartmannCampbell, begann BaselConnect am 29.
August 2011 als eine halbtägige Konferenz
in Basel. Dazu wurden Stakeholder sowohl
aus öffentlichen als auch privaten Bereichen,
Einheimische und Expats eingeladen. Die
fast 150 Teilnehmer wollten sich aktiv
daran beteiligen, in der Region etwas zu
bewegen. Zunächst wurden in Workshops
Schlüsselbereiche zur Verbesserung der
bestehenden Möglichkeiten identifiziert. Eine
lebhafte Roundtable Diskussion folgte, wobei
Entscheidungsträger aus öffentlichen und
privaten Bereichen finanzielle und personelle
Zugeständnisse gemacht haben zur
praktischen Umsetzung von BaselConnect’s
Vision und Ideen, die sich während des
Workshops ergaben.
Bisher war die Begeisterung für unsere
Ideen und Bemühungen überaus positiv.
Wer würde nicht gerne ein vereinteres,
kulturell und beruflich integrierteres Basel
sehen wollen? Da Projekte beginnen, sich
zu realisieren, suchen wir eine grössere
Unterstützung sowohl im privaten als
auch im öffentlichen Bereich. Nach der
Registrierung im Handelsregister der Stadt
Basel am 3. Juli 2012 als offizieller Verein,
setzt sich BaselConnect dafür ein, seine
gemeinnützigen Programme auf vielen
Gebieten zu erweitern.
Mit diesem Bericht möchten wir uns
vorstellen, wofür wir uns einsetzen, was wir
bisher erreicht haben, und was wir für unsere
weitere Entwicklung noch brauchen.
BaselConnect glaubt an die Kraft der
Menschen zusammenzufinden. Wir hoffen,
Sie werden uns dabei unterstützen.
BaselConnect Becomes A Verein
Rationale for founding the BaselConnect Association (Verein)
BaselConnect has been a strictly volunteer effort from the beginning.
We have relied on the willingness of many individuals to contribute
energy, knowledge and ideas as well as on the generosity of sponsors to
hold the initial conference and follow-up activities. In order to maintain
the non-profit status of BaselConnect, to protect it from being used for
commercial purposes, and to be able to seek sponsorship and donations
to achieve its goals, a legally recognized association (Verein) was formed
in June and registered in Basel-Stadt in July 2012.
The membership dues of CHF 50 per year will help to cover the expenses
of having a bank account and other operational costs (postage, stationery,
etc.). The dues are a kind of sponsorship that enable BaselConnect to
continue to offer activities without charge to participants and to reach
more of the community. All of the activities will continue to be volunteerdriven and measures will be taken to ensure that the association will not
be exploited for personal gain or commercial promotion. We are hoping
that more local people and expats committed to promoting integration and
intercultural exchange will join us and become actively involved.
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Round Table Discussion
The roundtable discussion brought together stakeholders and
representatives from public and private organizations to foster a better
understanding of what expats need to become more integrated into
Basel life. The discussion panel members were selected according to
their commitment – individually and organizationally – to support and
encourage expat integration. Participants listened to and discussed
reports from the six workshop groups and suggested ways their
organizations could support the proposed projects and initiatives.
Key Themes
The need for a single point of information
Discussion centered on key findings and proposals emerging from
the workshops. The strongest wish voiced by all six groups was for a
single point of information to link all of the existing online information
and resources. In his very first remark, Governing Council Member
(Regierungsrat) Christoph Brutschin responded to this desire with a
concrete offer: “I think that the Canton of Basel-Stadt could take over the
coordination of such a website.”
Mr. Brutschin’s offer was welcomed with enthusiastic applause.
Christiane Schumacher of Roche noted that, “realizing how much
information is lacking in English, yet seeing what is already available (in
various places online), I think it’s a fantastic idea to centralize everything.”
She added that Brutschin’s offer would solve a lot of other challenges
raised by the integration process. While Mr. Moser of Basel-Land pointed
out that the cantons have differing integration policies and that expats are
only a small segment of the foreign population, he also supported the idea
of a web portal to provide much-needed information. Moser proposed
the development of private-public partnerships with all companies
represented in the room. In order for this to succeed, it was agreed that it
would be essential to link all existing expat integration resources, including
company-internal ones.
is a two-way process. We hope that the
“Integration
local population will reach out too and connect with
the foreigners living here. It would be wonderful if we
could build a truly linked community in which each
member has the same access to all the many benefits
this city and region offer, and a shared interest in the
many cultural, social and leisure offerings.
