Bulletin to the clients of Omnia Skills Centre for Immigrants and other Espoo residents with an immigrant background
Between 2021 and 2024, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland will be studying the way in which immigrants in Espoo use various public services.
The study will focus on two groups:
- Clients of Omnia Skills Centre
- Immigrants living in Espoo who have never been clients of the Skills Centre
.
The study will utilise information from approximately 6,000 people concerning their service use between 2009 and 2024.
You cannot be identified based on the research data
At no point can individuals be identified based on the data being analysed. All personal information, such as your name, identity number and address, will be encrypted when data is retrieved from the authorities’ registers. The encrypted data is then transferred to the research environment and added to a large dataset. The researchers will only analyse this large dataset.
Authorities, such as the City of Espoo, Omnia Skills Centre and Kela, will not have access to the research data. VTT will take every precaution to ensure data security and to protect the privacy of individuals.
You will continue to receive services and benefits as usual
The study will have no effect on the services and benefits you may receive. You cannot prohibit the use of your information in the study because the study will only focus on the large dataset, not specifically on your personal information. Finnish law allows this type of research to be conducted.
Information will not be specifically collected for study purposes. Instead, the study will be conducted based on information that has been recorded on you when you have used a service. VTT will combine information about education, use of services that promote employment, income and taxes, receipt of benefits such as social assistance, and the grounds for your residence permit, i.e. whether you moved to Finland for work, due to family ties or based on international protection.
Although the study will have no effect on your eligibility for services or endanger your privacy, we are providing you with this information because the work of Finnish authorities is based on openness.
The study aims to help authorities to better understand what type of services immigrants need in different situations in order to find work and integrate more easily.