ESF priority 3b: Integration of marginalised groups into the labour market
Priority 3b of the Operational Programme for Employment Austria 2007-2013 / ESF calls for innovative projects for the integration of persons distant from the labour market (54% regional cofunding; 46% ESF). The overall strategic aim of Priority 3b is to improve the integration of marginalised groups into the labour market via testing and developing innovative measures and improved cooperation of institutions.
A well established cooperation between institutions responsible for supporting the target group is a necessity for an improved assistance for the target group (personal, social and labour market problems need to be solved). In Austria, the responsibility for supporting the target group lies within the Regional Governments, cities and municipalities as well as within the Labour Market Service. The above mentioned institutions already cooperate within the TEPs and now deepen their cooperation in order to develop and implement measures for marginalised groups.
The Austrian BMASK will ask the TEPs for innovative project proposals in the framework of
2 to 3 announcements within the programme periode 2007-2013.
The first call for proposal was launched in winter 2007 for projects at the interface of labour market and social policy (target group: beneficiaries of social welfare, persons without any subsidies). All 38 projects had to be based on a joint analyses, strategy and implementation plan of all actors. Furthermore, only innovative projects and measures were funded (new projects or adapted projects of EQUAL-DPs). The projects budgets (first round) ranged between € 1 Mio. to € 9 Mio. per TEP (for the 2 years periode 2008-2009; co-financing of 54% is to be provided by regional means).
The second call for proposals was launched in summer 2009 - again for projects at the interface of labour market and social policy (particularly for the target group 'people with migration background'). The TEPs implement about 60 projects in the 2 years periode 2010-2011 (the second round is again funded by the ESF, priority 3b and cofinanced by the regional means).
The third call for proposals (runtime: 2010-2013) focuses at the interface of labour market and social policy in relation to the integration of the needs based minimum wage. The project budegt will amount about € 14 Mio. in total with regional co-funding provided by the TEPs.
Thus, in the framework of priority 3b of the OP Employment Austria, the TEPs develop and co-fund projects at regional/sub-regional/local level to reach out those on the margins of the labour market and bringing them into the mainstream, thereby building on results of EQUAL-DPs.
Priority 3b assists in closing gaps between policies (labour market and social), strengthens the TEP’s role in implementing innovative measures, improves the situation of the poorest, presses the partnerships forward to make best use out of their unique position (the cooperation) via enlarging their scope of activities, supports structural and systemic developments as well as innovations and contributes to mobilising reforms in the field of social and labour market policies.
Further information on the TEP projects for a better integration of marginalised groups into the labour market (supported by the Austrian Operational Programme for Employment 2007-2013, Priority 3b, ESF) is available in German.