Increasing Employability

Reinforcing the Social Inclusion of Disadvantaged People

• Pathways to Re-entry into Employment for Disadvantaged People
  • Strategic Lessons from EQUAL
    • Pathways to Integration into Employment
  • Policy Forum: Prevention or Re-imprisonment?
  • Exchange Event: Passport to Freedom
  • Outcomes from EQUAL European Thematic Group on Employability
  • Practical examples of the work of DPs
    • Overview: Thematic Clusters and Approaches
    • Designing a Pathway
    • Developing Accessible Training and Education
    • Placing in Employment and Involving Employers
    • Providing on-going Support
    • Cementing the Pathway Together

Pathways to Integration and Re-entry into Employment for Disadvantaged People

Integration pathways aim to guide disadvantaged people towards the labour market. However, the main innovative aspect lies in providing, at a local level, a low threshold, entry point to a multi-stage integration process that may take place at several levels, linking and matching the needs and interests of these vulnerable people to different, hitherto separate services and offering individualised support and follow up. Pathways draw on the whole range of resources that can be mobilised in a local or territorial context and can offer flexible responses to the needs of very different groups including people with disabilities, immigrants and ethnic minorities and (ex)-offenders.
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Strategic Lessons from EQUAL

Pathways to Integration and Re-entry into Employment for Disadvantaged People

This document summarises outcomes from EQUAL Development Partnerships (DPs), transnational and national thematic networks which have piloted integration pathways to guide disadvantaged people towards the labour market. It concentrates in particular on the (re-) integration of groups as diverse as migrants and ethnic minorities, (ex-)offenders and people with disabilities and also includes annotated references to the EU policy context and relevant background material.
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Policy Forum: Prevention or Re-imprisonment?

This unambiguous question was addressed by the EQUAL Policy Forum on (Ex)-offenders that was held in Warsaw, on 21 and 22 June 2007. During these two days, representatives from EQUAL Managing Authorities, National Support Structures and Development Partnerships were joined by representatives of criminal justice and penal systems, employers, educationalists and non-governmental organisations. Together they concentrated on ways of taking forward the successful approaches to reintegration that have been pioneered by EQUAL.

The Policy Forum was part of a European Mainstreaming Platform that had begun with the "Passport to Freedom" Exchange Event in Lisbon, in October 2006, at which 55 EQUAL DPs had come together to gather evidence of the successful practices that have been tested in EQUAL.

	Context Note: European Union Activities to promote the Resettlement of (Ex)-offenders
	Background Paper
	Prevention or Re-imprisonment? - Summary
	Recommendations for the Reintegration of (Ex)-offenders

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Exchange Event: Passport to Freedom

Almost 150 people from 21 Member States came to the Passport to Freedom Exchange Event that was hosted by the EQUAL Managing Authority in Portugal (Lisbon, 23-24 October 2006). The majority of these delegates represented the 55 EQUAL Second Round Development Partnerships (DPs) that have a primary or exclusive focus on the re-integration of (ex)-offenders.

The main purpose of the Exchange Event was to decide on the policy messages to be transmitted during the subsequent Policy Forum and to consider how some type of web-based Community of Practice could be established that would enable everyone to communicate with each other in the lead up to, and after, the Policy Forum.

	Passport to Freedom - Context and Conclusions
	Background Paper
	Next steps: Moving from Practice to Policy - EQUAL paves the way for New Approaches to the Resettlement of (Ex)-Offenders

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Outcomes from ETG1 (2004)

ETG1 generated a number of documents on outcomes from EQUAL Round 1 that also informed further developments in Round 2. The documents that can be accessed through the links listed below are based on contributions from two of the ETG1 working groups which focused on People with Disabilities and on Ethnic Minorities and Migrants.

			Client-oriented integration chains - Promoting the comprehensive delivery of services for people with disabilities
			Equality, the Labour force and the Law - EQUAL supports the implementation of the directives on racial equality and on equality in employment
			Equality, the Labour force and the Law

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Practical examples of the work of Development Partnerships

Overview: Thematic Clusters and Approaches of DPs

		DPs Working on the Empowerment of People with Disabilities - Thematic Clusters - 2006
		DPs working with Immigrants and Ethnic Minorities - Approaches - 2006
		DPs working with Immigrants and Ethnic Minorities - Thematic Clusters - 2006
		DPs working with (Ex)Offenders - Approaches - 2007
		DPs working with (Ex)Offenders - Thematic Clusters - 2006

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Designing a Pathway and establishing Ownership

EQUAL experience has shown that information on available opportunities frequently fails to reach marginalised people and isolation, lack of self-confidence and poor communication skills often prevent them making the first move to establish contact. Thus, their chances of access to staged learning along a pathway largely rely on the ability of those professionals who are involved in the design process to actively reach out to disadvantaged groups, to listen to their needs and aspirations and to understand their cultural values. On that basis, it is possible to provide essential information to help the participant cope better with day to day life and to involve him or her in making the crucial decisions about the stages in the pathway.

