Et glimt av NAV i Norge Steinar Hansen NAV-leder i Drammen, Buskerud Executive Master of Management – Handelshøyskolen BI, Oslo Cand.mag. – Universitetet i Oslo Jelgava City, May 13, 2015

Drammen City

Overview Background and organization of NAV Main challenges in Norway The social policies and experiences - Advantages and disadvantages of the reform - Expertise and cooperation The tasks and corporate strategy of NAV to address the challenges of Norway

Some basic facts of Norway Bergen 263.762 Stavanger 127.506 Trondheim 176.348 Tromsø 69.116 Kristiansand 83.243 Oslo 613.285 Innbyggere: 5.038.300 Antall kommuner: 428 Arbeidsledighet: 3,0 %

SAMFUNNSKONTRAKTEN Samfunnskontrakten - det er ditt liv, men NAV kan bidra De sentrale prinsippene i empowermenttenkningen er; maktomfordeling, medvirkning og anerkjennelse av brukerens kompetanse som ekspert på seg selv.

ARBEIDSLINJEN Den styrende ideologi for NAV-reformen Resonnementet i arbeidslinjen: Gjennom arbeid og lønnsinntekt skal den enkelte innbygger klare seg selv. Alle innbyggere i arbeid utgjør den samlede arbeidskraften. Arbeidskraften er samtidig samfunnets viktigste ressurs. Den fremtidige verdiskapning og våre muligheter for å utvikle velferdstilbudet er avhengig av arbeidsgivernes tilgang på arbeidskraft. Hvordan kan vi i NAV bidra til å realisere arbeidslinjen? Kan innebære innsats mot prioriterte arbeidssøkere Kan innebære innsats mot prioriterte arbeidsgivere Bør innebære balansert innsats mot både arbeidssøkere og arbeidsgivere

Den nordiske velferdsmodellen ...i kortversjon Den nordiske velferdsmodellen kjennetegnes av: Generösa velferdsordninger Idealet er: like muligheter, sosial solidaritet og trygghet for alle. Lik tilgang til helsetjenester og sosiale ytelser, utdanning og kultur. Omsorg for sosialt utsatte og sårbare grupper i samfunnet. Førtroende mellom individ og samfunn/forvaltning Alle skal kunne delta i samfunnslivet og i samfunnets beslutningsprosesser. Velferden finansieres hovedsakelig gjennom et relativt høyt skattetrykk.

Background and organization of the NAV reform The Employment and Welfare Administration (NAV) consists of the governmental Employment and Welfare Service and partnership with local authorities Local partnership in local offices between NAV and the municipal social services in all municipalities – offices in all 428 municipalities. 456 in all. Administers a third of the state budget through approximate 50 benefits such as unemployment benefits, sick leave allocations, pensions, family allocations, social benefits (municipalities) etc. and labor market measures Through our efforts, we shall give more people the opportunity to work, participate in society and safeguard income

Public Employment Services Background and organization - The NAV reform Social Insurance (state government) Public Employment Services (state government) Social service (municipality) Social security offices Special units About 9 000 employees PES local offices Special units about 3 500 employees Social part of municipality about 5 000 employees

Tasks and responsibilities in the NAV-office To assist and follow-up users is the office’s most important task More users shall get more and better adapted follow-up Increased focus on labour marked and working life Separate activity from benefit plan Work out plan Carry out work capability assessment if needed Establish a close cooperation with local employers Tasks in the NAV-office: Receive user, clarify needs and decide on further action Inform Assist and follow-up user for work and activity Administrative tasks shall mainly be resolved outside the NAV-office. More employees may work with follow-up.

Samarbeid med næringsliv

Krav om aktivitet for sosialhjelp

Krav om aktivitet for dagpenger

Work- Needs clarification ability- assessment Activity plan Levels and outcomes of mapping users in NAV Needs clarification Work- ability- assessment Standard support Situational support Specially adopted support Permanently adopted support Activity plan 15

Social services in NAV (the minimal arrangement) Financial support (welfare) Information, advice and guidance also financial guidance The Qualification Programme with corresponding benefit Temporary housing Individual plan More services in the NAV office may be agreed between the state and the local authorities in the municipality

Internal organization The entry ways to NAV User channels Internal organization Internet 35 mill. visits Contact centre Special unit Administration Users 3,0 mill. NAV-office Telephone 10 mill. calls Reception, information and distribution Procedure In person 7 mill. visits Reception, information and follow-up Special unit Disbursement (payment) Unit for mail reception and registration Mail 22 mill. documents Mail reception and distribution Disbursement of benefits pr. year

Tasks and responsibilities in the administrative units The administrative units shall Save time for the NAV-offices Ensure swift and correct disbursement of benefits Ensure good quality, equal and efficient managing of cases Main tasks Manage user claims Evaluate terms, make decisions and disburse benefits Cooperate with NAV locally Manage case and disburse (payment) Manage Case is a more narrow term than ”case handling” which is otherwise used in the public sector. Based on facts from the NAV-office, the unit shall try the legal terms and reach a decision.

