Denmark
Project: Initiative
to retain ethnic minorities in employment |
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Description
of the problem: |
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The
focal point of integration policy in Denmark is that ethnic
minorities become self-supporting as quickly as possible.
In order to get a job and become self-supporting it is
necessary to upgrade the skills and qualifications of
the ethnic minorities. The areas in which further upgrading
of skills is needed are: Danish language, social and personal
qualifications, knowledge of the Danish labour market
and vocational skills.
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Description
of the solution: |
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By
means of training employees of ethnic minority background
in Danish language, culture and labour market culture their
ressources and their motivation for their job are strengthened.
Aspects of their working life which have been confusing
and maybe even frustrating becomes clearer. Furthermore,
a side effect has been that some of the participants in
the project become motivated to apply for higher positions
in the companies or to start further education.
All
aspects relating to a person's working life are dealt with
in the project.
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Every
employee who has participated in the project and who wanted
to return to their job has had the opportunity to do so.
Some
of the participants who worked as chambermaids when they
started in the project have returned to their workplace
to a higher position and some of the participants have not
returned to their old job because they have chosen to apply
for a different kind of job or to start an education.
An
innovative element is to focus on retainment of ethnic minorities
in employment. There are many integration initiatives focusing
on upgrading vocational and language qualifications for
ethnic minorities who do not have a job but not very many
initiatives to secure that they retain their job.
There is a tendency in the companies to give low priority
to the unskilled workers. It is important to try to change
this attitude.
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Practical
considerations : |
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The total annual budget of the project is 270.000 euro and
it is funded by the European Social Fund. There are 18 participants
in the project on an annual basis and the total expenditure
per hour per participant is about 12,6 euro. The period
of time that the participants are in the project is individually
planned but it is typically between 12-20 weeks.
The
staff in charge of the project are: 6-7 teachers, 1 project
coordinator and 1 administrative person who works 1/3 of
her full time job on this project.
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