State Commissioner Matthias Wunderling-Weilbier from the Braunschweig Regional Development Office presented the funding decisions to the Mayor of Salzgitter, Frank Klingebiel, on Monday, December 17.

The seven projects will receive a total of 3.85 million euros from the Lower Saxony Integration Fund.

"I have great respect for the integration work that is being carried out in all municipalities in the state, both on a voluntary basis and by the public sector," said State Commissioner Wunderling-Weilbier during the presentation of the funding decisions, "and yet it is right to provide special support to the cities most affected by immigration. Salzgitter is certainly one of these cities and is tackling this task with great commitment and success. This success can now be continued in seven further projects."

"The integration fund, which was launched in October 2017 for the years 2017 and 2018 by the state government of Lower Saxony on my emphatic initiative, is an important first step in the right direction," Klingebiel states. "I am very grateful to Minister President Stephan Weil for this. However, I stand by my demand that these funds be made permanent in order to give all those involved and affected on the ground planning security, just as I stand by my demand that all costs for accommodation, care and integration of the more than 6,000 refugees living in Salzgitter be fully reimbursed. Only then can we succeed in maintaining social peace on the ground and avoid any debate about envy."

The funds now available will be used to continue funding projects in the area of social integration work that were already started last year and to finance three investment projects to create childcare and leisure activities for children and young people in districts with a particularly high proportion of refugees.

To improve childcare, a new kindergarten with three groups and an additional crèche group is to be built in Salzgitter Lebenstedt in the district of Nord on the grounds of the Grundschule am See elementary school (funding of over €1 million) and the Käthe-Kollwitz-Haus in the Fredenberg district is to be converted into a kindergarten (funding of over €700,000). In addition, the "Graffiti" children's and youth club, also in the northern district, is to be completely renovated (funding of over 1 million euros).

In addition to these investment projects, school social work and the municipal public order service will also be supported with 330,000 euros each, as will the city's streetworking services (funding of 180,000 euros) and the work of a number of district meeting points, which are run by independent organizations and charities and make an important contribution to integration work in the individual districts (funding of 200,000 euros)

Last year, the city of Salzgitter had already received a good 4.6 million euros from the integration fund and was able to implement 8 projects with it. The fund was set up by the state government to support cities in which an above-average number of people who had to flee their country, primarily Syria, as a result of the war between 2015 and 2017 have settled. At around 3.5% of the total population in Salzgitter, this proportion is around six times higher than the national average of 0.6% and is also the highest proportion in the country."

With 10 million euros per year for all municipalities eligible to apply, the integration of these people into society is to be promoted in particular. This is a task that can only be accomplished in the long term and should therefore continue to be supported by the state government. An evaluation of this program is therefore currently underway, on the basis of which the further direction of state policy in this matter will be determined.

The Office for Regional State Development in Braunschweig is responsible for handling the approval process and, in close coordination with the Ministry of the Interior, advises the city of Salzgitter on the application process and ultimately approves the funding projects.