Over the past two years, eight municipalities from five German federal states have worked with us to develop, pilot and evaluate a data-driven matching programme for people seeking protection and cities.Their commitment to Re:Match - Relocation via Matching., parallel to everyday municipal life and reception via the regular system, is remarkable and an expression of the great need for innovative solutions and new approaches to migration management. The success of the matching process is particularly evident in the municipalities where people seeking protection are admitted. In addition to our regular personal exchanges, we have therefore conducted a standardised survey of our partner municipalities to find out how they rate Re:Match after two years of joint piloting.
‘Do municipalities consider their participation in a pilot project like Re:Match important and why?’
After two years in the pilot phase, our partner municipalities consider participation in projects such as Re:Match to be extremely important. Until now, municipalities have rarely been actively involved in political processes that shape the framework for the local reception of people seeking protection. This makes them all the more appreciative of the opportunity to help shape innovative approaches to the distribution and integration of people seeking protection and thus promote sustainable solutions that build on municipal experience. Our partner municipalities also emphasise that participation in pilot projects not only has a motivating effect on the employees involved, but also strengthens their commitment to a participatory migration policy. This is particularly important in areas such as migration and integration, where participation and co-determination, joint thought experiments and space to try things out can encourage people for the future.
‘What positive aspects of participating in Re:Match do local authorities emphasise?’
The algorithm-based matching approach was developed in a co-design process involving the project team and various municipalities. This enables a more targeted allocation in which the personal needs and preferences of those seeking protection are matched with the capacities and infrastructural framework conditions of the municipalities. Municipalities welcome the fact that this jointly developed approach has been put into practice and confirm the positive impact on local processes. They emphasised positively that there was a close and constructive exchange between the municipalities and the project team between the various matching phases, as a result of which the processes could be continuously and noticeably improved. While the municipalities - as well as the people arriving themselves - see language acquisition as a priority in the first few months, they also see potential in the matching process in terms of taking into account local labour market needs and existing qualifications of those seeking protection - and have many ideas on how this aspect can be developed into a win-win situation for both sides in the next stages of development. In addition, the municipalities reported that participation in Re:Match had provided important impetus for the further development of municipal practices within and beyond the project context. This promoted more intensive networking within municipal structures, opened up new perspectives, stimulated discussions and set innovative thought processes in motion.
‘How has Re:Match changed/improved the planning and arrival process compared to the normal assignment process?’
Partner municipalities report that protection seekers who have been assigned via Re:Match arrive with more realistic expectations, better informed and more motivated. They therefore strongly support the participatory and transparent involvement of protection seekers in the matching process and note that this greatly promotes pre-integration, which is important for a successful arrival. The municipalities themselves were able to prepare and improve the arrival process in a more targeted manner thanks to the early provision of detailed information and data about the asylum seekers by the Re:Match project team. This is not possible to the same extent in the regular allocation process, which often offers little lead time and contains less detailed information. As part of the admission process via Re:Match, for example, applications for benefits were completed in advance, school places were made available, information material was prepared in the language of the new arrivals and necessary medical care was organised in advance. Information on matching criteria and preferences also facilitated the rapid establishment of a trusting relationship between local employees and the incoming asylum seekers and supported customised integration.
‘Was the way and extent to which municipalities were involved in the development of the project good and helpful?’
The municipalities found their involvement in the development of Re:Match to be very positive and helpful. The initial workshop was particularly emphasised, as it helped to understand the project, its potential and limitations and to learn from the experiences of other municipalities. The questionnaires that municipalities used to submit their data to the algorithm during the matching process were also adapted to local working methods and needs in a structured, joint process. According to the participating municipalities, the uncomplicated 1:1 exchange with the project team and a further workshop at the end of the first pilot phase promoted the transparency of the process and strengthened the sense of community between the municipal partners and the project team. The constant availability of the Re:Match team and their openness to suggestions also contributed to an appreciative collaboration. The project team and municipalities agree that the federal and state governments should also be involved in trialling new approaches in the future, thereby promoting the further development and improvement of existing systems.
‘Would (further) digitalisation within the municipalities be helpful and desirable in order to generally relieve the burden on migration management and make it fit for the future?’
Increased digitalisation within local authorities is seen as urgent and desirable. Digital interfaces could facilitate cooperation with other authorities, such as job centres, and make the exchange of relevant data more efficient and usable. The municipalities see a challenge in the data protection-compliant and secure transfer of information, for which joint solutions must be found. The technical possibilities that already exist and the digitalisation push triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic highlight the potential of expanded digital networking - which could contribute to the promotion of sustainable migration management through targeted measures.
The evaluation of Re:Match clearly shows that data-driven matching approaches not only provide innovative impetus for migration management, but also offer concrete added value for the practice of the participating municipalities. And the eight Re:Match partner municipalities say: it was worth trying it out! The success of the project emphasises the importance of pilot projects as a driver for innovative, sustainable solutions in the area of reception and integration of people seeking protection. The Re:Match project team is therefore very much looking forward to the next joint development steps on the way to a genuine contribution to a solution for solidary, pragmatic and participatory migration management!
