Description of the project in 2010.

During the period from 1.1. by 30.6. 2010 continued the work based on the activities of the previous year, which directed to the processing of individual chapters for the forthcoming two-volume publication „Institutional conditions for social integration of foreigners in the CR“. The first volume of the publication is gong to be subtitled „Integration policy“ and is focused on selected issues of national strategy for integration of foreigners - the government approach and policy-making in this area (chapter entitled „Immigrants in the CR - the desired and unwanted“. Present migration and integration policies in the country“) and evaluation of the chosen instrument of integration („The selection of qualified foreign workers - are still unused opportunities?“). These chapters will be supplemented by an analysis of the legislative framework for social integration of foreigners, which is based on a text prepared for the project in 2009. In the second part of publication subtitled „The role of employment and selected institutions in the process of integration“, the findings of the effects of selected institutions in the field of social integration are presented. Specifically, the operation of employment agencies (chapter „Functions of labour offices in the regulation of foreign employment and integration of foreigners into the labour market“), NGOs (chapter „The function and status of the organizations of non-profit sector in the social integration of immigrants“) and foreign police work („Selected elements of work culture of foreign police office eyed by its employees“). These chapters are going to be supplemented by the text „Place the bottom, place the top: the status of foreigners from third countries on the Czech labour market“, which deals with the relationship between the qualitative aspects of the career opportunities and social integration of foreigners from third countries in the CR.

Methodology

First part of the publication is based primarily on an analysis of relevant documents and it is focused on analyzing the selection of qualified foreign workers based on interviews with experts who are familiar with this program, two officials who participated in its operation in the past, and two direct interviews with project participants (immigrants from Ukraine). Chapters on the role of employment agencies, NGOs and foreign police office are based on the analysis of qualitative interviews with selected staff, which were organized partly in 2009 and partly in 2010, supplemented by document analysis and direct observation.

Research on the non-profit sector organizations:
• We conducted 27 interviews in 26 NGOs.
• When deciding on the selection of NGOs dealing with the integration of immigrants, we used a database of NGOs active in the integration of foreigners (processed by the Centre for non-profit sector research in Brno in 2008), which includes 47 NGOs active in the area. Enhanced choice was made so that we could comprehend the largest number of counties in which the service is to promote and where the integration of foreigners is offered at least by one of the non-profit organizations. Organizations focus on specific areas of integration of immigrants was reflected too in order to cover as much types of services provided by these organizations as i tis possible.
• As a complementary type of research technique was chosen document analysis, which we obtained either in direct contact with officials of organizations or from their website presentations (annual reports, balance sheet, financing of the organizations, brochures providing information about completed projects, reports on completed projects, flyers for various events, etc. )

Research of the Labour Office activities:
• We conducted 33 interviews at 15 Labour Office.
• We contacted 21 offices; approval to carry out interview was expressed by 15 directors of offices. From January to March 2010 interviews with selected staff were conducted in these offices.
• Interviews were held with senior staff of the mediation department and department of labour market. Departments of the labour market are responsible for regulating labour migration. Working permission is usually issued by a specialized employee of foreign employment department, which falls under the department of labour market. Mediation departments are responsible for the integration of job applicants per job market and are thus closest to the integrative function, since upon a personal contact and an estimation of his/her potential, he is offered other activities to raise his/her employability and integration  into the labour market.
• Selection of the Labour Offices has been made on the basis of available data on foreign employment of foreigners from third countries. We wanted to reach offices that have the greatest control of foreign employment experience.

Research on work culture of the Foreign Police Office:
• In total, we conducted interviews with 12 clerks of foreign police border, of which nine were in direct contact with foreigners, the two act as methodologists and we talked to the manager too.
• Research can be characterized as a case study; it was conducted at the department permitting the residence as well as on group support enforcement services.
• Selection of the respondents was carried by the head of the residence permits under the following criteria: the worker should have a good knowledge of the organization and its culture (employed by the police border at least 1.5 years) and an experience of direct work with foreigners. We stressed also on the condition that the employees with the experience with different agendas were represented by. Given the objective of the research also and those, who create the facilities and services for those employees and provide them with guidance and control, were included in the sample.

In addition to the two-volume publication article „Social and institutional environment in the social integration of foreigners in the CR“ was finished in 2010. In this paper we deal with the influence of social and institutional environment in the process of social integration of foreigners in the Czech Republic. The information in this text are based on the knowledge of the importance of the environment, its expectations and support, on the individual‘s social functioning. The life situation and social functioning concept is applied to the problems of social integration of migrants living in the Czech Republic. Based on interviews with various actors of the integration and analysis of relevant documents we describe the social and institutional support for resources and environment and uncover its various functions. The article points at one of the problems with which the helping professions working with immigrants face, which is maintaining or increasing the dependency of clients due to unbalanced support.