Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI), Vienna
The Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI) is an independent scientific institution, asserting leadership in Europe to advance social innovation and foster an open and solidly united society.
The ZSI deploys socio-scientific research, education, advisory and networking services to reduce the gap between social needs and potentials of the knowledge based information society. By connecting its scientific basis with practical applications the ZSI provides an interface across scientific disciplines and sectors (trans-disciplinarity).
In AGE-WORK-BALANCE ZSI is responsible for the facilitation of the peer review workshops and the quality control & evaluation of the project. Furthermore ZSI is a presenter of a target group specific approach and brings in a practice from the province of Styria “Erfahrung zählt”. The project Erfahrung zählt will be the reviewed practice during the 1st peer review which takes place from 15th to 16th of March 2012 in Graz, Austria.
CIOFS-FP
(Centro Italiano Opere Femminili Salesiane Formazione Professionale Italian Center of Salesian women’s works – Vocational Training Association)
The non-profit Association, established by C.I.O.F.S. coordinates vocational training activities carried out all over the country by the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, in conjunction with other non-profit and vocational training organisations, as well as social partners, public bodies, enterprises and their relevant organisations.
The Association covers a various number of activities such as: vocational training, guidance, services to local enterprises, workshops, transnational exchanges, research and work-oriented services. Adolescents, young people – especially those at risk coming from decayed areas – women, unemployed people, immigrants, prisoners, dropouts, extra-European people are the beneficiaries of such activities.
The National Centre, located in Rome, is responsible in this project for the coordination of all Stakeholder activities carried out by the project. Furthermore Ciofs-FP participates with an Expert during the Peer Review Workshops.
Dublin Employment Pact
Dublin Employment Pact (DEP) works to tackle employment and development issues at Dublin Region level. It facilitates a wide range of organisations in researching, piloting and developing innovative and sustainable solutions to problems of disadvantage. Projects implemented by DEP usually involve a wide range of relevant partner organisations. Dublin Employment Pact also coordinates the Local Employment Services and rolls out the work activation initiative, Tús, in Dublin’s inner city.
DEP is a non-profit company. Its Board of Directors consists of appointees of the Dublin local authorities, state training, enterprise and educational institutions, trade union and employer bodies, the Chamber of Commerce, representatives of local area partnerships and of the local community sector and elected public representatives. Funding is largely programme specific and comes from various government and statutory agencies as well as from EU sources.
DEP is a presenter of a target group specific approach. The still to be specified measure will be the reviewed practice during the 5th peer review which takes place from 18th to 19th of June 2012 in Dublin, Ireland.
Ballymun Job Centre
The Ballymun Job Centre (BJC) was established in 1986 as a community response to a chronic unemployment situation. Since opening, the BJC has adapted to changes in the environment in order to respond more effectively to the needs of the community. A voluntary organisation with charitable status, the BJC has a proven track record of providing quality and innovative services. The BJC has achieved both the “Excellence Through People” and the Q-Mark Awards.
The mission of the BJC is to raise the skills and labour market aspirations of individuals in Ballymun and to promote the Ballymun labour force to employers. The overall objective of the BJC is to provide individuals with greater labour market choice and the opportunity to improve their employability, increase their earnings and reduce their vulnerability to poverty.
The BJC provides a comprehensive range of services to create pathways to either further training, education or employment for its registered clients. This is done within a progression framework, which is initiated by; client referral (self referral) → registration → Guidance and Job seeking support → Processes (specialist services) → Training Education → Job placement.
Since 1996 the BJC has managed the LESN on behalf of the Ballymun Whitehall Area Partnership and DSP. The BJC also manages a Job Club and JI on behalf of DSP. The BJC is working with the DSP in the provision of Employment Action Plan.
A key element of the work at the BJC is to build relationships with employers. The BJC provides a professional and free service to employers assisting them in recruitment of staff. The BJC has over twenty years experience of working with employers in meeting their recruitment needs.
Asociación DOCUMENTA – Sustainable local development in intelligent 
territories
DOCUMENTA is a non profit organisation working in the field of “applied social research”, whose main aim is the introduction of a model of sustainable local development in Intelligent Territories. During the last years, DOCUMENTA has consolidated an experienced cross-disciplinary professional team, forged through a methodology of its own, which combines reflection and action.
The design and implementation of a complete itinerary of training/employment has allowed us to deploy a wide range of activities which cover from the analysis of training needs to the design and teaching of both classroom and distance learning, both for unemployed and employed; from the introduction and use of innovative training methodologies or the set in motion of advice services to entrepreneurs, to the evaluation of diverse actions, projects and programmes at European Level.