”
Nicole von Jacobs
Head of Diversity and Integration, Canton Basel-Stadt
Round Table Discussion
Starting a Buddy/Götti System
The second common proposal across all workshops was for a buddy or
mentor system to be put in place, where expat individuals, couples and
families are linked to Swiss locals with similar lifestyles and interests in
order to ease integration into local culture. As a relative newcomer to
Basel, Caroline Luscombe of Syngenta felt that a local buddy would help
with the greatest challenge that she and her husband – an accompanying
spouse – have encountered in their move here: getting in contact with
locals. “One of the things we both lack is the opportunity to meet local
Swiss people and actually start to network. Surprisingly, that’s been the
hardest thing of all. Anything that would give others in our position the
opportunity to meet locals would be excellent.”
Christoph Brutschin noted that contact with locals is critical for
integration and encouraged expats to get involved with their
neighborhood or community social centers. Christiane Schumacher
observed that the best integrated Roche expats are those who themselves
or whose children are involved in community activities such as events at
local sports clubs or playing instruments in local groups. Such pursuits
automatically bring people into contact with locals, even if they don’t
speak German. Christoph Brutschin urged locals to go to FCB matches,
but not sit in the VIP lounges. Connecting people with common interests
in the local and expat communities through social media was mentioned
by nearly all of the speakers. Two other clear pathways toward integration
are choosing public rather than international schools, and doing
volunteer work where possible. Hans Georg Signer of the Education
Department emphasized that attending public school gives children “the
chance to learn German and multilingual and intercultural skills that
enrich their lives.” He was also quick to assure parents that their children
will learn German but won’t forget their English. This topic was also
discussed in the question-and-answer session. Audience members spoke
of the high quality of Swiss public schools and the support provided for
foreign children and their parents. The ongoing support that a buddy
system could provide for expats settling in – including the possibility of
buddy families within the public schools – was welcomed and an offer
was made to help the Swiss school system better market itself.
“Expats are an important asset in Basel’s economy. From
the government’s point of view, efforts to better integrate
are important.
”
Christoph Brutschin
Member of Executive Council
Head Dept of Economy, Social Issues and Environment
Canton Basel-Stadt
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“Meeting Basel citizens requires an effort and frequently the
ability to speak German or Swiss German, which does not
need to be perfect to be appreciated by the locals.
”
Valerie Guertler-Doyle
Head Diversity and Inclusion - CH
Novartis Pharma AG
Round Table Discussion
Volunteering
Caroline Luscombe highlighted the multiple benefits of volunteering in
various organizations, especially for accompanying partners who are at
the greatest risk of social isolation. Non-working spouses and partners
often have difficulties finding ways to use their skills and experience
to contribute to and participate in local society. Daniela Seabrook
of Straumann pointed out that “it’s often the spouses who make the
integration work or not work. For the person who is working, it is easier
to form a professional network and have social contacts.” She agreed that
many expats would like to volunteer but don’t really have the information
or connections. Accordingly, a BaselConnect contact platform would
provide a valuable, centralized resource.
Currently, most expat volunteer work is directed at others in the expat
community. This is a natural result of longer-term expats sharing their
experience to support newcomers. In this spirit, Kathy HartmannCampbell appealed to the audience for active volunteer support to
improve the availability of information in English by offering to translate
documents for public websites. Kathy emphasized that expats cannot
expect such resources to be provided without their active contribution.
“We need to help make happen the things that we want to have happen.”
Round Table Discussion
The importance (and challenge) of learning German
Hans Beat Moser explained that Canton Basel-Land expects foreign
residents to learn enough German to be able to have an everyday
conversation, to be able to ask for something in a shop or ask where a
tram is going. He questioned the feasibility of expats doing volunteer
work with Swiss people (e.g. for the Red Cross) without the possibility
of speaking at least basic German. Kathy Hartmann-Campbell suggested
that language buddying could be a way to bridge this gap. She
mentioned the partnering programs for language learning that already
exist: the tandem learning program run by the Sprachenzentrum of the
University of Basel and the GGG Benevol program Besseres Deutsch
durch Begegnung.
