FS Easy Way

FS Easy Way is an Internet platform for third-country nationals (i.e. people with a nationality outside of the European Economic Area and Switzerland) who recently migrated to Austria. FS Easy Way was founded by the association Fair und Sensibel Österreich within the context of a project of the European Integration Fund (EIF) and in collaboration with sponsors of the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection, and the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as subcontractors Union of European-Turkish Democrats and Ghana Minstrel Choir.

The EIF project 2012 of the European Integration Fund

The complete title of the project is: P.O.P. 2013: platform for orientation and perspective – together instead of against each other, dialogue and encounter for transmitting values and ways of living.

The target groups of this project are, on the one hand recently immigrated third-country nationals,i.e. people with nationalities outside of the European economic area and Switzerland and who fulfil all legal requirements for a residence in Austrian, and on the other hand, members of the Austrian receiving community.

The project comprises of the setup, expansion and further development of an electronic platform, which helps recent immigrants with third-country nationality to orient themselves in Austria. The project also raises the level of awareness of this platform for its target group. Another component of the project is information sessions to strengthen the intercultural dialogue between recent immigrants and the Austrian receiving community.

This project is financed by the European Integration Fund, the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Welfare and Consumer Protection, and the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The association Fair und Sensibel Österreich

A rectangular shape. In the upper part of the image is a red rose on a green background. Underneath it is a black background with the text: Fair & Sensibel Österreich in yellow, orange and white letters. Next to it the Austrian flag.

In 2000, the association Fair und Sensibel (Fair and Sensitive) was founded on the initiative of the, then, general manager of Public Security, Dr. Eric Buxbaum, and the, then, chief constable of Vienna, Dr. Peter Stiedl. The title of the pilot scheme was “Polizei und Afrikaner” (Police and Africans). In 2004 it was renamed to “Fair und Sensibel – Polizei und AfrikanerInnen” (Fair and Sensitive – Police and Africans). The actual founding of an association happened two years later. Since 2009, Fair und Sensibel is headed by Josef Böck, founding member of the association and lieutenant colonel of Vienna’s police. In 2012 the association was again renamed to “Fair und Sensibel Österreich” (Fair and Senstive Austria).

The members of the association are concerned with a fair, sensitive and conflict-free coexistence between members of the Austrian mainstream society and immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

The main target of Fair und Sensibel Österreich is a fair and sensitive cooperation between people, regardless of their ethnic origin, skin colour, religion, sexual orientation and existing physical or mentally challenges. The association wants to maintain social peace and enhance internal security of Austria by promoting a sense of unity and togetherness.

In a collective office complex police officers and officials of the Department of Minority Contacts (a department of the police headquarters Vienna) work together with people from the association, who have a migration background. This collaboration shows how successful integration can be authentically realized and put into practice.

Image: Capital letters OIF in black colour. Above the letter O are three horizontal bars in red, white and red. Next to the letters the words Österreichischer (Austrian), Integration (integration) and Fonds (fund) are printed underneath each other.

Red square and inside is the white outline of five people. Next to the square is the text “bmask” in red letters. Underneath the text are the words “Bundesministerium für Arbeit, Soziales und Konsumentenschutz” in grey letters.

Text in grey letters: BM.I, underneath also in grey letters: Bundesministerium für Inneres (Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs). Above this text is an image of a grey eagle with a red-white-red coloured emblem in front of its chest.

A rectangular shape. In the upper part of the image is a red rose on a green background. Underneath it is a black background with the text: Fair & Sensibel Österreich in yellow, orange and white letters. Next to it the Austrian flag.

Recumbent drum in brown colours. In front of it is a clef with four notes in black colour. Underneath it is the text “Ghana Minstrel Choir” in golden colour.