Towards Better Quality of Services

The project Towards Better Quality of Services with More Employment Advisors was part of the modernisation of the Employment Service of Slovenia (ESS).

Purpose, Objectives, and Results of the Project

The purpose of the project was twofold:

1. Primarily, to improve the quality of services for the first target group of the project, i.e., users of the ESS services (unemployed individuals, job seekers, employers).
2. To provide direct employment for young unemployed individuals, enhance the skills and competencies of the second target group of the project, i.e., newly employed advisors.

Target groups of the project

• Users of the services of the beneficiary, including unemployed individuals, job seekers, and employers.
• Individuals occupying new positions as employment advisors at the ESS, selected preferentially from the register of the unemployed or from the group of first job seekers.

The project aimed to employ 45 individuals, with positions dispersed across all regional offices and the Central Office of the Employment Service of Slovenia, based on the urgent needs of the local labor market.
 

The employment advisor's role includes:

• Activities for the target groups of unemployed individuals and job seekers:
  • individual information and counseling,
  • group activities,
  • activities related to employment plans,
  • implementation of lifelong career guidance services, and
  • job placement.
     
• Strengthening collaboration with employers.

Employment contracts for employment advisors were concluded for a specified duration of the project.

The newly employed individuals were trained for direct work as employment advisors based on a training plan and education, under the mentorship guiding their work.
 

Collection of employment advisors' final papers

As part of the adjustment of the project's promotion implementation, 73 final papers from project-employed advisors were released in eZine format, recorded on a USB drive, and accessible online through publication on the ESS website and intranet.

As evident from the project's title, Towards Better Quality of Services with More Employment Advisors aimed to enhance the quality of the ESS services, reflected in:

• faster and higher-quality service to users;
• improved ratio between the number of unemployed individuals and each advisor;
• more innovative and personal approach in dealing with registered unemployed persons and job seekers;
• strengthened collaboration between the ESS and employers.

With the project Towards Better Quality of Services with More Employment Advisors, the Employment Service of Slovenia could better fulfill its mission as per the project: motivating the unemployed, providing effective assistance in job seeking, improving employment opportunities, implementing active employment policy measures, increasing responsiveness to employers, and better managing discrepancies between supply and demand in the labor market.

Project Duration

From June 1, 2009, to November 30, 2015.

Implementation and Funding

The project (operation) Towards Better Quality of Services with More Employment Advisors was partially financed by the European Union from the European Social Fund.

It was implemented within the framework of the Operational Programme for Human Resources Development for the period 2007–2013:

• 5. Institutional and Administrative Competence and
• 5.2 Reform of Institutions in the Labor Market.

The operation was part of the modernisation of the Employment Service of Slovenia, defined as one of the activities in the Operational Programme for Human Resources Development.