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Description
The project solves the situation of social excluded people. These people are not homogenous, but they have common characteristics – housing instability, single parents, over-indebtedness, low qualification, low or missing family support, personal experience with discrimination because of race/ethnicity/age. We see a lack of training jobs within the existing social services. There is housing support (although extremely insufficient) and debts counselling (although insolvency legislation is still not very helpful to the most vulnerable groups of people). But on the same hand there is no systemic support on returning or progressing in the labour market. Without a stable job this target group comes back to the system of social welfare repeatedly. The project target group will be supported by our own innovative method of low-threshold employment throughout the project course. The method includes support and counselling that aims to provide time, space and assistance so that the employee will be able to stabilize his/her psychical condition, social condition and relationships. Thus his/her own competency to govern his/her own life and enforce his/ her own rights. By the project activities we will gain data that will be published. Sociological analysis will verify the method that we use in Restart Shops. It will also describe needs and attitudes of our target group. We will update webpage restartshop.cz. We will establish working group – platform of initiatives who provide training jobs. We will organize a conference on low-threshold employment. The aim of the project activities is to cooperate within the above mentioned platform towards implementation of the method to the systemic tools and politics of social work and employment.
Summary of project results
The project addresses the issue of a socially excluded group of residents that is not entirely homogeneous and does not correspond to the classification of existing target groups for existing social services. This group shares common characteristics, as described in. If their employment is not addressed, people tend to return to social services.
Within the existing social services for this target group, we perceive a lack of training job positions. There is support for housing, although significantly insufficient, debt resolution counseling, even though insolvency legislation is still not favorable to these most vulnerable groups of residents. At the same time, there is no systemic support for returning to the job market. This is being addressed by the training job positions program within the charitable thrift store Restart Shop, but obtaining financial resources for this activity is very difficult because it is an innovative method that does not fit into any of the 33 types of social services, and therefore cannot be funded through the social services network.
The issue of low-threshold employment is still not systematically addressed in the Czech Republic, which is why there are not many low-threshold training job positions. Additionally, there is a lack of data and arguments to advocate for it.
We are aware that a few other organizations are attempting this low-threshold work method, but there is no platform that describes and promotes this work method. There is very little awareness in society about the needs of this target group and the possibilities for their social inclusion. Likewise, employers may have misconceptions or prejudices and may refuse to employ individuals from this target group.
During the project implementation, we provided support to the target group through our innovative low-threshold employment method, including assistance aimed at promoting stability. The goal was to offer clients time, counseling, and a supportive environment to achieve psychological, relational, and social stabilization, thus enhancing their overall competence to take control of their lives and assert their rights.
Through project activities, we collected data on the work we were doing, and we published this data. A sociological analysis verified the method we used in Restart Shops and described the needs and attitudes of the target group. The analysis involved both former and current training employees. We also created a new website, restartshop.cz, as the current one is outdated (since the program''s inception in 2014) and does not reflect reality.
As part of the project, we established cooperation with other organizations that implement low-threshold employment in some way. We formed a working group - a platform - and organized a conference on low-threshold training employment. We built a network of organizations experimenting with similar methods and shared best practices with them. The project''s activities also aimed to collaborate within the established platform to advocate for the method''s integration into systemic social work and employment policies.
ACHIEVED GOALS:
GOAL 1: We provided training positions to 8 individuals from the target group, with a minimum of 6 employees continuing employment in the open job market after completing their work contracts. In total, we offered 12 training positions. Currently, 4 individuals are still employed at Restart Shop, and two have successfully transitioned to the open job market within weeks. The training process faced disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to business closures, preventing the intake of new employees. Three individuals secured employment, one retired, two received medical treatment (psychiatric and alcohol-related), and two received termination notices (due to repeated unexcused absences and theft), hence not completing the training.
GOAL 2: We described the method of a training job position and made it publicly available. The goal has been accomplished. We developed the methodology, and it is accessible at Methodology.
GOAL 3: We established a platform of organizations for sharing practices and advocating for low-threshold employment in state social policies. The platform was successfully established with the participation of nine organizations. Together, they released a memorandum available here: Memorandum. Currently, two additional organizations actively contribute to the platform''s activities, totaling 11 engaged organizations.
GOAL 4: We developed a sociological analysis and made it publicly available. The sociological analysis was prepared, published, and is now freely accessible at Sociological Analysis.
GOAL 5: We conducted a final conference to share best practices. The conference was successfully held on February 24, 2022, with participation from 96 individuals.
GOAL 6: We advocated for and raised awareness of low-threshold employment among professionals, the general public, and employers in the open job market. The accomplishment of this goal towards the general public is evident through media coverage, as outlined below - publicity. Advocacy for visibility among professionals was further achieved through the activities of the PLATZ platform. An important event that raised awareness of low-threshold employment was the February conference, which had notable participation from representatives of state and local authorities. Collaboration with employers occurred in both the open and protected job markets, as detailed in the description of activities to support the target group above.