Valerie Guertler-Doyle of Novartis agreed that it is important for expats to
learn German, but acknowledged that people working in big companies
mainly work in English and have little opportunity or need to use German
in the workplace. Christiane Schumacher pointed out the additional
challenge “it is often a challenge to get locals to speak to you in the local
language,’ since Swiss will use English when they recognize a non-native
speaker. The challenges of learning German were also addressed in the
question-and-answer session, with calls for immersive and affordable
German lessons, particularly for accompanying partners and spouses.
While acknowledging that it is difficult to learn a first foreign language
as a mature adult, Caroline Luscombe encouraged expats to make the
effort. Both she and Christiane Schumacher considered the buddy system
a promising solution to this problem. Luscombe urged active support:
“Everything that companies can do to encourage learning German should
be encouraged because it makes your life happier if you can speak the
language. Anything that the companies and cantons can do to help get
people together to exchange language lessons would be great.”
“Both for their professional success and personal wellbeing, it is important that expatriates and their families
are provided with the right level of support to adapt
quickly to their new home, to enable them to be happy
at work, to learn about the culture, and to enable them
to participate positively in their new environment.
”
Caroline Luscombe
Global Head Human Resources
Syngenta AG
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“The
relatively young and still developing politics of
integration have not focused on the specific concerns
of expats until recently. Studies have shown that a
surprisingly high number of expats have stayed and
will stay longer than expected. It is in the interest of the
canton now to make an effort and offer opportunities
and benefits of integration. It is our belief that everyone
should make an effort to learn German in order to
promote the interaction with the locals and develop a
”
sense of belonging.
Hans Beat Moser
Head of Integration
Canton Basel-Land
Daniela Seabrook warned against equating competence in German with
willingness to integrate. “I am not sure if integration only comes through
language. I agree that the effort to learn the language also demonstrates
an effort to integrate, but I am not sure if we can accuse people who
don’t speak the language of not wanting to fit in. Integration has more
to do with ‘Am I interested how it works here? Do I have respect for the
country and the people here?’ than just seeing if someone is willing to
learn the language or not.” The discussion then turned to the question of
what is essential for integration.
What is important for integration?
The essential elements of successful integration are “an interest in the
place where you live, a respect for other cultures and an understanding
that things work differently than where you come from,” said Daniela
Seabrook. She added that integration is a two-way street involving
both newcomers and local society. Hans Georg Signer remarked that
participation, rather than full integration, is key to progress. Kathy
Hartmann-Campbell highlighted the importance of “the feeling of
belonging, feeling like one is a part of the community and feeling
welcome.” Expats often lack these feelings and find it hard to connect
with locals. Valerie Guertler-Doyle believes this need not be the case.
She urged expats to “get that curiosity going and learn what this country
is all about, what really drives the people – and learn Swiss German.”
Sabine Horvath of City Marketing encouraged expats to take advantage
of the offers and vouchers in the city’s welcome package and go out and
discover all that Basel has to offer.
Round Table Discussion
Conclusion
Emphasizing that the Roundtable Discussion was not an end in itself but
a beginning, Kathy Hartmann-Campbell invited the speakers to commit
to carrying BaselConnect forward. Speakers agreed that it would be
important to coordinate practical and unified efforts to make expats feel
more at home. Christoph Brutschin summarized:
“The companies that are engaging expats in greater numbers here in Basel
are very important for us. They form the base of our wealth in the region. A
next step could be that we – local authorities and representatives of these
companies – sit together and see what we can do, how we can link the
information that is already here and make it easier for expats to get to it. I
think that’s something that could be done and I will see how we can make
such a meeting take place in the near future.”
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Workshops
Education Workshop
KEY FINDING: the need to develop a central clearing-house for
information on the Swiss public education system, its integration and
bilingual programs and public/private extra-curricular options for
parents educating their children in Switzerland.
The Education Workshop brought together parents, relocation specialists
and educators to explore a broad range of topics concerning pre-school
through post-secondary educational opportunities, both public and private.
From the many issues addressed, five principal areas were targeted for
future focus:
• Better communication of options available to non-German speakers in
the public school sector
• Pre-school institutions as a bridge to unite the two parallel societies
• Special needs of older children unsuited to the IB, A-levels or Swiss
Matura
• German and bilingual extra-curricular opportunities e.g., lunch clubs,
after-school and holiday programs
• A bridge program into Swiss post-secondary educational offerings:
university, Fachhochschule, apprenticeship
Education Workshop
Educational Needs
Expats with children have a variety of educational needs from pre-school
through higher education. Levels of parental understanding vary regarding
what is actually available in the public and private sectors. Some parents
are uncomfortable with their own lack of local language skills vis-à-vis
schoolwork and teacher communications, while many are unaware of
the social and educational advantages of participating in public or private
bilingual programs. Most expats expect their children to pursue a university
education but are unaware of and underestimate the many options within
the Swiss system. An in-depth discussion of all school stages enabled
workshop members to identify key issues and develop a list of concerns
grouped by educational levels.
