ESN Key Recommendations// Social and Employment Activation

ESN publishes its key thematic recommendations on social and employment activation with this e-newsletter. They are drawn from a two-day seminar on held in October this year by ESN in cooperation with the Union Nationale des Centres Communaux d’Action Sociale (UNCCAS) and attended by 35 ESN delegates from 18 European Union (EU) member states. It was the third in a series of thematic inclusion seminars organised by ESN as a key European network for social inclusion.

The recommendations form the basis of local and regional social services’ contribution to policy-making on social and employment activation at European and national level. Ultimately, they are intended to lead to action to activate people at risk of social exclusion and poverty into work or social/community activities as part of their social inclusion.

Read the recommendations.

Third ESN Inclusion Seminar, Metz, 25-26 October 2006// Social and Employment Activation

We feature here two presentations from this seminar which are

Education, training and 'professionalisation' for work in the social care sector, a perspective from Poland.
ESN is pleased to welcome as a new member the Institute for the Development of Social Services (IRSS) based in Warsaw, Poland. The IRSS presented two projects part-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) in which it had participated.

The CHANCE project offered unemployed women over 50 years old training to become social care providers to the elderly and disabled. This allows them to be "actively included" in society and the labour market and enhances the degree of social interaction and inclusion of those in need of care. The 6-month course offers practical training on care, small business management, presentation and communication training and pyschological support. The results have been to create information centres in 4 municipalities, to produce a manual for social care training, to develop a model for a permanent training programme and to increase capacity for care in the community (i.e. move away from institutional care). CHANCE>> (Polish only)

The IRSS has also participated in a research project on the Polish social economy which aimed to increase the capacity of the third sector, to encourage the growth of social enterprises and to prepare social services to offer more activation programmes. The growth of the social economy can be seen as a way to expand social care and to create alternative jobs. Besides the research element of the project which is intended to feed into government legislation, there is a strong training element which involves: training for social workers and managers to encourage (re)activation of clients. Find out more >>

Urkraft is a non-formal school offering education and training to young people in Skelleftea district in the North of Sweden. It is managed by OCN-Sweden and run on the concept that there is a need to value, recognise and quality-assure informal education outside mainstream schooling. It is part of the informal education sector in Sweden along with 'folk high schools' and study associations. Urkraft tailors learning to the individual student and puts education and training within the community. The involvement of employers in the system provides a job focus to the young people from difficult backgrounds, often excluded from mainstream formal education. All students are given an equal opportunity to learn and that learning is shaped by them with the support of their tutor, and independent moderator and recognised in OCN credits which can lead to employment. Urkaft>> (Swedish only) Open College Network>>

Swedish peer review// ESN to contribute to a review of Sweden's return to work model

This peer review focuses on the DELTA project which has sought to established a better coordination of public services in the Gothenburg region of Sweden to support a return to work for the long-term unemployed. The DELTA project is one of several created under new legislation by which local social services, county councils, social insurance offices and employment boards can pool resources to support people in their return to work. ESN has prepared an expert paper with the support of its members and will participate in a seminar in Gothenburg with FEANTSA and representatives of eight EU governments. The objective was for participants to learn from each other and to improve the model and services on offer in Sweden.

News from the European Commission

The Racial Equality Directive: taking stock
The European Racial Equality Directive (RED) has proved “a major step forward in the fight against racial discrimination across the EU”, according to a new European Commission communication published on 30 October 2006. The Directive passed in 2000 broke new ground, applying to all people in the European Union and going beyond the traditionally-covered field of employment into new areas such health care, education and access to goods and services, including accommodation. The Racial Equality Directive required all EU countries to update or add to their existing legislation. Based on information from Member States, social partners and equality bodies, the Commission report notes the progress, issues and difficulties in this process, and considers the Directive’s wider impact. More>>

Commission launches open debate: Modernising labour law to meet the challenges of the 21st century
The European Commission has launched a broad open public debate on reviewing labour law and adaptation to the modern world of work. The discussion paper will ask Member States, social partners and other stakeholders how labour law at EU and national level can help the job market become more flexible while maximising security for workers (the 'flexicurity' approach). The consultation will run over a period of four months and its contributions will feed into in the upcoming Commission communication on flexicurity in June 2007. More>>

News items taken from DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities news page.

Previous editions of the ESN inclusion e-newsletter from 2006:

February // March // April // May // June // July // August // September // October