A specific aspect in designing pathways for migrants is to determine how to legitimise their prior experience and to promote a recognition of their qualifications and skills that have often been obtained or developed in their country of origin.

In designing the integration pathway, enhancing employability is the central issue but there are other aspects that require attention. Marginalised people are unable to focus on training or on their jobs when they have serious problems in other areas of their lives. Thus, apart from the obvious requirements for education, training, and employment, they can also need support with issues like housing, access to social benefits and help with debt, health and leisure time.

		AT - Laying New Tracks for the Vocational Integration and Career advancement of Immigrants - 2007
		BEnl - Training for coaches, trainers, instructors (E Quality Career Time)
		DE - Reaching out to target groups and Employers (DevelopmENt)
		DE - From prison to working life - 2006
		DE - Networking for Intercultural Guidance and Labour Market Integration - 2007
		EL - Reaching out through Radio - 2007
		ES - No More Tilting at Windmills - 2006
		FI - Cooperating to cut out crime - 2006
		FI - Preparation for integration - 2006
		IT - Two Routes to Employment but One may be harder than the Other - 2006
		IT - A regional model for re-integrating offenders - 2006
		LT - New Avenues for the Integration of Roma - 2007
		NL - The client as lead actor (VrijBaan)
		NL - Routings to resettlement - 2006
		NL - Female offenders focusing on their future - 2006
		PT - Developing and Recognising Skills (Emprego Apoiado - Supported Employment)
		SE - Listening to the person's own story (Success1)
		UKgb - Recognising Skills and Qualifications (LEADER)
		UKni - Constructing pathways for personal progression - 2005
		UKni - Constructing pathways for personal progression - short version - 2005

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Developing Accessible Training and Education

Skills development is a core element of all integration pathways. It can include opportunities for basic skills training, vocational training and training to work in different sectors. Learning requires low threshold access and teaching techniques that capitalise on the previous experience of trainees, overcome attention-span difficulties and take account of family responsibilities, limited income or mobility and cultural background. New information and communication technology is generally less accessible to vulnerable groups and many EQUAL DPs included an introduction to computers as part of the offer of basic skills development and new technology were also used as a training tool.

		AT - Tele-Learning: preparing prisoners for a new life outside - 2005
		AT - Tele-Learning: preparing prisoners for a new life outside - short version - 2005
		AT - Laying New Tracks for the Vocational Integration and Career advancement of Immigrants - 2007
		BEfr - Reorganising learning in prisons - 2006
		DE - From prison to working life - 2006
		DE - Networking for Intercultural Guidance and Labour Market Integration - 2007
		EL - Professional Communicators (Com.Media)
		ES - No More Tilting at Windmills - 2006
		ES - A Long Road to Full Integration - 2007
		FI - Preparation for integration - 2006
		FI - Majakka-Supported Employment Services for Migrants
		FI - What a Colourful World! - 2007
		FR - Combining distance training and "alternance" (Se Qualifier Hors Les Murs)
		HU - Roma-vision - 2007
		IT - Forging a Strong Regional Partnership - 2007
		LT - New Avenues for the Integration of Roma - 2007
		PT - Improving their social skills and their knowledge of the workplace (ISTMO1)
		PT - Combining Training Opportunities (SUNRISE)
		PT - An integrated approach to diversity management - 2006
		UKgb - People with Disabilities training as Actors in the cultural industries (Creative Renewal)
		UKgb - Giving Prisoners a Voice - 2006

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Placement in Employment and Involving Employers

As part of the integrated pathway approach, EQUAL DPs either provided on-the-job training or negotiated work placements to complement a course of study. Reservation on the part of employers to offer placements to vulnerable groups can be overcome by building trust in the skills and reliability of the trainees and facilitating access to a range of services that offer support to employers. A successful placement is one that leads to subsequent employment and enhances the enterprise's image as being a socially responsible employer. The direct involvement of employers or employers' organisations was the key to the success of many EQUAL DPs that have worked with disadvantaged groups.

