Maynooth University, Ireland Joint Meeting ESF Thematic Network Inclusion and EMIN MADRID: 20 -21 September 2018 Presentation of the ESPN 2015 report on Integrated support for the long-term unemployed Hugh Frazer Maynooth University, Ireland

ESPN Report ESPN provides the Commission with independent information, analysis and expertise on social policies 35 countries 28 MS + 7 non MS (CH, IS, LI, MK, NO, RS, TR) National teams of social inclusion and social protection experts Network Core Team of experts on social protection and social inclusion Managed by Luxembourg Institute of Social and Economic Research, Applica and European Social Observatory “Integrated support for the long-term unemployed: a study of national policies” 35 country reports + 1 Synthesis Report examine the availability and effectiveness of integrated support for the long-term unemployed in each European country Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/social/keyDocuments.jsp?advSearchKey=ESPNLTU&mode=advancedSubmit&langId=en&search.x=0&search.y=0

Impact of LTU Negative social & economic impacts cumulate Costs to individual/society/economy increase poverty & social exclusion bad health & disability indebtedness loss of skills & self-confidence erosion of human & social capital over time Thus As obstacles to accessing labour market increase the range and types of supports required increase

3 Key Themes Need for broad range of measures adequate income benefits effective and efficient social services good quality active labour market programmes Effective coordination between employment, social assistance and social services authorities vital to ensure a holistic & integrated response Individualised and tailored approach necessary to effectively address the many different combinations of problems and challenges of LTU and develop positive pathways towards employment

Overall assessment In many countries: But current response is not adequate to the scale of the problem and indeed often inappropriate efforts often more focussed on those closer to labour market range and extent of policies and programmes in place are generally too limited and too narrowly focussed considerable investment needed in improving income benefits, developing effective and accessible social services and increasing the quality of activation services and programmes much more needs to be done to develop coordinated and integrated responses and to ensure personalised support tailored to the needs of the individual But some countries and some regional/local authorities have developed effective systems of support

Summary of national assessments Policy areas Very good   Medium Weak Effectiveness of benefits and services supporting the long-term unemployed: INCOME BENEFITS CY LI IS NL AT CH CZ DK FI FR IE IT LU MT NO RS SI SE BE BG DE EE EL ES HR HU LT LV MK PL PT RO SK TR UK SOCIAL SERVICES IS LU NO NL SE AT BE BG CH CY DK FI IE LI LT MT PL PT SI CZ DE EE EL ES FR HR HU IT LV MK RO RS SK TR UK ACTIVATION SERVICES AT HU IS LU MT NO BE CH CY CZ FI DE DK EE IE LI LV PL SE UK BG EL ES FR HR IT LT MK NL PT RO RS SI SK TR Coordination between employment, social assistance and social services LI NO SI AT BE BG CY DE DK EE ES IS FI FR IE LU LV MK MT NL RO SK CH CZ EL HR HU IT LT PL PT RS SE TR UK Extent of individualised support IS LI NL AT BE BG CH DE DK EE FI FR HU IE LT LU LV MT NO PL PT RS SE SI SK UK CY CZ EL ES HR IT MK RO TR

Access to benefits Effectiveness of income benefits very varied 4 very good (CY, LI, IS, NL); 14 medium; 17 weak Key issues inadequacy of benefits (22) low coverage (8); inadequate incentives to take up employment (7); insufficiently tailored to LTU (5); problems with conditionality (4); interface between insurance and assistance benefits (4)

Access to social services Effectiveness of social services very varied 5 very good (IS, LU, NO, NL, SE); 14 medium; 16 weak Key issues failure to reach most disadvantaged/target LTU (11) lack of coordination (8) limited provision (understaffed/overcrowded) (5) poor quality services (5) wide geographic variations in provision (4)

Access to activation services Effectiveness very varied 6 good; 14 medium; 15 weak Key issues poor quality and range (12) insufficiently tailored to LTU (11) low coverage & low proportion of LTU benefit (9) failure to target most at risk among LTU (7) lack of coordination between measures/actors (5)

Access to activation services (cont.) However some positive examples of activation programmes specifically targeted at the long-term unemployed or particularly vulnerable groups – e.g.: “Reativar” in Portugal “Hotels industry” in Cyprus “Activa Win-Win” in Belgium “Support for the Employment of Young People, Women and LTU” in Macedonia “Job and Development Guarantee” in Sweden the “Contratto di Ricollocazione” in Italy the RAI, PREPARA or PAE programmes in Spain the “Qualification Programme” in Norway and the Work Programme in UK

