The need for the implementation of employment and business services is undergoing extensive systemic change, which requires service providers to develop new skills, strengthen cooperation, create functioning networks, and experiment and pilot new production models and services. In order to find roles and consensus, stronger interaction and coordination of views between those involved in employment and business services is needed in North Karelia. The ELY Centre and the TE Office play a key role in the modernisation of employment and business services and service structures, in the management of its preparation and in the advancement of its preparation. The KasvuPOK project supports the implementation of the reform in North Karelia; customer-oriented and cost-effective construction of services and strengthening the required expertise, operator networks and communications. The project is a support for new operating models (TE-services and municipal experiments), which enables the necessary background work, analysis of the operating environment, and the targeted development of partnerships both in the province and outside the province. The project will identify different opportunities to provide employment and entrepreneurship services in the province, test their functionality to the needs of the province, and organise the skills and sparring needed for their construction. Objectives The aim of the GrowthPOK project is to: •a comprehensive provincial employment strategy, •development of services and service structure and improvement of effectiveness, as well as the strengthening of the skills of operators. The project focuses on the development of services supporting employment together with the network of operators. The area of operation of the project is the whole province. The project supports the implementation of employment and business services and the development of related skills for key actors in North Karelia. The aim is to bring new perspectives and tools to the organisation of services for a more comprehensive and efficient planning of more customer-oriented and effective services. Effective employment and business services promote the integration of the unemployed into the labour market and are cost-effective from the point of view of society and regional economy. They also enhance the availability of skilled labour in enterprises and thus support their growth and productivity. The aim of the project is to raise the level of competence and cooperation of those involved in employment and business services in North Karelia. The commitment of the management of different organisations to cooperate is central to the development of services and service structures. An agile network of operators shares information and expertise, develops the network’s know-how and the existing resources are used effectively and cost-effectively, in consultation with and involving customers. The target group of the project is the providers of employment and business services (TE-administration, municipalities and project operators) and the final benefit will be the human and business customers of renewing employment and business services.TOIMENPITEET1.Strengthening the common will of renewed services/comprehensive employment strategy in the regionEmployment resources will be seen as a future investment in a better functioning labour market in the region. They are intended to be the most effective and require the commitment of the actors in the region to a common will. In this context, the project provides information to decision-makers, displays the development of employment and business services and its results, strengthens the strategic planning of communications, cooperation between media and substance experts, e.g. through co-creation and service design. The project helps to support cooperation and development between the actors, for example in various cooperation forums and by organising events related to renewed employment and business services. The development of employment resources will be improved by developing the overall processes related to the everyday work and organisational structure of employment services. The need for process development is partly linked to the change requirements of municipal experiments and creates the conditions for a smooth implementation of the municipal experiment. The key to the development of processes is development through cooperation between the TE Office’s experts and management, which is supported by the project. Sustainable and effective development measures also require consideration of qualitative change management and support for change throughout the project, especially as regards process development. 2.Increase the management and exchange of information in the regionInformation, the know-how of management will be strengthened in the region and will be centrally part of the strategic activities of the ELY Centre and the TE Office.