Day Care & Pre-Schools
• Information not readily available in clear English
• Openings/spaces often limited
• Schedules incompatible with those of older children or working parents
Swiss Public Primary & Secondary Schools
• Good overview exists online but is not easy to locate
• Unfamiliar educational philosophy, methods and schedule
• Limited contact with teachers and school authorities
• Concern about international recognition of the Swiss Matura
“From my perspective, I would like to see some practical
ways of connecting schools possibly with sport activities.
I feel this would be a possible way of integrating more
with local schools.
”
Bernadette Allison
Director, Early Learning Association
16
17
“As
a long term Basel expat, I was excited by the
positive energy and enthusiasm at the BaselConnect
Conference. Thank you, BaselConnect for making that
visible to everyone.
”
Tiffany Melancon
Basel Children’s Trust
Education Workshop
Post-Secondary Education
• Alternatives to university (Fachhochschule, Lehrstellen/apprenticeships)
not understood by expats
• Worry about how young people who have not gone through the public
school system can bridge to Swiss post-secondary programs
Solutions
While the issues raised are complex, it was agreed the above concerns can
be addressed. To do so, BaselConnect will endeavor to:
• Collect and maintain up-to-date online information
• Suggest a Q&A section on the Education Department website where
newcomers can seek advice from expats whose children are in the
education system
• Develop a buddy system of experienced expats and Swiss to support and
guide parents in the Swiss public schools
• Establish bilingual lunch clubs, after-school and holiday programs in
child-care centers and schools
• Develop programs for families to meet in child-care centers
• Encourage more German language education opportunities in private
institutions
• Improve understanding of and access to higher-level Swiss education
options, particularly the vocational programs
Employment/Entrepreneurs
Workshop
KEY FINDING: create a “buddy” system through which locals help
newcomers start a business, or establish a new business office, and in
return gain new network connections to the international business world.
The Americas, Europe and Asia were represented by 22 participants from
government, corporations, SME’s and would-be start-up companies.
The group was divided into those seeking work, those wishing to set up
businesses, and those with established businesses. It soon became clear
that all groups would welcome and benefit from experienced mentors
who understand the details of employment, setting up and running a
business in Switzerland.
The following needs were identified:
• Expats want to understand how to establishing a business but need local
advice for practical details (e.g., an English-speaking accountant, or
information on legal requirements and procedures).
• Established local businesses could benefit from fresh international knowhow, contacts, networks, or services offered by incoming expats.
• Once established, expats require local help to enlarge their networks and
address early business challenges.
• Many existing business and employment internet sites need to be easier
to find and understand. Some exist only in German.
• An open-source job platform would be useful to help connect employers
and job-seekers.
“One could observe on the one hand that new ideas can
and will bring solutions, and on the other hand that
many of these ideas have already been implemented,
but people are not aware of it. One of the challenges of
BaselConnect will be to create a well-known platform
for information, communication and exchange.
”
Evelyne Forster
Nutrition Coach
18
19
“I was pleased to see the Expatriate and Swiss communities
coming together to discuss our expectations and
strengths. Such a wide spectrum of people provided their
point of view and listened to others.
”
Sheena Bethell
Business Consultant
BaselArea Economic Promotion
Employment/Entrepreneurs
Workshop
Idea Development & Solutions
Cantons Basel-Stadt, Basel-Land and Jura have mandated BaselArea to
attract companies into the region. Accordingly, general information and
support for those interested in setting up a business is available in German,
French and English. However, once a company is officially registered, the
Office of Economy & Labor Basel City and the office of KMUinfo Baselland
are responsible for the concerns of settled companies. The Chamber of
Commerce for Both Basels (HKBB) and many business associations provide
additional public and private resources, but none specifically to address
expat needs.
The group agreed that expat-led businesses could benefit from earlier and
more frequent interactions with established companies. Four main areas
were proposed for such businesses and their supporting agencies and
associations to focus future attention on.
• Introduce an integrated, professional network within the Chamber of
Commerce of Both Basels (HKKB).
