SUCCES has developed a cross-border programme of employment support and skills development, reaching out to people that need it most. Notable achievements include publication of the ‘10 steps to work’ guide and encouraging over 13 500 people to access a wide range of support through Neighbourhood Delivery Centres.
- 19 October 2015
SUCCES is a very tangible answer to many of the socio-economic difficulties that unemployed EU citizens are facing. The project is highly innovative and supports a wide range of skills development to formal qualifications, giving beneficiaries a real advantage in the world of work.
The SUCCES project seeks to bring European added value to partners’ activities through the sharing of innovative ideas and creative solutions, so as to contribute to employment goals and strategies at European, national and regional levels.
It takes place in three UK neighbourhoods: Medway in Kent, as well as Great Yarmouth in Norfolk; Grande-Synthe in Nord-Pas de Calais (FR); and Kortrijk in Flanders (BE). Their collaboration includes everything from staff exchanges to cross border development programmes.
Developing workers’ strengths
What sets this project apart from other employment programmes is a commitment to discovering people’s talents rather than focusing on their perceived weaknesses. An innovative aspect is the building of bridges with employers and using partners’ skills audit to ensure they link their service provision closely to the needs of employers and to existing vacancies in each locality.
Specific project initiatives include outreach and personalised support for beneficiaries. Partners reach out to them by linking with community activities, collaborating with existing projects and through street work. Contact has already been made with more than 34 000 people. In total more than 13 000 unemployed benefitted from the various training sessions proposed by SUCCES and thus improved their soft skills and their mobility to access the job market.
Creating jobs at a local level
In Medway, the Council as lead partner for the SUCCES project, has demonstrated an effective partnership with a local construction company on a social housing/care home project on one of Europe’s major regeneration sites. This has led to a dozen new apprenticeships on-site and the creation of several other construction jobs for local unemployed people.
In Norfolk, the CLIP Drop-In Service is a good example of the project’s focus on delivering its services via centralised neighbourhood centres and outreach locations. Its users get help with CVs, online job applications, interviews skills and job searching. In Nord-Pas de Calais and Flanders, project partners are helping teach people to drive on a voluntary basis to boost beneficiaries’ mobility.65 beneficiaries have gained their driving license as a result of SUCCES support.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the “SUCCES-Sustainable Uplifting Client Centred Employment Support” project is EUR 2 699 182, of which the EU’s European Regional Development Fund is contributing EUR 1 349 590 from the Operational Programme ‘France-England-Flanders-Netherlands (INTERREG IV A 2 Seas Programme)’ for the 2007 to 2013 programming period.