A small but significant number of EQUAL projects have experimented successfully in training members of vulnerable groups to set up their own enterprises or to become self-employed. This autonomous route is one way of avoiding the prejudice or stereotyping of employers or work colleagues, as individuals search for an acceptable and economically-viable form of work.

		BEnl - Assisting Employers in the Recruitment Process (Social Act)
		DE - Networking for Intercultural Guidance and Labour Market Integration - 2007
		EL - Workplace Audits (Proteas)
		ES - No More Tilting at Windmills - 2006
		HU - Creating Roma Entrepreneurs - 2007
		IE - Training and Consultancy Services for Employers (Access Ability1)
		IT - A regional model for re-integrating offenders - 2006
		IT - Two Routes to Employment but One may be harder than the Other - 2006
		LT - New Avenues for the Integration of Roma - 2007
		NL - Female offenders focusing on their future - 2006
		PT - Improving Recruitment procedures (Todos por Um - All for One)
		PT - Improving Recruitment procedures - The Decision Making Tree (e.plus +)
		UKni - Constructing pathways for personal progression - 2005
		UKgb - Raising Employers' Awareness (Positive Futures1)
		UKgb - Challenging Prejudice within the Workplace (Positive Futures2)
		UKgb - Challenging Prejudice within the Workplace (Positive Futures2)
		UKgb - Outside in and inside out - 2006
		UKgb - Giving Prisoners a Voice - 2006

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Providing on-going Support

Follow-up support in work placements or during the first employment contract is an effective way of preventing discouragement as new challenges are encountered in working life. With the growth of part-time and short-term contracts, new skills are required to manage budgets, time and family responsibilities.

Follow-up is also needed to ensure that the individual remains in control of any previous or potential problems related to family, health, housing or finance. Through such support the individual also becomes more aware of his or her rights and entitlements and can be encouraged to play a more positive role in the local community, often in conjunction with other project participants.

		CZ - The pivotal role of mediators, path-planners, mentors (RYTMUS)
		EL - Empowering Roma Individuals and Institutions (Local Pact for Social Entrepreneurship)
		ES - No More Tilting at Windmills - 2006
		ES - A Long Road to Full Integration - 2007
		FI - Cooperating to cut out crime - 2006
		IT - Forging a Strong Regional Partnership - 2007
		PT - Support Offices for Migrants in Rural Areas
		SE - The pivotal role of mediators, path-planners, mentors (Success2)
		UKni - Constructing pathways for personal progression - 2005
		UKgb - Trade Union Support (Building Opportunities through Workplace Learning)
		UKgb - Giving Prisoners a Voice - 2006

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Cementing the Pathway Together

Perhaps the most important challenge in implementing integration pathways lies in coordinating and networking all the relevant agencies and actors, both formal and informal, in order to provide a coherent and transparent range of accessible services and opportunities. Many institutions and agencies have little experience of cooperative working between departments or with actors outside their institutional framework. The partnership principle of EQUAL has produced many positive examples of cooperation. DPs have developed new ways of managing cooperation between partners as diverse as schools, training providers, guidance services, employers, placement agencies, social services, youth organisations, voluntary bodies and community interest groups, within the context of a multi-agency network.

		AT - Developing a secure integration chain (Styria Integra)
		AT - Laying New Tracks for the Vocational Integration and Career advancement of Immigrants (InterCulturExpress) - 2007
		DE - Addressing problems of interface (Steinburg and Pinneberg Integration Network - SPIN)
		DE - A Regional Integration Network Serving People with Physical and Mental Disabilities - 2004
		National networks of DPs working with (ex-) offenders (RESO - Northern Alliance)
		ES - No More Tilting at Windmills (PANGEA) - 2006
		FI - Cooperating to cut out crime (PoMo) - 2006
		FR – Monitoring individual pathways (Exigence)
		IT - A regional model for re-integrating offenders  (Car.Te.S.I.O.) - 2006
		IT - Forging a Strong Regional Partnership - 2007 (Il lungo cammino dei Sinti e dei Rom: percorsi verso il lavoro)
		NL - Female offenders focusing on their future - 2006
		SE-Bringing Agencies and Employers together-Success3.pdf

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