Purpose: In 2018 the city of Braga launched the “Bragalncoming Programme”, a digital tool that aims to help newcomers (those that come either to live, to visit or invest) with much-needed information for their adaptation in the host society. This programme was developed as part of a welcoming and social integration policy.
Stimulus/Rationale: Bragalncoming provides all new Braga residents and visitors with a digital tool that will help them adapt to their new host city. Besides, the application is also a means of contact between the municipal entities and the communities already settled in the city.
Basically, it is an instrument that indicates the first steps that should be taken upon arrival in the city, taking into account the country of origin and the objectives of the user, who barely registers has to answer three questions: where he or she comes from, what he or she wants to do in Braga and in which area he or she will live.
Process: The app contains all kinds of useful information (about schools, parishes, health centres, consulates) which is regularly updated and easy to get. In order to offer a full portrait of the city and promote interaction, the application has a strong focus on cultural aspects, ranging from information on the show spaces to the available local media. The mobile application is free and available on Apple Store and Play Store.
The app was developed thanks to a partnership with the political parties represented in the city Council, the Red Cross and the associations of women and migrant women. The app was funded by AMIF - Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, translating into a guiding tool of the important services for a better integration of migrants through close monitoring.
Impact: So far it has been very well received by the users but it will however undergo an evaluation process by the city’s audit to assess its actual impact.
Braga INTEGRA is available not only in Portuguese, but also in English, French, Spanish and Ukrainian. Listed are shops/citizen spaces, Social Security counters and Finance departments, but also schools, kindergartens, courts, churches and chapels, hospitals and health centres, clothing collection points, ecopoints and historical heritage.
"What public services should I go?", "Where are they?", "What documents do I need?". These and other questions can be answered through the app so that the user always knows what to do and avoid problems, whether they are bureaucratic or legal.
"This is an extraordinary tool for those who come to Braga in search of better living conditions and realise their dreams. It is an innovative project, unique in the national context, and a communication tool that facilitates the life of those who seek answers and do not know how to get them and where to turn, "said Firmino Marques, vice president of the Municipality of Braga, during the presentation of the project that took place this Tuesday, January 16, at Casa dos Crivos, in Braga.
In addition to "promoting the full integration of migrants in the Portuguese community, intercultural dialogue and enhancing cultural diversity, this application allows the user to know more information about the City such as health services, educational institutions, heritage, public transport, news, events, among other services. The application is available in five languages (Portuguese, English, French, Spanish and Ukrainian) and after its installation on the mobile device, the user is directed to a "reception area" of the City, "a kind of business card of Braga", where he registers for the first time.
"We are talking about a personalised service experience, which is constantly updated and directly linked to municipal services. This application allows the attendance, monitoring and integration of immigrants, and can be used by tourists, since it contains various information that help to know the City and its dynamics, "concluded Firmino Marques.
Key reference documents: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pt.bsb.bragaintegra
