The One-stop Shop for Local Government PDF Download

Author: Pennsylvania. Center for Local Government Services
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Local government
Languages : en
Pages : 6

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Author: Pennsylvania. Center for Local Government Services
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Local government
Languages : en
Pages : 6

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Author: Catarina Reis Oliveira
Publisher: Observatório da Imigração, ACIDI, I.P.
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 96

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The Handbook on how to implement a One-Stop-Shop is one of the main outcomes of the project “One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrant integration” (JLS/2006/INTI/148)1 , funded by the European Commission INTI Fund (Directorate-General Justice, Freedom and Security) and promoted and coordinated by the High Commission for Immigration and Intercultural Dialogue (ACIDI, I.P. - the Portuguese state service for the integration of immigrants). The main aim of this project was to create a network of partners to discuss and assess a “One-Stop-Shop” approach, recommended in the Commission’s Common Agenda for Integration (COM 2005 389) to strengthen the implementation of the sixth Common Basic Principle on Integration - “Access for immigrants to institutions, as well as to public and private goods and services, on a basis equal to national citizens and in a non-discriminatory way is an essential foundation”. The Portuguese experience, within this innovative One-Stop-Shop strategy, was also considered as an example in order to contextualise this project. In 2004, Portugal, through ACIDI, I.P., developed two One-Stop-Shops with the official name National Immigrant Support Centres. These two centres, created exclusively for immigrants, bring together under the same roof a number of services related to immigration. Following the philosophy of working with partners to develop good integration policies and outcomes, in a context of shared responsibility – as also defined as a priority in the seventh and ninth Common Basic Principles on Integration -, the centres involve the departments of five Ministries and offer specialised offices that provide specific support. The first edition of the Handbook on Integration for policy-makers and practitioners - a guide to provide valuable and practical guidance for implementing the Common Basic Principles on Integration and facilitating the exchange of experience, information and policy initiatives – identified the Portuguese One-Stop-Shops as an example of Best Practice in working with partners to achieve immigrant integration outcomes. In Portugal the One-Stop-Shop approach also proved to be innovative in terms of providing a joined-up response for the service-user, since it is based on a general shared data management system used in attending to the public, facilitating the digitalisation of data and documents and communication between the different offices, and on the involvement of cultural mediators from the different immigrant communities in public administration service provision. Having been in operation for two years, in 2006 the Portuguese High Commission for Immigration requested the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to undertake an independent evaluation of the outcomes of these support centres. Among the most relevant conclusions of the IOM report was the recommendation of the development of an international network to discuss and assess the One-Stop-Shop as a model for immigrant integration and to examine the feasibility of its implementation in other EU Member States. ACIDI, I.P. convened seven other partners to implement the project “One-Stop-Shop: a new answer for immigrant integration”: the Hellenic Migration Policy Institute (Greece), the General-Directorate of Immigration (Italy), the General-Directorate of Immigrant Integration (Spain), the Immigrant Council of Ireland (Ireland), Network Migration in Europe, e.V. (Germany), the International Organization for Migration – Mission in Portugal and the Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies at the University of Amsterdam (the Netherlands). Hence the assessment of the One-Stop-Shop approach was guaranteed through a diversity of project partners, including: (1) countries with a recent immigration experience and countries that are already experiencing second and third generations of immigrants; and (2) partners representing national state integration services (Portugal, Spain and Italy), partners from Non-Governmental Organisations (Ireland and Germany), a partner operating under private law with Ministerial supervision (Greece), a research centre that coordinates a Network of Excellence on the field of International Migration, Integration and Social Cohesion – IMISCOE (the Netherlands), and an international organisation (International Organization for Migration). This European project, implemented from September 2007 to February 2009 with European Commission funding, also involved a variety of actors with expertise in immigrant integration, including policymakers, Government actors (at the local, regional and national levels), service providers, researchers, immigrant associations and other relevant stakeholders. These diverse integration stakeholders monitored all the project activities as part of the Steering Committee3 of the project and/or as members of one of the six national Advisory Committees4 created in the participant countries. During the implementation of the project these key actors were involved in many activities: contributing to the discussion of the country reports5 and of the working documents of the project; providing information on the main integration difficulties that immigrants face in their societies in terms of service provision or relevant support services that already exist; and participating in the transnational workshops hosted by the project partners. The information, initial ideas, inspiring examples and preliminary recommendations gathered through the different activities of the project - with the support of all of these key actors - were crucial for building the chapters of this Handbook. Some of these form part of the Handbook, inserted in boxes throughout the text, while more detailed information and links are available on the project website - www.oss.inti.acidi.gov.pt. This Handbook reflects the work of a network of partners who, after analysing their country reports on immigrant integration7 , were able to discuss and assess a “One-Stop-Shop” service. The sharing of experiences and expertise between all the participants involved in the project (including those who participated in the Steering Committee and in the national Advisory Committees) enhanced the final outcomes of the initiative, including the project website and this Handbook. This Handbook is also based on the outcomes of three Transnational Workshops8 undertaken during the course of this INTI project. Each workshop dealt with a specific theme related to the Project: (1) the first Transnational Workshop was held in Dublin on 26 February 2008 and the theme of the Workshop was ‘The Role of Socio-Cultural Mediators in the One-Stop-Shop’; (2) the second Transnational Workshop was held in Athens on 6 June 2008 and the theme of the Workshop was ‘Integrated Service Provision to Immigrants: examples of One-Stop-Shops in Europe’; and (3) the third Transnational Workshop was held in Berlin on 8 July 2008 and the theme of the Workshop was: ‘Partnerships between NGOs and Government actors in providing services to migrants’. These Workshops were convened by three of the project partners and were attended by representatives of the partner organisations together with members of each of the national Advisory Committees and other Governmental and non-Governmental policymakers and integration stakeholders. As this Project aims to develop an approach that is replicable in different European Union Member States and this Handbook intends to provide valuable and practical guidance for implementing the One-Stop-Shop service, it was considered to be fundamental to have an external evaluation of the final outcomes of the project. Accordingly, and keeping in mind the eleventh Common Basic Principle on Integration – “developing clear goals, indicators and evaluation mechanisms” - the project evaluation was undertaken by Prof. Rinus Penninx, the coordinator of the IMISCOE Network of Excellence. A detailed evaluation of the feasibility of One-Stop-Shop implementation in Member States in view of the project deliverables (e.g. Handbook on How to Implement a One-Stop-Shop, Country Reports, Minutes of Advisory Committees’ meetings and Workshop results) was developed and updated onto the project website. In sum, the exchange of experiences and knowhow between the partners and members of national Advisory Committees involved in the project provided added value to the initiative, and facilitated the coherent, effective and replicable integration strategy for European Union Member States that we present in this book. Rather than a prescriptive document, this Handbook should be seen as a source of inspiration for various actors in the European Union in implementing integration policies in the field of service provision. Furthermore, taking into consideration that in some countries the recent debate on immigration started as a reaction to a perceived failure of integration policies, it seems that the approach developed in this project can re-orientate this debate. The identification, definition and evaluation of a new service for immigrant integration, based on the experiences of different Member States and different integration stakeholders, and where immigrants have a fundamental role, is in line with the European Union’s top priorities. It is our belief that the One-Stop-Shop service can respond in an innovative and feasible way to various concerns and challenges related to immigrant integration in Member States.

