With unemployment levels at an all-time high in parts of Spain, ‘at risk’ individuals are being hit particularly hard. To mitigate this effect, the EU-funded Vives Emplea project is equipping them with the tools and skills they need to successfully secure employment.
- 13 October 2016
The project promotes a new person-centred methodology as we promote a teamwork process in order to multiply job opportunities. The programme also promotes a work methodology focused on the discovery of all the strengths and qualities of the participants, placing them as protagonists of their own decisions and actions.
The economic crisis has hit Spain hard, especially for those who already face the challenges of poverty and social exclusion. As this population tends to lack the social and educational skills needed for basic employment, they are at higher risk of seeing their situation go from bad to worse.
Knowing that poverty and social exclusion are influenced by such factors as employment, education, housing and health, the Vives Emplea project, which received EUR 5 837 473 from the European Social Fund, has responded with a model that increases the employability of that portion of the population most at risk of social exclusion.
The secret is teamwork
At the core of the Vives Emplea methodology is the belief that individuals are more likely to succeed when working together with other people from similar backgrounds. Thus, the programme put together teams comprised of 25 unemployed people deemed to be at risk for social exclusion. These individuals included those with low educational levels, single parents, immigrants, victims of domestic violence, refugees and people with disabilities.
These work groups followed a training and skill development course aimed at equipping each individual with the tools they need to successfully find a job. The programme runs for six months and includes a mix of group learning sessions, one-to-one coaching, networking with human resource leaders, and real-world simulations such as mock interviews.
The course aimed to empower participants with the ability to identify and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses and with an increased sense of self-esteem and motivation. More so, they each walk away at the end of the course with an individualised, goal-oriented employability plan, and have ongoing access to the Vives Emplea network for continued help.
Success after success
Since its launch in 2014, Vives Emplea has been a resounding success. It has been carried out through 44 teams operating in 10 different autonomous communities within Spain. Over 1 500 at-risk individuals have participated in the programme. Some 54 % of all participants found jobs, with an additional 29 % going on to start academic studies so as to gain further skills.
However, the project’s results go well beyond these numbers, with many participants praising how the programme has taught them to be positive and proactive in their job hunt. Perhaps one participant describes the project’s true success best by saying: “The project has taught me to be a better person – that if I believe in myself and want something, I can put my mind to it and achieve all of my goals.”
Total investment and EU funding
The total investment for the project “Vives Emplea: Team Building for Social and Labour Inclusion” is EUR 8 400 776, with the EU’s European Social Fund contributing EUR 5 837 473 through the “Employment and Social Inclusion” Operational Programme for the 2007-2013 programming period.