Summary “Give me a hand”
Problem. In attempts to solve the employment
problem of the women, who have been out of work for an extensive period
of time, we are establishing the Development Community “Give me a Hand
”, with participation of:
-
Economical Consultations and Researches
(experienced in the fields of methodical tools and recommendations
development, adult education, organization of training and
research).
-
Social Innovation Fund (organization uniting 60
women community and training centres in Lithuania);
-
The Confederation Lithuanian Business Employers
(experienced in the fields of social politics and employment);
-
Anyksciai Community Centre (experienced in
working with unemployed women).
In cooperation with the international partners the
Development Community “Give me a Hand” shall develop a Social Mentoring
Network in the field of employment.
There are many problems, related to the unemployment
of women, however the Development Community is planning to focus only on
a few of them, hoping that these solutions shall influence the
elimination of other problems as well:
Negative attitudes and discrimination problem
against the women who have been out of work for an extensive period of
time. The Lithuanian employers share a general opinion that the
Lithuanian women take care of the family more than express themselves at
work. These employer attitudes become the main obstacle for the women
seeking employment. This is causing the discrimination against women who
have been out of work for an extensive period of time therefore it is
harder for them to reintegrate into the labour market.
Another issue of non-the least importance in the
Lithuanian labour market is the fact that women are leaving Lithuania
to find a job abroad. The female graduate specialists perform
unskilled work in the foreign countries and loose their qualification,
experience discrimination and after returning back to Lithuania are not
capable of finding a job again.
Therefore we think that it is important to address
the employment problems of the Lithuanian women by providing them
greater employment opportunities in Lithuania.
The aim of the Development Community “Give me a
Hand” is to develop a Social Mentoring Network (model) in the area
of employment and provide an opportunity for the women who have been out
of work for an extensive period of time to reintegrate into the labour
market by taking over the experience of women, who have successfully
overcome the employment problems simultaneously overcoming the
discrimination.
The main objectives:
-
To adapt the mentoring experience, proven itself
in the international practice for solving the employment problems of
the Lithuanian women.
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To establish the centres of the Social Mentoring
Network for employment in Utena, Vilnius, Kaunas counties, that
would provide greater opportunities for the women to reintegrate
into the labour market.
-
Change the attitudes of the public politics
regarding the status of unemployed women and in the area of
increasing opportunities.
-
To develop the methodology of the Social
Mentoring Model and publish it in the methodical publication.
Target (Pilot) Group: women of various ages,
with employment record, but for the last 18 months unable to get a job,
50% with higher education.
In the first phase it is planned:
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Elaboration of the development community general
strategy and activity plan.
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Initiating the contacts with the international
partners EQUAL and signing an international cooperation agreement.
-
Involvement of new partners.
-
The development of project monitoring and
assessment system.
In the second phase it is planned:
-
The development of the Social Mentoring Network
in the field of employment – the communities of the women centres,
housing the long-term unemployed, successfully working women after a
long-term unemployment and businesswomen (“mentors”-preceptresses)
in Vilnius, Kaunas, and Utena counties.
-
Gathering the pilot group of women who have been
out of work for an extensive period of time and are seeking
employment.
-
Selecting and training mentors-preceptresses for
working with women, seeking employment that have lost
self-confidence and motivation.
-
Website development for women community Social
Mentoring Network (model) in the area of employment, with the useful
information for the women, seeking employment and with 30 success
stories of women who have been successfully employed.
-
Arrangement of computer literacy, Lithuanian and
foreign languages, self-confidence, social skills, image
development, entrepreneurial skills development courses for the
pilot group.
-
Arranging conferences and seminars influencing
the public policy regarding the increase of the unemployed women
status and opportunities.
-
Development of adaptation programs for the newly
employed female employees and introducing the programs (with
training) to the employers of Vilnius, Kaunas, and Utena counties.
-
Research and analysis of the factors determining
successful employment.
-
Systemizing the whole material, received during
the project and performing qualitative and quantitative analysis.
-
Project monitoring and assessment of the results.
Results:
1. The developed Social Mentoring Network in the
field of employment: 3 Social Mentoring Centres established in Utena,
Vilnius, and Kaunas counties.
2. 3 pilot groups gathered in Vilnius, Kaunas, and
Utena counties.
3. 60 women – mentors selected and trained for
working with the pilot group of 30 people.
4. The information dissemination performed: taking
part in at least 3 television programs, 6 000 informational booklets and
1000 posters developed, 30 articles in the national and regional press,
6 conferences and 30 consultancy seminars arranged, 1 internet website
developed, the methodical publications covering 4 topics published with
the circulation of 600 units.
5. The 120 day training for women - mentors arranged
in the counties (including intensive and additional training), 3
internships abroad for thirty women - mentors (One group shall include
10 full time women-mentors and three international partners).
6. 240 day training provided for the pilot group
(languages, computer literacy, and etc.)
7. The adaptation program developed for the newly
employed female employees and introduced to the employers– 6 seminars (2
in each county).
8. 4 training methodical manuals developed for the
pilot group.
9. One research of the factors determining successful
employment and result analysis performed.
Consequences:
-
At least 50% of the pilot group members shall be
employed within one year from the end of the project.
-
Social Mentoring Model in the field of employment
could be implemented in other regions of Lithuania and in the same
way adapted for solving the employment problems of other social
groups.
-
The information about the EQUAL mission
disseminated by the initiative of the development community.
Impact:
-
The application of this experience shall improve
the process of solving women unemployment problems in Vilnius,
Kaunas, and Utena counties.
-
The Social Mentoring Network in the area of
employment, developed by the development community shall encourage
the government institutions and the politicians to solve women
unemployment problems, applying the practice of social mentoring the
area on employment.
The cooperation between the Development Community,
international partners and other Lithuanian organizations and companies
shall strengthen the status of unemployed women in the public politics,
a more positive attitude towards the women who have been out work for an
extensive period of time shall be formed.
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