coverEN2 20/06/05 16:22 Page 1

Innovation through the European Social Fund (Follow-up 1) opean Social Fund Employment & Eur

Employment social affairs

European Commission Innovation through the European Social Fund (follow-up 1) Contents

List of acronyms ...... 4

Introduction ...... 5

1. The European Social Fund: providing employment

and equal opportunities ...... 5

A. Article 6 measures...... 5

B. Themes covered until 2006 ...... 6

2. Local employment strategies...... 7

Projects (local employment strategy) ...... 10

BELGIUM

Brussels - Capital Region ...... 11

Mechelen ...... 12

DENMARK

Storstrøm ...... 13

Viborg ...... 14

GERMANY

Braunschweig ...... 15

Burgenland ...... 16

Chemnitz ...... 17

Elbe - Elster ...... 18

Hamburg ...... 19

Magdeburg ...... 20

Offenbach ...... 21

Osterholz...... 22

GREECE

Attiki...... 23

Evros...... 24

Central Macedonia...... 25

Thessaly ...... 26

SPAIN

A Coruña...... 27

Asturias...... 28

Córdoba ...... 29

Illes Baleares ...... 30

Sevilla ...... 31

2 Contents

ITALY

Agrigento ...... 32

Bari ...... 33

Campania ...... 34

Campobasso ...... 35

Catanzaro ...... 36

Crotone ...... 37

Puglia (Apulia) ...... 38

Ragusa...... 39

Varese ...... 40

NETHERLANDS

Overijssel ...... 41

FINLAND

Central Ostrobothnia ...... 42

North Karelia ...... 43

North Savo ...... 44

South-East Finland...... 45

Tampere ...... 46

SWEDEN

Jönköping ...... 47

Västerbotten ...... 48

UNITED KINGDOM

Edinburgh...... 49

Somerset ...... 50

Southampton ...... 51

3 List of acronyms

CSR Corporate Social Responsibility

EES European Employment Strategy

ESF European Social Fund

ICT Information and Communication Technology

IS Information Society

LLL Lifelong Learning

NAP National Action Plan for Employment

NGO Non-Governmental Organisation

NUTS Nomenclature of Statistical Territorial Units

SME Small and Medium-sized Enterprise

4 Introduction

1. The European Social and enhancing skills and boosting Fund: providing human potential in research, science employment and and technology; and 5. Specific measures to improve equal opportunities women’s access to, and participation in, the labour market. The European Social Fund (ESF)1 is the main financial tool through which the In addition, the ESF encompasses three European Union supports the develop- horizontal issues: ment of people’s skills in order to improve their prospects for work. 1. The promotion of local employment initiatives (including territorial pacts For the current programming period for employment); 2000–06, the Fund supports measures to 2. The social dimension and employ- prevent and combat unemployment and ment in the information society; and to develop human resources and social 3. Equal opportunities for men and integration into the labour market. By women (as part of the drive for doing so, it promotes not only a high mainstreaming equal opportunity level of employment and equality policies). between men and women, but also sus- tainable development and economic and A. Article 6 measures social cohesion. Furthermore, the Fund contributes to putting the European As foreseen in Article 6 of the ESF regu- employment strategy’s priorities into lation, a part of the overall ESF budget practice. has been reserved for innovative meas- ures, commonly referred to as ‘Article 6’ The ESF’s five key policy fields are: measures2. The types of projects sup- ported include pilot projects, studies, 1. Developing and promoting active and activities for the exchange of experi- labour market policies to combat ence and information. and prevent unemployment; 2. Promoting equal opportunities for all The added value of the innovative meas- in accessing the labour market, with ures carried out under Article 6 stems particular emphasis on those from the lessons that can be drawn from exposed to social exclusion; these innovative approaches, which allow 3. Promoting and improving training, for experimentation with new ideas and education and counselling as part of the demonstration of new hypotheses. lifelong learning policy; This ranges from the possibilities of 4. Promoting a skilled, trained and identification of good practice, to the adaptable workforce, innovation and exchange of knowledge and experience adaptability in work organisation, that can be transferred to the ESF main- developing entrepreneurship and stream. conditions facilitating job creation,

1 More information on the ESF can be found on the following website: http://europa.eu.int/esf. 2 More information on ‘Article 6’ measures can be found on the following website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/esf2000/article_6_en.htm.

5

Introduction

B. Themes covered until 1. Adaptation to the new economy 2006 within the framework of social dia- logue; Between 2000 and 2006, the European 2. Local employment strategies and Union will make available 0.40 % of the innovation; and total ESF budget for projects that pro- 3. Innovative approaches to the man- vide a testing ground to develop and dis- agement of change. seminate: In addition and to further support the • Diverse new forms of work organisa- dissemination and mainstreaming of the tion that prepare the transition to a results of innovative projects, the Com- knowledge-based economy and soci- mission launched a call for proposals ety or that identify new approaches intended to facilitate the transfer and for emerging fields and renew out- dissemination of innovative approaches dated work practices; and and methods that have been developed • New and integrated approaches to by Article 6 projects during the period labour market, employment and 2000–06. vocational training issues. The 41 projects listed in this brochure One of the lessons learned from the past fall under the theme of local employ- programming period points to the merit ment strategies and are second in a of regrouping activities within themes. series of projects implemented under Thus, a thematic approach will be fol- this theme3. Projects selected under the lowed during the period 2000–06. themes “Management of change” and Whilst innovative measures must oper- “Transfer and Dissemination” will be the ate within themes complying with the subject of further follow-up brochures. five policy fields of the ESF Regulation and the three horizontal issues that cut across these fields, the definition of the- matic fields must remain sufficiently flex- ible to cope with new areas of activity and innovation.

Another lesson from the past program- ming period is that calls for proposals work best if they have a well-defined context and a clear purpose. This facili- tates the selection and capitalisation processes. Thus, during the period 2000–06, innovative measures focus on the following three themes:

3 A description of the first batch of projects run under this theme can be found in the pred- ecessor to this publication, published in 2004 under the title “Innovation through the ESF”, ISBN: 92-894-6110-1.

6 Introduction

2. Local employment broad political consensus as to the desir- strategies ability of strengthening the local dimen- sion of the EES. While the local develop- ment of employment was once consid- Success often depends on strong and ered as marginal compared to macro- effective partnerships. While the Euro- economic and structural strategies, it is pean employment strategy previously now widely accepted that the mobilisa- relied on efforts at European and nation- tion of local bodies can considerably al level, there is a growing awareness that contribute to the success of employ- the objectives the Union has set itself to ment policies. improve performances in the area of employment cannot be achieved without These advances in employment strate- greater participation at regional and gies are based on project experiences of local levels. In March 2000, the Lisbon the past, such as the previous program- European Council created a strategy ming period (1994–99). Projects that stressing the importance of interaction have focused on exploring a clearly between economic, employment and defined theme appear to generate more social policies and of the mobilisation of tangible outcomes and products such as all players, and established a reinforced guidelines and recommendations that open method of coordination. This can be applied immediately in practice. coordination is described as a ‘fully In addition, exchanges of experience and decentralised approach, applied in line networking between bodies working in with the principle of subsidiarity in which similar situations have proved to bring the Union, the Member States, the significant added value to projects. They regional and local levels, as well as the have also increased the potential to social partners and civil society, will be mainstream innovative ideas into the actively involved, using variable forms of European Social Fund. With the provi- partnership’. sion of information, the importance of informing monitoring committees, In April 2000, the Commission called on national ESF administrations including European institutions, and on all those regional and local governments, social interested in local development, to partners, third sector organisations and reflect on the issues raised in its commu- Commission ESF geographical desks of nication ‘Acting locally for employment the development of the projects and — A local dimension for the European programmes cannot be overestimated. employment strategy’. The Commission The pilots also demonstrated the poten- initiated a six-month consultation, ending tial added value of accompanying the with the Strasbourg conference organ- projects with an ongoing evaluation in ised by the French presidency in Decem- which the projects are to participate. ber 2000. The consultation highlighted

7 Introduction

The aim of this theme is to support Though each employment strategy will innovative approaches in the develop- vary according to specific local or region- ment of local employment strategies in al situations, it should, however, contain a order to assist the implementation of number of common elements to EES at a local level. A call for proposals, ascertain a level of consistency to help to entitled ‘Local employment strategies identify and compare good practices for and innovation’, was published in Octo- the mainstream ESF and European ber 2001 and the deadlines for applica- employment strategy. Therefore, tions were in February 2002 for the first round and in January 2003 for the sec- • Each employment strategy must be ond round. Of the first selection round, developed, refined and implemented a total of 44 proposals were retained for through a specific partnership, which ESF co-funding. Projects started running includes representatives from as many at the end of 2002 and were finalised in of the relevant bodies as possible; early 2005. After selection of the sec- • Each local employment strategy must ond round in 2003, 41 projects were be based on a diagnosis of the local accepted for grants. They all started at labour market and employment situ- the end of 2003 and will be finalised late ation (local employment baseline 2005/early 2006. analysis); • The eventual strategy, or strategies, Local Employment Strategy (LES) proj- must address each of the four pillars of ects include the following activities: the European employment strategy; • The gender dimension/equal oppor- • Analysis of the existing local employ- tunities should be integrated into the ment situation; local employment strategy at all • Development of partnerships at local stages, including the baseline analysis level, which include relevant bodies and diagnosis of the territory; from different sectors; • All possible funding sources must be • Relevant studies and research to pre- taken into consideration. The local pare the local employment strate- employment strategy should act as an gies; overarching framework for all • Development and implementation of employment activities in the territory. the local employment strategies; • Monitoring, benchmarking and evalu- As the projects must be aimed at apply- ation; and ing the priorities of the national action • Exchange of information, dissemina- plan in a given territory in the form of tion and networking. local/regional employment strategies, two types of strategies are possible:

8 Introduction

• Type 1 is to develop and implement Working networks among the key play- a single strategy in a territory cor- ers have been created to bring into line responding to NUTS level 2 or a multitude of actions, which were often NUTS level 3, that demonstrates unconnected or even counter-produc- coherence with the existing regional tive. The financial tools available have and/or national action plans. been identified, classified and will be used in a more strategic way than before. • Type 2 is to develop and implement a coherent series of individual Finally, employment has moved to the strategies at a lower territorial level forefront of the political agenda, not only within the NUTS level 2 or level 3 at the regional, but also at the local level, territory for which the applicant is as actors at these levels of government responsible. The project could, for have come to realise that they are best example, propose to develop 10 dif- placed to translate European and nation- ferent local strategies within the ter- al strategies into action on the ground. ritory, coordinated by the applicant organisation. The LES call has resulted in developmen- tal cooperation, higher conceptual inte- From the results so far, it is evident that gration among policy fields and improved the projects have had an impact on the regional performance in the development local and/or regional employment situa- of integrated employment solutions. tion. This impact is probably not yet tangible for the individual person seeking employment, as most strategies have worked on the employment context rather than on creating concrete jobs. However, by improving the context, con- crete jobs will be created in the future.

For many regions, it is the first time ever that a common and concerted approach has been taken on employment matters. Innovative approaches have been created and already implemented to some extent, thus benefiting not only the regions, but also the individual citizen.

9 Projects (local employment strategy)

Regions covered by ESF Article 6 projects developing local employment strategies

* *

* NUTS: Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics.

10 BELGIUM • Brussels - Capital Region ‘Coordinated survey of Brussels businesses’ – Matching people with jobs

Ensuring a better match between job seekers and available vacancies is the main objective of a project run by the Brussels regional employment service. Under the scheme, a new system is being set up to regularly sur- vey the human resource needs of each firm in the region and help to fulfil them.

Project name The Brussels region has an employment and job seekers by being more respon- Coordinated survey rate of just 55%, below both the Belgian sive to firms’ needs on the one hand, and of Brussels businesses and European averages. High levels of supplying more job vacancies to individ- Project duration youth and long-term unemployment are uals on the other. November 2003 to October 2005 of particular concern. In addition, half of all jobs in the region are occupied by By opening up communication channels, EU co-funding non-residents who commute to the cap- the surveying exercise will help EUR 1,295,345 (64.40 %) ital. Dominated by the service sector, the employment service develop more Total budget the region counts a high proportion of lasting relationships with regional EUR 2,011,294 foreigners among its population. employers. The project intends to cre- ate durable structures for serving busi- Partners Mission locale d’Ixelles pour l’emploi Meeting the changing personnel require- nesses and job seekers, which will con- Mission locale jeunes de Saint-Gilles ments of employers and placing more of tinue to operate in the longer term. Mission locale Forest the region’s job seekers in work are Mission locale Molenbeek therefore the primary aims of the ‘coor- Mission locale de Bruxelles dinated survey of Brussels businesses’ Mission locale de Saint-Josse project. Through regular surveys by a Mission locale d’Etterbeek team of experts supported by ad hoc OOTB studies, they seek to gain a better under- Mission locale de Schaerbeek standing of firms’ staffing needs. This enables the employment office to ensure Contact a better match between supply and Office Régional Bruxellois de l’Emploi Mr Teddy Dujardin demand in the regional labour market. Bd Anspach, 65 B-1000 Brussels In concrete terms, the new service plans to make contact with every employer in E-mail [email protected] the region over the duration of the proj- ect – a total of 35,000 firms – and to fol- Website low this up annually. Small businesses www.orbem.be are also included in the project. The www.bgda.be regional employment office works together with local associations to coor- dinate work in priority zones. It aims to improve its service both to employers

11 BELGIUM • Mechelen GO-FOR-IT – An integrated employment strategy

A partnership of local authorities in Flanders is developing an employment action plan for the Mechelen region designed to involve all social and eco- nomic actors. The strategy includes a series of local plans to promote employment among excluded groups.

