At the Integration Foundation’s integration awards, the title of Spark of the Year was bestowed upon Einike Sooväli – a woman who, through her heartfelt work, has ignited the flame of integration in many people across Estonia. A significant part of the integration programmes developed at the Estonian Open Air Museum under her leadership is aimed at supporting the adaptation of newly arrived immigrants, helping new residents to better understand Estonian society, language, and culture.

Einike’s work is based on the conviction that the adaptation of newcomers begins with understanding how Estonian society has developed and why the people here behave the way they do. The Estonian Open Air Museum offers a unique environment for this. There, you can learn about Estonian history, everyday life, and customs in a way that is not merely theoretical, but based on direct experience and interaction.

A window into the souls of Estonians

Einike emphasises that it is precisely the knowledge of the historical background that helps newly arrived immigrants understand the everyday communication patterns and attitudes characteristic of Estonians, which may seem incomprehensible or even standoffish to those coming from elsewhere.

‘As our exhibition is very large and includes nearly a hundred houses from different eras, we can recount Estonian history from its beginnings to the present day. And not just talk about it, but also show it. This gives newly arrived immigrants a very strong start, because they begin to understand why Estonians are the way they are: why we don’t smile much, why we are cautious towards strangers at first, and why our relationship with religion is not a very close one,’ she explains.

What’s more, all activities take place in Estonian – with more or less body language – which means that language learning goes hand in hand with acquiring new knowledge.

Stepping out of your comfort zone

According to Einike, one of the most difficult challenges in helping newly arrived immigrants adapt is reaching those who do not consider learning the language and culture necessary and consciously avoid doing so.

Often, this attitude stems from a previous negative experience: the person tried to learn the language but did not see immediate results. ‘Estonian is difficult. Perhaps the course or teacher was not quite right, and people simply gave up. After all, you can actually get by in Estonia without learning the language: if you know Russian or English, you will be fine in everyday life.’

However, Einike urges all new Estonian residents to remember that a real change in a person’s quality of life occurs when they decide to truly contribute to society and begin to understand the Estonian language. ‘Believe me – a whole new world will open up. Life in Estonia is not as boring as it may seem when you spend it sitting at home. There are so many opportunities to do something fun.’

Life is short – welcome everything that is given to you!

Einike knows from her own experience how eye-opening it is to learn about local life in depth when moving to a new country.

‘When you move to another country, take in everything it has to offer. Life is short – no matter which country you end up in, try to gain as much new knowledge and as many new skills as possible. It will enrich you so much and give you invaluable experiences for the rest of your life,’ is her message to those coming from abroad.

Einike believes that it is particularly important for passive learners not to start their adaptation process with difficult language courses. It is much easier and more natural to start by learning about the culture: gradually start watching Estonian-language programmes and listening to the radio, visit language cafés, or participate in cooking and handicraft groups, for example, which also include Estonian members.

‘This way, the language begins to stick, and that way, it becomes easier to start learning it more consciously. First contacts and friends are made. You just have to start somewhere – and that first step does not have to be a giant leap,’ is her advice.

Partners of the Integration Foundation work hard every day to ensure that newly arrived immigrants living in Estonia receive the support they need and feel at home here. In this series of stories, we give them a voice to talk about the joys, challenges, and lessons learned in their work. This time, Janika Hango, CEO of the Tartu Welcome Centre, shares her thoughts and introduces the activities of the centre.

‘If this club met up every day, I would be here every day!’ said one participant at the weekly integration club organised by the Tartu Welcome Centre. This simple, heartfelt statement was the greatest recognition for the centre’s employees, reaffirming that this is a place where new Estonians feel at home.

The Tartu Welcome Centre was established in 2019 in cooperation between the City of Tartu, the University of Tartu, and the Estonian University of Life Sciences. The centre aims to support foreigners during their first weeks and months in Tartu, as well as in their subsequent adaptation and integration. Over the years, the centre has become more than just a place for practical arrangements. It has become a place of support where people can come to share their joys, as well.

‘Our team is united by our belief in what we do. We are fans and patriots of Estonia – we care about how our society functions and what its future will be like. In our work, this does not only mean providing information, but also explaining to newcomers the rules, values, and customs that apply in Estonia in a way that can be understood, followed, and comprehended,’ says Janika Hango, CEO of the Tartu Welcome Centre and Head of Adaptation and Integration for the City of Tartu, explaining the centre’s working principles. ‘We are helping to build a bridge between new people and the local way of life.’

A hub where different worlds meet

In its more than six years of operation, the Tartu Welcome Centre has had contact with people from more than a hundred countries. There are international students, employees, entrepreneurs, family members, and, in recent years, thousands of war refugees, primarily from Ukraine. Questions range from personal identification codes and registration of residence to finding a family physician, children’s education, and opportunities to learn Estonian.

To show where all of these people come from, there is a large world map on the wall of the centre. Red pins indicate the clients’ countries of origin. When a new country is identified, the person themselves can put the pin on the map, if possible.

‘You can get help here’

‘People are often confused about where to start. We help them create clarity and order: where to start, where to go, what to ask. We meet them halfway – sometimes literally, by getting up from our chairs and going to the door when they arrive. This shows that we are there for them,’ Janika points out a small but important nuance.

She recalls that a young woman from India who needed an Estonian personal identification code started crying as soon as she arrived at the centre. She had already been sent from one place to another several times, and the tension caused by helplessness was expressed in tears. ‘We calmed her down, helped her fill out the application, and she received her personal identification code. A week later, she returned with a smile on her face and a fellow Indian in tow, saying, “You can get help here.”’

There are also those special standout moments when clients who have received support from the centre come back later just to share their joy: to show off their puppy or new family member, or to talk about their small but important victory, such as successfully renewing their residence permit in Estonian for the first time.

A personal approach, not just a number

Alongside the joys, everyday work unfortunately also brings along challenges. ‘Sometimes, it is necessary to explain to various parties why our work is important,’ Janika notes.

She emphasises that the provision of service at the centre does not end when the visitor’s question has been answered or a document processed. Clients are assisted in considering what to do next, where to go, and whom to contact. ‘This kind of human, supportive, and consistent contact is exactly what encourages people to return. This is a mindset that we ourselves follow and that should be systematically supported and disseminated,’ she adds.

‘Over the course of six years of operation, more than 12,000 people have visited our centre – a remarkable number, especially considering that we are personally committed to each visitor and our team consists of only three people.’

Cooperation creates opportunities

In addition to its founding members, the daily work of the Tartu Welcome Centre is also supported by cooperation partners. The city of Tartu is a contractual partner of the Association of Estonian Cities and Municipalities within the framework of the EU-supported activity ‘Support for local governments in providing integration, including adaptation services’. Thanks to this project, the centre can offer people with a migrant background assistance in obtaining a personal identification code or registering their place of residence, and provide advice on everyday matters.

In cooperation with the Police and Border Guard Board, seminars for migration advisers are held once a month. In addition, Estonian language courses and adaptation seminars as well as language and integration clubs commissioned by the Integration Foundation are organised at the centre.

‘We are consciously moving towards a one-stop-shop solution – so that people have one secure place to turn to and obtain the necessary information,’ says Janika, highlighting the operating principle based on the needs of new arrivals. Our professional ‘superpower’ is combining empathy and systematic thinking. We do not focus solely on a to-do list. We also think about the things that people do not yet know how to ask, but that are really important to them – we provide the next piece of information before people are able to ask for it themselves.’

The article appeared in the newsletter of cooperation partners in the field of adaptation.