Flemish one stop shops job centres

Belgium

Local job shops (werkwinkels) are local job centres which function as a single point of contact for those seeking employment. Although they are managed by the Flemish PES, they combine PES services together with a representation of different local stakeholders: public social local welfare services, labour counselling, National Employment Office, etc. / / Local job centres function as an information hub and first-line service for citizens and businesses about all work-related aspects and try to make local labour market policy more coherent and locally embedded. According to the need of citizens and businesses, clients are transferred from the basic services to the broad field of specialized services. Job shops advocate more integration and inclusion for every individual with special attention for those that require additional support and with attention for the local and individual context. /

Total Population

Local job centres (werkwinkels) were established in 2000.

Local job centres function as an information hub and first-line service for citizens and businesses about all work-related aspects.

Collaboration with local welfare structures is important as job counsellors are often confronted with job-seekers suffering from underlying welfare problems (psychological, medical, etc). In practice, however, not all one-stop job shops offer a truly integrated and comprehensive service. While the PES operates in function of the labour market demand, the welfare sector takes a broader view on the individual?s well-being, with employment being one aspect only, which may leads to differences in vision and measures to be implemented 1&2.

Job seekers, employers and employees