The research contributes to raising awareness of the challenges faced by hard-to-employ and very hard-to-employ individuals at the local level and mapping existing and necessary support services to increase the employability of people from vulnerable groups.
We presented the recommendations document for improving the socio-professional integration framework at the Conference “Measures and Local Instruments to Respond to the Professional Integration Needs of Vulnerable Workers” on June 12.
Why is it important to care about what happens to vulnerable groups in Bucharest?
We present a series of options and solutions to social and professional integration issues and propose support measures that respond to the real needs of young people and adults who are furthest away and disadvantaged in the labor market.
Here’s what we found and believe it’s important for you to know:
The European Commission notes in 2022 that in Romania, “employment rates among youth and the elderly, Roma, women, and people with low qualifications remain well below EU averages.” Data from the European Survey on Income and Living Conditions shows that in 2021, 16.4% of the Bucharest-Ilfov population was at risk of poverty and social exclusion. According to the preliminary results of a sociological research conducted by AFF, more than 50% of the 230 respondents domiciled in Bucharest are unregistered unemployed, work in the informal sector, or have an unclear employment status. The social economy sector is still underdeveloped in the capital, yet it presents the greatest potential for improving the socio-economic status of people from vulnerable groups. There are no social integration enterprises, and only two social enterprises in Bucharest. Subsidies granted to employers hiring people from vulnerable groups under Law 76/2002 on unemployment went to 93% to unemployed individuals over 45 years old during the 2021-2023 period and very little to other genuinely vulnerable groups. Activation measures for hard-to-employ individuals and subsidies are poorly directed and manifest a lack of long-term solutions for inactive individuals, as well as those with disabilities (OECD Economy Surveys 2022).
To address and resolve these types of issues, we have identified a series of public policy proposals in the category of support services that correspond to their real needs.
It is much more difficult for a vulnerable person to find a job due to the multiple problems they face: from health and psycho-emotional issues, addictions, to lack of qualifications and education, single parents who do not have access to childcare during working hours, or even the lack of housing.
Therefore, a collaborative and integrated support network is needed from the pre-employment period throughout the integration process, including post-employment monitoring.
Here are some of the policy recommendations we propose:
Introduce socio-professional integration of people from vulnerable groups through social integration enterprises as an objective in local action plans. The goal is to transition to an independent life. Develop a network of local integration centers as dedicated public services for socio-professional integration. Expand social services with a labor market integration component to all individuals at risk and for whom there are not enough services. E.g., individuals who have been deprived of their freedom, those suffering from substance abuse, refugees, individuals on probation, victims of human trafficking, or domestic violence. Diversify and multiply support services for all vulnerable groups. Examples: day care centers/after-school programs, mental health social services, medical social services, financial education, qualification courses, including for individuals who have not completed 10 years of education. Develop specializations in social economy in educational institutions in Bucharest. Specific professional training for staff working with people from vulnerable groups and the development of new roles such as socio-professional integration specialist, both for public and private services.
The research is available at this link.
Project funded through the Active Citizens Fund – Romania program, financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway through the EEA Grants 2014-2021.
