Empublic – Enhancing self-employment and entrepreneurship of disadvantaged people

Project Status: on-going

Description

The Erasmus Plus project “Empublic – Enhancing self-employment and entrepreneurship of disadvantaged people through better relationships between the public and private sectors”, launched in September 2016, aims at increasing opportunities for education, business ownership and employment for disadvantaged individuals in the context of public tenders for subcontracting of supplies and services by public administrations. The project brings together 10 partners – public authorities, educational institutions, social research organizations and associations for local development – from Italy, Slovenia and Spain. It will last three years and will create opportunities to discuss, produce and test shared models for the enhancement of the provision regarding public goods and services in order to increase the opportunities for training, job placement and entrepreneurship. This is a difficult challenge, but necessary for the construction of integrated responses, that both help ease the path towards the employment of increasingly vulnerable groups and improve the use and quality of public spaces and services.

Objectives

GENERAL OBJECTIVE: to contribute to the improvement and modernization of policies, strategies and measures concerning training, as well as social and labour inclusion of disadvantaged persons.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE: to increase the opportunities for training, business development and employment of disadvantaged persons within credit services, agreements and contracts of the Civil Service (CS).

Activity

The project is focused on several activities, among which:

  • Analysis of the current legislation, standard procedures and good practices as applied in the area of public contracts aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and integration into the workplace of disadvantaged target groups.
  • Analysis of possible areas for public and private joint projects for the development of entrepreneurship in disadvantaged persons.
  • Production and sharing with the appropriate departments of the various public bodies of guidelines for the preparation, assignment and management of public spaces and services.
  • Analysis of the methods used to identify and measure the motivational, entrepreneurial and professional skills of disadvantaged persons as well as formulation of a model for assisting them in developing such skills.
  • Analysis and definition of the technical and professional skills that are necessary to providers of assistance in order to help disadvantaged persons in developing their entrepreneurial skills and facilitate their integration into the workplace.

Methodology used in the project

The project involves comparative analysis, processing and empirical testing of models, tools, methodologies and procedures related to procurement, conventions and credit of  public administrations focused on both the design and the accompaniment of training courses for the socio-employment of disadvantaged people. Relevant attention is given to raising awareness and involvement of stakeholders, as well as to the enhancement and dissemination of outputs and outcomes.

Expected impact and long-term benefits

Expansion of opportunities for training and employment of disadvantaged persons in contracted services, affiliated and/or entrusted by the CS. Improved design and implementation of training and accompaniment of disadvantaged individuals.

Long-term impact at the system level in terms of improvement of networking among services for training, inclusion and work in order to significantly increase the effectiveness and efficiency of all services involved in training and work integration of disadvantaged persons.

Main results

Expected impact and long-term benefits

Expansion of opportunities for training and employment of disadvantaged persons in contracted services, affiliated and/or entrusted by the CS. Improved design and implementation of training and accompaniment of disadvantaged individuals.

Long-term impact in terms of improvement of networking among services for training, inclusion and work in order to significantly increase the effectiveness and efficiency of all services involved in training and work integration of disadvantaged persons.

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