{"id":8526,"date":"2019-08-27T14:55:52","date_gmt":"2019-08-27T12:55:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/axfoundation.misc.jishi.se\/projekt\/oppnadorren"},"modified":"2026-02-06T10:44:50","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T09:44:50","slug":"oppnadorren-open-the-door","status":"publish","type":"project","link":"https:\/\/www.axfoundation.se\/en\/projects\/oppnadorren-open-the-door","title":{"rendered":"\u00d6ppnaD\u00f6rren: From pilot to scale and further on to Axelerate"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In 2020, in line with Axfoundation\u2019s working model, it was time for the initiatives to expand even further and \u00d6ppnaD\u00f6rren was incorporated into the Axel Johnson Group’s diversity and inclusion initiative Axelerate. This is the journey from pilot to scale.<\/p>\n

Accelerating the integration<\/h3>\n

Axfoundation\u2019s overall goal with \u00d6ppnaD\u00f6rren was to generate societal benefits as well as business benefits and individual benefits by accelerating the integration of foreign-born people in the Swedish labor market and in society. The vision was to create a movement of \u2018door openers\u2019 that contribute to a more open Sweden. The mission for the incubator \u00d6ppnaD\u00f6rren was to build capacity and scale up other integration initiatives sharing our approach to change.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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\u201cWe wanted to channel the public’s commitment to improved integration in the labor market and make it incredibly easy to contribute as a fellow human being. We developed and tested a new method that we have refined and scaled up, both on our own and by collaborating and strengthening organizations that share our theory of change.” – Amelie Silfverstolpe, initiator for \u00d6ppnaD\u00f6rren.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Meetings lead to networks \u2013 and networks lead to jobs<\/h2>\n
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The impact assessment from 2020 shows that \u00d6ppnaD\u00f6rren has contributed to quicker integration into the Swedish labor market, helped reduce segregation and indirectly helped create jobs through its partner organizations.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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new and established Swedes met through the partners of \u00d6ppnaD\u00f6rren between 2015-2020. <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div> \n

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percent had the chance to meet potential employers through meetings facilitated by their door opener.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div> \n

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per cent of those who met an employer landed a job and 19% were offered an internship.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div> \n <\/section>\n\n\n

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Creating a movement of door openers<\/h2>\n
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The most effective way to get established in a new country is to find a job and learn the language. However, in many cases, finding a job requires a strong network. As many as 8 out of 10 open positions in Sweden are filled with the help of contacts. To make it easier for new Swedes to enter the labor market quickly, Axfoundation served as a greenhouse for three initially small-scale organizations, all matching new and established Swedes for informal face-to- face meetings on an individual level.<\/p>\n

Yrkesd\u00f6rren<\/a> was initiated and managed by Axfoundation from the start 2015 up until 2020, while Nya Kompisbyr\u00e5n<\/a> and Svenska med baby<\/a> where already existing organizations that Axfoundation chose to support through \u00d6ppnaD\u00f6rren. The common denominator for all three is that they all have a low threshold for participation: the participants contribute one hour of their time \u2013 an hour that has proven to make a big difference to an individual\u2019s ability to get established in Sweden. The meetings can be a coffee, a dinner or an activity with children to talk about jobs or common interests \u2013 and sharing networks. These individual level meetings and the informal validation that comes with it, are crucial to speeding up and improving economic and social integration, as well as combating growing levels of segregation.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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“Face-to-face meetings, conversations and the opportunity to understand Swedish culture \u2013 as well as for Swedes to understand the culture of others \u2013 is absolutely crucial for integration.\u201d – Antonia Ax:son Johnson<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Building a more open Sweden<\/h2>\n
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\u00d6ppnaD\u00f6rren\u2019s 2020 impact assessment indicates that the meetings that have taken place have had a positive effect on the ability of the participants to integrate in Sweden. <\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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per cent of the participants say they felt more included in Swedish society after their meetings with a door opener.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div> \n

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per cent of the participants say they understand the Swedish labor market better or much better after their meeting. <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div> \n

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per cent of the participants say they have stayed in contact after their first meeting through \u00d6ppnaD\u00f6rren.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div> \n <\/section>\n\n\n

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The journey from pilot to scale<\/h2>\n
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Partners<\/h2>\n
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Since the start in 2015, \u00d6ppnaD\u00f6rren has collaborated with a wide range of partners, bridging civil society, businesses, and private individuals. Among them are Apel, Axel Johnson, Centre for Business and Policy Studies (SNS), Demokratikonsult, Dustin, EFFSO, Ernst & Young, The European Social Fund, The Global Village\/J\u00e4rvaveckan, Integrationsn\u00e4tverket, The Immigrant Index, KICKS, Luckan by D\u00f6rren in Finland, Martin & Servera, MittLiv, Nordregio, Ocean Observations, Oriflame, Phil\u2019s burger, Spotify, The Swedish Employment Agency, The Swedish ESF Council, The Swedish Federation of Business Owners (F\u00f6retagarna), The Union for Professionals (Akademikerf\u00f6rbundet SSR), Urban Deli and \u00c5hl\u00e9ns.<\/p>\n

Part of \u00d6ppnaD\u00f6rren was co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF). The special initiative focusing specifically on \u201cnew arrivals\u201d that had not been in Sweden more than three years, started in 2017 with a planned end date of 2022. Already in August 2020, the project reached its targets: more than 4,000 new arrivals in Sweden had met a door opener and broadened their network. Thereby, the collaboration with ESF ended at the same time as \u00d6ppnaD\u00f6rren was integrated into Axelerate. Co-financing from ESF played an important role in developing Axfoundation\u2019s innovative integration initiative \u00d6ppnaD\u00f6rren and enabled increased support for partner organizations Yrkesd\u00f6rren, Nya Kompisbyr\u00e5n and Svenska med baby.<\/p>\n

Since the fall of 2025, \u00d6ppnaD\u00f6rren\u2019s operations have taken the next step and are now part of the organization Belong<\/a> \u2013 a nonprofit that works to strengthen integration in Sweden. The organization runs mentorship programs aimed at helping newcomers to Sweden take steps toward entering the Swedish job market.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Results<\/h2>\n
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Axfoundation\u2019s progress report 2020 Act to inspire & Inspire to Act \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Contact<\/h2>\n
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For further information regarding Axfoundation\u2019s work with integration and \u00d6ppnaD\u00f6rren, please contact Amelie Silfverstolpe (below). For questions regarding Axel Johnson and Axelerate, please contact Head of Axelerate, Nasim Khosravi (nasim.khosravi@axeljohnson.se<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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