The importance of job placement
The labor insertion coordinator of the Table of Entities of the Third Social Sector of Catalonia, Amèlia Clara, highlights the importance of finding and maintaining work for people in vulnerable situations. Clara, who is president and co-founder of the Femarec cooperative, has dedicated more than 30 years to job guidance and the social, work and cultural insertion of groups at risk of exclusion.
The role of the third sector in job guidance
Career guidance and support in job placement are tasks that have been carried out mainly by third sector entities. In Catalonia, the most vulnerable groups are those who currently suffer the most from unemployment. People who are not vulnerable have other resources to re-enter the labor market, while people in a vulnerable situation need the support of non-profit organizations to achieve their integration.
The challenge of keeping a job
Keeping a job is a challenge for many vulnerable people. There are several factors that can affect your ability to stay in a job, such as difficulty paying for transportation or unsupported family burdens. In addition to labor barriers, there are also social and socioeconomic barriers to overcome. For this reason, it is important that the support in job placement goes beyond the simple job meeting and offers personalized support.
The importance of job orientation in a context of structural unemployment
In a context of structural unemployment, job guidance is more important than ever. It is necessary to intensify the support to avoid that it is always the same people who enter and leave the labor market. A study carried out by the European Network to Fight Poverty and Social Exclusion in Spain shows that having a job does not guarantee the income needed to get out of poverty. This is why job guidance must be a constant support for people in vulnerable situations.
The SOC reform and the role of the new job counselors
The reform of the Employment Service of Catalonia (SOC) has put job guidance as the main pillar. Although it is positive that the importance of this task has been recognised, it remains to be seen how it will be implemented and what the role of the new job counselors will be. It is essential to solve the problem of funding based on subsidies, as this directly affects the entities, the professionals and, above all, the attention to the people. It must be ensured that adequate and quality support can be provided.