• Establish a Swiss host program for fledgling businesses.
• Set up a Swiss Business Buddy network to link existing local businesses
with new or potential businesses.
• Create a comprehensive internet-based Business Portal.
The consensus was that facilitating networking would result in win-win
situations and better communication between expats and locals.
Internet Solutions Workshop
KEY FINDING: develop an online platform as the single point of
information for expats and locals in the region wishing to connect with
various websites.
A diverse group representing both the public and private sectors attended
this workshop, including members of social services, entrepreneurs, IT &
media specialists, and educators. Their combined skills and experience
made for a lively and productive discussion, and several key themes were
quickly identified for exploration during the session, namely the need for:
• IT solutions to supplement face-to-face interaction
• Overview of available information and services for adults and children
• Definition of mutual expectations (expat and host country)
• Centralized resources and good publicity to ensure awareness of them
• Affordable framework for publishing web content
Internet Needs
The experience of moving to another country varies for each newcomer.
Perception and appreciation of the host country is linked to the online
integration information and support available. Successful adaptation is
affected by age, stage of life, linguistic ability, expected length of stay,
education and employment level, and cultural background. Workshop
members outlined principal expat needs still unmet within the Basel region
and grouped expat desires into the categories below.
Personal
• Mentoring on everyday logistics and cultural differences would ease
transition to a new culture and improve confidence of incomers.
• A volunteer database would identify opportunities for community work
and encourage early involvement.
• A centralized information source in simple English would increase
efficiency and prevent expats from tiring of the search for information.
“The conclusion was clear: expats would welcome an
online platform. Not ‘just another website,’ but one that
combines existing information and provides uniformed
access, is broadly based, and supported by the expats
themselves.
”
Marco Grossmann, Project Leader, ecos
20
21
Internet Solutions Workshop
Language and Culture
• A condensed and focused integration program will speed up the
language learning process and accelerate immersion into local
communities.
• Information tailored to highly diverse target audience (native/non-native
English speakers).
• Information and personal stories will help manage local and expat
expectations about challenges and achievements in language learning.
Local Knowledge
• Region-specific information for community, cantonal and cross-border
areas will intensify sense of locality and belonging.
• Consolidation of multiple existing online and offline resources into a
single, clearly structured, easily navigable tool would prove immensely
valuable and foster understanding of and enthusiasm for the region.
Solutions
It was agreed that the above needs would be best met through
development of an online resource as a single point of contact. The
proposed resource name was Basel Bridge. Requirements for its success
include:
• Region-specific content
• Up-to-date content collaboratively driven and managed by members
• Interpersonal communication as well as support for information cascade
and broadcast
• Commercial and political interests vs. community interaction tightly
controlled
• Publicizing resource via local media public authorities, corporations and
social interest groups
• Novartis/Syngenta/Roche/Straumann - can support with information
cascade to new associates from abroad
Volunteer Opportunities
Workshop
KEY FINDING: create an English internet portal that identifies websites
such as Benevol, NachbarNET, Swiss Red Cross, and smaller niche groups
with volunteer opportunities for expats.
Workshop Summary
Experienced volunteers and those keenly interested in community
service focused on what volunteer opportunities are available today and
considered what is missing that would help expats to further participate.
Two groups were formed: one to identify criteria necessary for rewarding
volunteer work, the other to develop ideas on how to increase accessibility
of volunteer opportunities to expats. The combined findings indicated the
steps to be taken to access an untapped pool of expat volunteers for local
organizations:
• Provide volunteer activities with a broad mix of work types, duration and
intensity, level of contact and atmosphere
• Identify opportunities where German is not essential
• Create additional offerings tailored to the expat community
• Make existing volunteer information more accessible to expats
• Improve the network among groups offering volunteer opportunities
“Our association is also a network organization with a
focus on civic participation. Many independent groups
within the various neighborhoods of Basel host events in
”
which expats could have contact with the local people.
Angelina Koch, Stadtteilsekretariat Basel-West
22
23
Volunteer Opportunities
Workshop
Volunteer Needs
Although a number of volunteer opportunities exist in the Basel region, most
information about them is provided in German. Thus expats with limited
German have restricted knowledge of and access to volunteering outside
of their own communities. Six areas for improvement in creating volunteer
opportunites became clear:
• Existing websites are the point of entry for people seeking links to volunteer
organizations. More information can be provided in English.