Project name Situated between the two most impor- The project aims to increase the employ- GO-FOR-IT tant economic centres of Belgium (Brus- ment rate among disadvantaged groups in sels and Antwerp), the Mechelen region the region by 3% within two years and Project duration November 2003 to November 2005 enjoys a relatively strong socio-econom- create at least 30 new jobs for these ic position. The employment rate – at groups in service sectors. A Go-for-it EU co-funding 67.5% - is higher than the European and charter has also been introduced, which EUR 560,210 (34.17 %) Flemish averages. Nevertheless, signifi- the project hopes will be signed by at least cant gaps exist between population 50 employers. Total budget EUR 1,639,395 groups, with high levels of joblessness among migrants, the disabled, young peo- Communication of the project’s objec- Partners ple and older workers. tives and activities to citizens and stake- Berlaar Gemeente & OCMW (BE) holders is assured by a website, a Bonheiden Gemeente & OCMW (BE) Go-for-it is trying to bridge these gaps by newsletter and regular events. Bornem Gemeente & OCMW (BE) putting together a regional employment Duffel Gemeente & OCMW (BE) strategy in partnership with 13 local Heist-op-den-Berg Gem & OCMW (BE) authorities and involving employers, Lier Stad & OCMW (BE) trade unions, the educational world and Mechelen Stad & OCMW (BE) the social economy. The idea is to har- Nijlen Gemeente & OCMW (BE) ness the combined strength of the actors Putte Gemeente & OCMW (BE) to create a dynamic and proactive Puurs Gemeente & OCMW (BE) employment policy. Sint-Amands Gemeente & OCMW (BE) Sint-Katelijne-Waver Gemeente & Three main strands make up the region- OCMW (BE) al strategy: drawing up integrated local Willebroek Gemeente & OCMW (BE) action plans for employment; using pilot VVSG (Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities) (BE) projects to stimulate participation of excluded people in the labour market; Contact and engaging employers and educational Vzw Partners in tewerkstelling bodies, for example through the intro- Mr Gorik Cools Hendrik Consciencestraat 5 duction of company ‘diversity plans’. B-2800 Mechelen By using innovative measures, Go-for-it E-mail tests projects which could provide [email protected] [email protected] added value to the existing employment initiatives in the region. Website www.esf-goforit.be

12 DENMARK • Storstrøm Pooling ideas for an effective regional employment strategy

In response to different socio-economic challenges, the Danish county of Storstrøm is developing a regional employment strategy that will provide a framework for future initiatives. Bringing together different interest groups, the project will test and disseminate new measures and policy ideas for inclusion in the strategy.

Project name Storstrøm county is situated to the In line with the issues identified, the The Regional Labour Market, the Future south of the greater Copenhagen area in strategy has six key aims: retaining older Economic Development, and the Regional Denmark. Like many other regions, it is workers; improving the position of immi- Social Capacity suffering from an ageing population and grants in the job market; supporting Project duration shrinking workforce. Moreover, young entrepreneurship; increasing women’s November 2003 to October 2005 people often leave the county to pursue employment levels; strengthening the EU co-funding a higher education and there are few rural economy; and raising professional EUR 608,080 (74 %) high-quality jobs to attract them back. levels. It will combine policies and pro- Agriculture has been an important part posals for concrete action in the fields of Total budget of the region’s employment and business education, business and the labour mar- EUR 817,476 structure, and the rural economy is ket. Such a regional employment strate- Partners struggling to adjust to policy reforms. gy will provide a point of reference for AMPUC (Development Centre on Added to this, women are still less likely future efforts, thereby ensuring their Labour Market Policy) to be employed than men, especially in coherence and accountability to differ- Storstrøm County: Department for entrepreneurial or managerial posts. ent interest groups. Education, Culture and Labour Market Administration Furthermore unemployment among the Storstrøm County: Department for immigrant and refugee populations Regional Economic Development remains consistently higher than among TIC Storstrøms Business Centre the native Danish citizens.

Contact AF-Storstrøm To tackle these complex challenges, the Mr Jan Hendeliowitz regional administration is developing a Vestensborg Allé 8 comprehensive employment strategy. DK-4800 Nykoebing F. Key actors from the public and private E-mail sector are being brought together in [email protected] working groups to pool their expertise and ideas. Some of the initiatives emerg- Website ing will be tested through pilot projects www.storstroem.af.dk and the results discussed and promoted through three regional conferences. The overall strategy will thus take account of the projects’ experience and the expertise and interests of a range of different actors.

13 DENMARK • Viborg An industry specific-approach to addressing the skills gap

In an innovative approach to tackling the skills deficit and unemployment, the county of Viborg in Denmark is encouraging companies to form ‘indus- trial clusters’. This approach relies on employers working together to identify the skills they require and to develop joint training and work placement schemes.

Project name Although the county of Viborg in central The furniture industry is therefore the Education and social responsibility Jutland currently enjoys relatively low first sector to test a new approach to levels of unemployment, the future the growing education and skills gap in Project duration November 2003 to October 2005 labour market situation looks less cer- Viborg country – based on ‘industrial tain. With some 30 % of jobs based in clusters’. Companies work together to EU co-funding industry, the county’s economy is vulner- identify their skill needs and to set up EUR 660,789 (74 %) able to drops in international demand. training programmes for their workers. Total budget Furthermore, an assessment of At the same time, employers are encour- EUR 894,339 the education and skill levels in the aged to take on unemployed people region – a so-called Regional Compe- while their existing staff are participating Partners tence Account – revealed that the exist- in training. AF- Public Employment Services ing and future needs of businesses are DA- Danish Employers’ Confederation LO Viborg Amt, Danish Conferedation not being met. The local higher education institute – of Trade Unions the Skive Technical School – also plays an AMU-Midtvest,Adult Vocational The wood processing and furniture important role in defining the continuing Training System industry is one of the sectors that risks education and training programmes. TIC Viborg amt,Centre for technological running short of qualified labour in the The participation of the regional services to SMEs near future. Much of Denmark’s furni- employment council and county council Viborg Handelsskole,Viborg Business College ture production is concentrated in is crucial to coordinate these ‘cluster- Skive Tekniske Skole Viborg. There are some 100 enterprises based’ employment strategies with the NVU – Nordvestjysk Uddannelsescenter, working in this sector, employing around overall regional employment pact. North West Educational Centre 8,000 people. But to retain these Rummeligt Arbejdsmarked, Roomy employment levels, the industry needs to In the future, the ‘cluster-based’ Labour Market address several structural challenges. approach may be used to address skill shortages in the construction and metal Contact Viborg Amt For example, there is no culture of ‘life- industries and in the meat-processing Ms Pia Fabrin long learning’ in the industry. Employ- sector. Amtsgaarden Skottenborg 26 ees, from shop floor to management, 8800 Viborg rarely participate in continued education E-mail and training. As a result, enterprises [email protected] often lack the flexibility and efficiency to respond to the pressures of competi- Website www.vibamt.dk tion. Furthermore, the industry as a whole has been slow to take up new technologies and digitisation.

14

GERMANY • Braunschweig Coordinating employment efforts for added value

Braunschweig – the northern German state of Lower Saxony’s second city – has two overriding employment concerns: more coordinated plan- ning and better training for the jobless. As such, improved qualifications and a ‘holistic’ approach are central to the new employment strategy that is being developed under the BABS project.

Project name Although Braunschweig’s unemployment of the first initiatives was to produce a BABS (Braunschweig Labour Market and rate is around the national average, there formal written agreement between key Employment Strategy) are still chronic problems for young peo- players. From the start, the project’s Project duration ple, the long-term unemployed and strategic planning has required equal December 2003 to November 2005 those with few qualifications. Job mar- input from all partners, with decisions ket distortions have also accompanied taken jointly in team meetings. Cham- EU co-funding the city’s growing reputation as a ‘high- bers of commerce and industry, as well EUR 360,022 (74.25 %) tech’ location. As a result, the propor- as handicrafts and employers’ organisa- Total budget tion of highly qualified employees and tions, have ensured the participation of EUR 484,895 those working in the service sector are start-ups and SMEs. Adult education well above the German average. Better institutes and specialist training bodies Partners Agentur für Arbeit Braunschweig equipping the low-skilled and restoring have been key to increasing qualifica- Arbeitgeberverband Region balance to the city’s job market have tions. For their part, the city’s employ- Braunschweig e. V. therefore become major concerns for ment office and job centre have focused Ausbildungswerkstatt Braunschweig e. V. local authorities. on getting unemployed people with few Braunschweig Zukunft GmbH Handwerkskammer Braunschweig or no qualifications back into work. Industrie- und Handelskammer The BABS project aims to unify diverse Braunschweig strategies with a view to improving finan- This is the first unified employment Volkshochschule Braunschweig GmbH cial and human resource efficiency. In strategy for the city of Braunschweig. more concrete terms, it seeks to Local authorities are realising more and Contact Stadt Braunschweig - improve the coordination of a range of more that a joint, coordinated approach Beschäftigungsbetrieb measures: from raising qualification levels not only avoids overlaps and contradic- Ms Angela Wandrey among unemployed people to helping tions but also adds value by pooling Naumburgstraße 23 identify the training and human resource resources and sharing expertise. In this D-38126 Braunschweig needs of small and medium-sized enter- way, the positive results are proving that E-mail prises (SMEs). One of the key outcomes this strategy is far ‘more than the sum of [email protected] is the creation of a database its parts’. (www.wa-bs.de), which gives an Website www.braunschweig.de/babs overview of the vast array of training possibilities available in the city of Braun- schweig.

Building and cementing partnerships has been the project’s main activity, and one

15 GERMANY • Burgenland New sectors for jobs growth

The Burgenland district, in central Germany, has faced a number of eco- nomic challenges over the last fifteen years. But in the wake of several reform programmes, it is consolidating traditional strengths as well as moving forward in key growth sectors. The LISA project is investing new financial and human resources in markets such as renewable energy and information technology.

Project name German reunification led to economic head start, drawing on lessons from an LISA (Local Innovation Strategy for More marginalisation for the Burgenland dis- earlier European model – a four-year Work in the Burgenland district) trict, with far-reaching changes for busi- local employment alliance in Zeitz. In Project duration ness, a massive drop in production and this way, tried and tested methods have October 2003 to October 2005 widespread redundancies. Despite helped develop viable partnerships and recent positive trends, the local unem- project benchmarking. The project has EU co-funding ployment rate remains high at 20.9%, also drawn inspiration from the 2002 EUR 444,507 (63.80 %) with the long-term unemployed Naumberg Declaration which provided Total budget accounting for almost half of this total. goals and guidelines for sustainable eco- EUR 696,757 Over recent years, however, local people nomic development, focusing on renew- and planners have joined forces to tack- able resources, alternative energy and Partners le the harsh economic situation – culmi- network creation. isw e.V. nating in a local innovation strategy MIBRAG mbH backed by the ESF. Five working groups have also been set WFG BLK mbH up to focus on economic development, BBJ Consult AG The LISA project aims to develop a new networking of metal processing compa- IHK BIZ GmbH employment plan for the Burgenland dis- nies, creation of networks among the future GmbH trict that involves all local actors. These self-employed and handicrafts sectors, Land Sachsen-Anhalt include the district offices for equality a start-up campaign, and initial and ZSG mbH and economic development, the job cen- continuing education and training. Südzucker GmbH tre, research institutions, trade unions Stiftung “Aufbau Unstrut-Finne” and training associations. Creating a sin- Burgenland’s project has played to local Agentur für Arbeit Naumburg gle local partnership has been a key aim, strengths and boosted existing networks Contact hand in hand with linking existing for growth and job creation. Emerging Burgenlandkreis employment actions in the different from deep recession, traditional sectors Amt für Wirtschaft und Arbeitsmarktpolitik areas of Burgenland. Indeed, establishing (like crafts, engineering and construc- Mr Thomas Böhm Schönburger Straße 41 harmonised management of local tion) have survived and consolidated D-06618 Naumburg actors – working for different interest their efforts under this new initiative. groups in the three sub-regions of The project is also making the most of E-mail Nebra, Naumberg and Zeitz – has been key growth sectors, such as biotechnolo- [email protected] a primary concern. gy, renewable energy and tourism. As a Website result, the area is winning more inward www.burgenlandkreis.de/Lisa-BLK/ Starting with a study of existing local investment, training people in new and networks, project partners drew up sought – after skills and paving the way plans for structural and training policies. for long-term job creation. But the project also benefited from a

16 GERMANY • Chemnitz Young talent for new growth

South-west Saxony’s main employment challenge is clear: harnessing young workers to boost the local economy. This means persuading the brightest young talents to stay or return to the eastern German region, while developing the skills of youngsters in general. Through the Inno- JOBS project, it is looking to the future and training its youth in high-tech skills.

