Starting signal for the update of the integration concept

Changing framework conditions make a new concept sensible.

Auf dem Bild ist die Oberbürgermeisterin zu sehen, die vor einem Publikum spricht. — Foto (Stadt Hof): Oberbürgermeisterin Eva Döhla im Großen Sitzungssaal

Auf dem Bild sind zwei Frauen an einem Stehtisch zu sehen, die bunte Zettel betrachten. — Foto (Stadt Hof): Teilnehmende bei der Ideensammlung

Auf dem Bild ist ein Referent zu sehen, hinter ihm eine Präsentation über Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund in Hof. — Foto (Stadt Hof): Gerhard Plietsch von der Hochschule Hof

The city of Hof will revise its existing integration concept. At a kick-off event with guests from politics, society, social associations and academia, Mayor Eva Döhla emphasized: "People from around 130 nations live together peacefully in Hof - this is a community achievement that everyone can be proud of. I would like to thank everyone who is personally and professionally committed to this coexistence."

"The concept must be a joint process that reflects on the here and now and at the same time looks to the future," said Kevin Fischer, Integration Officer for the City of Hof, who is responsible for coordination. He opened the event with a keynote speech in which he explained why a new concept makes sense. The previous concept dates back to 2019, when 8,532 people with foreign citizenship were registered in Hof. Since then, the framework conditions, measures and need for action have changed.

Changes in the composition of the population: New challenges have arisen due to recent immigration and changing demographic developments. There are currently 11,854 people with foreign nationality living in Hof out of a total population of 47,835. There are 4,566 people with two or more nationalities. (as of December 2024)
Timeliness of the measures: The strategies once formulated need to be reassessed and supplemented.
Funding opportunities: New projects and funding pots can be drawn on.

The goal is a concept that serves as a living instrument in order to be able to react flexibly to changes. It is also part of the social strategy pursued by the city of Hof and forms a bridge to the overall senior citizens policy concept and sports development planning. Central elements of updating the integration concept are participation and exchange. In joint expert panels on topics such as language, education or housing and coexistence, the existing concept is to be analyzed and new needs developed. Volunteers and full-time staff are to be involved in an open dialog in order to report on practical experience as well as to contribute diverse perspectives to the development of the concept.

Gerhard Plietsch from Hof University of Applied Sciences spoke as a guest at the launch event about people with a migration background in the city of Hof. As part of a sociological research seminar, he conducted a survey with his students and reported on the results. He went into the distribution of nationalities and explained further statistical figures on migration, e.g. age structure, breakdown by district or assessment of living and housing situation. In addition, expert interviews were conducted during the seminar, which revealed possible barriers to integration. These included language barriers, psychological stress and cultural differences. At the same time, he emphasized the great potential of the city of Hof: "Decades of experience with integration processes and the strong commitment of volunteers offer excellent conditions for continued success in the future."

If you are interested in participating in the expert panels, please contact Kevin Fischer at kevin.fischer(at)stadt-hof.de or by telephone on 09281 / 815 - 1793. Information on the current status of the updated integration concept can be found on the city of Hof's website at https://www.hof.de/rathaus-service/migration/integrationskonzept-der-stadt-hof from 2025 onwards.