• Communication through existing media – distribution of brochures in
German and English through neighborhood organizations and groups
• Personal contacts and guidance: Swiss and expat individuals and groups
could create a network of bilingual people to act as facilitators
• A phase-in program for expats with insufficient German skills
• Opportunities requiring little or no German; expats offer English translations
• Expats are willing to engage but need the help of local organizations to find
opportunities
Idea Development & Solutions
Bridges can be built through better understanding of expat needs and
capacities by local volunteer organizations. Small changes can lead to
mutually beneficial results. Concrete suggestions for moving forward include:
• informing local volunteer organizations about the growing amount of
comprehensive information, studies, and data examining expat integration
• better publicity of language programs such as Besseres Deutsch durch
Begegnung
• improved volunteer websites with drop-down menus and bilingual
helpdesks
• improved use of existing media, e.g., radio talk shows, Swiss news
“I lived abroad for over 15 years and am thus well aware
of the challenges facing expats. I think volunteering can
be a great way of integrating and that we at GGG Benevol
can support expats in finding worthwhile and fulfilling
”
placements.
Ulla Ziegler Goppelsroeder
Commission of GGG Benevol Basel
Language Learning Workshop
KEY FINDING: create a central, interactive information resource
in German and English to connect expats with formal and informal
language learning opportunities.
Workshop Summary
Newcomers, short-term and long-term expats from all over the world
joined language specialists to review stumbling blocks when learning
German. Five discussion groups considered ways to overcome them. The
whole group rejoined to synthesize their suggestions. Increased interaction
between local German speakers and expats underlie all of the resulting
recommendations for improved language learning:
• Shared responsibilities: expats need to learn German and locals need to
speak High German to them.
• Expats need to engage more with the German-speaking community.
• BaselConnect can raise awareness of the benefits of learning the local
language and encourage early immersion programs for newcomers.
• A central website will contain all information and offers connecting
students and teachers.
Language Needs
• Many expats make an initial attempt to learn German but few who stay
less than four years learn sufficient German to feel comfortable. Most
give up when time and money for classes run short. Cultural, social and
professional pressures contribute further to frustration, along with the
predominance of Swiss German dialect and limited opportunities to
speak and hear German in daily life. Of the many obstacles to learning
German, the following emerged as key needs commonly unmet:
• Employer commitment to, support of and incentives for both employees
and spouses/partners.
• Sufficient time (20 hours/week) for an immersive or intensive class.
• Financial support for continued language classes after an initial course.
“I really liked the discussion in the small groups at the
end of the workshops where we were trying to find some
solutions/improvement ideas. It was extremely interesting
and inspiring.
”
Rebecca Widmer Kerkhoff
Hilfsassistentin am Seminar für Kulturwissenschaft und Europäische
Ethnologie
24
25
“The conference gave us a really positive setting in which
to discuss our often negative experiences; turning the
negatives into positive solutions and projects. I hope
and trust that many of the ideas and concepts will come
to fruition.
”
Sarah Taylor, Principal
Academia international School
Language Learning Workshop
Idea Development & Solutions
Participants acknowledged that German is essential to a sense of well-being
and that a comfortable level of proficiency is possible within a reasonable
amount of time. Support and encouragement by locals would encourage
expats to persevere with German. Challenges include learning a foreign
language as an adult and the tendency of locals to respond in English.
Several practical measures were suggested, most based on personal
experience and a commitment to succeed. Expats could:
• learn through children via public schools and bilingual play groups, read
children’s books in German, volunteer with Scouts and join Swiss sports
groups
• get involved in local cultural events and groups: choirs,
Fasnachtscliquen, neighborhood groups, and local churches
• read tram ads, 20 Minuten newspaper, watch German movies with
subtitles, invite neighbors for coffee or tea
• practice conversation with university students, trade German lessons for
lessons in their own language with a Swiss, conversation courses (GGG
Benevol program Besseres Deutsch durch Begegnung)
• establish language cafés, Apéros or Stammtische (after work drinks)
where learners can practice their skills with native speakers
Welcome Information Workshop
KEY FINDING: Create a buddy or Götti system through which locals
assist expats in the process of adjusting to their new country and culture,
help them feel more welcome, and enable them to contribute to the
local community.
Workshop Summary
Twenty participants, half of them Swiss, attended this workshop. All
agreed that, while helpful information is currently being made available
to newcomers in the Basel area, receiving so much information all at
once (most of it printed) can be overwhelming. It takes time to adjust to a
different lifestyle, understand a new culture, and learn one’s way around.
