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Integrated Work-Welfare (W2) trajectories
Country of implementation
Belgium
General short description of the innovation
W2-trajectories for unemployed people in poverty are trajectories that integrate work and welfare aspects aimed at integration in the labour market. Every work-welfare trajectory starts with individual guidance by a specialized coach from the PES. / The specialized work-welfare coach works according to the following principles: / - one counselor for the work and welfare aspects with whom the unemployed builds a relation of trust; / - a tailored approach / - a positive approach that respects the choices of the unemployed / - An integrated and structured approach in which the work-welfare coach refers the unemployed to and cooperates with specialized services. / - A coordinated approach, in consultation with other services that are involved with the unemployed / - An empowering, participatory approach aimed at the strengths, possibilities, interests and competences of the unemployed with an ultimate focus on employment and the strengthening of competences. / The individual guidance is flanked by collective sessions for the target group on orientation and job-search training with an empowerment approach /
Target group
Total Population
Policy Field
Type of Policy
- public
Duration of the policy
The first trajectories started in 2010
Scope of innovation
- Scope: the concept of integrated work-welfare guidance will be made structural in a Decree
- Budgets: 360 000 euro in 2010; 1 100 000 euro in 2011; 2 806 300 in 2012; 4 155 000 in 2013.
- Number of intended beneficiaries: 500 in 2012 and minimum 750 to maximum 1200 in 2013
- Spatial coverage: regional Flanders
General description of (intended) objectives and strategies
The objective is the labour market integration of those groups furthest removed from the labour market, i.c. unemployed persons in poverty. The strategy is to offer integrated trajectories that focus on work and welfare aspects. / The specialized PES work-welfare coach works according to the following principles: / - one counselor for the work and welfare aspects with whom the unemployed builds a relation of trust; / - a tailored approach / - a positive approach that respects the choices of the unemployed / - An integrated and structured approach in which the work-welfare coach refers the unemployed to and cooperates with specialized services. / - A coordinated approach, in consultation with other services that are involved with the unemployed / - An empowering, participatory approach aimed at the strengths, possibilities, interests and competences of the unemployed with an ultimate focus on employment and the strengthening of competences. /
Type of ideal-typical strategy for the innovation
- encompassing security
Type of innovation
- new policy, practice or measure
New outputs
- job guidance, coaching and/or counselling
Clarification of intended mechanisms, outputs and outcomes (optional)
In a 2008 study a blueprint for an all-in concept of customized Work and Welfare programs aimed at achieving (labour) integration for those groups which ? for various reasons ? are the furthest removed from the labour market was developed. The concept of programs was called Wę, referring to the synergy between work and welfare. The concept was then put into practice in a European Social Fund project (2009-2010) and tested with unemployed people in poverty resulting in a methodology for Wę-trajectories. These were mainstreamed into the Flemish Public Employment Services. / / In the future the concept will be put in a Wę-Decree of the Flemish Government, Policy Domains ?Employment and Social Economy? and ?Welfare, Health and Family?, that foresees in Wę-trajectories for those who are not, not anymore or not yet able to perform paid work and aims at integrating them into society and if possible into the labourmarket (Conceptnota Wę, 2011). /
Intended target group
Unemployed people in poverty
Working age population
- employment situation (unemployed)
- income level (low/medium/high) (low)
- main source of income: social protection (unemployment benefits or social assistance)
Actors involved in policy-making/implementation and/or evaluation
- agency or national social insurance body (Flemish Public Employment Service VDAB)
- regional government (Flemish Government)
Clarification of the role of various actors
The Flemish PES is responsible for the individual guidance, private organisations offer collective sessions.
Intended output
- job guidance, coaching and counselling
Clarification of outcomes in terms of impacting resilience and labour market inclusion
The aim is to include and strengthen those who are furthest from the labour market.
