Peer country paper

The European Commission Mutual Learning Programme
for Public Employment Services
DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
EMPLOYMENT POLICY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN
DENMARK
Peer country paper Youth Guarantees
(Input to Peer Review, Austria, 22/23 March 2011)
Danish National Labour Market Authority
in collaboration with GHK Limited / Budapest Institute
Date: March 2011
The information contained in this publication does not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of the
European Commission.
CONTENTS
1
2
3
4
5
6
THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE .................................... 3
PES ORGANISATION AND SERVICE PROFILE ............................................... 9
ENSURING ACCESS TO PES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ................................... 11
PES SERVICES AND PARTNERSHIPS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE..................... 12
EFFECTIVE PES MEASURES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ................................... 15
ASPECTS OF TRANSFERABILITY AND CONCLUSIONS ............................. 18
1
THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
According to Eurostat data, the Danish unemployment rate for young people less
than 25 years old is 14.8%, which is low in the European context. Long-term
unemployment is 5.9% and the lowest in Europe.
Figure 1. Unemployment rates for young people < 25 years
Unemployment rate for young Long term unemployment rate for
people < 25 years (2010Q3)
young people < 25 years (2010Q3)
Sweden
Denmark
Austria
Finland
The Nederlands
Slovakia
0
Spain
Lithuania
Slovakia
Greece
Lithuania
Esonia
Ireland
Hungary
Italy
Polen
Portugal
Rumania
Belgium
France
Bulgaria
Sweden
EU 27
Great Britain
Tyrkey
Czeck republic
Denmark
Finland
Cyprus
Slovenia
Luxembourg
Iceland
Germany
Malta
Austria
The Nederlands
Norway
0
Polen
0
5
Tyrkey
10
0
5
Cyprus
10
10
Germany
20
10
Lithuania
20
Great Britain
15
Spain
30
15
EU 27
30
Belgium
40
20
France
40
20
Czeck republic
25
Greece
50
25
Portugal
50
Romania
60
30
Ireland
60
30
Letland
35
Estonia
70
35
Slovenia
80
70
Italiy
80
40
Bulgaria
45
40
Hungary
45
Source: Eurostat
National data also shows that youth unemployment in Denmark is relatively low. For
the 25-29-year-old age group, the unemployment reached its peak of 9.1% in July
2010. For young people under 25, the unemployment rate has been around 5%
since the beginning of 2010. Denmark has also been hit by the economic crisis, but
the rise in unemployment seemed to come to a halt in the last quarter of 2010 and
today the unemployment is tending to decline.
3
Figure 2. Unemployment rates for young people 16-24, 25-29 years
Unemployment rate for young Long term unemployment rate for
people 16-24, 25-29 (seasonal young people, 16-24, 25-29 (as a
adjusted, Jan. 2004-Oct. 2010)
share of the labour force)
0
25-29 years
25-29 years
2010M10
2010M07
2010M04
2010M01
2009M10
2009M07
2009M04
2009M01
2008M10
2008M07
2008M04
2008M01
2007M10
2007M07
2007M04
2007M01
2006M10
2006M07
2006M04
2006M01
2005M10
Pct
2005M07
2005M01
16-24 years
2005M04
Pct
2010M10
2010M07
0
2010M04
2
0
2010M01
2
0
2009M10
2
2009M07
2
2009M04
4
2009M01
4
2008M10
4
2008M07
6
2008M04
6
4
2008M01
6
2007M10
6
2007M07
8
2007M04
8
2007M01
8
2006M10
8
2006M07
10
2006M04
10
2006M01
10
2005M10
12
10
2005M07
12
2005M04
Pct.
12
2005M01
Pct.
12
16- 24 years
Sources: Two sources: Until December 2006 Jobindsats.dk. From January 2007 and forward the
source is Statistics Denmark.
Young people receiving social benefits and having other problems than
unemployment (abuses, psychological problems etc.) and therefore not capable of
finding a job on ordinary terms within three months, are not included in the national
unemployment statistics. Figure 3 shows the number of young people on benefits
that are not available for the labour market.
