Fundacja FUNDUSZ WSPÓŁPRACY

The most important element of the integrated model of bringing unfavoured youth into the job market is the Development Support Centre (DSC) - an institution supporting professional and social development of the youth brought up in children's homes, as well as other groups of youth threatened with social exclusion. The tasks of the Centre include: occupational advisory services, social counselling, monitoring the local job market, cooperation with mentors and also local employers and institutions operating on the job market, organisation of trainings and workshops, acquisition of financial resources as well as running and updating the Internet platform. The organisational structure of the Centre is composed of: the coordinator, a occupational counsellor, a consultant for mentoring, a psychologist/therapist and a consultant for communication responsible for establishing direct contacts with employers. Moreover, volunteers, trainees and apprentices as well as representatives of the youth threatened with social exclusion may also be involved in the current activity of the DSC. Depending on the local specificity and character of the institution setting up the Centre, all tasks may be performed involving 3-6 posts (not necessarily full-time ones).

The integrated model of bringing the unfavoured youth into the job market encompasses the database of offers of trainings, jobs, traineeships and apprenticeships, as well as the network of support for employers (regional representatives of socially-involved enterprises supporting the professional activation of their charges) and the database concerning the charges of the SDC (including individual profiles).

The deliverable also includes methodological and technical tools used in occupational advisory services and social counselling (e.g. sets of research and diagnostic tools, materials for workshops, the programme of workshops) and facilitating cooperation with employers (e.g. promotional strategies and materials, examples of good practice applied by socially-involved enterprises, the procedure of occupational adaptation, a training programme for employers).

The Internet platform is a significant element of the model. It is an integrated system of cooperation and information exchange between the children's homes or other institutions representing youth threatened with social exclusion, Social Assistance Centres, the Mentoring Office, as well as social environment institutions (Labour Offices, educational and cultural institutions, local entrepreneurs and authorities). Through the platform it will be possible to access the tools prepared within the framework of the project and also the information exchange forum, the database of charges and e-learning courses designed for unfavoured youth.

The activities undertaken within the framework of the system result in the integration of numerous elements of the local job market in the scope of providing solutions to specific problems of the local society (the network may encompass employers, self government organisations, public administration, universities and educational or training institutions); the streamlining of communication between the institutions; the increase of the effectiveness of assistance activities; and implementation of an efficient system monitoring the functioning of charges on the job market. The SDC system may be used by social aid and employment services represented by self government institutions and central administration units, or social organisations operating within the given region. Within the framework of realisation of the model it is necessary to create a strategy of action of the SDC which would be adjusted to the needs of the region and specificity of the target group, to acquire resources for financing vacancies, employ competent staff, adjust the training programmes and methodological tools to the specific character of the region and the target group, and implement the same, as well as to promote actions of the Centre. The predicted time necessary to establish the SDC (establishment of a strategy, preparation of the Internet platform, acquisition and training of staff, adjustment of methodological and technical tools) amounts to approx. 6 months. The required outlays are related particularly to the personnel and administration costs (office equipment), promotion and service of the Internet platform.