Last week, over 10 representatives from Eurodiaconia members gathered in Stockholm for the first meeting of our new thematic network on Access to Employment.
The meeting, hosted by our member the Stockholm City Mission, was rich in exchange and reflection on the role of social services as levers of inclusive labour markets with opportunities for employment for all people. Participants discussed old and new profiles of unemployed people and the additional challenges faced by some groups such as people with disabilities, migrants or the long-term unemployed. Participants looked at ways to promote stronger partnerships with employment services and engaged in a dialogue with the Swedish Public Employment Services (PES), Arbetsförmedlingen, and the PES Network.
Participants had the opportunity to learn more about projects run by Eurodiaconia members in the Czech Republic and in Italy with emphasis on partnership with employers.
The study visits were a core element of the meeting. Participants had the chance to discover the work done in two of the social enterprises run by the Stockholm City Mission, e.g. the main warehouse and redistribution centre for 17 second-hand stores and a social supermarket, Matmissionen. The Stockholm City Mission social enterprises offer different forms of employment, work training and vocational training for individuals outside the labour market, often long-term unemployed.
In addition, participants had the chance to feed into Eurodiaconia policy work. The meeting offered a state of play of the Council Recommendation on the integration of the long-term unemployed in the labour market, and participants engaged in a policy workshop to build Eurodiaconia messages for a more inclusive labour market. A specific session was also dedicated to discussing strategies towards the labour market integration of third-country nationals.
If you are interested in knowing more about the meeting, a full meeting report will be published on our website in the coming weeks.
To know more about the study visit, visit Matmissionen website.
To know more about the integration of the long-term unemployed in the EU, check the Council Recommendation.