2007 Annual Report

Employment measures

For all unemployed persons who are less competitive on the labour market, the ESS also provides various active employment policy measures, within which they can obtain the necessary additional knowledge, skills and training, and in this way they can improve their employment prospects on the labour market.

The active employment policy measures (AEP) for 2007 therefore included activities geared towards achieving the goals of the Lisbon Strategy and optimal implementation of the European Employment Strategy. The European Employment Strategy is based on three objectives:

  • full employment,

  • improved quality and productivity of labour,

  • social cohesion and inclusion.

In 2007 a total of 68 million euros were allocated for AEP. A total of 24,153 unemployed persons were newly included (not including those in VIGC, general advice and information for unemployed persons or health/employment advice).

The AEP programme for 2007 envisaged inclusion in four measures:

Measure 1 – GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE IN SEEKING EMPLOYMENT is provided for the purpose of guiding and helping individuals in seeking jobs and familiarising them with vocational possibilities, while enhanced treatment of specific groups of persons is provided in order to improve employment possibilities and eliminate barriers in seeking jobs. Another purpose of the measure is to present and implement active employment policy activities. In 2007 there were 6,086 inclusions in this measure. Target groups: Guidance and assistance in seeking employment is intended for all unemployed persons and those seeking a job or information on occupations and the needs of the labour market.  

The purpose of measure 2 – TRAINING AND EDUCATION – is to increase employability and competitiveness on the labour market by acquiring new knowledge, skills and abilities and to raise the level of education and qualifications of employees and unemployed persons. In 2007 there were 13,608 inclusions. Target groups: This measure is aimed at unemployed persons without any vocational education or with training in surplus professions, unemployed young persons up to the age of 25, young people without work experience, recipients of financial social assistance and unemployment benefit and other disadvantaged unemployed persons.

The purpose of measure 3 - PROMOTING EMPLOYMENT AND SELF-EMPLOYMENT, is to promote the self-employment of unemployed persons, who after training wish to fulfil an entrepreneurial idea and become self-employed, promotion of employment for the most disadvantaged groups of unemployed persons who are special recipients of financial social assistance. Activities in this measure comprise for the most part state assistance, so they are implemented in line with the rules on the allocation of state assistance. In 2007 there were 880 inclusions. Inclusion in this measure means immediate employment. Target groups: This measure involves long-term unemployed persons, recipients of unemployment benefit and financial social assistance, the unemployed above 50 years of age, young people under 25 years of age and first-time job seekers, and primarily those without adequate education relative to the needs of the labour market, workers in the process of losing their jobs, disabled persons and other unemployed persons.

The purpose of measure 4 - PROGRAMMES TO INCREASE SOCIAL INCLUSION, is to promote social inclusion, in other words to carry out and establish activities and projects to create an environment that will motivate people towards being active and in which they may more easily and quickly find work, while at the same time enjoying the necessary level of social protection. In 2007 there were 3,579 inclusions. Inclusion in this measure also means immediate employment. Target groups: This measure is aimed at long-term unemployed persons, recipients of financial social assistance, unemployed persons over 50, young persons under 25 and first-time job seekers, especially those without adequate education relative to the needs of the labour market.

Inclusion in employment measures in 2007
Measure/activity/sub-activity Realisation - total 07 Realisation by the ESF
GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE IN SEEKING EMPLOYMENT 924,899 -
General guidance and informing unemployed people 813,968 -
VIGC - Vocational Information and Guidance Centres 74,023 -
Vocational Orientation 18,611 -
Occupations in a different way 9,000 -
Medical employment advising 3,278 -
Assistance in planning a professional career and job seeking 4,511 -
TSL - Training for Success in Life 245 -
Job clubs 1,025 -
Development and testing of a new workshop for successful entering the labour market 238 -
TRAINING AND EDUCATION 13,608 3,726
Institutionalized training 4,586 -
NVQ - National Vocational Qualification 205 -
Work trial 2,210 -
On-the-job training  695 694
Formal education 5,697 2,898
PLYA - Project Learning for Young Adults 215 134
PROMOTING EMPLOYMENT AND SELF - EMPLOYMENT 880 177
Subsidies for self-employment 417 -
Promotion of new employment of long term unemployed - recipients of financial social assistance 286 -
Promotion of new employment of older people 177 177
PROGRAMMES TO INCREASE SOCIAL INCLUSION 3,579 104
Local employment programmes - public works 3,475 -
Projects of employment programs in non-profit employers 104 104
MEASURES CONTINUING FROM PREVIOUS YEAR    32,694
Education and training of employed people from sectors in restructuring 16,243 16,243
Education and training of employed people from fast developing sectors 16,451 16,451

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