A.Metr.I.S Project Study Visit March 06
27th March – 31st March 2006
Pescara & Chieti, Italy

The A.Metr.I.S Italian Equal Project Study Visit in March was extremely interesting for all concerned. The following is an overview of the background to our transnational partnership and the project we are working on together.

Our partners are located in Pescara and Chieti, two towns in Abruzzo on the east coast of Italy. The projects were selected as partners due to the similarities of focus.

There are differences, most notably that EBH is a considerably larger DP with 23 different Activity Partners and 70 projects involved in delivery, whereas the A.METR.I.S (Area METRopolitana per l'Inclusione Sociale) project is made up of 7 delivery partners. Due to this we can clearly see that the diversity of projects is not matched in our Italian partners, so it may not be relevant for all EBH partners to take part in these upcoming transnational activities.

However there is still much to share. We have started our working - and may indeed take it to the end of the project - sharing practices around Supported Employment and Corporate Social Responsibility including of course employer engagement.

We are joined in a project entitled IN.CI.T.I.E.S INtegrated Cities Towards Inclusion Equality & Sustainability.

The following is greater background to our partners the A.METR.I.S Project

A.METR.I.S Project:
• The Project is about motivating people to find work and enabling vulnerable and disadvantaged people into work.

• The Partnership consists of the town councils of Pescara & Chieti, the Centre for Voluntary Services, the Employers Union of Pescara, the Trade Union of Pescara and two voluntary organisations Caritas Foundation and The Queen Mary Foundation (Fondazione Maria Regina)

• Supports inter-sector partnership work

• The project operates through two supported employment centres, which function in similar ways to an employment agency and uses a database to match the clients with the employers

• The project follows on from a previous programme called Streets which was funded through Equal Action 1.

• Started Jan 2006, 70 clients to date (March).

• Operate by providing a job mentoring service to their clients, helping clients to job search and equip themselves with skills such as CV writing, interview practice etc.

• If the clients need further training, the project refers them on to the appropriate agency.

• The case loads provide support until the client is able to support themselves, though this is not open-ended and clients are encouraged to take control of their situations

• Clients include people from disadvantaged groups such as disabilities, older workers, ex-offenders, ex-substance misusers

• 2 Centres; Pescara and Chieti.

• The Project works closely with employers to understand their needs and employment opportunities, offering the following services:
o Recruitment Service
o Employer Mentoring
o Information on employment law etc through the Supported Employment Technician, see below organisational breakdown
o Payment of expenses to the client

• The project markets itself to clients through sending information to
o Social Services/Benefits Agency – most referrals come from here
o Trade Unions
o Voluntary Associations
o Job Centre – good source of referrals
o Relatives/Friends ‘Word of Mouth’
o Pamphlets
o People passing by the shop front office and dropping in
o PR

• The clients must have proof of their need - i.e. medical certificate for disability

• The project markets itself to employers through:
o Employers Union
o Trade Associations
o Phone Contact
o Staff Leasing Agencies
o Mailshots to companies
o Looking through recruitment ads in local press and contacting employers

Background:
• Unemployment at 24% in the South of Italy (from Rome down)

• Youth Unemployment at 60% in the South

• Unemployment made up of 2/3 female vs. 1/3 male

• Today 4/100 employees are employed through public recruitment agencies

• Taxes are recognised as high, 8 million registered businesses

• No minimum wage

• Part time work isn’t common though temporary contracts are

• Cash in hand/Black Market represents an estimated 30% of total GDP across Italy

Italian Employment Contracts:
• Apprenticeship contract for 15 to 29 yrs – poorly paid

• Trainee Contract for 6 months – unpaid - bursary e400/500 per month for expenses. Incl. people with disabilities

• 'Contract for project collaboration' – no age limit, no job security – employers can terminate the contract and re-start with new staff the following day

• Temporary Contract – same as the UK

• Intermittent job contract – temporary seasonal work

• Fortuitous services – 30 days / annum contracts for up to e5,000 p.a. in service areas such as domestic, agricultural and care work. National Insurance and pensions to be paid by employee. Limited rights

• Staff Leasing – no fixed term

• Temporary Contract Fixed Term

• Permanent Contract – dismissal from employment very difficult, most sought after contract but now hard to find. Set up some years ago to protect workers rights, reality of situation means those in these contracts will not move, often resulting in low productivity and employers are reluctant to offer similar contracts in future. Many statutory workers have these contracts.

Working with Socially Excluded People:
• 1999 ‘Service for Compulsory Employment’ Law introduced stating that 1/15 jobs should be assigned to a disabled worker – only applies to permanent contracts

• Contract of Integration – to encourage employers to take disadvantaged people on by awarding pay of 2 grades lower

• B-Coops – if 30% of employees are disadvantaged then these Coops don’t have to go through the normal tendering process for contracts, getting extra points for their employees. They also do not have to pay any taxes on contracts for up to 8 years.

Abruzzo Region – Pescara and Chieti:
• High percentage of older people in Abruzzo region (incl. Pescara & Chieti)

• 1/3 of land is nature reserves, highest percentage in Europe

• Unemployment 7.8%

• GDP e24.5 billion – import e3.5 billion; export e5.3 billion

• 3rd largest producer of wine in Italy

• Up until 10 years ago the Government gave assistance for development of manufacturing plants; since this has ceased, a large amount of industry has left the region. The knock on effect has been social cohesion and social support issues.