Project name Bordering the Czech Republic, south- The keystone of the project is a broad InnoJOBS (Innovative Actions and west Saxony is among the most densely regional partnership, assembling job cen- Development of a Strategy populated industrial areas in Germany. tres, local authorities, higher education, for Youth-oriented Employment Policies in South-West Saxony) After soaring unemployment in the early social partners and professional bodies. 1990s, the job market has recently sta- With this in place, partners then put Project duration bilised with around 17% out of work – together new employment strategies, November 2003 to October 2005 though this is still twice the national based on extensive consultation with EU co-funding average. Problems remain due to a lack both youth and business. In turn, these EUR 1,018,365 (63.24%) of large companies in the local economy contributed to guidelines for pilot proj- and low levels of technological expert- ects in two key areas: education and fur- Total budget EUR 1,610,195 ise. But most of all, high emigration ther training, and new structural policies among young skilled workers is reducing for promoting ‘future-oriented’ sectors. Partners the growth potential of firms in the Initiative Südwestsachsen e.V. region. As such, South-West Saxony has The project has successfully developed SJK GmbH set to work on a new and focused strat- plans for the early preparation of young Technische Universität Chemnitz egy – dedicated to bringing young work- people and their insertion in the local BBJ Servis GmbH ers back home. labour market. Alongside this, InnoJOBS Westsächsische Hochschule Zwickau (FH) partners are working with small and BZE InnoJOBS’ first priority has been to pro- medium-sized enterprises to upgrade DWP duce an employment strategy focusing the skills of young employees with tar- Produktion Recycling on youth and young adults. Seeing these geted training schemes. These are TCC groups as the keys to regional competi- focused on technological improvement SAQ tiveness, the project is seeking to devel- as well as cross-border cooperation with and many others… op their ‘human potential’ in order to partners in the neighbouring Czech Contact maintain and enhance the economy. It Republic. Ultimately, the results are Regierungspräsidium Chemnitz aims to raise awareness among young keeping and bringing more young work- Mr Norbert Tautz people about local job opportunities, ers back to the region. Altchemnitzer Straße 41 D-09120 Chemnitz with a view to their returning or staying in the region. Concurrently, the project E-mail is working to provide the social, eco- [email protected] nomic and cultural conditions necessary [email protected] to underpin these efforts. Website www.innojobs.de www.rpc.sachsen.de

17 GERMANY • Elbe - Elster A strong signal for a brighter future

Sandwiched between Leipzig and Berlin, the region of Elbe-Elster aims to improve cooperation among players in the local labour market. Driven by high unemployment and countrywide reforms to the welfare system, the Work in the Elbe-Elster Region project is a timely one. It seeks to improve the underlying conditions for employment into the best and brightest workers.

Project name Elbe-Elster has high unemployment and A network of employment actors has AREE (Work in the Elbe-Elster Region) an ageing population, and has also suf- been established to pool measures fered high levels of emigration since the between job centres and training Project duration November 2003 to October 2005 fall of the Berlin Wall and German reuni- providers, consultancies and various fication. The main concern is the mass local authorities. But the service sector, EU co-funding departure of the most promising and social-cultural bodies and non-govern- EUR 627,567 (74.48%) productive segments of the workforce: mental organisations have also been young people and skilled workers. With involved. They have helped produce Total budget EUR 842,567 around 20% out of work, and 69 jobless local strategies aimed at changing peo- people for every vacancy, Elbe-Elster had ple’s attitudes to employment and entre- Partners to reform its employment structures. preneurship, fostering a climate of hope. Regionale Wirtschaftsförderungs- At the same time, it needed to send a At the heart of this has been an effort to gesellsschaft Elbe-Elster mbH positive signal to persuade young people ‘sell’ the project, its aims, and the region BISS that they have a future in the region. per se, both within Elbe-Elster and EnergiePark Lausitz GmbH beyond. Tamen. The overriding goal of this ESF-backed GBE project is to develop a ‘holistic’ regional The project has also set up training Lokale Agenda employment strategy – uniting the schemes for the unemployed and a IGM approaches of different labour market labour pool of young employees to aid DGB actors to create a stable open network. access to jobs. Employers’ groups have Bundesverband mittelständische Wirtschaft, Unternehmerverband Partners include regional players from been enlisted to predict and counter Deutschlands e.V. the business world, banks, local authori- economic ups and downs. But overall, Regionales Lernforum in Wirtschaftsraum ties, associations, training services, job the project is not only providing new zwischen Elbe in Elster e.V. centres and local people that are out of skills and new systems – it is shaping the work. In this way, the project aims to future of Elbe-Elster by changing people’s Contact create a broad coalition for public con- outlooks and by harnessing the potential Landkreis Elbe-Elster Mr Eberhard Stroisch sultation, strategic planning, and deci- of the youngest and brightest minds. Ludwig-Jahn Straße 2 sion-making. It also seeks to shift the D-04916 Herzberg/Elster prevailing mentality and to promote greater personal responsibility and cre- E-mail [email protected] ativity in the quest for alternative job opportunities. Website www.aree.de www.landkreis-elbe-elster.de

18 GERMANY • Hamburg Passport to more employment

In the context of radical reforms to the German welfare state, the north- ern city of Hamburg aims to help those who are fit to work but who face chronic social exclusion. ‘Help into work’ is the key to unlocking the potential of disadvantaged people who have been otherwise excluded from active employment.

Project name Hamburg, like many other German cities, centres, chambers of commerce and Employment in the expanding city – new is over-reliant on the service sector, non-governmental organisations. Their opportunities for the disadvantaged while suffering high structural unemploy- core job is to identify the stakes involved Project duration ment. With limited demand for low- in reforming employment institutions. December 2003 to November 2005 skilled workers and large numbers of Taking stock of both risks and opportu- long-term unemployed persons, the port nities, partners are coming together to EU co-funding is set to turn the tide with a specific pro- implement the best possible strategies EUR 707,265 (74.60%) gramme for the disadvantaged. As such, for the various districts of Hamburg. Total budget the ‘Expanding city’ project aims to EUR 948,111 increase the options for both planners The project is making real progress in and jobseekers during the nationwide combating social exclusion in Hamburg. Partners Senatsamt für Bezirksangelegenheiten ‘Hartz Reform’ programme. Combining new social and employment Hamburger Arbeit-Beschäftigungs- strategies, it is also helping to apply the gesellschaft mbH Drafting a new strategy for employment European social model – bringing local Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Freien and social inclusion is the project’s main policies up to EU standards. And with Wohlfahrtspflege (AGFW) e.V. aim. It seeks to do this by analysing the regular workshops and conferences, the Johann Daniel Lawaetz-Stiftung state of local employment so as to bet- ‘Expanding city’ project continues to Contact ter understand the trends and dynamics raise its profile and give better prospects Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg, in force. Establishing stable decision- to disadvantaged groups. It is, in short, Behörde für Wirtschaft und Arbeit making and project-related partnerships opening the door to jobs for people left Mr Hans Nauber Alter Steinweg 4 has been equally important – with a view out in the cold. D-20459 Hamburg to maintaining the project’s momentum and helping people back into work well E-mail into the future. In addition, ambitious [email protected] pilot schemes have been planned in Website order to examine and confirm the long- www.art6-hamburg.de term effectiveness of new aid systems.

Following a first snapshot of the local job market, with particular focus on disad- vantaged groups, the project is helping coordinate the various actors involved. It has launched a partnership-based net- work, assembling local authorities, job

19 GERMANY • Magdeburg Targeting key sectors for renewal

An effective employment strategy should be based on a sound analysis of labour market needs. This is the objective of the German city of Magde- burg, which is targeting its efforts on four key sectors of the local econo- my as part of the ESF-backed LAM project.

Project name Magdeburg, state capital of Saxony- The project’s approach is a thorough LAM (Local Labour Market Management- Anhalt, lies on a key development axis one, starting with an inventory of rele- Mobilisation of Resources) between the old and new states of Ger- vant research and the results of current Project duration many and acts as a gateway between and past projects in the regional job November 2003 to October 2005 eastern and western Europe. It is well market. This has been followed by an served by several major transport analysis of the labour market and its EU co-funding routes which pass through the city and potential for development. Information EUR 593,492 (67.18 %) the state. With unemployment at 17.6% and communication structures are being Total budget in 2003, Magdeburg has a lower unem- set up – such as a project website – to EUR 883,492 ployment rate than Saxony-Anhalt as a publicise best practice activities and whole, but rather higher than the nation- ensure exchanges between partners. Partners Akademie Überlingen Verwaltungs al average (9.7%). The city has long been GmbH, Magdeburg Site a centre for the mechanical engineering One planned output of the project, BZE Bildungszentrum des Einzelhandels industry, although this sector has faced besides the sector-specific strategies, is Sachsen-Anhalt significant restructuring in recent years. the setting up of four specialised ‘centres GISE Gesellschaft für Innovation, The service sector is important and is of competence’ to address the same key Sanierung und Entsorgung GmbH foreseen to become increasingly so. sectors. The centres would act as cen- Agentur für Arbeit Magdeburg tral contact and network point for busi- DGB IG Metall The goals of the LAM project are to nesses, employees and those seeking HWK develop more effective and sustainable training in the industry. IHK strategies for labour market manage- Otto-von-Guericke-Universität ment, focused on the four key sectors Magdeburg for the local economy: mechanical and plant engineering, industry-oriented Contact services, product lifecycle management Landeshauptstadt Magdeburg Ms Edeltraud Radojewski (including recycling), and the retail trade. Alter Markt 6 This combined region and sector-specif- D-39090 Magdeburg ic approach aims to improve the alloca- E-mail tion of resources for employment meas- [email protected] ures in the area – Magdeburg and its sur- rounding districts. Website www.ep-lam.de

20

GERMANY • Offenbach Start-up city Offenbach – New businesses = job creation

Since job creation is dependent on a healthy business climate, support for entrepreneurship is key to a successful employment policy. This is the strategy being pursued by the German city of Offenbach, which is promot- ing new jobs by creating better conditions for business start-ups. A net- work of relevant actors is being put in place along with a model local action plan.

Project name The city of Offenbach is located close to gauge their potential for use as models. Gründerstadt Offenbach (Start-up city Frankfurt, in one of Europe’s most eco- Examples of good practice were com- Offenbach) nomically dynamic regions. Neverthe- piled in a handbook. The city then went Project duration less, it faces major challenges in coming about setting up a network of local October 2003 to March 2005 to terms with recent structural changes actors in the field of business enterprise, in the local labour market. Traditional with a steering committee to coordinate EU co-funding industries like metalwork and chemicals the partner organisations. EUR 274,096 (73.11 %) have experienced large-scale restructur- Total budget ing and subsequent redundancies over The project is developing a local action EUR 374,921 the last twenty years. Growth in the plan designed to serve as a transferable service sector has been unable to make model for application elsewhere. Simi- Partners Arbeitsamt Offenbach up the jobs shortage, partly because of larly, the process of drawing up a strate- Sparkasse Offenbach the different skills required. The small gy for jobs and networking of partners is Hochschüle für Gestaltung Offenbach business sector is limited in size and intended to act as a blueprint for future KIZ Kommunikations- und lacks competitiveness. use. For the longer term, an association Innovationszentrum GmbH Network has been set up by the city to build upon Exzept Projektgesellschaft mbH Meanwhile the workforce is composed the project’s work after it has run its Industrie- und Handelskammer of above average numbers of immigrants course. Offenbach and low-skilled people, who suffer high Contact levels of unemployment. Stadt Offenbach am Main Mr Matthias Schulze-Böing By enhancing Offenbach’s image as an Rathaus Berliner Straße 100 entrepreneurial city, the Gründerstadt D-63065 Offenbach project aims to boost new business cre- ation and thus generate jobs. This E-mail includes fostering a spirit of enterprise, [email protected] improving the climate for business start- Website ups and providing practical information www.gruenderstadt-offenbach.de and support to new firms and the self- employed.

To do this, the city started out with an analysis of its employment needs and researched the work of other local development projects across Europe to

21 GERMANY • Osterholz Improving human resources through lifelong learning

Osterholz, close to the north German coast, is one of the smaller districts in Lower Saxony. Tackling a number of worrying trends, like an ageing population and chronic problems for marginal groups, this project propos- es new technologies and stronger networks in order to ensure a prosper- ous future.

Project name With only 8% of the population unem- The project has launched a number of Job encouragement in the learning region ployed, Osterholz appears to be faring measures, ranging from a directory of of rural district Osterholz well. But despite growth in sectors like training sites to insolvency prevention. services, commerce and administration, Special training meetings have been Project duration November 2003 to November 2005 certain traditional industries are now in organised with local business (mostly decline, including woodwork, textiles and small and medium-sized enterprises), EU co-funding food. Moreover, the proportion of the along with special qualification offers for EUR 874,114 (67.12%) population aged over 60 is due to rise small companies. On the research side, from 22% to 27% by the end of the the project has set about profiling the Total budget decade. At current development levels, unemployed, monitoring approaches to EUR 1,302,408 the rate of economic activity among res- job-finding and analysing barriers to Partners idents is therefore set to drop. In light work for disadvantaged people. ProArbeit GmbH of all this, Osterholz began work on a (Beschäftigungsförderungsgesellschaft des sustainable framework for the district’s Harnessing the flexible power of infor- Landkreises Osterholz) shifting employment needs. mation technologies, the project has set NETZ Zentrum für innovative up and promoted teleworking schemes Technologie Osterholz GmbH Osterholz’s project has several objec- among local businesses. This is helping Berufsbildende Schulen tives, most of which aim to develop the people who need to balance work and Osterholz-Scharmbeck information available to different ‘eco- family life, as well as those in remoter Agentur für Arbeit in nomic agents’ (school pupils, start-up regions. As such, the project has been of Osterholz-Scharmbeck firms, small and micro-entrepreneurs, special help to women in rural areas, Bildungswerk Osterholz e.V. the unemployed and disadvantaged peo- improving their skills and giving them VHS Osterholz-Scharmbeck, Hambergen, Schwanewede ple). In turn, the project plans to viable means to work. Beyond a dedi- ABÖE e.V. improve interaction between these cated website, the project has also estab- groups and establish a long-term net- lished a special network for entrepre- Contact work for training, growth and job cre- neurs, preparing for more growth and Landkreis Osterholz ation. Drawing from the European more jobs in the district of Osterholz. Mr Siegfried Ziegert Employment Strategy, the project also Osterholzer Str. 23 aims at a far-reaching improvement of D-27711 Osterholz-Scharmbeck local skills. Lifelong learning schemes E-mail are being specifically targeted at rural [email protected] women, which are among the most in need of employment assistance. Website www.landkreis-osterholz.de www.lernende-region-ohz.de

22

GREECE • Attiki ‘ODISSEIA’ – Roadmap to greater employment

Attica’s level of unemployment is 10.4%, even though it covers the capital and several growth industries. With chronic problems for women, immi- grants and young people, ODISSEIA has concentrated on more efficient monitoring, lifelong learning, and flexible ways of working.