Documenta is a presenter of a target group specific approach and brings in a practice from the regional government of Cantabria which focuses on stimulation of recruitment and contract maintenance of unemployed with a special focus on the 50+ generation.
The incentive measure “Subsidies Programs addressing the creation, maintenance and stability of employment in Cantabria” will be the reviewed practice during the 4th peer review which takes place from 24th to 25th of May 2012 in Santander, Spain.
TYPA, Employment Services Unit, City of Tampere
The Employment Services Unit was founded in 2009. The unit offers services for unemployed residents of the city.
The services available at the unit are:
- Rehabilitative Work Experience that is based on an activation plan
- Services for Young People
- Vocational Training for Immigrants
- Development and Supportive Services
- Tampere City Region Labour Force Service Centre (LAFOS), where services are run together by three different authorities. The service model is based on multi-professional teamwork between employment officers, social workers, health care professionals and other partners.
The unit has almost 50 employees and the number of clients has been 3 500 a year (2012). The unit works in close collaboration with Employment and Economic Development Office, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (KELA), municipal social and healthcare services, NGO’s, educational institutions, employers and many other organisations. The mutual objective is to produce, arrange and develop tailored and coordinated services for unemployed people and help them to reach open labour market or vocational education.
gsub-Projektegesellschaft mbH
The gsub group consists of the parent company, gsub mbH, with subsidiaries gsub-Projektegesellschaft mbH and gsub-Starterjobs GmbH.
It is a private fund or grant management and consulting agency which works on behalf of German Federal Ministries and the Government of the Land Berlin. gsub administrates publicly funded projects, predominantly from ESF and national sources. Gsub consultants advise Ministries and public bodies in the field of active labour market policies. gsub supports processes, companies and institutions in creating and sustaining jobs. gsub offers products and services which have a positive impact on employment and implement programmes and innovative projects aimed at integrating people into working life, combating discrimination, and promoting life-long learning and social cohesion.
Gsub is a presenter of a target group specific approach and brings in a practice from the german federal programme “perspective 50 plus”. The programme Perspective 50 plus will be the reviewed practice during the 2nd peer review city workshop which takes place from 11th – 12th April 2012 in Berlin
Lawaetz
Lawaetz foundation was founded in 1986 by the City of Hamburg in remembrance of Johann Daniel Lawaetz. The foundation serves the purposes of its statutes in accordance with the current social conditions, with its own intermediary character and, if possible, with the aim to reach a consensus on the solution of problems between the people involved. The foundation is active in urban development and neighbourhood development. It gives start up advice, supports young people in training, conducts user-oriented analyses and experts reports. Furthermore Lawaetz realizes communication and knowledge transfer and is doing consultation and evaluation for the European Social Funds (ESF).
Lawaetz is a presenter of a target group specific approach and brings in a regional project, financed by the City of Hamburg, the Federal Agency of Employment and the European Social Fund (ESF). The project CeBB will be the reviewed practice during the 3rd peer review city workshop which takes place from 26th – 27th April 2012 in Hamburg.
Haringey Council
Haringey Council is the local government authority covering the London Borough of Haringey delivering a range of public services to the residents of the borough.
In the field of employment and skills Haringey Council delivers the innovative Haringey Guarantee and Families into Work programme and leads on the sub-regional North London Pledge programmes.
Haringey Council is presenter of a non target group specific approach.
MetropolisNet EEIG
MetropolisNet developed from a collaborative network of Territorial Employment Pacts. The concept of a free spirit transnational network was developed in Bremen in January 1998 and formalised in Copenhagen in March 1998. Its work began with a series of practical workshops and study visits in London, Stockholm, Hamburg, Malmö, Copenhagen, Brussels and Berlin. Since March 2009 it is registered as an official EEIG (European Economic Interest Group) in Berlin.
MetropolisNet evolved from a transnational network created to support EU local employment initiatives, including Employment Pacts. The organisations involved in the network have much in common, especially their strong commitment to tackling issues of unemployment and social exclusion, in a context of evolving local development policy and ethnic and cultural diversity.
MetropolisNet is a vehicle for inter-city and interorganisational collaboration in promoting the empowerment of local actors by emphasing the local dimensions of EU policies on employment and social affairs, and for developing the local dimension of EU strategies on employment, social inclusion and local development.