Main challenges The main objectives of the reform has been: - More people at work and in activity, fewer on benefit programmes - Good service tailored to individual conditions and needs - A comprehensive and efficient labour and welfare administration Although Norway has a sound financial situation and a good labor marked, we are facing major challenges in the years to come The unemployment rate seems to be rising The highest sick leave among OECD-countries Disability benefits also very high compared to other OECD-countries Quite high relative poverty An ageing of the older part of the present workforce: Fewer working people behind each pensioner

Work-rate and employment OECD

..but also too many not working because of health problems (or lack of qualifications) People on health benefits in % of the population between 18 - 67 disability pension work assessment allowance sickness benefits

Education is the key to employment Proportion of unskilled in the work force - 1972: 63 % - 2007: 27 % - 2030: 18 % (SSB, 2010) Greater importance of education Proportion of unemployd that have not completed secondary education is rising (40%) Utdanning Rate of employment (%) Higher education 90 Secondary education 82 Primary education 64

Receivers of social economic benefits by percentage of the population, and by age

Partnership: Status in the NAV offices The model with two owners and two control lines of the NAV office is the fundemental principle of the local partnership The partnertships in the NAV offices are mainly working good It is a good dialogue between the state and the municipal most places But there are of course challenges….

Some challenges when implementing the reform Equal partnership between unequal actors (a large homogeneous state and many, often small, municipalities ) Strong state control may undermine the opportunity and need of local flexibility Different forms of governance in the state and the municipalities Too weak anchoring of the reform to political and administrativ leadership in some municipalities Different regulations relating to personnel administration such as wages Different processing systems (IKT) Different traditions - professional and cultural (profession based social services vs management oriented state government))

Benefits of the reform (from the perspective of the social service) Access to new measures and instruments (for clients with complex issues) One door – assistances in one place for clients who need more services New legislation, professional responsibility and supervision of social services Qualification programme – shall provide new opportunities to those who are dependent on the social welfare system for financial aid Integrated services where social work plays an important role is producing results. We are getting better follow-up services when we work togheter.

What is the Qualification Programme? Qualification Programme shall consist of an individually adjusted sett of activities and work methods that a person requires to be socially included in the Norwegian society. A spectre or a variety of activities based on an individuals unique and special needs: Work related activities and job seeking methods Other activities that can be included: Training in professional skills. Coaching in social skills and building up of motivation. Physical activity and nutrition. Treatment and health issues. The client has a right to have an Individual plan (IP). The content of the Programme may vary, given that it has a specific framework. The programme is meant for persons with significantly impaired working capacity and earning ability. In particular persons who are dependent on social security benefits over a prolonged period

Expertise and Collaboration The NAV office has to cooperate well with other municipal services such as healthcare if we are to ensure that clients with complex needs are receiving comprehensive services Many Norwegian municipalities have less than 5000 inhabitants. It is a challenge to ensure adequate competence in the smallest municipalities It is a big challenge to ensure quality and equality of services in all 428 municipalitys. We also need to run the organization in an efficient manner (municipality reform is coming up)

The future outlook of the social worker in NAV NAV-challenges and the role of the social worker Norway has many dropout high school students and many people receiving disability benefits due to mental problems Must find resources to more intense follow-up services of vulnerable groups. Integrate more people into the labor market. In need of more expertise in guidance, follow up of clients and cooperation. The social worker plays an important role in NAV Work inclusion is probably a new field for the social worker Increasing proportion of clients who have never been in the labor market Get more out of labor market measures We are working to integrate this into education Intersectoral collaboration skills Essential to clients with complex problems Collaboration competency becomes increasingly important

NAV’s corporate strategy 2011- 2020 Vision: We give people opportunities 5 areas of action: Work is priority #1 Reliable case management Active users/clients Competent societal partner Operative and instrumental organisation Through our efforts, we will give more people the opportunity to work, participate in society and safeguard income.

Competent societal partner Operative and instrumental organisation B) Corporate Strategy of The Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration 2011-2020 Work is pri #1 Reliable mangagement Active users/clients Competent societal partner Operative and instrumental organisation Strenghten labour market competence Ensure common and and concise quality requirements and similar work processes Strenghten abilities in guiding and interacting with users Enhance competence on workable practices Practice transperent management and comprehensive implementation Strenghen the labour market focus of users’ follow-up Target competence development Facilitate co-determination and accentuate users’ own responsibilities Refine and disseminate our expertise on the state of labour market and welfare system Elaborate the state-municipal partnership Clarify roles and strengthen interaction with working life, doctors and the school system Solve managerial tasks by means of competent units Strenghten the system approach of users’ co-determination Contributing actively in the field of policy develoopment and simplifying standard rule requirements Induce joint efforts in strenghtening NAV as a learning organisation Maintain a flexible set of active measures and a well targeted application thereof Offer more telephonic and website services Continue efforts in inducing efficiency and enhance abilities of change Develop new ICT solutions and ensure successful implementation

Summary: Is it working? Mainly good results in Norway when it comes to labor and welfare: High income and relatively even distribution At the same time: Too many not working because of health problems, or lack of qualifications. The most vulnerable groups are young people without completed education, immigrants with poor language skills and long-term sick The NAV reform has made it easier to work across sectors and professions The social worker holds a key competence in NAV There have been and still remains a lot of challenges in NAV

Partnerskapsmodellen fremover… «Partnerskapet er kommet for å bli» Statliggjøring av kommunal sosialhjelp ? Kommunen som vertskap for både kommunale og statlige arbeids- og velferdstjenester ? Parallellstyring eller reell samstyring ?

Takk for oppmerksomheten !