Purpose: The EMPO Multicultural Resource Center acts as a resource centre for migrants through providing information and counselling that enable participants to develop their own resources to understand the codes of Norwegian society, through learning Norwegian language, meeting local people, and expanding their networks. To obtain these goals, the resource centre collaborates with a range of actors in Bergen, such as the municipality, the Introduction centre for refugees, schools, health stations, and other public and private sectors.
The EMPO Multicultural Resource Center is under the Church City Mission and is led by a team of 14 staff and 6 volunteers with a multicultural and interdisciplinary and broad knowledge and experience in promoting diversity, dialogue and participation in Norway's multicultural society. 10 of the 14 staff members have migrant background. In 2014 Empo had 550 participants, and 67 children representing all 52 nationalities.
Stimulus/Rationale: The main driver is to empower migrants to gain a sense of mastery and control over their own lives and to promote their inclusion and integration into Norwegian society.
Process: The resource centre was established in 2005, and has a lot of experience and good practices in creating activities that empower migrants to integrate.
Empo started as a platform for women with children to meet and practice Norwegian. It has since then developed into a resource center with 10 year experience of cross-cultural work with and for people of migrant background
Empo is an abbreviation for «empowerment», which is both goal and method for the resource center. Methodically, Empo’s work is based anthropological knowledge such as cultural understanding and cultural analysis, combined with the practical approach of health and Social work. It offers several meeting arenas, courses, individual counselling, work in groups with role-play, discussions and parental guidance as well as social, cultural and professional activities.
The offers depend on the needs expressed by participants. Through sharing practical and theoretical knowledge, they assist and enable participants to use and develop their own resources, expand their networks and experience a sense of mastery and greater control over their own lives. They encourage participants to learn Norwegian and engage in other activities to meet local people and families. They also provide participants with information, networks, and a chance of taking initiative and becoming active in the local communities. They help migrants understand the codes of the society and the keys to the functioning of schools and other environments.
Empo acts as a link between the different migrant groups and the public sector, sharing experiences and expertise on issues in regards to integration, community empowerment etc. A good example is a collaboration Empo had with a hospital that once wanted to raise awareness on diabetes through offering courses to migrants, as Diabetes was prevalent among migrants. They had challenges getting people to register for the courses and took contact with Empo for a collaboration and help on how to plan the course. Together they organized the course at EMPO with a very good turn up. The multicultural stuff played a very important role to pass on the information.
EMPO initiatives such as women's groups, men's gatherings, courses, theme days and seminars, counselling, parental guidance, language and work practice, social networking across cultures - create space for dialogue, mutual understanding and change. And promote greater inclusion and integration into the society.
Impact: The expected impact is to enable migrants to integrate successfully in Norwegian society.
Key reference documents: Kirkens Bymisjon (2021) Empo flerkulturelt ressurssenter. Årsmelding 2021.
