Social inclusion

What does social inclusion imply?

The recent economic crisis affects mainly the most vulnerable people in our society. Certain sections of the population are exposed to a higher risk to end up in poverty: children, youngsters, single parents, impaired persons, migrants, ethnic-cultural minorities such as the Roma, … Also the gender gap keeps posing a problem and results in a larger poverty risk for women than for men.

Through the Europe 2020 strategy the European Union focuses on combating social exclusion and poverty in its economic, employment- and social agenda. By the year 2020 the EU wishes to set free at least 20 million people from a situation of poverty and social isolation. In order to reduce poverty and social exclusion, Europe summons the member states to allocate at least 20% of their ESF budget to this challenge.
The European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion, which was set up in 2010, supports member states in reaching these targets.

What is the role of ESF Flanders?

In 2015 ESF Flanders supported projects which provided coaching for:

• people working in an Article 60 job (this is a contract for people who get a social benefit): The coaching of employees in an Article 60 job constitutes a bridge between their present job and a future job in the regular economy.
• unskilled youngsters – Work Experience for Youngsters! (WIJ!) (see theme ‘Youngsters and Work’): The WIJ call for proposals aims to offer unskilled Flemish youngsters a successful orientation, including the setting up of an action plan for the sequel guidance. This guidance results in sustainable work or the start of a qualifying training (vocational training or education).
• people from the Roma community: The aim is to integrate members from the Roma community into the labour market  in a sustainable way. These projects invest in finding, guiding and coaching Roma towards an active search for a job, starting a qualifying training or getting a sustainable job.

Apart from this, VDAB receives ESF subsidies for tender activities that promote active inclusion and reducing poverty.

What is 2016 bringing?

For 2016, ESF calls for proposals are scheduled regarding  guidance of refugees towards sustainable employment, refugees and entrepreneurship and coaching of peoplen in their active age from households with very limited professional engagement.

In the context of the ESF Transnational Platform 2014-2020, ESF Flanders participates in the Inclusion Thematic Network. The network constitutes a platform to exchange information, creates synergies with other networks as well as diverse stakeholdes and raises the discussion about what exactly contributes to social inclusion to a higher level.