Author: Michiel S. de Vries
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 023028731X
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 242

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Local governments encounter many problems, and although there is not one panacea that works internationally, this book argues that there are mechanisms to improve local situations. By drawing on case studies from the developing world, the authors review best practices in good governance.

Author: Transparency International
Publisher: UN-HABITAT
ISBN: 9211316944
Category : Local government
Languages : en
Pages : 201

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Author: Tim Stapenhurst
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0750689056
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 497

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A practical, step-by-step guide to quality assurance and process improvement through benchmarking. It covers benchmarking across different industry areas, with detailed case studies to illustrate pitfalls and best practice.

Author: Philippines
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 444

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Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Communities and Local Government Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215036193
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 92

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Attitudes towards the council tax are influenced by views as to its fairness, with one of the concerns being that it does not take sufficient account of a household's income. Council tax relief enables the liability of some households to be reduced. Although it is not a benefit, it is called a benefit and in many ways operates like a benefit. People only receive it if they make a claim and as a result there is an estimates £1.8 billion unclaimed each year. The Committee believe that there are two main weaknesses in the operation of the current system. Firstly the rules of eligibility are too tightly drawn to adequately reduce the burden to those in greatest need. Secondly the take up is low. They call on the Government to take urgent actions to tackle these problems

Author: Ray Tomkinson
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351900498
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 291

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Despite the pressure for local councils to follow the lead of the private sector and develop shared service and partnership arrangements, the barriers in terms of culture, differences in priorities across councils and lack of experience are formidable - yet this is the most likely source of meeting government targets for reduced overheads and improved organizational effectiveness. By using extensive case studies drawn from across local councils in England, Ray Tomkinson explains the implications of sharing service delivery, addresses concerns about loss of control and accountability, and demonstrates the potential advantages. He shows how to set up collaborative ventures, formal partnerships, shared service centres or special purpose vehicles, while pointing out possible pitfalls, thus enabling senior managers to follow all the necessary project steps to create an appropriate shared service. It seeks to examine the evidence of the cost, effectiveness and quality improvements achieved from sharings. This ground-breaking book has been written for everyone in local government; it explores the political and cultural barriers, and legislative/legal framework for joint workings, explains how to find an appropriate governance vehicle, and how to gain the commitment of partners. It deals with political and managerial concerns, risk aversion and parochial issues, and the possible impact on the reputation and performance of both sharers. Shared Services in Local Government is the only comprehensive study for the UK and it will ensure any public sector organization pursuing this route is able to approach the task of creating a shared service with a real understanding of the issues involved.

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Welsh Affairs Committee
Publisher: The Stationery Office
ISBN: 9780215054074
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 172

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This Report examines whether the level of support provided to Armed Forces veterans in Wales - both immediately before they leave the service and once they return to civilian life -is adequate. The key recommendation is that the Welsh Government take forward proposals to establish a network of 'one-stop shops' for veterans across Wales. A great deal of support is available for veterans in Wales, but often a lack of awareness means that support is not taken up. A one-stop shop for veterans would be a convenient way for veterans to access information and receive advice on a range of important issues, such as housing, finances and employment. To avoid duplication, however, the Welsh Government needs to take into account the support launched or planned by local authorities as part of their Community Covenants. There should also be better co-ordination of the work done by the many charities supporting veterans. In the light of recent court cases which have illustrated the need for vigilance to prevent fraudsters taking advantage of the public's willingness to give to veterans' charities there should be much more stringent inspection of charities' finances. There is also concern about charities providing treatments for complex psychological issues that do not meet NICE guidelines. The regulation of charities may be insufficiently robust in this area. The Charity Commission should insist that veterans' charities which offer medical, psychological or counselling services provide documentation from the relevant professional bodies to confirm that they have the appropriate endorsement for the services they offer