TOOL "MERI-LÄPPI WORKTRAINING FOUNDATION" TEP:

TYPOLOGY Insertion

TRANSVERSAL THEMES COVERED - The city of Kemi TERRITORIAL AREA INTERESTED Municipalities of

Key factors having contributed to the launch of the initiative In December 1999 the foundation was founded because of the region’s special needs in employment. In the Kemi area the unemployment has lasted for a long time and there are over 1000 long-term unemployed persons, who the municipalities have to rehabilitate and employ.

The aim was to develop co-operation between municipalities, activate third sector to employ and commit enterprises to the action.

ORGANISATION CONTACT The Meri-Lappi Worktraining Foundation Marko KORHONEN Managing Director Valtakatu 26 FIN – 94100 Kemi Tel:+358-16-259 157 or +358-40-572 7064 Fax:+358-16-259 159 [email protected]

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WHAT IS IT ?

Tool's description Foundation founded by City of Kemi, Communities within Kemi, the Region of Kemi and 10 local organisations.

The foundation provides services (of education and training, training in job-seeking, both social skills as well as how to write applications, social training in order to be able to get through a working day) for long-term unemployed persons, disabled people, people suffering from mental health problems and for people who need extra guidance to survive through a working day.

Fields of activities covered are the following projects and activities:

Monitarmo – project – services such as household services, moving services, gardening, house cleaning OK-tekstiilil – project – textile and needlework according to specifications from customers TK-metalli – project – Metal work such as repairing services, welding work and furniture painting Education, activities in preparation for work of long-term unemployed, rehabilitation and preparation for working

Objectives and target groups The target groups are long term unemployed, young people in danger of employment cancellations, people with social problems that make them difficult to employ and people with disabilities.

The objectives of the Foundation are: to help the above-mentioned people to act with non-profit principal to develop the skills needed in the labour market and to rehabilitate people back to the labour market.

Partners: names, type, roles / competencies and contributions Founders of the foundation: City of Kemi – public, Municipalities of Keminmaa – public and Parish of Kemi – social as well as 10 voluntarily based regional social and health care organisations – social.

Responsible of the activities of the foundation are: Managing Director Production Manager of TK-Metalli Division Manager of Monitarmo Division Manager of OK-Tekstiili 2

Members of the steering group: City of Kemi – public Municipality of Keminmaa - public Parish of Kemi – social Mannerheim Child protection organisation – social Heart organisation of the Region of Kemi – social Development of disabled organisation of Kemi – social Rheumatism Organisation of Kemi – social Lungs association of West- – social Unemployed within the region of Kemi-organisation – social Yhdessä ry. -organisation - social Meri-Lapin Meniere – organisation – social TK-Metallin kannatusyhdistys ry. – organisation - social

Tool's piloting structure The Merilappi foundation was founded in 1999 in Kemi. The founders were the City of Kemi, Municipalities of Keminmaa, the Region of Kemi and 10 other local organisations.

In 1999 the following projects were on the verge of closing down: Back-to-job project named Tarmo – ESR-project, Employment and education of long-term-unemployed, Youth Possibilities project – employment for unemployed under 25 years of age people, Womens Workhouse, and TK-metalli of Kemi.

A working group of officials – starting point was the feasibility study and proposal of the Partnership project in Kemi in which the goal of the founded foundation, was to reorganise already existing unemployment- and rehabilitation activities into a new organisation as well as integrate regional co-operation activities into new operations.

The technical composition is as follows: Representatives of the following organisations acting as members of the Administration Board - 15 people The Municipalities of Keminmaa City of Kemi The Parish of Kemi The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare – registered association Organisation of Kemi – registered assosiation Kemin kuulonhuolto ry – registered association Heart Association of the region of Kemi – registered association Development of disabled organisation of Kemi – registered association Rheumatism Organisation of Kemi ry – registered association Unemployed within the region of Kemi ry – registered association Yhdessä ry. –registered association Meri-Lapin Meniere – registered association TK-Metallin kannatusyhdistys ry. – registered association

Representatives of the following organisations acting as members of the Board – 5 people City of Kemi Municipalities of Kemi 3

Heart Association of the region of Kemi – registered association MLL, Kemin Yhdisys ry - registered association Development of disabled organisation of Kemi – registered association

WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED ?

Innovation The tool is the foundation itself that was founded as a tool of getting socially problem oriented unemployed involved within a project that was concentrated on this group of people.

The tool only focus on long-term unemployment and especially among young, people, disabled persons, people with mental health problems and individuals with social problems that prevent them from getting or maintaining jobs due to their social problems.

Innovation is that its only deals with socially oriented problem unemployed groups: Kemi has for a long time suffered from an extensive unemployment problem due to structural problems of Northern Finland, lack of industry, lack of jobs for academics etc.

Some similar foundations exist in other parts of Finland.

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Results realised and expected During the first year of the action the Foundation has created 20 new permanent jobs. The total capacity of the Foundation is about 70 persons, of which 59 persons are paid salary.

During the first year about 160 persons have been trained.

In 2000 the measure of the groups of the foundation was 119 people.

Employed 27,7 % Training 24,4 % Other measures 24,4 % Unemployed 23,5 %

WHAT IS THE COST?

Initial investment (material, immaterial) and financing source : In the establishment of the Foundation the work contribution of the TEP of Kemi was used. When the Foundation started to operate the founders invested basic capital 34 647 Financing from the region of Kemi 25 228 Euros

Income In 2001 the funding was the following:

Individual funding capital 862 596 City of Kemi 243 872 The region of Kemi 25 228

Additional information concerning the financial mechanisms, and any eventual further financial evolution In the year 2001 the Foundation will develop new products (social services and worktraining). In the future the aim is to create within the Kemi area the leading worktraining centre, in which are joined public services, education, vocational rehabilitation and project co-ordination concerning the target groups. When in training unemployed receive subsidiaries from the Finnish state.

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Demographic, social, economic, political and cultural characteristics Territorial surface : 1 000 km2 Per head GDP : 112 888/head Eligible to the Structural funds objective/s : objective 2 Total population: 30 000 Active population: 10 000 Unemployment rate : 22,2, % (year 2000)

Employment distribution by sector: * agriculture, fishery, forestry 6,2 % * industry 29,5 % * construction, BTP 7 % * tertiary 57,3 %

Conditions Technical conditions Material in English will be available. Languages are Finnish and English People in charge of the foundation are willing to use time for the transfer activities.

Political and legal conditions The legal constitution of a foundation depends on the legislation of the country where it operates. The transferability has to operate according to legislation in receiver country. But if there are no special regulations that could oppose the foundation in receiver country, there should be no difficulties in transferring the model to any country.

However social support systems in receiver countries may cause problems regarding involvement of target groups since every country has its own subsidiary system that may not support these particular target groups in terms of support during participation in the activities.

Transfer procedures and costs Estimated transfer costs and procedures (in EURO) Starting 1000 euros 841 euros/day minimum 3 days

+ travel expenses and living costs

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