Coordination between services Extent & quality of coordination varies widely 3 very good (LI NO SI); 19 medium; 13 weak Key barriers to better coordination information gaps & lack of common data bases (10) poor cooperation procedures between agencies (9) administrative fragmentation & legal barriers (7) ad hoc/discretionary & lack of model (5) lack of time & resource (5) lack of one-stop shop approaches (5)

Individualised support Quality and extent varies widely 3 very good (IS LI NL); 23 medium; 9 weak Key issues insufficient tailoring and too narrow (employment activation) focus (13) lack of administrative & staffing capacity (13) lack or limited availability of support services (9) Need for: both individual action plans focussed on activation and integration contracts addressing health and social problems One-stop shops/single point of contact which can help to improve coordination and individual responses

Individualised support (cont.) Action plans tailored to needs of individuals (e.g. AT, BE, DK, FI, IE, IS, LI, PL, SI) Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia): every trajectory starts with individual guidance by a specialised coach from the PES. Brussels Capital Region: special attention is paid to the personal project, the profile, skills and difficulties in finding a job. Elements of the profile and the highlighted solutions are adapted to the needs of the jobseeker and his/her professional ambitions. Liechtenstein: the Labour Market Service Centre organises “job-speed-dating” (bringing long-term-unemployed in direct contact to employers) taking the individual abilities of the unemployed person into consideration when inviting employers to the dating.

Individualised support (cont.) Successfully combining action plans & individual contracts Finland: 2014 Act on Multi-Sectoral Service Cooperation introduced to improve the effectiveness of the cooperation between different actors and to improve the integration of different benefits and services. Slovenia : the cooperation of the Employment Service of Slovenia and centres for social work in performing services and active labour market policy measures is included in both the Labour Market Regulation Act (2010) and the Social Assistance Benefits Act (2010)

Individualised support (cont.) Recognition in many MS of wide range of services needed to support LTU Broad range of education, training and support needed as well as focus on developing work experience and preparedness: rehabilitative work experience, participation in socially useful work (e.g. CH, DE, FI, FR, HU, IS, IT, PL, PT, UK); counselling programmes (e.g. AT, CZ, DE, LI, MT, PL, SI, UK); support groups (e.g. LV, PL) and job clubs (e.g. CZ, LT, UK); specialist support for particular groups such as people with disabilities (e.g. AT, DE, FR, IS, RS, SI, UK), Roma (e.g. RS) and older unemployed (e.g. AT, BE, LI, LT, PL, SI); volunteering, social and cultural activities (e.g. LT, LU, UK); education, training, vocational and rehabilitation programmes, which are offered in all countries to varying degrees but are especially highlighted in some experts’ reports (e.g. AT, CH, CY, DE, DK, FI, IS, IT, LI, LT, MT, NO, SI, UK); language training (e.g. AT, CH, CY, LI, LV, UK); social rehabilitation to strengthen social skills (e.g. FI, UK); motivation programmes (e.g. CZ, LT, LV, UK).

Individualised support (cont.) services focussed on physical & psychological health needs of individuals: rehabilitative psychotherapy and psychological services (e.g. CY, FI, IS, LV, SI); medical rehabilitation (e.g. AT, FI, IS, NO); programmes for persons with addictions (e.g. LT, LV, SI, UK). individual activities related to the necessary flexible management of the services: extraordinary cash social assistance e.g. (e.g. SI); employment-oriented case management (e.g. AT, DE, LI); flexible application of conditionality to take account of particular situations of individuals (e.g. DK, FI, NL, NO, SI).

Recommendations – national level Develop integrated active inclusion strategies Increase use of individual activation plans and personalised integration contracts Ensure adequacy of benefits Enhance coordination between employment, income support & social services move towards one-stop shop approaches Invest in front-line staff working with LTU

Recommendations – EU level Ensure EU’s €315 billion Investment Plan supports LTU Put LTU at heart of Europe 2020 Strategy More CSRs on LTU Increase guidance to MS on modernising social protection agree methodologies (reference budgets) for minimum income Encourage full use of ESF to support LTU esp. high risk groups (older workers/ persons with disabilities/ the Roma)

Finally Don’t forget the demand side Match supply side measures with: Greater efforts by employers & governments to create good quality & sustainable jobs accessible to LTU Progressive tax system that facilitates movement into employment Well-designed labour market reforms