Integrating vulnerable unemployed on the labour market

MEGAPROJECT: Better together

FOCUS AREA: the Inclusive Labour Market

CHALLENGE: Integrating vulnerable unemployed on the labour market 

CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION:

This challenge deals with the integration of vulnerable unemployed on the labour market. Vulnerable unemployed are here defined and understood as people outside the labor market who are also battling with other problems than unemployment (for example social, physical or psychological issues).

The integration of this group on the labour market remains a key challenge for policymakers in Denmark as well as internationally. While the numerous Active Labor Market Policies (ALMPs) implemented in Denmark during the last 30 years have succeeded in markedly lowering the level of people on Unemployment Benefits (Dagpenge), the level of people on Social Assistance Benefit and other benefits targeted the vulnerable unemployed (For example Disability Pension) has remained largely unchanged. These developments are also mirrored in many other welfare states.

Furthermore, the Global Financial crisis of 2008 and the initial experiences with the current Corona-crisis shows how an economic crisis have more severe and longer-lasting consequences for the vulnerable unemployed - compared to other unemployed individuals.

We know that unemployment – and especially long-term unemployment – is closely related to both societal and individual problems of poverty, inequality, health and marginalization. Therefore it is of utmost importance to tackle the problem of vulnerable unemployed being placed more or less permanently outside the labor market.

The challenge of integrating the vulnerable unemployed can be approached from and between different levels of analysis – for example with a focus on the vulnerable unemployed, on the employment services or on the labour market.

In this challenge, it is possible to collaborate with the company Special Minds 
 

IMPACTED SDGS:

PROPOSED PROJECT PROBLEMS: 

1. What are the problems facing the vulnerable unemployed and how does these problems affect their (physical, social and mental) well-being and labor market participation?  
   • Special Minds: which challenges and barriers do unemployed persons with autism have and how do these affect their labour market participation? How can these challenges be overcome? Special Minds is available for collaboration by appointment with challenge proposer Niklas Andreas Andersen.
2. How can the organizational, institutional and managerial setup of services be structured to better accommodate the needs of the most vulnerable unemployed?  
3. How can the different services – across public sector service areas, civil society and the private sector – be coordinated to further the labor market integration of the vulnerable unemployed? 
   • Special Minds: how can the help and support towards people with autism be improved so that this group will experience a better balance between work-life and private life and thus be able to maintain a job in the long run? For instance, how can the different types of support for this group (housing assistance, mentoring, psychological support etc.) be improved and better coordinated? Special Minds is available for collaboration by appointment with challenge proposer Niklas Andreas Andersen.  

4. How can the vulnerable unemployed become more involved in the co-creation and tailoring of services? 

5. What challenges of communication arises between the individual unemployed and the actors responsible for providing help and support? And how can these be solved? 

6. How can we achieve the potentials - and eliminate the pitfalls - of using digitalized tools and AI to improve the services targeted the vulnerable unemployed? 

7. Why are vulnerable unemployed hit the hardest by an economic crisis and what can be done to alleviate these consequence in a reality in which such crises are a recurring phenomenon (due to climate changes, global migration, pandemics etc.)? 

8. Can the goal of full employment be accommodated in a more (socially, environmentally, economically) sustainable way, with less dependence on permanent and continuing economic growth? 

9. How can the physical environment of social- and employment services be designed to enhance the labour market perspective of the vulnerable unemployed?  

CHALLENGE PROPOSER:

Niklas Andreas Andersen
Politics and Society
nia@dps.aau.dk
 

CO-PROPOSERS

Charlotte Overgaard
Health science and technology
co@hst.aau.dk

Ulrik Nyman
Computer Science
ulrik@cs.aau.dk