The cantons have been mandated to provide ways for foreign residents to
learn the rules, the language, and to integrate comfortably into their new
homes so they feel part of and can contribute to the community. Expats
want to feel welcome, know where to go for guidance or help, and have
confidence they will be supported. Some specific needs were identified:
• many Swiss want expats to be part of and engage in the community.
• Expats would like to be asked what services are needed or wanted
• Expats require support to understand and fit in to the Swiss culture and
lifestyle
• Expats need ongoing guidance from those familiar with local systems
and ways
Idea Development & Solutions
The group agreed that there are two sides to the equation: the local desire
for well-integrated foreign residents who respect and understand Swiss
culture, and the expat desire for appreciation by locals of the challenges
faced by newcomers. The group discussed various ideas for addressing
both viewpoints:
• Existing newcomer meetings in Basel-Stadt and Basel-Land could be
made more welcoming
• If expats were asked which services they really need, authorities and
resource providers could focus on these and trim down unnecessary
information
• Classes to help expats assimilate, understand that the integration cycle is
normal and that they can move forward
The idea of creating a buddy/Götti system to connect locals with expats
was considered a great solution that the group was eager to further
develop. Not only would it provide a warm and personal welcome for
newcomers to Basel, but it would also help with language learning,
networking, and understanding the local way of life.
26
27
BaselConnect Moving Forward
From the outset, the intention of BaselConnect was to make a difference.
We do not wish to simply make recommendations but to make a real
difference to the integration of expats in the Basel region. Connecting
people is the driving principle that powers BaselConnect.
Numerous activities and initiatives have been triggered as a result of the
individuals and organizations that came together on 29 August 2011.
Reciprocity of integration – active two-way involvement of locals and
expats – is the best way to truly connect people. Launching the buddy/
mentor/Götti system was a logical place to begin.
BaselConnectsPeople
Several participants from the Welcome Information Workshop formed an
ad hoc working group and came up with the BaselConnectsPeople (BCP)
events. These are two-hour gatherings where newcomers, long-term expats
and locals meet mentors or buddies to pursue mutual interests with or
find help getting to know the area. Interest areas include sports, cultural
activities and language learning. Over 120 people attended the first four
events held in the first half of 2012 and they continue to meet in buddy
pairs and groups. Attendance was nearly equally balanced between locals,
long-term expats and newcomers from every continent.
The BCP group is exploring additional activities to help ease the transition
for newcomers and to bring locals and expats together. They have
organized a monthly Stammtisch (an informal social meeting of expats and
locals), walking tours in Basel-Stadt and Basel-Land and information events
on Switzerland.
“My Gotte Elisabeth is a very thoughtful and kind
person who pays attention to every detail and
truly cares for the welfare of others. She is able to
empathize with me, even though we come from two
different parts of the world with significant cultural
differences. Getting to know her and her family has
helped us to understand the Swiss way of doing things
and has enabled us to see things from a totally new
perspective. I am indeed thankful to BaselConnect for
helping me find my Gotte.
”
Abi. A
BaselConnect Moving Forward
Education
In addition, BCP hopes to set up a system to match local and expat families
with children of similar ages. The core idea is that local families could
support expat families who decide to put their children into local schools
or extra-curricular activities.
One way to develop the family match approach is being explored with
the International School of Basel (ISB) by linking their school-internal
buddy system with BCP. BaselConnect was introduced to the International
School of Basel (ISB) community at an InDialogue event organized by the
ISB Outreach Group. This group is dedicated to developing opportunities
for increasing positive interaction between ISB students, parents, staff and
local communities.
The BaselConnect Education group, led by Sarah Taylor and including
representatives from various schools and interested parents, is looking at
further ways to meet the needs identified in the August 2011 Education
Workshop. To increase post-secondary education options for expat
children who have attended private schools, academia International School
(ais) has developed a vocational bridge program which enables these
students to enter the Swiss apprenticeship system. The Swiss vocational
pathway combines classroom tuition with on-the-job training and can
ultimately lead to a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree. In addition, ais offers
educational advice coffee mornings once a month, both free of charge
which is also open to the public. The school is also developing a program
of integration workshops for ais parents to commence in August 2012
which is open to parents of children who do not attend the ais.