Project name Strict urban policies and declining invest- awareness using the media, Internet and ODISSEIA (Operational Development ment have hit Greek industry hard over seminars. It has also built on key success Integrated Strategic Scheme of the last fifteen years. High illegal immi- stories – like the electronics, communi- Employment in Attica) gration, fuelled by the black market for cations and research industries – by Project duration cheap labour, has also made it hard to encouraging cross-sector cooperation October 2003 to October 2005 track employment levels and plan for the and the exchange of best practices. The EU co-funding future. With major social and environ- network of employment policy-makers EUR 1,155,265 (58.87%) mental problems, and notorious traffic in was a remarkable advance in creating the Athens,Attica needed a thorough strate- right climate for new business. Total budget gy for regional development. Figures EUR 2,031,515 from 2001 showed that 14.7% of women With special training schemes and new Partners were out of work, compared to 7.3% of working patterns, ODISSEIA helps vul- Prefecture of Athens men. In addition, 62.9% of jobless nerable groups to realise their potential. Prefecture of Piraeus and Islands women were long-term unemployed, By including more immigrants in the Municipalities of Agia Varvara,Agios compared to 37.1% of men. social and economic life of the country, Dimitrios,Agios Ioannis Rentis,Aharnes, and getting more women into work, the Athens,Ano Liosia,Aspropyrgos, Elefsina, Galatsi, Haidari, Heraklion, Holargos, Kalivia Helping the disabled, women and immi- project has also directly addressed long- Thoriko, Koridallos, Nea Erithrea, Nea grants to become more employable – term inequalities. Peramos, Nea Halkidona, Pallini, Perama, and less socially excluded – is a key aim Peristeri, Petroupoli, Zefyri of the project. As such, ODISSEIA is Union of The Hellenic Chambers of Commerce promoting lifelong learning and new Vfa - Valter Fissamber & Associates Ltd. work patterns (whether part-time,“flexi- Kea/Amea time”, or working from home) to Nomarhiaki Autodioikisi of Athens And improve prospects and conditions. Peraeus Moreover, the project has special provi- Archimedia S.A sions for entrepreneurs and people Union of Local Authorities of Attica- entering the job market for the first Tedkna time. Technological Educational Institute (Tei) of Piraeus ODISSEIA first established economic Nomarhiaki Autodioikisi Dytikis Attikis and social points of reference, carrying Research Centre For Gender Equality (Kethi) out studies and conducting interviews. Ine / General Union of Hellenic Workers There have been regular progress reports, and the project has raised Contact Regional Authority of Attica Ms Zoe Kakara Evaggelistrias str.2 GR-10563 Athens

E-mail [email protected] [email protected]

Website www.odisseia-eu.net 23 GREECE • Evros Springboard to higher employment

The district of Evros, in north-eastern Greece, aims to stimulate growth by cutting red tape for new business. Also high on the agenda is providing work opportunities for excluded groups of people with targeted training programmes. From detailed research to media campaigns, Evros is keen to improve its position and has set very clear goals for job creation.

Project name Home to 1% of the Greek population lic domain and also helped refine its Employment and Enterprising Stimulators and with rising unemployment, Evros goals along the way. Getting at least 200 in Evros Prefecture knew it had to punch above its weight. women into regional employment was Project duration With a majority rural population, the one concrete goal. November 2003 to November 2005 local authority wanted to improve its networking and employment monitoring Evros set itself very clear aims: it wanted EU co-funding and to cooperate more with industry. 10,000 people – including 7,000 women EUR 978,025 (58.26 %) Across the broader region in 2001, of and 1,000 with disabilities – to use the Total budget the 9% without a job, 43.6% were long- new employment scheme. The project EUR 1,678,775 term unemployed – and over two-thirds aimed to serve 300 existing firms and to of these were women. launch 100 small and medium-sized Partners Evros Development Company SA enterprises. It also planned to provide The project has set up special units to 50 “innovative ideas” for job creation Contact spread best practice, monitor progress and to improve its enquiry response rate Prefectorial Department of Evros Ms Marina Kafetzidou and find alternative funding for job cre- by 5% every six months. The results are 40 Karaoli & Dimitriou ation. It also works to bring local poli- still coming in but Evros looks set to GR-68100 Alexandroupolis cies up to national and European stan- achieve its goals. E-mail dards, while fighting discrimination [email protected] through targeted schemes across the region. In this respect, the project has Website www.epitaxintes.gr made extra provision for young people, women and vulnerable groups (such as those with disabilities and the long-term unemployed).

Evros aims to work more with local communities to address social exclusion. New partnerships with the business world have brought more companies and jobs to the area and the project has set up training schemes – to help those most in need acquire the most sought after skills. Conferences, websites and leaflets have kept the project in the pub-

24 GREECE • Central Macedonia Building bridges for the future

Promoting new skills for new sectors is the main focus of the Central Macedonian employment strategy. With dedicated research and net- working programmes, this region in northern Greece is making the most of home-grown talents, whilst fostering key growth markets such as infor- mation and communication technologies (ICT).

Project name Recognising their over-reliance on agri- aimed to develop transport and skills, Innovative co-operation for the culture, local authorities were keen to paving the way for new sectors such as development of employment strategies in promote new sources of employment, ICT, leisure and construction. New rail the region of Central Macedonia from technology to culture, construction links in the districts of Pella, Pieria and Project duration and leisure. Encouraging controlled Thessaloniki (among others) are key November 2003 to October 2005 tourism has also helped to address examples of forward-looking investment EU co-funding major development, employment and in infrastructure. EUR 461,579 (43.63%) environmental concerns – from the deprived mountain areas to the city of With industrial parks being set up Total budget Thessaloniki. throughout the region (like in Chalkidiki, EUR 1,057,829 Kilkis and Serres) the project is attract- Partners The first aim of this “innovative co-oper- ing more new business and providing Prefectures of Thessaloniki, Imathia, ation” project was to launch a long-term new opportunities to once isolated rural Kilkis, Serres, Pieria, Pella and Chalkidiki labour review, allowing decision-makers communities. The local employment Association of Exporters to observe trends and plan for the fund created under the project has been of Northern Greece future. The data collected was used in key to the entire process and remains Association of Industries of Northern Greece pilot projects for each of the seven local instrumental. Thessaloniki Workers Centre (Mak.In.E.) authorities. Establishment of a social European Centre For Communication, dialogue forum was next on the agenda: Information And Culture assembling local officials, civil society, and Regional Development Agencies the business community. This aimed to launch and cement long-term partner- Contact Region of Central Macedonia ships for job creation. In the same vein, Mr Panagiotis Georgopoulos the active support of new businesses and Kath. Rossidou 11 entrepreneurs was another priority GR-540 08 Thessaloniki area. E-mail [email protected] Central Macedonia was keen to ensure [email protected] balanced development across the region Website and to bring local planning up to nation- www.rcm.gr al standards. On the one hand, the proj- ect has sought to upgrade traditional industries such as agriculture, food-pro- cessing and tourism; on the other, it has

25

GREECE • Thessaly ‘Local Employment Strategy for West Thessaly’ – Improving skills, joining forces

Special support for women, entrepreneurs, and the rural population are key to West Thessaly’s Local Employment Strategy. A study and public debate have sought long-term ways to improve the business climate, from IT training to job creation partnerships.

Project name A mainly mountainous area, West Thes- Experts from various sectors led a public Local Employment Strategy for West saly has serious access problems and has debate to examine ongoing problems at Thessaly long relied on intensive farming. With home and best practices abroad. With Project duration exports, competitiveness and incomes all conferences and campaigns, the project October 2003 to September 2005 in decline, the area needed new ways to has sought new and sustainable ways to advance development and tackle unem- tackle unemployment, raise awareness, EU co-funding ployment. West Thessaly has therefore and bring the local economy up to Euro- EUR 711,085 (58.67%) sought a new, over-arching plan to foster pean standards. Two fresh approaches to Total budget skills, schemes and structures for effec- social exclusion and job creation stand EUR 1,212,028 tive job creation. For Thessaly as a out: promoting female entrepreneurs and whole in 2001, 19.5% of women were flexible working patterns. Partners University of Thessaly out of work, compared to 6.5% of men. Aristotle University of Thessaly-Urenio Of the 11.6% without a job, 58.5% were West Thessaly is pursuing development AN.KA. Development Agency of long-term unemployed and 71.8% of initiatives, leading to the re-population of Karditsa these were female. areas threatened with desertion and the Chamber of Trikala creation of large numbers of jobs. With Local Union of Communities and The needs of rural people, especially IT and other training schemes, the proj- Municipalities L.U.C.M. of Trikala mountain dwellers, soon became clear: ect is upgrading the skills not only of Contact they have the lowest levels of education local workers but also of public sector Regional Development Fund of Thessaly and income, greatest difficulties of support agencies. A well-trained work- Regional Authority of Thessaly access, and least contact with informa- force and consistent public support are Mr Anastasios Pappis Sokratous 111 tion technology. Better access to train- crucial: they can help West Thessaly meet GR-41336 Larisa ing, combined with flexible ways of the demands of the global market, now E-mail working, therefore became central to and in the future. [email protected] the project. Recognising the lack of sup- port for joint business initiatives, the Website project was also keen to make it easier www.thessalia.gr to start and run a business and to employ people in it. Job creation part- nerships with the private sector and local groups have therefore been encouraged.

26 SPAIN • A Coruña Mobilising local resources for local jobs

To increase the number and quality of jobs in the province of La Coruña, the regional government has launched three employment strategies. Although each focuses on a specific target group, they share a common approach: emphasising inclusion, partnership and the use of local resources.

Project name The relatively low official unemployment focuses on business creation among RURBANET (Urban and rural figures in La Coruña hide a more com- young people and women. All three employment strategies) plex labour market reality. The four ter- strategies share common elements: Project duration ritories that make up the province are inclusion and local development, part- October 2003 to September 2005 predominantly rural, and have low popu- nership and solidarity between different lation densities. Agriculture and fishing actors, and recognition and exploitation EU co-funding are still the primary economic activities of local strengths and resources. EUR 657,318 (70.85 %) in much of the region. Only Santiago, Total budget where the city of Santiago de Com- Each of the three targeted territories, EUR 927,774 postela is located, has a large urban pop- namely Arzúa-Melide, Barbanza and ulation. Bergantiños, is implementing one or Partners Formación Promoción Rural more of the strategies according to their FESAN Estudios e Analises Many of the employment challenges local needs. For example in Barbanza, an Xunta de Galicia faced by the province are characteristic area strongly reliant on fishing and the ADterra of rural areas: depopulation as young fish-processing industry, the strategy is FEGAMP people look for better job opportunities helping to build networks among small elsewhere; under-employment; and the and medium-sized enterprises. By Contact risk of exclusion of people living in working together, companies are better Diputación Provincial de A Coruña Mr Manuel Vázquez Sesmonde remote areas. But other problems are equipped to create new jobs and inte- Av. Alférez Provisional s/n also emerging, particularly in the towns grate the socially excluded into the E-15006 A Coruña and their surrounding areas. An increas- labour market. Here, as in other territo- Tél.: +34 981 183331 Fax: +34 981 183354 ing number of people are employed in ries, the strategy builds on past initiatives temporary or insecure jobs, and many and the particular strengths and E-mail disadvantaged groups still find it difficult resources of the local area. [email protected] to access the job market. Website www.dicoruna.es The regional government of La Coruña has responded by launching three strate- gies to promote and support employ- ment in the province. The first one is targeted at ‘peri-urban’ areas and focus- es on employability and equal opportuni- ties. The second aims to rejuvenate the rural economy and promote adaptability and entrepreneurship. Finally, the third

27 SPAIN • Asturias Competitiveness, adaptability and cohesion: a strategy for the future

Competing in the global economy demands flexibility and foresight. The regional employment strategy for Asturias,in northern Spain, aims to pool ideas and focus efforts so as to face the challenges head-on.

Project name Asturias has a rich industrial heritage. Three working groups involving key pub- A regional employment strategy But with the collapse of the coal mining lic and private sector actors have set a and steel industries in the 1980s and list of priorities in each of these areas. Project duration December 2003 to November 2005 1990s, the region suffered massive job For example, in the field of human losses. Policy makers reacted by focus- resources, the strategy seeks to stimu- EU co-funding ing on industrial restructuring and diver- late new working cultures that enhance EUR 588,196 (54.7%) sification. productivity and innovation. To encour- Total budget age entrepreneurship, it prioritises sup- EUR 1,074,689 Today, the region’s economy is getting port mechanisms for new business and stronger and unemployment levels are targeted education programmes. Finally, Contact falling. Nonetheless, it still has one of a working group has explored the roles Gobierno del Principado de Asturias, Consejería de Industria y Empleo the lowest levels of labour market par- and responsibilities of different actors in Mr José Luis Álvarez Alonso ticipation in the country, with only 41% assuring the competitiveness of Asturian Plaza de España,1, Bajo. of the working age population in businesses in a global economy. It seeks 30007 Oviedo Asturias employment. The rural areas in particu- to review the services offered by differ- lar face problems associated with an age- ent levels of government and employ- E-mail ing population and poor accessibility. ment offices and the interaction [email protected] Although industrial production has between them. Website diversified in recent years, there is still a www.princast.es/trabajastur strong focus on intermediate products Regional and local government, business, (73% of total exports) that are particu- social partners and civil society are larly vulnerable to price fluctuations. involved at each stage of design and implementation of the employment The employment strategy of the Asturias strategy. Good communication and a regional government is designed to sense of ownership are seen as key to address these challenges, while capitalis- the strategy’s success. ing on the region’s strengths and the opportunities presented by globalisation. The government has adopted a proactive stance towards industrial change and unemployment. The emphasis is thus on building human resources, promoting entrepreneurship and supporting part- nerships.

