Kohesio: discover EU projects in your region

project info
Start date: 1 March 2023
End date: 30 September 2024
funding
Fund: European Social Fund Plus (ESF+)
Total budget: 112 023,00 €
EU contribution: 44 809,00 € (40%)
programme
Programming period: 2021-2027
European Commission Topic
European Commission Topic

From Rehabilitative Work Activities to Employment

The goal of the Työtoiminnasta työelämään (From Rehabilitative Work Activities to Employment) project is to support customers of rehabilitative work activities in Helsinki in a new way on their journey towards employment or studies. The customers of rehabilitative work activities are long-term unemployed, who often face challenges in entering the labor market without intensive multi-professional support or rehabilitation. The customers also include persons recovering from mental health and substance abuse issues, young early school dropouts, elderly persons with outdated skills and education, persons with immigrant background and persons with partial work ability. Customers of rehabilitative work activities do not always have sufficient capability for work or studies at the end of the social service and during the transition period. The current model of work activities lacks sufficient tools and operating models to meet this need. At the same time, long-term unemployment in the Uusimaa Region has clearly increased. To answer these needs, the project will develop a new service package for work coaching to be integrated into work activities, pilot it with a test group, improve the working life skills and working capacity of the participants (and staff), and strengthen the customers’ follow-up paths by also developing and utilizing new digital solutions. The aim is also to create a concept that enables customers of work activities to complete qualification modules and courses digitally during their work activity period. Another aim is for all of the data related to each customer’s progress and, for example, study attainments (OmaData) to be stored in one place. The project also examines why many work activity customers are unable to proceed into working life. New knowledge is being used to remove obstacles along their path. The work coaching model that is being developed will enable broad support that extends to the workplace. Work coaching will diversify the current social welfare service package supporting employment in work activities. The development of the service package and the introduction of the new model will also better combat the prolongation of unemployment and possible social exclusion resulting from customers falling through the gaps. The project will also strengthen regional network cooperation, especially with work capacity coordinators and employment services, as well as with educational institutions and employers in the region. The project corresponds well to ESF SO 4.1. (Access to employment) as well as the priorities of the Call for projects in Uusimaa. The project also implements Objective 2.1 of the Regional Strategy of Uusimaa, which aims to promote the engagement in employment of people aged 30–60. It is noted in the strategy that although this is a very large population group, their employment has not been discussed as much as, for example, youth employment. At the same time, it is the most significant customer group of rehabilitative work activities. The project also supports the regional strategy’s objective 2.2 to increase the employment rate of immigrants, as the customers of rehabilitative work activities also include a large number of them. In addition, the project contributes well to the implementation of the Helsinki City Strategy by innovating new ways of employing people. At the same time, the project supports the Helsinki Digitalisation Programme and, through the digital development of services and increasing of digitalisation, the goals of the European Union Baltic Sea Strategy.

Flag of Finland  Uusimaa, Finland