About us
At the beginning of the 1960s, the canton of Basellandschaft realized that “something had to be done”. Under the leadership of Dr. Adolf Ballmer, head of the KIGA at the time, and with the support of numerous employer companies, the regional churches, various associations and organizations, this led to the creation of the ald with the legal form of an association. With the most modest means and without any practical experience, the aim was to build up services from virtually nothing. When the federal government set up the Federal Commission for Foreigners (EKA) in 1970, it was happy to be able to fall back on the handful of offices throughout Switzerland that had dealt with the problems of immigrants in the 1960s. This also included the ald BL.
The business community was not only an important supporter and partner when the ald was founded, but has always remained so. A circumstance that led to the founding of the Baselland Foreigners’ Service was also reflected in its first name. At that time, it was called the “Basellandschaftliche Arbeitsgemeinschaft für die Betreuung ausländischer Arbeitskräfte”. A lot has changed in the meantime.
Thanks to service contracts with the federal government and the canton, the ald was able to set up the Integration Office in 2001. Over 6 decades, the ald has developed from a low-threshold contact point to a competence center for integration issues. The ald is convinced that the “Ausländerdienst Baselland” model chosen at the time, with its broad support for our canton, is still a good way to implement integration measures at an operational level.
As a non-denominational and politically independent association, the purpose of the Foreigners’ Service is to advise, promote and integrate foreign employees and their families who live and work in the canton of Basel-Landschaft by
- Language and qualification offer
- Early intervention programs
- Information and advice
- Coaching for sustainable professional and social integration
- Use of intercultural interpreters
- Cooperation and coordination with the federal government, canton, municipalities and third parties
The Foreigners’ Service is available as a competence center for migrants, Swiss nationals and various institutions and individuals dealing with integration issues.
We are the leading competence center for integration issues in the Basel region
- We carry out integration-promoting and labor market-oriented measures.
- We offer professional advice and training.
- We carry out integration-specific basic and public relations work.
- We encourage active cooperation with private individuals, authorities, businesses and professional organizations.
We value professional and committed employees
- We are constantly reviewing, improving and updating our working methods.
- We promote specialist knowledge and individual skills through target agreements and ongoing training.
- We teach in an activity-oriented way, according to the latest findings in adult education.
We are interested in and understand the concerns of the migrant population
- We are committed to socially and economically viable projects.
- We focus on the needs of our society.
- We are a team and value and accept each other.
- We practice open communication characterized by respect and tolerance.
- We work in a cost-conscious, qualitatively and quantitatively measurable manner.
- We are politically and denominationally neutral.
Ausländerdienst Baselland finances its programs, projects and activities as follows:
- Cantonal performance agreements and cantonal integration program (CIP)
- Municipalities (social services) make use of services
- Income from own work
- Membership fees and donations
Further information on the financial situation of the Foreigners’ Service Baselland can be found in our annual reports.
Migration and integration are key social challenges. Social cohesion in our society is important to Ausländerdienst Baselland. External support is important in order to continue to offer and develop our services as a non-profit organization in a targeted, appropriate and professional manner.
Thank you very much for your support.
Management
Christopher Tütsch
Personnel / Administration
Samanta Forgione
Cleaning + house maintenance
Upul Mahakumara
Information & Consulting Department
Cristina Franchi (Management)
Carolina Hutmacher
Eda Ilkhan
Lidia Pileggi
Coaching & Integration department
Daniela Britt (Management)
Leon Breiter
Daniela Britt
Tatjana Kresse
Qendresa Morina
Ines Pareja
Corinne Egger
Ralf Mentzel
Pia Herrli
Aleksandra Joksimovic
Interpreting & Translation Department
KamilStrzelecki (Head)
Kezban Yetis
Silvana Calvagna
Ana Palesko
234 Interpreters and translators
Courses department
Bettina Kiedl (Management & QM)
Renate Eschbach-Eckert (Head of UKR courses, preparation for bridging courses)
Eva Weidmann
Jasmin Chrétien
40 teachers and language test examiners
7 childcare workers
Early language support department
Renate Eschbach (Head)
16 early childhood educators
Board of Directors
Joseph Thali-Kernen, Chairman
Philipp Schoch, Vice-Chairman
Stephan Ackermann
Sarah Graf
Stephan Mathis
Thusanthy Sinniah
Julie von Büren