MoreThanAJob: focus on employment and training of vulnerable people
The current crisis caused by Covid-19 puts more emphasis than ever on the importance of international cooperation and dialogue in the development of solutions and alternatives to face common challenges in the Mediterranean. Interesting answers can come in terms of social and solidarity economy, through the actions of the MoreThanAJob project - "Reinforcing social and solidarity economy for the unemployed, uneducated and refugees".
"It is even clearer than before how the socio-economic development of our communities and the inclusion of the most vulnerable subjects must be a priority in all countries involved in the ENI CBC MED initiative (Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Italy, Greece) and in the rest of the Euro-Mediterranean basin, already affected by a social and economic crisis that had generated high unemployment rates and social inequalities - comments Giulia Tarantino, Project Manager of CESIE - European Studies and Initiatives Center based in Palermo - MoreThanAJob aims to promote the development of innovative social schemes based on cooperation between actors of the Social and Solidarity Economy and the public administration to encourage the employment and continuous training of vulnerable subjects, such as, for example, unemployed, non-schooled, migrants and refugees ".
Where does the work start?
"The first phases of the project focus on sharing and analyzing good practices of socio-occupational inclusion schemes and their adaptation to different national and local realities. This will be fundamental for the development of a reference framework and related guidelines that can serve as a compass, also for other countries and other realities, in the development of welfare initiatives for socio-occupational inclusion ".
How can conditions be created to develop sustainable welfare services over time?
“It is an ambitious goal. The current situation linked to Covid-19 has highlighted how a solid welfare system is essential to protect the weaker segments, ensure fairer societies and that each citizen has the same rights and opportunities. It is necessary to allow our societies to become sustainable and to be able to face some of the future challenges. Through training courses dedicated to public administrations, in particular, we aim to strengthen the capacities in the provision of welfare services for socio-occupational inclusion ".
So is it necessary to rethink current welfare services?
Yes, considering the private sector as support for the public sector. Cooperation between different realities and experiences is certainly an added value and will allow us to develop more effective services. In this sense, we are developing an online platform as an additional tool for cooperation between the actors of the Social and Solidarity Economy and public administrations, both locally and internationally, where possible. The new emerging challenges have led us to further reflection on this tool and how it can be readjusted in such a way as to respond to new needs. In fact, the platform will allow registered actors to present the services provided, including those that can be offered remotely and that allow reaching the most vulnerable subjects.
What concrete impact will your ENI CBC MED experience have on the area of intervention, in Italy?
“At the national level, the project will particularly affect Sicily, an area with a high unemployment rate, early school leaving, and a strong presence of migrant communities. Through MoreThanAJob, we will support local authorities and third sector actors in designing, formulating, and implementing effective responses to these problems. The involvement of these actors in the different phases of the project will allow them, in fact, to acquire skills and tools for the development of socio-occupational inclusion services that can support the socio-economic development of the territory. A need that emerged even more strongly following the emergency linked to Covid-19, which will inevitably have social and economic consequences even in the long term. The exceptional situation we are experiencing gives us a further push to rethink welfare services, the way they are provided, and the involvement of the third sector as added value".
The interview in Italian.
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