ESF-SI-2024-LTU-01-0013

RuralRevive aims to address rural long-term unemployment amongst persons aged 45+ by creating sustainable, context-specific framework that integrates a guaranteed 12-months of employment with inclusive employment practices, skill development, and a robust employment subsidy scheme for employers. The objectives of the project are to encourage local employers to hire LTU individuals through an Employment Subsidy Scheme that covers minimum wage for 12 months, supplemented by a 30% wage top-up. This reduces economic risk for businesses and ensures stable employment for LTU jobseekers. To avail of this scheme, businesses will be trained in age-diverse hiring, skill adaptation, and workplace accommodations through mandatory workshops led by Employment Support Officers. This prepares workplaces to integrate older LTU workers effectively and ensures long-term commitment to inclusive employment practices. The project will also ensure LTU individuals receive meaningful and decent work through the Guaranteed Job Placement Scheme which guarantees 12 months employment. Continued support will be provided if contracts are not extended, increasing their chances of finding new employment & enhancing long-term employability. To support these jobseekers, the project will offer individual support to LTU jobseekers, including 1-to-1 coaching, personalised work-readiness plans, and ongoing assistance. This support spans the weeks prior to employment & continues during their employment, ensuring successful transition into the workforce & long-term employability. Through this, RuralRevive directly aligns with the LTU Call’s focus on innovative approaches to reducing long-term unemployment by integrating proven models such as Austria’s MAGMA and V/Faktor initiatives and adapting them to rural contexts. The project emphasises voluntary participation, tailored interventions, and a collaborative approach involving diverse stakeholders, which are all key aspects of addressing LTU effectively.

Expected results:

• Develop a sustainable solution to address long-term unemployment in rural areas, with a specific focus on individuals aged 45 and over.
• Employ 60 long-term unemployed in Greece and 40 in Ireland.
• Engage 30 employers to actively participate in the project.
• Ensure that 50% of the employed long-term unemployed receive contract extensions following the project’s completion.

Funding: 2,835,750.00 Eur

Social innovation scale-up

The MAGMA and V/Faktor initiatives from Austria.