Główne problemy integracji imigrantów z Ukrainy i propozycje rozwiązań w oczach przedstawicieli instytucji województwa opolskiego

Abstract

The main problems of the integration of immigrants from Ukraine and proposed solutions in the eyes of representatives of the institutions of the Opolskie Voivodeship The article presents the results of qualitative research conducted as a part of the conference titled Diagnosis of Needs and Problems Related to the Integration of Foreigners in the Opole Region, which took place in Opole on May 21, 2019. The research was conducted using a deliberative workshop method. The participants of the workshop were representatives of important institutions of the Opole Voivodeship who face the problem of a large number of immigrants from Ukraine. The participants were divided into thematic working groups: culture and religion, health care, public safety, the labour market and education. The article focuses on general problems that affect the functioning of immigrants in all these areas. In the analysis, the problems were divided into sociocultural (language barrier, cultural diversity, inadequacy of expectations to reality, ghettoization and historical education) and formal and legal problems (lack of systemic solutions and information, lack of knowledge about Polish institutions and legal order, etc.). Stereotypes which appeared in officials’ statements were analysed as a separate problem. The solution to these problems is to set up an Integration Support Institution that can offer support to immigrants with everyday life issues, as well as language or cultural training and provide them with all the information they need. The results give reason for further research, somewhat delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted by sociologists from the University of Opole, in cooperation with the Opole University of Technology on behalf of the Marshal’s Office of the Opole Voivodeship.