ESF-SI-2024-LTU-01-0036

The project seeks to address long-term unemployment (LTU) by transferring and adapting the Spanish Red Cross’s successful employment activation model to Yvelines in France and Małopolska in Poland. It leverages proven methodologies, including the Challenge +45 program for those over 45 and the TandEM model for younger participants, integrating these into local ecosystems in collaboration with public and private sector stakeholders, public employment services and social organisations. The core goal is to establish comprehensive local support systems that address both the employment and social needs of LTU individuals. This will be achieved by combining personalised case management, targeted skills and transversal training and creating sustainable employment pathways. The focus will be on sectors with significant workforce shortages, particularly the social care sector, providing meaningful work and growth opportunities for LTU individuals while addressing crucial community needs. By filling gaps in the care sector, the project not only improves employment outcomes for participants but also strengthens the availability and quality of essential services for vulnerable populations, benefiting the wider community. The project begins with a pilot phase to test the adapted models, followed by full implementation. Participants will receive individualised support to overcome employment barriers, such as lack of qualifications, motivation, or access to services. By addressing both social and employment-related needs, the project will equip participants with the necessary skills and confidence to re-enter the labour market. Aligned with the EU’s social innovation and employment inclusion goals, the project addresses gaps in existing LTU approaches, particularly for older workers and vulnerable groups. Its tailored, region-specific interventions offer a replicable model that promotes social inclusion, reduces unemployment, and fosters economic resilience and well-being.

Expected results:

• By the end of the project, 90 individuals (30 in Poland and 60 in France) will be successfully re-integrated into the labor market with salaried positions.
• 90% of LTU participants are expected to obtain official accreditation, based on a baseline of 100 individuals.
• 70% of LTU participants are expected to transition to the mainstream labour market, based on a baseline of 65 individuals.
• A total of 30 institutions, with 15 from each country, will be actively engaged in the project’s ecosystem.

Funding: 2,030,745.00 Eur

Social innovation scale-up

The Challenge +45 and TandEM initiatives from Spain.