Fundacja FUNDUSZ WSPÓŁPRACY

The objective of the Project is to enable women aged over 45, who years before had resigned from employment as a result of family obligations, to reenter the labour market. As a consequence of these decisions, women face labour market discrimination, mainly due to inadequate education level, combined with a lack of previous employment history, inadequate experience and skills.

Based on surveys carried out under Activity 1, the Development Partnership was able to structure the directions of activities intended to improve labour market status of women aged over 45 years. The activities proposed under the Project are: (a) to develop occupational integration mechanisms for women and their reintegration with the labour market, as well as related training methods and tools; (b) to establish and strengthen cooperation between local government units, labour market institutions, non-government organisations and privately-owned businesses in the area of equal employment opportunities; (c) to promote and disseminate the "Equality Mark" as a tool for fighting labour market discrimination of women; and (d) to monitor and report any occurrences of discrimination in the area under the Project.

It is planned to provide the beneficiaries with mental and physical support to motivate them to take a job. Each of the beneficiaries will attend a six-month series of integration events, including fitness sessions and image creation.

Subsequently, the beneficiaries will have an opportunity to broaden their knowledge and improve labour market-related skills. Weekly training sessions will be proposed to the beneficiaries to improve their general skills, with emphasis on labour market issues. They will learn how to get job offers, write a CV and letters of motivation or how to get informed of available courses and training events. Trainers will focus on personal development of the participants: training sessions are to be tailored to their level of education and requirements. Vocational training will be the next stage of the Project. Since Project inception, the beneficiaries will be checked for psychological status, knowledge and skills on a regular basis. Specific training courses will be offered them on the basis of information from these tests. Four distinct courses, tailored to specific needs of the participants, are to be delivered.

Upon training completion, the beneficiaries will be offered vocational development opportunities: placements with employers, self-employment, job induction courses at enterprises, subsidized employment (so-called intervention jobs), contribution to the creation of the association and alternative forms of employment. Each of the beneficiaries will have an opportunity to use the services of counselors providing advice in their specific area.

All beneficiaries are expected to join the association. This will ensure them continuing development opportunities, while disseminating the achievements of the Partnership. Establishing a lasting cooperation between administrator and the new association will be an important outcome of the Project. By entering into cooperation, Project leader agrees to provide technical and organisational support upon completion of the Project. Association members will be able to use the premises and other facilities of the leader of the Project. In such a way a permanent cooperation between the institutions involved will survive the Project.

Also employers will be invited to participation in the Project. The Promoter of the Project is planning to award "Equality Mark" to those employers who have hosted placements for or hired women participating in the Project.

The representatives of final beneficiaries and employers will contribute to the development and modification of Partnership's work plan. This will include pro-active participation in the activities of Project Management Group.

Dissemination efforts will be intended to include the outcomes into labour market inequality prevention systems both in Poland and abroad. The new practice will be promoted domestically and internationally through Project website, published information materials, meetings and conferences and participation in special events (festivities, happenings) and press articles.

• Model of balanced Work-Family activation: local partnerships for persons taking care of dependants