28 SPAIN • Córdoba A fresh approach to developing local employment policies

Today’s employment challenges need to be tackled with well-informed and well-designed policies. The provincial government of Cordoba is develop- ing a new model that will help to ensure that local employment strategies are more effective.

Project name Many of the employment challenges Six municipalities in Cordoba province CORPLEM (Local Employment Policies in faced by Spain in general are accentuat- are using the model to develop their Cordoba) ed in the province of Cordoba. Unem- local employment strategies. The first Project duration ployment levels far exceed the national step involves collecting and analysing December 2003 to November 2005 average (22% compared to 10.5% in information relevant to the area’s labour 2001). In addition, the gender imbalance market and economic situation. This is EU co-funding in the labour market is particularly then assessed to identify the particular EUR 528,699 (62 %) acute, with only 36% of women econom- strengths and weaknesses of the munici- Total budget ically active compared to 63% of men. pality. The lessons learnt from previous EUR 858,457 employment strategies are also taken This employment situation can be attrib- into account. Partners Consejo municipal de Córdoba uted, in part, to the province’s continued Consejo municipal de Cabra economic reliance on agriculture. An important element of the model is Consejo municipal de Doña Mencia Approximately 17% of the population the involvement of all key actors. Each Consejo municipal de Pozoblanco works in the primary sector, compared municipality will organise a seminar Consejo Municipal de Priego to 10% in the whole region of Andalusia bringing together politicians and socio- Consejo municipal de Nueva Carteya and 7% nationally. And, although economic actors. Furthermore, local Consejo Municipal de La Carlota employment in services is increasing, it is committees are being set up to feed into Confederación de empresarios de still below the national level: 53% of the and monitor the project’s development. Córdoba CECO active population compared to 60% for Associación de jovenes empresarios de Spain. The six employment strategies will Andalucia AJE therefore be tailored towards the needs Comisiones Obreras de Córdoba CC.OO With support from Article 6 of the Euro- and situation of each municipality. They Unión General de Trabajadores UGT pean Social Fund, the provincial govern- also incorporate indicators that can be ment is reforming the policy-making used to evaluate results against the Contact process to ensure that future employ- agreed targets. Diputacion de Córdoba ment strategies have a lasting, positive Mr Luis Girón López Plaza de Colón, 15 impact. The model they have developed 14071 Córdoba is based on four principles: coherence Tel :+34957211236 with the regional and national plans, Fax : +34957211236 cooperation between all private and E-mail public stakeholders, equal opportunities [email protected] for men and women, and continual mon- itoring and evaluation. Website www.dipucordoba.es/corplem

29

SPAIN • Illes Baleares United response to labour market needs

The regional government of the Balearic Islands in Spain is applying the principle of shared management to develop its regional employment strat- egy. It relies on the active participation of all the different levels of admin- istration plus social partners and training bodies.

Project name The Balearic archipelago, comprising the The regional government is responding UGESPAE (Unification and management islands of Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza and with the development of a Regional of active employment policies) Formentera, is a renowned tourist desti- Action Programme for Employment. It Project duration nation. Some 80% of the region’s GDP is will be built on a sound analysis of the November 2003 to October 2005 generated through services linked to labour market needs and the human tourism. A further 8% comes from the resources available, and will take account EU co-funding EUR 739,062 (66,3 %) construction industry. of the European Employment Strategy guidelines and National Action Plans. Total budget Employment trends also reflect the EUR 1,114,725 region’s reliance on tourism. Although Importantly, the regional government Partners unemployment levels are relatively low – envisages developing and testing the Ajuntament de Calvia Majorca 6.7% compared to 13% in Spain as a ‘shared management model’ involving Ajuntament d’Eivissa whole – many jobs are seasonal and low- the regional government, ten territorial Consell Insular de Menorca skilled. bodies, centres of further education and Conselle de Majorca social partners. Together they should Consell Insular d’Eivissa i Formentera One of the key challenges facing the agree on the measures to be implement- Ajuntament de Palma Mancomunitat Pla de Mallorca region is the low level of qualifications ed and the integration of other employ- Mancomunitat des Raiguer among the working population. Only ment initiatives. Mancomunitat del Nord de Mallorca 5% have completed university studies. Universitat de les Iles Balears Many young people drop out of further Six pilot projects are being developed to Govern de les Iles Balears education so as to find work in the test the approach: Calvia City Council, UGT tourist sector. Eivissa City Council, Ibiza City Council, CAEB PIME Baleares Palma City Council, Raiguer County UNAC Furthermore, a closer analysis of the Council, Insular Council of Menorca and Fundació Deixalles employment statistics reveals that the Insular Council of Eivissa and For- Conselleria de Presidència i Esports low-qualified are over-represented mentera. The results of these trials will CS de Comisiones Obreras de Illes among the unemployed or partially be evaluated for their wider use in the Balears employed. According to the national region. Institut Balear de la Dona Direcció General de Joventut institute of employment, almost 50% of Institut Balear d’Afers Socials those with no secondary education were Ajuntament de Felanitx unemployed in 2001. Those active in Coordinadora occupations with low skill requirements also had more precarious employment Contact Conselleria de Treball i Formació conditions. Direcció completa Gremi Teixidors,38 E-07009 Palma De Mallorca E-mail [email protected]

Website www.ugespae.net

30

SPAIN • Sevilla A dynamic rural economy using local produce

Investment programmes in the province of Seville in south-west Spain are catapulting the region into the 21st century. But to the east of the province, traditional olive cultivation is still the main economic activity. Two new employment strategies are helping to modernise the economy, while preserving its agricultural heritage.

Project name Many olive plantations in the eastern sector. This on-line resource provides Rural development, innovation, part of Seville are currently managed in comprehensive information on research employment linked to local products: the same way as they have been for cen- and innovation, new markets, companies, the olive sector turies. Farmers have been slow to adopt regulations, subsidies and grants, and Project duration new technologies. And there are still marketing opportunities. November 2003 to October 2005 few secondary processing industries, EU co-funding meaning that olives and olive oil tend to Another of the project’s results is the EUR 1,140,528 (69,20 %) be exported with minimum added value creation of new networks of local actors to the region. and associations in each of the two Total budget regions. They provide a forum for the EUR 1,648,158 This is a missed opportunity that the exchange of experience and knowledge. Partners region can ill afford. Unemployment lev- They are also responsible for designing a Ayuntamiento de Arahal els are above the 25% rate in the local employment strategy around the Ayuntamiento de Marchena province as a whole, and many young olive oil sector. Ayuntamiento de Paradas people leave the region to find work in Ayuntamiento de Coripe the city or coastal tourist resorts. The project relies on close cooperation Ayuntamiento de Montellano Women, in particular, suffer from a lack between the local and regional authori- Ayuntamiento de Pruna of employment opportunities. ties and employment services. It dove- Ayuntamiento de la Puebla de Cazalla tails several other initiatives aimed at Ayuntamiento de Morón de la Frontera This project targets two specific regions: injecting a new dynamism into the econ- AMDRI Serranía Suroeste the Sierra and La Campiña to the east of omy of the Seville province. Contact Seville. Its aim is to catalyse employ- Diputación Provincial de Sevilla ment creation by exploiting the region’s Ms Lourdes Parejo Herrera olive production. Significant potential Sevilla Siglo XXIAvda. Marie Curie, s/n exists in the area of processing, packag- E-41071 Sevilla ing and marketing of olive products. But E-mail other sectors can also be developed, [email protected] such as rural tourism or agricultural [email protected] machinery. [email protected]

Website Through training activities, networking www.sevsigloxxi.org and international exchanges, the project www.aceitunademesa.org aims to promote self-employment and entrepreneurship. The project also sup- ports a ‘virtual observatory’ on the olive

31 ITALY • Agrigento Towards a new digital horizon

Creating jobs through the use of new technologies is the main aim of the CONTeNT project in Agrigento, Sicily. The Italian province has major development potential – especially in the tourism sector – but has been held back by poor coordination between local authorities and job agencies. CONTeNT aims to help people learn new skills and find new routes to employment.

Project name Disposable incomes in Agrigento are needs of outlying areas, this has been CONTeNT (Creating jobs through the among the lowest in Italy and large sec- carried out throughout the province. use of new technologies) tions of the community depend on wel- Keen to share expertise and raise public Project duration fare benefits. With poor transport links, awareness, the project has used conven- November 2003 to November 2005 a declining population and the second tional methods such as workshops and lowest employment level in Italy,Agrigen- seminars, as well as innovative ones EU co-funding to needed a new focus for growth, espe- based on ICT. In this respect, the use of EUR 414,968 (73.19%) cially outside the provincial capital. Computer Mediated Conferencing Total budget (CMC) was a crucial initiative. EUR 566,968 The major aim of the project has been to upgrade the skills of the workforce, To ensure efficiency and progress, Agri- Partners Diste Consulting s.r.l. specifically in the use of information and gento has provided for monthly moni- CENSIS communication technologies (ICT). The toring and end-of-phase reports for indi- AIRA motivation was not only to develop the vidual projects. This has allowed the AgrigentoSviluppo local economy but also to address pro- benchmarking of key achievements and Atenea Formazione in Rete found social exclusion. Unemployment will contribute to the final report. A SAIP among young women is extremely high: website has also been launched to assist Comune di Agrigento 80.1% compared to 69.9% on the region- the development of SMEs – a key portal CUPA al level. Special training programmes for the region’s growth and a practical PIT no.34 Valle dei Templi have therefore been set up for women as example of ICT in action. Agrigento well as for other groups in need, such as young people and those with disabilities. Contact Provincia Regionale di Agrigento Ms Maria Pia Sola Local authorities began the project by Piazza Aldo Moro no.1 analysing the labour market and inter- I-92100 Agrigento viewing owners of small and medium- E-mail sized enterprises (SMEs). A fundamental [email protected] concern was to understand the technol- ogy needs of business, with a view to bal- Website ancing supply and demand in the labour www.provincia.agrigento.it market. With methods developed at European level, Agrigento has strength- ened links between local authorities, training agencies, employment services and the labour force. Recognising the

32 ITALY • Bari Clearing the barriers to new and better jobs

IDEA aims to provide innovation, development and employability in the area of Bari. Part of the region of Puglia, in south-east Italy, Bari seeks to balance supply and demand in the provincial labour market by focusing on information and communication technologies (ICT). Local authorities also aim to attract new business by cutting red tape; reform of public plan- ning has thus been key from the outset.

Project name At 12.1%, Bari’s unemployment rate is also been important launch pads for new IDEA Terra Di Bari 2003 (Innovation, above the national average of 9.5%. Inad- job creation. Furthermore, to ensure Development and Employment in the equate training and a lack of job centres efficiency, long-term monitoring of local Area of Terra di Bari) have been suggested as reasons for the employment policies has been crucial. Project duration high unemployment in the region. And One original scheme has been to aid November 2003 to November 2005 faced with a rising black market in cheap growth in the non-profit sector as an EU co-funding and informal labour, Bari decided further active labour policy. EUR 1,095,886 (58.30%) action was needed. The province there- fore sought to address underlying factors Throughout Bari, the focus has been on Total budget with a new incisive project for ‘develop- better training in ICTs – helping unem- EUR 1,879,886 ment and employability’. ployed people into growing sectors. The Partners project has also reinforced links between IPRES IDEA first aimed to simplify procedures: training and employment so that the Interim 25 Italia from planning and training, to access to local population – especially young peo- Italialavoro the labour market. To this end, Bari has ple – can avoid the trap of irregular black Associazione Meridiano Europa established long-term partnerships market work. To this end,job centres in CCIAA Bari between public and private systems of four areas of the province are IDEA’s Patrimonio Comunicazione education, vocational training and work. lasting legacy for the local population. Ufficio Scolastico Regionale Ultimately, these schemes aim to cut the Collocare srl high unemployment levels, especially Università degli Studi di Bari among women (17.8%) and young peo- Politecnico di Bari ple (27.1%). Banca Popolare di Bari Regione Puglia Research into job creation on the local, CGIL, PTO,API, CNA, national and European levels aims to CISL, UIL, UGL facilitate the sharing of expertise and set Contact proven policies to use throughout the Amministrazione Provinciale Di Bari province. Joint planning for public and Mr Vitantonio Laruccia private partners has been central to Via Spalato, 19 I-70121 Bari IDEA for new ideas, new growth and a new sense of responsibility. Promoting E-mail investment by local business and sup- [email protected] porting targeted training projects – in Website line with actual market demand – have www.progettoidea.net

33 ITALY • Campania Knowledge as a motor for change

A large region in south-western Italy, Campania aims to use ‘Knowledge as a motor for change’. This project seeks to kick-start the local economy with effective research, planning and training across a wide variety of industries. From cheese-making to renewable energies, Campania wants to include all sectors in the new knowledge economy. Measures foreseen range from individual training programmes to reforming public planning.

