Organized by the WelcomeCenter Saxony-Anhalt, people who had moved to Saxony-Anhalt and those who had returned to their old home in Saxony-Anhalt took part in the online meeting "Forum for Newcomers and Returnees."
Kerstin Mogadans, coordinator of the WelcomeCenter Saxony-Anhalt, and Claudia Bär, regional consultant for skilled workers at the state initiative Fachkraft im Fokus, jointly led the event.
Some of the participants had only recently moved to Saxony-Anhalt, while others had been there for a while. At the online meeting, they exchanged ideas and shared their motivation, their experiences, and the hurdles they had to overcome to settle in Saxony-Anhalt.
Munich, Unna, Vienna, a small village in Ukraine or South Africa – the participants' previous places of residence were as diverse as their reasons for seeking a new home in Saxony-Anhalt.
Whether it was love, studies, career opportunities, or a return to family and friends, many factors played a role in the participants' decision to change their place of residence and move to a city or rural region in Saxony-Anhalt.
The exchange in the small group intensified when it came to the challenges that each individual had to overcome. In many cases, bureaucratic hurdles had to be overcome. Long waiting times for appointments or limited opportunities to conduct job interviews online, for example, delayed their arrival in their new home. However, no one
regretted their decision to come to Saxony-Anhalt. The advantages of the region outweigh the challenges.
Positive aspects mentioned included the good childcare facilities, the school system, the low cost of living, and the mentality of the people in Saxony-Anhalt.
In many cases, the WelcomeCenter Saxony-Anhalt or the regional advisors of the state initiative Fachkraft im Fokus (Focus on Skilled Workers) were involved in supporting the participants' move or return. During the online meeting, Kerstin Mogdans and Claudia Bär presented the range of services offered by the state initiative Fachkraft im Fokus and offered the participants further assistance.
The discussions provided many valuable insights for the WelcomeCenter's future work in helping people settle in Saxony-Anhalt. We would like to thank each and every member of the group for participating and are particularly pleased that some of the participants would like to continue networking and building contacts after this exchange.
The 5th forum is planned for fall 2023. Anyone who would like to attend can register with Kerstin Mogdans at any time.
Kerstin Mogdans
Coordinator WelcomeCenter Saxony-Anhalt | Specialist Department for Welcome Structures and Family Friendliness
Phone: +49 391 400669 16
Mobile: +49 152 53791663
mogdans@fachkraft-im-fokus.de
