Fundacja FUNDUSZ WSPÓŁPRACY

The Partnership was established with a view in working out model solutions for effective occupational integration of groups affected by family and inherited unemployment, which is increasingly encountered in rural areas of West Pomerania. Organisations and institutions which indirectly influence the region's labour market, but contribute with important technical and practical inputs, have joined the Administrator of the Partnership - Voivodship Labour Office in
Szczecin.

According to surveys carried out under Activity 1, an integrated family assistance system, based on cooperation between advanced specialists from various level institutions is required to prevent family and inherited unemployment. Existing labour market services fail to address the specific nature of this group of recipients. On the one hand, a low level of social activity is typical to them and on the other - they face a number of impediments on their way to employment support institutions (e.g. travelling problems, a lack of job offers, and contemptuous approach to clients).

Final beneficiaries of the Project are 100 families (approximately 400 persons) from four poviats. The families can be described as dysfunctional, economically and educationally inefficient. Acquired helplessness, pessimism and disbelief in life improvement possibility are the key features. Having relied on welfare assistance for years, they have developed demanding attitudes. A poor education (of primary, agricultural vocational and exceptionally secondary level), lack of skills and knowledge about the requirements of the labour market combined with uncertainty as to their own skills and expectations discourage them from any attempts to improve their situation. The Partnership is establishing a system of cooperation between the local and regional institutions (local governments, entrepreneurs, local leaders, non-government organisations, etc.) to develop tools for ensuring a comprehensive influence on the families that are threatened with inherited unemployment. The cooperation is expected to bring about a system of incentives encouraging
the beneficiaries to start a job, their own business, to improve their education or skills. They will have better access to information technology and education in that area. Scholarships and a refund of travelling expenses will improve their mobility.

The beneficiaries will have an opportunity to use the services of a job counsel, who will define their needs, expectations and capabilities. Job counsel's advice will help to select vocational training so that participants acquire concrete vocational skills. Working with the entire family will promote good role models; encourage personal involvement and responsibility for creating a family atmosphere that would support efforts made by the loved ones. Accordingly, mentors/ tutors/brokers will work directly with the families. The local operators will collect information for all Project participants and local government institutions, non-government organisations and employers. Advising friends are voluntary workers that are considered credible by the local community. They will help to identify goals and develop action plan, find necessary services and provide assistance. All of them will complete suitable training courses or post-graduate studies.

In addition to direct work with the families, the Project will involve the creation of Fellow Support Clubs. They will disseminate information about available services, lobby for the Project, while attempting to change attitudes and combat stereotypes regarding workers from the former state-owned farms. A favourable disposition and cooperation of various opinion-leading local bodies will be equally important to overall success of the Project.

A model of effective occupational integration of individuals from families threatened with inherited unemployment, with the involvement of local community, will be a lasting effect of the Project. Aid recipient will be treated as active subjects, with a say on the approach to their occupational reintegration, while the awareness of being supported in exchange for working to the benefit of the local community should improve their self-esteem, insofar as the efforts intended to improve their own situation prove beneficial also in terms of local community. Project activities are to be carried out in four poviats. This will enable a comparison of effects and an assessment of impact from local conditions. Consequently, the new elaborated system
will be flexible (by taking into account the existing conditions) and universally applicable at the same time.

Conferences held in Poland, Italy and Spain, as well as a seminar hosted in Ukraine, will help to disseminate the results of Partnership activities. The Partnership will issue a "Project Newsletter", which is to be distributed to local and regional partners throughout the term of its operations.
Those interested in taking advantage of a readily available proven model will have methodology publications (manuals, guidelines, instructions) at their disposal. In addition, the Project will be promoted with workshops, publications (popular, scientific papers, press articles), radio and TV
broadcasts, lectures at external domestic and international conferences and at meetings with labour market partners. Internet site and regularly updated newsletter will be the primary source of information and the main form of promotion.

• System of leaving family unemployment in rural areas