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Social Activation Policy in the Netherlands: Practices, Problems, and Promises

This report explores the social activation policy in the Netherlands, focusing on the philosophy of full engagement, the participation ladder, and the key results of the policy. It also compares the Dutch results with those in Germany.

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Social Activation Policy in the Netherlands: Practices, Problems, and Promises

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  1. Arbeitstagung „Zukunft der Arbeitsförderung nach der Instrumentenreform‟Arbeiterwohlfahrt Bundesverband e.V., Berlin, 15.-16. März 2012Soziale Aktivierung in den Niederlanden und Deutschland Dr. Henk Vinken www.henkvinken.nl hvinken@gmail.com

  2. Proceed in English !Report for IAB, Institut für Arbeits und Berufsforschung, NurembergSocial activation policy in the NetherlandsPractices, problems, and promisesHenk Vinken & Peter EsterPyrrhula, social research networkTilburg, September 2011

  3. Outline presentationSocial activation policy The philosophy of Full EngagementThe Participation LadderA Dutch study in a German contextQuestions and approachThe financial crisis and budget cutsKey resultsUse biographical logic and reciprocityBuild trust and social networksDefine success and engage ‘real’ employersMonitorPreliminary comparison with German results

  4. Social activation policyThe philosophy of Full Engagement- Participation is the rule: paid work, training or voluntary work- Offer opportunities to participate, do not allow inactiveness- Minimum 20 hours engagement- Participation facillitated by debt assistance, child care, etc.- Personal client manager- Situated in neighborhoods (close to client; connect to officials there)- Two-way benefit: for client and city/neighborhood- New Deal = new balance rights and obligations WhatProviding basic sense of biographical self-direction by voluntary work, work trial placements, training courses, language courses, sports, time management, cultural activitiesUsually a mix from social and work-oriented activities WhoWork uncommited, socially isolated, health problems, psychological problems, debts, unspported single mothers, immigrants with no language skills, alcoholics, drug addicts, illiterates

  5. Social activation policyThe Participation Ladder HowConcentration activation policies (and budgets) aimed at (paid) work, education/training and social participation into Ladder. Paid work (6) highest priority, if that is not feasible then 5, if that is not working then 4, etc. Ladder provides a simple and common framework/language. Key is assessing clients on steps, assessing growth potential, and making steps

  6. A Dutch study in a German contextQuestions and approach- IAB Interested in activation philosophy and models- In NL and Germany distance to labor market for some people too large- Purely job oriented policies have limited power for these people- How about Dutch social activation policies ?- What are the main experiences?- What are best practices?- What lessons can be learned?Qualitative approach in NL and Germany- Indepth interviews with local decision makers- In NL at least the big 4 cities, young/older clients- Plus example cities mentioned by interviewees- Same ‘Leitfaden’ used in NL and German study

  7. A Dutch study in a German contextThe financial crisis and budget cuts- Interviews December 2010 – July 2011- Scepsis about purely social activities while budgets decline?- Is Social Activation a luxury good?- What will be priority in Social Activation policies in the crisis?- What are the worries, what the opportunities?(“Never waste a good crisis”)

  8. Key resultsBiographical logic and reciprocityParticipation Ladder calls for biographical logic- What instruments best at what phase and what transition?- Use programs/activities that follow up on each other: focus on making steps?- Think in trajectories and biographical developmental needs- Offering programs for one phase only is useless“Voor wat, hoort wat”- Turnaround among policy makers and case managers (and clients?)- If you get a benefit, you will do something back for it- If you can pour coffee at home, you can do that for others too- Matches with broad rethinking on welfare state- Matching individual and societal benefits Biopgraphy and ActivationLearn to get up, get dressed, eat well, use transportation, talk to other people, read/write, basic (professional) skills, build a social network, make transitions (from one school/job/home to another), earn an income, maintain meaningful relationships

  9. Key resultsBuilding trust and social networks- These clients are very sceptic, distrustful- Share what they can do best/how they can develop in late phase- Even after ‘low profile’ activation, pride to participate again grows- Direct programs at building social capital and (local) social networks- ‘Big society’ with more self-responsibility only possible with strong networks- Only with strong network they can take next initiatives

  10. Key results Define success and engage ‘real’ employers- Define the central aim of activation: work or social participation- If the first, success is limited with ‘Ladder 1’-group- Involve ‘real’ employers early-on- Check what skills are needed in the real labor market- Make ‘smart deals’ with health insurance companies and employer groups

  11. Key results Monitor- Systematic insight in what works and what not is still to be build- Monitor making steps on the Ladder- Develop a cost-benefit analysis model- With individual and societal costs and benefits

  12. Preliminary comparison with German resultsQualitative Explorationsstudie zur Sozialen Aktivierung in der BRD- Draft report IAB, February 2012- 45 Expert Interviews across Germany December 2010-January 2012 Remarkable results according to a Dutch researcher- Social activation programs separate (Sozialarbeit) from workrelated measures- Dominance workrelated mediation even for clients very far from labor market- Social activation in “erheblicher Formenvielfalt… ohne – wie in den Niederlanden – expliziter Bestandteil der Massnahmen der grundsicherung zu sein”- Many separate measures/programs, no biographical logic (linked order of measures)- No thinking in terms of benefits for soeicty- Strong legalistic focus on who pays what programs (or: who is not allowed to pay) IAB Report, Seite 5: Soziale Aktiviering wird… bei meist langzeitarbeitslosen Hilfebedürftigen mit multiplen Vermittlungshemmnissen auf folgende Problemlage zu reagieren, bzw. folgende Bereiche zu entwickeln: Physische Konstitution – Gesundheitsbezogenes Verhalten; Psychische Erkrankung und Verhaltensstörung; Fehlende Árbeitstugenden’ und Defizite im alltagshandeln; Sozialer Kontext und familiäre Problemlagen; Mangelnde Basiskompetenzen

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