Project name Unemployment in Campania remains experiences. Programme guidelines COMMENT (Knowledge as high at 21%, though it has fallen in recent were drawn from local, national and a motor for change) years. The region still has a high propor- European models, while pilot projects Project duration tion of young people out of work – well and efficiency monitoring became major November 2003 to October 2005 over half according to recent estimates. planning conditions. Awareness-raising This raises questions about the preva- campaigns and a meaningful public EU co-funding lence of informal and irregular work, debate have also been key to changing EUR 1,727,866 (63.88%) which around the town of Salerno is said attitudes, learning lessons and making Total budget to account for almost a third of all progress. EUR 2,704,746 ‘employment’. Campania therefore aims to improve its monitoring system and In Benevento, the project has focused on Contact Assessorato alla Cultura, Istruzione provide new skills to help people escape new markets such as wind power – a e Formazione, Lavoro e Politiche the black market. renewable energy with great develop- Giovanili, Problemi dell'Immigrazione - ment potential. In Caserta and Salerno, Regione Campania Mr Arturo Bisceglie Campania’s primary aim has been to COMMENT has sought to extend tradi- Centro Direzionale Isola A6 upgrade its economic planning across tional cheese-making: in this case the I-80143 Napoli the region. Directly linked to this has protected designation of origin “Buffalo been a need to improve public employ- Mozzarella”, famously used on pizzas. In E-mail [email protected] ment services and establish job creation this respect, the project has modernised partnerships. Modernising vocational distribution and helped owners find new Website training schemes, with a view to giving ways to expand their business. www.progettocomment.org people the right skills for new markets, has been another project goal. This aims not only to match labour supply with demand, but also to give priority to the most competitive new sectors. Overall, Campania has sought distinct approach- es: applying local strategies for local issues in five diverse provinces.

The project has provided for compara- tive studies of the five local strategies – where knowledge is a motor for change it is vital to share both good and bad

34

ITALY • Campobasso New channels for new opportunities

Located around 100km north of Naples, the province of Campobasso is Project name pushing ahead with joint action for effective innovation. The ACTION ACTION (Joint action for innovation) project aims to make employment a central, unifying theme in all local Project duration policies, while emphasising cooperation and the application of information November 2003 to October 2005 and communication technologies (ICT). EU co-funding EUR 1,127,534 (68.48%) Total budget Floods and earthquakes hit Campobasso The project has sought to balance supply EUR 1,646,462 hard in 2002-3, destroying homes, busi- and demand of labour in a number of Partners nesses and infrastructure. This seriously ways: by researching and better under- Matese per l’Occupazione S.c.p.a. affected the province’s road network, standing the market, by helping job cen- Cles s.r.l. reducing mobility and deepening social tres identify opportunities and by equip- Co.S.Mo. Servizi s.r.l. Regione Molise - Assessorato al Lavoro e exclusion. With almost 20% of women ping the jobless with sought-after skills. alla Formazione and 50% of young women out of work, At the same time, pilot projects and case Università degli Studi del Molise Camera di Commercio I.A.A. di targeted schemes and new ideas for studies have successfully integrated Campobasso local employment were clearly needed. national and European employment Sanpaolo IMI - Banco di Napoli - sede di strategies. In one particular initiative, Campobasso Consorzio per il Nucleo di The ACTION project’s main aim is to the project identified and developed Industrializzazione Campobasso Boiano draft a local employment plan focusing non-profit organisations as a major Unioncamere Molise FINMOLISE S.p.A. on social inclusion and the information source of employment, above all for Associazione degli industriali del Molise society – creating new opportunities women. Confcooperative Molise Ordine degli Architetti della Provincia di through ICT. Around this, it is seeking Campobasso to integrate employment in all local poli- Campobasso’s ACTION plan has Federsolidarietà cies, making jobs a basic concern for checked its progress with regular Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena - sede di Campobasso all decision-makers. Reinforcing ties reports and spread its message with CNA - Confederazione Nazionale between education, professional training media presentations. A seminar on dell’Artigianato e PMI C.I.A. - Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori and business has also been a core con- models for integrated business develop- CISI Molise S.p.a. cern from the outset. The creation of a ment, held in Bojano in November 2004, CGIL Molise “learning community” of stakeholders was a recent update to the programme. W.W.F. Molise I.T.I.S. “Mayorana” di Termoli and institutions is an example of cooper- This enabled partners to exchange best Liceo socio-psico pedagogico “P.Elena” di ative action for job creation. practice, mainly on improving opportuni- Campobasso I.P.S.I.A. di Campobasso ties for women and small businesses. I.T.I.S. “G. Marconi” di Campobasso Special attention is being given to I.P.S.S.C.T. “V. Cuoco” di Campobasso TREND Formazione women and the handicapped, mainly to PRAXIS Formazione improve working conditions and access IAROS Formazione to employment. To this end, and in the Talenti Consulting s.a.s. Formazione Centro Molisano Studi Cooperativi context of training and flexible working Formazione patterns, ICT has been a major compo- INTERHOTEL COOP. Formazione di Termoli nent of the strategy. ENDASFORM Molise Formazione PST Molise Innovazione + 55 local entities Contact Provincia di Campobasso Dr Angelo Fratangelo Via Roma, 47 I-86100 Campobasso E-mail [email protected] Website www.provincia.campobasso.it www.progettoaction.it 35 ITALY • Catanzaro Targeting black markets and grey areas

In the deep south of Italy’s ‘Mezzogiorno’, Catanzaro has one overriding concern: fighting undeclared labour. Around this central theme, a project led by the province is also tackling related issues, such as crime and the weak entrepreneurial culture. Overall, it aims to reform and redeem problem areas with incisive research, strong partnerships and local empowerment schemes.

Project name ‘Irregular’ work represents over 40% of rate social responsibility, has been key to Towards an Integrated Approach to all activity in the wider Calabrian region. reform. The responsibilities and Combatting Undeclared Labour In light of this, Catanzaro’s primary aim rewards for promoting growth, innova- Project duration has been to effectively track employ- tion and bona fide employment are November 2003 to October 2005 ment. The province also suffers from therefore being shared and strengthened poor road and rail infrastructure, ren- in a systematic way. EU co-funding dering monitoring and networking even EUR 685,225 (73.50%) more problematic. As such, and against As with any project of this kind, informa- Total budget a backdrop of nearly a quarter of Cal- tion and cooperation are crucial to suc- EUR 932,225 abrians out of work, Catanzaro has cess. Comparative analyses, as well as launched a scheme for getting employ- targeted schemes for raising awareness Partners CENASCA CISL ment back on track in its own backyard. and cementing partnerships, remain cen- CNCA tral to this project. Catanzaro is slowly CNA The project’s main aim is to shift as much but surely eroding the pervasive prob- Fidart Calabria irregular or illegal work as possible on to lem of undeclared labour,and is en route Camera di Commercio Industria a legal basis. Encouraging strong part- to achieving its targets. Artigianato e Agricultura di Catanzaro nerships between local authorities and the business world have been key – not Contact Amministrazione Provinciale Di Catanzaro only for job creation but also for stamp- Ms Viviana Corigliano ing out illegal work. Choosing major Piazza Rossi target groups was not hard, with a third I-88100 Catanzaro of women in the wider region listed as E-mail jobless. With this in mind, Catanzaro [email protected] has promoted tourism and the service sector, mainly because they offer more Website www.provincia.catanzaro.it scope for people to balance work and family life, especially women.

To identify and tackle the black economy, the project has launched both broad and in-depth research programmes, feeding into a rigorous local strategy. The focus on partnering between public bodies and the business world, as well as on corpo-

36

ITALY • Crotone Partnerships for prosperity

Located on Italy’s southern coast, the province of Crotone has a clear strategic plan: strengthening partnerships for employment. An ESF- backed project here is developing the capacities of local actors while rein- forcing ties and communications – all with a view to a more integrated and effective policy-making process.

Project name Placed 98th out of 100 in a survey of Ital- reference to information gained from A strategic plan for employment in the ian living standards and with an unem- stage one. The third includes setting up province of Crotone ployment rate six percentage points technological and training programmes. Project duration above the national average, Crotone had The final stage focuses on study tours, December 2003 to October 2005 to be pro-active in promoting jobs and raising the project’s profile, and the growth. At the heart of the project’s exchange of best practice on regional, EU co-funding strategy is a plan to foster business inno- national and European levels. EUR 560,586 (60.89%) vation as well as partnerships from local Total budget to European levels. Its ultimate aim, The project has set a series of clear tar- EUR 920,586 however, is to improve the quality of life gets: to launch three cooperation proj- for people in the province. ects, win over ten service sector groups, Partners PSM Associati process 1,000 questionnaires and dis- IBN International It began by assessing the state of play in tribute 50,000 pages of information. A Plane the labour market by launching a long- recent programme giving a “macro-pro- Feel term monitoring scheme. At the same file” of the local employment system FOR Consulting srl time, it aims to improve local job centres showed that Crotone is on track to by making them more accessible and achieving its long-term goals. Contact more supportive to companies and the Provincia di Crotone Mr Lucio Galardo unemployed. A key part of this strategy c/o Provincia di Crotone is to cement relations between private Via Mario Nicoletta, 28 and public agencies, local authorities and I-88900 Crotone the business world. Concurrently, the E-mail project is maximising new growth sec- [email protected] tors, like services (e.g. tourism) and small businesses. To fill new vacancies Website www.articoloseicrotone.it from new markets – matching supply and demand – it is re-training and upgrading the skills of people out of work.

Crotone divided its strategy into four stages, starting with an analysis of the current employment situation. The sec- ond stage involves stakeholder inter- views and reform proposals, with close

37 ITALY • Puglia (Apulia) Focus on the service sector

An ESF-backed project in the Italian region of Puglia aims to kickstart the local economy and train the unemployed. The southern region, on the heel of Italy, is putting the service sector – including areas like tourism, retail and leisure – at the heart of its sustainable development strategy.

Project name While unemployment in Puglia – which employment, with a special focus on the Socio-economic and sustainable includes the provinces of Brindisi, Lecce service sector. This helped explain development strategy and Tarant – is around 13%, the rates are chronic local problems and paved the Project duration far higher among women and young peo- way for planning, partnership and consul- November 2003 to October 2005 ple, especially those aged 25-29. The tations. Concrete actions have focused broad regional decline has been blamed on both commercial and not-for-profit EU co-funding on a decade-long drop in public and pri- organisations, in an effort to find employ- EUR 1,095,275 (68.34%) vate investment and poor transport ment for disadvantaged groups (e.g. Total budget infrastructure (e.g. between rural and women and young people). Overall EUR 1,602,675 urban areas). But the service sector is a project management, in the form of growth area with potential to help solve three provincial networks and a regional Partners Total Target the region’s employment problems, “control room”, helped answer local Provincia di Lecce especially among the young. innovation needs in the most coherent Provincia di Brindisi way possible. Provincia di Taranto The project’s main aim is therefore to CNA build a service-based local economy, by The project has sought to broaden Cenasca CISL drawing up local action plans to promote employment services in two ways: by CIASU the sector. The project team began by providing more and improved service CNCA drafting a “cognitive map”: seeking the sector training (especially to excluded best ways to produce social and eco- groups), and by extending job centres Contact nomic plans. With these models, they (and opportunities) to rural areas. This Regione Puglia Ms Maria Rosaria Montavano aim to build networks between public dual approach aims to beat social exclu- Caduti di tutte le guerre, 15 and private bodies – assembling key sion. With programmes subject to con- I-70126 Bari actors to share ideas about development tinuous testing, the strategy should offer E-mail strategies, support policies and training real improvements well into the future. [email protected] programmes. At the same time, the project has been keen to support entre- Website preneurial and managerial development www.regione.puglia.it in the service sector.

A key tool for the project is a central website to coordinate partners and pub- lish results. One of the first activities was to produce a baseline study of local

38

ITALY • Ragusa Home-grown solutions for job creation

The province of Ragusa, in south-east Sicily, is concentrating on its agricul- ture and food-processing (agro-food) sectors in the quest for growth and job creation. ‘Territorial Marketing’ is on the menu as the MTI project aims to expand established firms by improving the quality and marketing of local products.

Project name At 20%, unemployment in the wider The project kicked off with an opening MTI (Territorial Marketing of Ibleo area) region of Sicily is over twice the Italian conference, designed to raise its profile average. Rates among women are very throughout the province. This paved the Project duration November 2003 to October 2005 high (29%) and exceptionally high among way for a study on local production and 15-24 year olds (54%) – putting Ragusa employment. Beyond a list of products EU co-funding in a very difficult situation. Coupled surveyed, this specifically focused on EUR 775,251 (72.10%) with the remoteness of the province and management structures and company Total budget problems faced by local firms in market- methods. From another angle, seminars EUR 1,075,306 ing their products, Ragusa chose a hands- for partners and selected firms have also on approach for its local employment aimed to raise awareness, publish results Partners strategy. and share expertise. Throughout the COPAI process, employment-monitoring proj- Gruppo Soges The MTI project’s first goal has been to ects have focused on how to help disad- Contact fuel growth and jobs in the province by vantaged groups, such as women and Provincia Regionale di Ragusa Mr Francesco Frasca promoting local agro-food companies. young entrants to labour the market. Viale del Fante To this end,it is backing new distribution Simply put, the project has asked compa- I-97100 Ragusa and marketing techniques to raise the nies what human resources they need profile of Ragusa’s unique products – and trained disadvantaged groups in the E-mail [email protected] especially overseas. In a parallel effort most sought-after skills. A self-monitor- to boost product quality, the scheme is ing plan, or vademecum, has been a novel Website focusing on the training needs of the sec- and useful addition to the project, con- www.provincia.ragusa.it tor by studying the efficiency of agro- taining precise product details and food workers. But public administra- proven marketing strategies. tions, job centres and vocational training centres are also coming under scrutiny The project continues its simple but in the ongoing effort to improve planning effective approach: improve quality and and training. Another goal has been to skills at home to increase demand and launch an experimental network: assem- sales abroad. In turn, this is bringing bling key actors to identify consumer more growth and more jobs to the needs, market potential and competition, province: proving the old motto that while taking stock of the European ‘what you reap is what you sow’. Employment Strategy.

39

ITALY • Varese Focused training to match supply and demand

The province of Varese lies just north of Milan, close to the border with Switzerland. A project here is highlighting the mediation role of job cen- tres to help match supply and demand for employees. Coupled with in- depth local studies, it aims to produce a ‘tool box’ of good practice for local partners and actors.

