In episode 109 of Novus Sanity Check, Torbjörn Sjöström meets the founders of the nonprofit initiative Integrationsbyrån: Silvia Kakembo, vice president of Arenagruppen, and Malpuri Groth, who has served as deputy secretary general of the Swedish Women’s Organizations and as an investigator for the Discrimination Ombudsman, among other roles.

The Integration Agency was launched to gather insights and suggestions directly from people with firsthand experience of being new to Sweden and to translate these into concrete policy proposals ahead of the 2026 election. In this episode, they discuss the agency’s nationwide tour of Sweden, with stops from Skurup in the south to the north, where they met people with diverse backgrounds, circumstances, and experiences. The guests also discuss how the meetings have been held through SFI classes and local organizations, among other venues, and have highlighted a key challenge: that today’s integration policy relies too heavily on a “one-size-fits-all” approach, even though people’s circumstances—such as educational level, disabilities, and life situations—vary greatly.

As a result of the tour, the Integration Board will present a report containing concrete proposals to policymakers, with the goal of improving and accelerating integration in Sweden.

Listen to the episode on Spotify using the player or any podcast app by searching for "Globeknot Sanity Check." If you don't have Spotify or a podcast app, you can listen via the link here.