To increase access to and provide a better understanding of the public
school system among expats, Valerie Guertler-Doyle, Head of Diversity
and Inclusion of Novartis Switzerland, has begun hosting information
events on this topic for Novartis staff in collaboration with Nicole von
Jacobs. The first event held in June 2012 was fully booked within minutes
of being posted and was attended by 600 employees, a clear indicator of
keen interest.
“We have loved learning about Basel and Switzerland
from our Göttis. This experience has really helped us
settle in here.
”
Dee Lane and Baldur Magnusson
28
29
BaselConnect Moving Forward
Volunteering
BaselConnect is addressing the challenge of identifying volunteer
opportunities within the local community that do not require fluency in
German. Since community service is part of the ISB middle years and
IB programs, there is potential for collaboration. An example of this was
the support given by ISB students at the Good-Bye Jazz-Brunch for the
Tierheim Basel in Spring 2012.
Nicole von Jacobs, Head of Diversity and Integration of Canton BaselStadt (BS), has also initiated a collaboration with NachbarNET, to create
both volunteering and mentoring opportunities. Coordinating efforts with
neighborhood centers (Quartierzentren) in BS, the Red Cross, and K5, a
non-profit organization offering German courses and other activities to
promote integration, are further collaborative areas under exploration.
BaselConnect’s support for expats learning German is currently focused on
assisting people to find buddies with whom they can exchange lessons or
practice speaking.
Governmental Activities
Canton Basel-Stadt continues to offer its established Welcome Events
for newcomers in the city hall. In collaboration with the GGG, evening
workshops on understanding Swiss culture (Typically Swiss and Wie ticken die
Schweizer) are another opportunity for integration available to expats. Efforts
have been made to render these services more useful and attractive. Canton
Basel-Land (BL) has added an expat representative to its round table group that
deals with integration issues, and both cantons are continuing discussions on
how to improve and expand their support for expat integration.
Online Support
The strong need for an information platform to ease access to and link
together the enormous resources already available to expats is being followed
up publicly and privately. Canton BS has decided to link into a central
information platform developed by Canton BL called iPool. This website
brings together existing government and publicly available information in 12
languages, including English, on topics of interest to foreigners living in the
region. Themes range from permits to finances to renting a flat.
Benjamin Spencer, who led the Internet Solutions Workshop, is continuing
to develop a social media platform available to BaselConnect. This website
will offer categorized links to all the available resources for English
speakers in Basel. In addition he envisions a service which provides
aggregated local news in English. The site could be expanded to include
other useful features such as lists of events in the tri-regional area centered
on Basel known as the Regio Basiliensis.
BaselConnect Moving Forward
Employment
Karin Dalmulder of the Spouse Career Center ran a workshop in May with
Lorraine Rytz for attendees of the Employment/Entrepreneurship Workshop
who wanted to further explore how to support expats wishing to start a
business. Karin is planning to set up a job market event in Fall 2012 with
the firms who participated in the 29 August 2011 conference to help
connect job seekers with job opportunities.
Looking To The Future
The BaselConnect Association is looking for volunteers to take over
the leadership of the volunteer opportunities, language learning and
employment/entrepreneurship working groups and carry them forward as
BaselConnect continues to develop. We are also very keen to welcome
local Swiss or expats to help with various projects or to join as participants
at our events. Without people, BaselConnect simply could not happen.
Please email us at: info@baselconnect.ch
unterstütze
“Ich
er Begegnungen
den Verein BaselConnect, weil
zwischen Menschen mit einem
schweizerischen Hintergrund und Menschen mit
internationalen Erfahrungen fördert.
An einem BaselConnectsPeople-Event im Januar 2012
begegnete ich einer jungen Frau aus Südasien und wir
verabredeten uns für weitere Treffen.
Seit einigen Monaten bereichern unsere Gespräche
oder gemeinsame Unternehmungen meinen Alltag.
Dieser Austausch gewährt mir persönliche Einblicke
in eine mir bisher unbekannte Kultur und meine
Englischkenntnisse verbessern sich.
Durch die ehrenvolle Aufgabe Integrationshilfe
anzubieten, eröffnen sich Perspektiven, meine
vertraute Umgebung aus einem anderen Blickwinkel
wahrnehmen zu dürfen.
Ausser einer wunderbaren Freundschaft verbindet uns
die Gewissheit, dass unsere Zusammenarbeit einen
kleinen Beitrag zum Weltfrieden leistet.
”
Elisabeth Abd’Rabbou Büttiker
30
31
www.baselconnect.ch