Project name With just 3% unemployed, the wider right staff – all leading to a fully updated New Methods of Analysis for Improving region of Lombardy is faring well – put- job creation plan. Building partnerships Labour Market Functioning ting Varese in a favourable position for between local schools, public and private Project duration growth. But the region is not free of firms, unions, and service sector bodies November 2003 to October 2005 employment problems, with 19,000 peo- has also been key to pushing the project ple out of work and higher rates of forward. The use of computer-aided EU co-funding unemployment among young and dis- telephone interviewing is a particularly EUR 291,830 (73.54 %) abled people in particular. With labour innovative programme feature. A key Total budget supply and demand out of synch task of the project is the identification EUR 396,830 throughout most of northern Italy, the and analysis of enterprise ‘clusters’ in the project aims to reform the province’s areas of precision mechanisms and bio- Partners Unione degli Industriali della Provincia di vocational training system. metrical processes. Varese API Varese Matching people with jobs, both now and Beyond researching labour market Associazioni Artigiani della Provincia di in the future, is the primary aim of this trends, the project is also monitoring the Varese project. Responding to the needs of effectiveness of job centres. Services CNA major production sectors, the strategy provided to jobseekers, employers and UNIASCOM focuses training on the most sought- vulnerable groups (such as the disabled CONFESERCENTI after skills – rationalising educational and or “differently-abled” people) have all CGIL vocational training while supplying local been under the spotlight. To bridge the CISL Ticino Olona firms with the most suitable candidates. gap between supply and demand for UGL These new “professional profiles” are employees, job centres have been giving Camera di Commercio Industria being researched by means of pilot proj- better start-up support for new business PSTL ects in two of the most important local and improved career guidance. They are Unione degli Industriali della Provincia di Varese sectors – with the ultimate goal of pro- also providing more targeted training viding job creation guidelines to serve and more internship opportunities to Contact the province well into the future. help those who need it most get a foot Provincia di Varese - Job Policies in the door. and Vocational Training Department Mr Giovanni Cozza The project first proposed a database Via Daverio 10 analysis to find employees for interview I-21100 Varese and companies that have recently been E-mail recruiting. The next step has been to [email protected] use focus groups to learn more about the companies and how they find the Website www.provincia.va.it

40

NETHERLANDS • Overijssel RATIO in PROGRESS – Piloting innovative measures for jobs

The Dutch province of Overijssel is using pilot measures to tackle a num- ber of distinct problems in the local labour market. The results of the pilots will be analysed and translated into a coherent, integrated employ- ment strategy for the area. Effective communication and dissemination of the project’s work is a priority for its organisers.

Project name Unemployment in Overijssel, in the east The pilots use the RATIO system (a RATIO in PROGRESS of the Netherlands, is lower than else- labour market information system for where in the country and the employ- the region) as a basis for analysing the Project duration October 2003 to December 2005 ment rate is close to the national aver- local employment situation. Regional age. Nevertheless, the area faces a num- stakeholders, such as social partners, EU co-funding ber of distinct labour market problems. local authorities and the education sec- EUR 556,339 (71.05 %) With a high proportion of jobs in indus- tor are also involved. The project makes Total budget try, demand for technically qualified use of best practices and innovative EUR 782,971 workers exceeds supply, leaving a skill approaches developed elsewhere in the gap. Similarly, the province suffers from Netherlands and the EU. A number of Partners a low rate of qualifications among school seminars have been organised in the RPA Stedendriehoek leavers, leading to youth unemployment. framework of the pilot measures and the RPA Twente RPA IJssel-Vecht Ageing of the workforce is another chal- project as a whole, while a website has VNO-NCW Midden lenge, with the ratio of those of working been set up and regular newsletters dis- MKB Nederland, regio Oost age to those over 65 forecast to double tributed to partners and stakeholders. FNV Vakcentrale, regio Oost from the current rate of 22% to 43% by 2040. Contact Provincie Overijssel The RATIO in PROGRESS project has Ms Elsa A.W. Hof Luttenbergstraat 2 launched three dedicated pilot actions to Postbus 10078 take on these three key problems. Each NL-8000 GB Zwolle is being developed and implemented by E-mail the local employment platform in one of [email protected] the three regions making up the [email protected] province. They aim to bridge the gap between technical education and the Website www.overijssel-in-progress.nl labour market, improve the qualifications of school leavers, and encourage older employees to remain in work longer. The results of the three pilots are being used to put together an integrated employment strategy covering the whole province. The ultimate objective of the project is to achieve an increase in the employment rate in Overijssel.

41 FINLAND • Central Ostrobothnia MUTTI – A coordinated approach in a diverse region

A Finnish province is developing a strategic approach to regional employ- ment issues for use as a permanent model in the future. A forum of stake- holders is responsible for directing the strategy, while local employment teams work on projects on the ground.

Project name Persistent structural unemployment is One of the project’s innovations is the MUTTI (Methods to innovate new the main economic challenge for Central creation of an employment forum for actions for promoting employment) Ostrobothnia, a province on the west the province, bringing together repre- Project duration coast of Finland. The area is divided into sentatives of business, employees, educa- November 2004 to October 2004 two sub-regions, each with special char- tional bodies and the public sector. The acteristics and development needs, but forum is helping to steer the employ- EU co-funding in the past there has been little coordi- ment strategy, while local employment EUR 337,385 (73.83 %) nation in employment policies across the teams, made up of core actors at grass- Total budget whole province. Other issues to be roots level, coordinate projects. EUR 456,975 tackled are youth unemployment, ageing and levels of education and training Meanwhile, thematic working groups are Partners Pohjanmaan TE-keskus below the national average. planning innovative projects to test new Kaustisen seutukunta approaches and identify the best ways of Kokkolan seudun kehitys Oy The MUTTI project is working on an tackling the region’s problems. If suc- Keski-Pohjanmaan Koulutusyhtymä integrated approach to employment by cessful, the project’s results could serve Chydenius-Instituutti putting together a coordinated job strat- as a model for the province to deal with Kokkolan työvoimatoimisto egy for the province for the first time. employment issues in the future. Kaustisen työvoimatoimisto Led by the regional council, the partner- Keski-Pohjanmaan Yrittäjät ry ship involves the province’s sub-regions Pohjanmaan Kauppakamari Kosti ry and municipalities. Contact Keski-Pohjanmaan liitto Two separate strategies are being devel- Ms Anne Pesola oped for each of the sub-regions, taking Rantakatu 14 into account their differing socio-eco- FIN-67400 Kokkola nomic structures and needs. At the E-mail same time, the two areas have a number [email protected] of common features and a high level of [email protected] economic interdependence. The overall Website strategy will therefore tackle shared www.keski-pohjanmaa.fi/mutti problems like population loss and focus the province’s combined resources on priority areas.

42 FINLAND • North Karelia Local employment strategies and innovation

On the EU’s eastern border with Russia, the region of North Karelia is get- ting to grips with the ongoing effects of the collapse of the Soviet Union. An action plan for the coming five years is being drawn up to tackle the dual challenges of high unemployment and demographic change.

Project name The recession of the early 1990s hit working methods and models for cross- North Karelia employment strategy North Karelia hard; the border region sector cooperation are being developed 2005-2010 suffered from high job losses and has as part of the project. Project duration never fully recovered. While the region November 2003 to October 2005 has since experienced economic growth, A central aim is to achieve a permanent it continues to lag behind the rest of Fin- reduction in joblessness, while raising EU co-funding land in terms of production, employment the North Karelian employment rate EUR 356,711 (73.29 %) and per capita income levels. Particular from its current level of 58.6% to the Total budget problems are high long-term joblessness national average of 67.7%. Measures are EUR 486,711 and net migration away from the region, also planned to prepare for the challenge combined with an ageing population. of ageing and to combat exclusion of Partners T&E Keskus This raises two simultaneous threats: groups like the disabled and older people potential labour shortages in certain sec- from the labour market. Contact tors, while large numbers of people Regional Council of North Karelia Ms Pia Nissinen remain out of work due to a mismatch Torikatu 9 of skills with labour market demands. FIN-80100 Joensuu Bringing together a new partnership of E-mail [email protected] the public, private and voluntary sectors to tackle these problems is the main Website objective of the ‘Local employment www.pohjois-karjala.fi strategies and innovation’ project. It is taking on the challenges of socio-eco- nomic change by putting together a five- year employment strategy for the region as a whole. The strategy is supported by an action plan covering the same period: 2005-2010.

Studies and reports on the existing employment situation are being used as a basis for the strategy. Meanwhile, new

43

FINLAND • North Savo Learning Employment Strategy – Anticipating tomorrow’s labour needs

Anticipating changes in supply and demand for labour is crucial to build- ing an effective strategy for jobs on a regional level. This is the objective of an Article 6-supported project in the Finnish region of Northern Savo. Expert groups and on-the-ground coordinators are being used to confront the region’s main labour market problems – high unemployment and an ageing workforce.

Project name Like the rest of eastern Finland, the changes in employment needs, based on SOMPA (Pohjois-Savo Learning Northern Savo region lost both jobs and analytical input from the local university Employment Strategy) population in the recession of the early and economic development centre – Project duration 1990s. With one in five jobs in the both partners in the project. The November 2003 to November 2005 region disappearing, people moved to experts support the strategy develop- other parts of Finland with brighter ment process by feeding in new propos- EU co-funding employment prospects. Although the als, like adapting local education and EUR 489,139 (68.49 %) picture has since improved, economic training programmes to meet demand Total budget progress has been slower than in the for new skills. Each of the groups has a EUR 714,139 rest of the country. The unemployment coordinator, who works with local rate remains high, while long term job- employers to investigate labour require- Partners Kuopion seutukunta/ Kuopion kaupunki lessness is a particular problem. The sit- ments on the ground. Koillis-Savon kehitys Oy uation is compounded by the effects of Sisä-Savon seutuyhtymä ageing and population loss, which threat- Around 60 different actors are involved Ylä-Savon seutukunta/ Keiteleen kunta en to bring about a shortage of skilled in developing the regional strategy, while Varkauden seutukunta/ Varkauden workers. 100 businesses and employers are kaupunki expected to take part in the negotiation Pohjois-Savon TE-keskus Better understanding of future employ- process at sub-regional level. Two Itä-Suomen lääninhallitus ment needs and preparing for changes in regional and eight sub-regional seminars Kuopio University (Institute for social the labour market are the main objec- are being held during the course of the economy and social politics) tives of the Learning Employment Strat- project, which is coordinated by the Contact egy for Northern Savo. In this way, the regional council. The organisers are Pohjois-Savon liitto project aims to achieve an increase in using the results of previous employ- (North Savo Regional Council) the employment rate and a reduction in ment projects in the region to develop Mrs Aila Salminen Sepänkatu 1 long-term unemployment. At the same the new strategy. FIN-70100 Kuopio time, they intend to tackle the region’s skill gaps and reduce the problems asso- E-mail ciated with finding qualified employees. [email protected]

Website Expert groups have been set up at www.pohjois-savo.fi regional level and in five sub-regions, bringing together stakeholders like local authorities, businesses, trade unions and vocational schools. The groups forecast

44

FINLAND • South-East Finland Future in Innovative Service – For a balanced labour market

Achieving a sustainable balance between job supply and demand is the aim of a regional partnership in South-East Finland. ‘Future in innovative serv- ices’ is drawing up an employment strategy to promote a versatile work- force and address the problem of an ageing population.

Project name Transport and forestry-related industries and family-friendly working. A second Future in Innovative Service are key economic activities in South-East theme is cooperation with neighbouring Finland, which lies at the crossroads border regions on issues such as cross- Project duration November 2003 to January 2005 between the EU and Russia. With the border working and immigration. Finally, collapse of the Soviet Union, a major the project aims to increase the number EU co-funding recession in the early 1990’s was followed of small and medium-sized companies EUR 532,529 (65.95 %) by economic recovery, but a mismatch operating in the region, promoting Total budget between jobs and the skills of those seek- employment through entrepreneurship. EUR 807,529 ing work remains a problem. The region This includes challenges like ensuring the also suffers from a problematic age struc- longevity of small businesses after an Partners ture and a declining population. owner’s retirement. City of Lappeenranta Imatra Regional Development Company City of Kotka Four sub-regions and two regional coun- Kouvola Region Federation of cils are now pooling resources to build an Municipalities employment strategy for the region. It Kymenlaakso Regional Council aims to bring greater balance to the S. Karelia Regional Council labour market, focusing on the potential Continuing Education Centre in Kouvola of the service sector and promoting Continuing Education Centre in Kotka entrepreneurship. The policy developed State Provincial Office of S. Finland is being turned into a concrete action S. Finnish Centre for Social Welfare plan for regional employment. Implemen- Work Expertise tation is being monitored and evaluated. Joint Municipal Authority for Vocational Education in S. Karelia Lappeenranta Business Development The authorities involved are working (SELMA) with training institutions to address skill Palvelutyönantajat shortages and to promote flexibility in Kymen Yrittäjät ry the labour force. A key emphasis is Kymenlaakso Polytechnic placed on research, with innovative solu- AKAVA SE Finland tions being sought and good practices Kotka-Hamina Region mainstreamed.

Contact Employment & Economic In terms of outcomes, the project seeks Development Centre of SE Finland to create new models for organising Matti Kallio work to encourage social inclusion, Salpausselänkatu 22 FIN-45101 Kouvola for example through social companies

E-mail [email protected] [email protected]

Website http://tip.kaakkois-suomi.fi

45 FINLAND • Tampere Collabora – Building lasting models for local jobs

Creating a new regional employment strategy is a major task in itself. But developing the structures and culture required to maintain and embed such a strategy in the future is another challenge. This is the focus of the Collabora project in Finland.

