The foundations of an inclusion policy
Inclusion is about everyone — regardless of background or traits — being able to participate fully in society. It means that all people, whatever their age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability or socio-economic background, have the right to be involved and to feel accepted. Inclusion is closely connected to the idea of belonging.
But inclusion is more than being given a place. It is also about responsibility. Being included is not only about rights — it is also about duties. We live in a society with laws, shared rules, traditions and norms that we all carry together. If you are part of society, you also have a role in contributing to it.
That is why we talk about an inclusion policy — a policy that unites rights with responsibility, where community is built through participation, hope and trust. Instead of getting stuck in the terms “integration and migration”, we shift focus to the societal challenges we must solve together — from housing and education to equality, safety and social sustainability.
From integration policy to inclusion policy — and to society-building
For a long time, Sweden’s “integration policy” has, in practice, been reduced to managing the effects of migration. The result has often been a fragmented policy without a long-term vision. Rather than focusing on “the others”, we now need to talk about what we have in common — the society we are building together.
- From “immigrant policy” to society-building
- From passive waiting for “adaptation” to active creation of hope for the future
- From categories to citizenship, participation and responsibility
Pre-school as a foundation for inclusion
One of the most important places where inclusion can begin is pre-school. Children meet early, and this is where gaps in language, networks and belonging can be discovered and addressed. For newly arrived children — and their parents — pre-school can be the first contact with Swedish society. Pre-schools therefore need a clearer inclusion mission — both pedagogical and social.
School and hope for the future
School is not only a place for knowledge — it is where hope for the future is formed. Inclusion policy requires schools that see every pupil, regardless of background or home language. It is about high expectations, safe environments and strong adult role models.
But teaching alone is not enough. Students need leisure activities, culture and contact with the adult world. Schools in disadvantaged areas must receive more resources — not fewer — with a clear mission: to be engines of social mobility.
Civil society — a key to inclusion and language
Associations — especially in culture and sport — are among the strongest levers for inclusion. On the pitch, in the dance studio or at scouts, newly arrived families often meet established parents in everyday settings. These natural contact points create shared responsibility, experience and hope.
Parents are encouraged not only to let their children participate but to engage themselves — as supporters, helper-parents, at meetings or in practical club work. Through this participation, parents learn how Swedish civil society functions — and something even more important: the language.
By taking part, listening to leaders, speaking with other parents and reading club information, language learning happens naturally and close to everyday life. In these meetings — where adults share responsibility for children’s activities — both language and community are strengthened.
Civil society is not a place where you “drop off children” so that society can take over upbringing. It is a setting where parents are present, grow into new contexts and build relationships that are crucial for both children’s and adults’ path into society.
Housing and mixed living environments
A society that wants to hang together cannot cement segregation into concrete. Gaps grow between areas of opportunity and areas where people get stuck. Inclusion policy requires urban development with social responsibility: more mixed neighbourhoods, safer environments and a policy that takes back control over housing quality, rents and public space.
We have to dare to plan long-term — not only build quickly and cheaply. Social sustainability must not be reduced to a footnote — it must be a basic requirement. But “mixed neighbourhoods” are not a magic bullet.
For example, building huge high-rise complexes in established single-family areas, or placing many newly arrived people where there is little social anchoring and local support, risks creating new tensions rather than fostering inclusion.
When lifestyles, norms and expectations collide, insecurity and mistrust can grow — and in the worst case, exclusion deepens rather than diminishes. Inclusion policy therefore requires more than physical planning — it requires attentiveness to social contexts and cultural codes.
A neighbourhood is not only its buildings — it is a web of relationships, habits and values. Integrating new groups into that web calls for care, dialogue and trust-building. Only then can inclusion become real — and lasting.
Reception centres — the first meeting with Sweden
Reception centres are often where newly arrived people first meet Swedish society. These environments must become more than waiting rooms — they should be launchpads for inclusion. Information about laws, rights, equality and language can be combined with help to build networks and navigate society. The aim is to build a sense of belonging — from day one.
Civil society and participation
A living democracy requires more than elections every four years. In many districts, associations are the most important contact surface between people of different backgrounds — bridges are built here and responsibility grows. Inclusion policy strengthens local engagement, supports volunteer work and ensures that new voices are heard in public conversation.
It is about opening paths to power — not only offering activities.
From words to action — concrete examples
- In Botkyrka, inclusive culture projects and youth councils have been given real influence.
- In Helsingborg, schools have greater freedom to adapt teaching to students’ needs — with positive results.
- In Gothenburg, housing companies, police, social services and civil society work together — not in silos.
Inclusion from day one — how do we make room for the newly arrived?
Many who come to Sweden carry experiences of oppression, poverty, war or insecurity. They do not know our laws, norms or language — and often have limited trust in authorities. That is a challenge — and a chance to do things right from the start.
An inclusion policy meets people as citizens — not as clients.
- Early measures with clear direction
Language, rights and duties, equality and the rule of law — these must be conveyed directly, not after years. Expectations should be clear from day one: participation, responsibility and respect are not optional. - Relationships before routines
You find your place by meeting people. We need local networks, civil society, schools and workplaces that actively open up — not systems that passivise. - Respect without relativism
We should understand people’s backgrounds — while standing firm on shared values. Religious oppression, sexism or honour norms cannot be excused — regardless of culture. - Participation is both a right and a duty
Everyone has the right to feel welcome. That also means an expectation to take part, contribute and follow the rules that apply to all. Social cohesion is built on reciprocity — that is the basis of hope for the future.
A society that holds together
We live in a country where 14-year-olds now commit crimes that were once unthinkable. Where shootings have become everyday news and politics reaches for harsher penalties — even for children. The question is: how did we get here? Who is responsible for the erosion of safety and hope?
An inclusion policy does not use crime as an excuse — it treats it as a warning. The response is not only repression, but policies that build cohesion, trust and responsibility. We do not need more campaigns about “choosing right”. We need society-building that makes other choices possible.
The most alarming trend is recruitment into criminal networks at ever younger ages — sometimes 12–13. Social media and apps are used actively as tools, often combined with economic incentives or threats. Actors abroad often direct local structures through digital channels.
That makes direct intervention harder — and building resilience even more important: through trust, relationships, hope and networks that reach children and young people in time. Inclusion policy is not a “soft path” — it is the most long-term, powerful strategy we have to turn the trend.
How to build inclusion — point by point
To become more than an ideal, inclusion needs concrete, everyday action: seeing people, not categories. Investing in schools, associations and neighbourhoods — not only in statistics and strategies. We need places to meet, safety and clear expectations.
Every municipality, every school, every agency has a responsibility. But it begins with viewing inclusion as society-building — not as a narrow integration project. When we build community from the ground up, we also build a society that holds together.
A new inclusion paradigm — how we build a new Sweden
Want to read more about the big picture? See Key societal challenges.