Project name The Tampere region in southern Finland and to develop new, multi-actor working Collabora has a diverse economic structure, with models in the process. strong high-tech industry and service Project duration November 2003 to May 2005 sectors. Although job creation in recent The project is divided into two stages: a years has been strong, the region still suf- foundation phase to mobilise stakehold- EU co-funding fers from structural unemployment on ers and analyse local employment prior- EUR 422,948 (73.79 %) the one hand, combined with skills ities; and an implementation phase, Total budget shortages on the other. Ageing of the where the actual strategy-building work EUR 573,173 population is offset to some extent by takes place. Experts are used mainly in net migration from other, economically the preparatory stage, while coordina- Partners weaker parts of the country. tors are employed to implement the sec- Council of Tampere Region ond phase together with partnerships in Five Sub-regions of Pirkanmaa Made up of several diverse sub-regions, the sub-regions. Contact the area has lacked a co-ordinated Employment and Economic Development employment strategy in the past. At the In this way, the strategies take specific Centre (TE-Centre) for Tampere region Mr Mikko Kesä same time, regional strategies have failed local factors into account and are based Hämeenkatu 13 to take sufficient account of the specific on the commitment of the partners FIN-33101 Tampere needs of the component sub-regions. involved. By using a participatory learn- There have also been large differences in ing process, the project builds up operat- E-mail [email protected] strategic focus between the various ing models to last beyond its own limit- parts of the region – and a lack of ed time span. The short duration of the Website involvement in employment issues by scheme is considered an advantage: this www.collabora.fi stakeholders. has had the effect of galvanising partici- pants with a series of strict targets and Collabora is overcoming these problems deadlines. Sub-regions were brought by building locally developed employ- together for seminars at the opening and ment strategies for five sub-regions closing stages of the project, while a around Finland’s second city – and the series of common themes – like ageing, operating models to maintain them in immigration, equality and inclusion – the long term. It aims to increase job ensured cooperation and coherence promotion activities in the sub-regions among them. through a process combining learning and training with strategic planning. The objective is to create a feasible employ- ment strategy for each participating area

46 SWEDEN • Jönköping Skill-building for future labour supply

The county of Jönköping, in southern Sweden, is taking action now to tack- le a foreseen shortage of labour as well as current skill gaps. An ESF proj- ect is drawing up plans to secure future labour supply in the county and thus safeguard its economic future.

Project name Part of Sweden’s economic heartland, the best use of those which are economical- Project for Supply of Skilled Labour southern county of Jönköping, enjoys ly active by raising the employment rate strong growth and low unemployment – and opening up new possibilities for the Project duration October 2003 to September 2005 just 2.4% in 2001 compared to a national development of skills. average of 3.4% among those aged 16-64. EU co-funding Dominated by a diversified manufacturing The project’s work is being carried out EUR 1,806,219 (64.01 %) industry (employing 32% of workers in on the ground via eleven sub-projects. Total budget contrast to 19% for Sweden as a whole), These include: getting information EUR 2,821,715 the area has been able to adjust well to through to new target groups; building economic change. Nevertheless, the mechanisms for skills recognition among Partners local economy is affected by major short- adults; providing training for entrepre- Jönköping County Administrative Board falls in skilled labour, which could act as a neurs; recognising and certifying healthy Högskolan, Jönköping Högskoleservice brake on future growth. Ageing also workplaces; promoting economic activi- Integrationsverket threatens to restrict the labour supply. ty through new forms of work; and Migrationsverket developing a project infrastructure to LO Distriktet Drawing up a new strategy for skill- ensure cooperation and the sustainabili- TCO-rådet building in the region is the priority of a ty of results. Teknikföretagen local ESF-funded project. Its main objec- Tranåsbygdens Näringslivsförening tive is to develop a county-wide employ- The lasting effects of the project will be Communes of Nässjö, Eksjö, Gislaved, ment strategy as part of a broad local felt in the new forms of labour market Gnosjö, Habo, Jönköping, Mullsjö, Nässjö, partnership. In this way, it aims to tackle cooperation developed by its partners. Sävsjö,Tranås,Värnamo,Vaggeryd,Vetlanda future labour shortages, bridge current These methods should ensure the supply Contact skill gaps and develop new and lasting of labour and skills needed to underpin Jönköping County Labour Board methods for job market cooperation. the county’s strong economic record Mr Mats Werning and business climate in the long term. Barnarpsgatan 40 Forming part of a wider regional growth Box 1039 S-551 11 Jönköping programme, the project has four focus areas: increased economic activity; E-mail healthier working life; more cooperation [email protected] [email protected] between schools (training) and business- es (employment); and promotion of life- Website long learning. In practice, this means www.bibl.hj.se/kf mobilising labour resources currently outside the job market while making

47 SWEDEN • Västerbotten LAPP – Confronting the problems of a diverse region

Confronting the various employment problems of a diverse county is the challenge being taken on by Västerbotten in northern Sweden. Five local employment strategies are being drawn up to deal with the different con- ditions in the county’s five labour market areas, though all address the same basic issues: the supply of labour and skills.

Project name Twice the size of Belgium but with forty young graduates to stay in the region; LAPP (Local Employment Strategies in times fewer people,Västerbotten is one and improving access to and provision of Västerbotten County/Local Action Plans of the most sparsely populated areas in learning for adults. in Progress) Europe. Agriculture and forestry are Project duration relatively important to the local econo- The project is developing and imple- November 2003 to September 2005 my, while healthcare and education also menting local jobs strategies for five EU co-funding employ a bigger proportion of the work- labour market areas in the county, draw- EUR 821,157 (74.52 %) force than in Sweden as a whole. ing on the experience of previous ESF projects. This includes setting up local Total budget The county is characterised by intra- skills councils and learning centres. EUR 1,101,994 regional variations, with marked differ- Seminars, conferences and workshops Partners ences between the main city Umeå and are also used to bring together the par- Kommunförbundet Västerbotten its rural hinterland. While the city has ticipants: municipalities, labour boards Västerbotten County Administrative doubled in size over the last half centu- and regional authorities. Board ry, the surrounding areas have suffered Västerbotten County Council population loss, reaching a decline of LAPP intends to disseminate its results Nutek 40% in some parts. Umeå is young, edu- and the model of cooperation developed Almi Företagspartner AB cated and economically dynamic (thanks during the project, using websites and Contact in part to its university) – but the rest of marketing via the media. In this way, it Västerbotten County Labour Board the county is confronted with an ageing could act as an example for other Mr Mikael Holmlund workforce, unemployment and a short- regions facing similar problems. Box 393 S-90108 Umeå age of skills. The sparse population in outlying districts makes it hard to match E-mail the few inhabitants – and their range of [email protected] skills – with the limited number of jobs. Website www.ams.se/RDFS.asp?L=31843 Tackling these imbalances and targeting the specific problems of each of the five areas are the objectives of the LAPP project – Local Action Plans in Progress. It aims to address four particular factors in Västerbotten:the high rate of industri- al injuries; the relatively low level of entrepreneurship; encouraging more

48 UNITED KINGDOM • Edinburgh Joined-up efforts for jobs

Unfilled job vacancies alongside pockets of unemployment point to barri- ers to the job market. The city of Edinburgh is leading a project to tack- le social exclusion and support employment growth by identifying and dealing with these barriers. ‘Working Together’ is developing a local strat- egy to bring together the contributions of all agencies concerned with employment in the city.

Project name The Scottish capital has a growing popu- actors are being ‘joined-up’ through staff Working Together for Employment lation, buoyant economy and rising and information exchanges and new and Inclusion in Edinburgh employment. A major tourism centre communication systems designed to fos- Project duration and the UK’s second financial hub after ter better inter-agency coordination. In November 2003 to November 2005 London, it expects to gain new jobs in particular, new information and commu- catering, banking and business services in nication technology (ICT) software is EU co-funding the coming years. Nevertheless, the city being used to improve identification, EUR 483,965 (58.29 %) suffers pockets of high unemployment referral, tracking and follow-up of those Total budget and larger numbers of ‘hidden unem- most excluded from the labour market. EUR 830,206 ployed’, not reflected in the rosier, head- line statistics. At the same time, local As well as improving coordination of Partners Capital City Partnership employers are experiencing increasing services to access jobs, the project aims Job Centre Plus difficulties in recruiting – reporting both to bring together the main funding bod- Scottish Enterprise specific skill shortages and a lack of basic ies to develop common strategies. Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce skills in potential employees. Employment services will target not only Careers Scotland at the registered unemployed but at a Edinburgh’s project aims to create a new wider group of economically inactive Contact framework to take on these twin prob- individuals, as well as excluded groups. City of Edinburgh Council Mr Ken Shaw lems – in the form of a joint employment The social economy sector is attracting 1 Cockburn Street strategy designed to bring together the attention for its intermediary potential. UK-EH1 1ZW Edinburgh different local agencies dealing with jobs. Project results will be disseminated via a Goals include pooling funding for website, newsletter and high-level con- E-mail [email protected] employment measures; clarifying rela- ference. If successful, the project’s strat- tionships between employers, training egy model could be extended beyond Website bodies and individuals; making ongoing Edinburgh to cover the surrounding www.edinburgh.gov.uk training routinely available in workplaces; Lothian region as well. and providing clear, single points of access to services for jobseekers.

In concrete terms, the project has start- ed with a baseline study, focusing espe- cially on the ‘hidden unemployed’ and on the needs of emerging sectors. The services of different labour market

49 UNITED KINGDOM • Somerset Innovative Market Towns – Local blueprints for jobs

A county in South-West England is putting together local employment blueprints in six key towns threatened with job losses. Local partnerships have been set up to find ways of raising skill levels, improving job opportu- nities and enhancing competitiveness. The findings will be mainstreamed in the county’s economic strategy and innovative solutions sought.

Project name While it enjoys an unemployment rate develop an employment strategy and a Innovative ‘Market Towns’ below the national and regional averages, plan for implementing it, identifying key Labour Market Strategies Somerset has a number of market towns challenges and opportunities in the local Project duration where manufacturing jobs are dispro- labour market. October 2003 to September 2005 portionately important to the local economy – in one case forming 43% of The organisers intend to identify innova- EU co-funding employment. Recent restructuring in tive solutions from the project’s results EUR 449,476 (69.42 %) the sector has led to large-scale redun- to aid other market towns. Other find- Total budget dancies and leaves the area exposed to ings are being shared through a network EUR 647,498 further job losses. This vulnerability is group so that good practices are passed exacerbated by the dependency of many on and working methods disseminated. Partners Mendip District Council towns on a few large employers and The six local employment strategies Sedgemoor District Council industries, many of which are in sectors developed will feed into the county’s South Somerset District Council forecast to decline over the next wider strategy for economic develop- Taunton Deane Borough Council decade. These sectors represent more ment and business support. West Somerset District Council than half of all jobs in most Somerset Business Link towns. Job Centre Plus Learning & Skills Council A project led by the local county council is attempting to safeguard employment Contact opportunities and the future competi- Somerset County Council Ms Stephanie Berry tiveness of the area by developing local County Hall, strategy partnerships for six of the TA1 4DY Taunton largest towns. The aim is for each group E-mail to draw up a local employment strategy [email protected] covering skills, job opportunities and competitiveness. The partnerships Website engage local communities, public agen- www.somerset.gov.uk cies, social partners and businesses.

Each partnership is undertaking a base- line study of their local area, the findings of which are shared through a network- ing group. This intelligence is used to

50 UNITED KINGDOM • Southampton An Integrated Employment Strategy for Southampton – Joined-up job market support

Coordinated action to better understand local job market needs is the principal aim of a project in Southampton, southern England. The pro- ject’s partners are improving their support both to businesses and individ- uals while addressing the city’s employment problems – low participation rates for women and a shortage of entrepreneurs.

Project name As the second largest city in South-East this knowledge, the project intends to An Integrated Employment Strategy for England after London, Southampton has build a more accurate picture of employ- Southampton traditionally been dominated by mar- ment patterns – and better co-ordinate Project duration itime and related industries. But the work of the various organisations November 2003 to October 2005 employment has shifted over recent active in the field. A Southampton years from traditional manufacturing and Employment Knowledge Centre has EU co-funding engineering sectors to jobs in services been created to group research out- EUR 713,445 (71.53 %) and technology – with consequent comes in the form of a public website. Total budget changes in skill needs. The city is home EUR 997,445 to around 7,100 businesses, but is rela- The project is led by a steering group tively reliant on large employers, which and includes training and educational Partners Learning & Skills Council provide 37% of jobs. institutions. The partners’ improved Jobcentre Plus awareness of job market needs will allow Connexions Partnership Unemployment – at 3.1% – is low, yet them to better target resources for Business Link Wessex economic activity rates are weak com- employment support in the city. At the Southampton Chamber of Commerce pared to national and regional averages. same time, joining up the organisations’ COGENT The employment rate for women in the activities will build their capacity to Southampton Voluntary Services city is especially low, at 12% below the address local labour market needs. In Southampton Institute regional level. Nevertheless, Southamp- this way, the project intends to increase Southampton University - New College ton is a net importer of labour, with the employment rates for women and Hampshire & Isle of Wight NHS employers reporting difficulties in the over-50s, improve business survival Workforce Development Confederation recruiting for higher-skilled positions. rates and expand the social enterprise Contact sector – a key source of jobs for disad- Southampton City Council Overall though, the city lacks full infor- vantaged groups. Mr Steven Haygarth mation on key sectors in the local econ- Floor 3, Marland House, omy and employers’ skills needs. One 17 Civic Centre Road SO14 7LT Southampton aim of the employment strategy is to fill these intelligence gaps with a new E-mail research infrastructure to provide reli- [email protected] able job market data. This includes Website building a comprehensive information www.southampton.gov.uk base, as well as focused research on the www.invest-in-southampton.co.uk positions of women, young people and asylum seekers in the job market. With

51 coverEN2 20/06/05 16:22 Page 1

Innovation through the European Social Fund (Follow-up 1) opean Social Fund Employment & Eur

Employment social affairs

European Commission