Figure 3. Young people 16-24, 25-29 years receiving social benefits and not
capable of finding a job on ordinary terms within three months
Young people receiving social Young people receiving social
benefits and not available for the benefits and not available for the
labour market, 16-24, 25-29
labour market, 16-24, 25-29 (as a
share of the labour force)
20.000
20.000
18.000
18.000
16.000
16.000
14.000
14.000
12.000
12.000
10.000
10.000
8.000
8.000
6.000
6.000
4.000
4.000
2.000
2.000
12%
10%
10%
8%
8%
6%
6%
4%
4%
2%
2%
0%
0
0
jan-06 maj-06 sep-06 jan-07 maj-07 sep-07 jan-08 maj-08 sep-08 jan-09 maj-09 sep-09 jan-10 maj-10 sep-10 jan-11
16-24 years
12%
0%
jan-06 maj-06 sep-06 jan-07 maj-07 sep-07 jan-08 maj-08 sep-08 jan-09 maj-09 sep-09 jan-10 maj-10 sep-10 jan-11
16-24 years
25-29 years
4
25-29 years
Source: Jobindsats.dk and Statistics Denmark. Note: In the Danish match system, people receiving
social benefits and are not capable of finding a job on ordinary terms within three months are in match
category 2 (ready for the services of the job centres) and 3 (not ready for services of the job centres).
Box 1: Eurostat data vs. national data on unemployment
National data and data from Eurostat on unemployment are not directly
comparable. Eurostat uses sample data from questionnaires and national
data uses register data on people receiving unemployment benefit. The
sample data includes people that are not working but say they want to work
and actively are looking for jobs (i.e. the sample also contains people
studying, people on retirement as well as people who are not entitles for
unemployment benefit). Therefore Eurostat data typically show a higher
unemployment rate in Denmark compared to national data using register data
on people receiving unemployment benefits.
Getting an education is first priority
Education policy and the training system is the responsibility of the Danish Ministry
of Education. A child can begin compulsory education at the earliest by the age of
five but he/she must begin education at the latest in the calendar year when they
reach the age of six. Danish children have today ten years of compulsory education
(from age 6 to 16).
5
Figure 4. The Danish Education and training system
Source: Danish Ministry of Education
It is very important that young people get an education as it lowers the risk of them
being unemployed. Therefore, the Danish government has set out a national goal
that 95% of young people will have an upper secondary education by 2015. Today,
about 82% of young people aged 25 have at least an upper secondary education.
The Ministry of Education has set up many initiatives to promote that young people
get an upper secondary education. For example the Government has decided to
reward companies with a bonus up to € 9,500 for creating apprenticeships. Young
people can find answers to many questions regarding choice of education,
apprenticeship training, university studies etc. at www.uddannelsesguiden.dk. Here
young people can also find information about different types of jobs. The information
is brought to the young people in an easy accessible way by quizzes, a compass etc.
It is outside the scope of this paper to go through all the initiatives of the Ministry of
Education.
6
Table 1. The highest completed education level at age 25, 2010
Highest completed education level at the age 25
Persons
Share
Higher than primary school
61.319
82%
Primary school
13.067
18%
Total
74.386
100%
Source: Statistics Denmark
According to the latest OECD data, Denmark is ranked 14 when comparing
populations that have attained at least upper secondary education. The figure also
shows that a higher share of 25-34 year-olds have at attained at least upper
secondary education than 55-64 year-olds i.e. that the young generation is better
educated than the older generation.
Figure 5: Population that has attained at least upper secondary education 2008
(25-34 and 55-64 years)
Source: OECD Education at a glance
Table 2 shows how old Danes are when completing secondary school, vocational
secondary school and vocational training. In 2009, almost half of Danes completed
vocational training above 24 years of age. Almost all Danes complete secondary
school or vocational secondary school by the age 18-24 years.
7
Table 2. Completion of an upper secondary education or upper secondary
vocational education, by age groups, 2009
18-24 years
25-29 years
30-39 years
40+ years
Total
Secondary School (almengymnasial)
Persons
Share
25.353
99%
219
1%
87
0%
15
0%
25.674
100%
Vocational secondary (erhvervsgymnasial)
Persons
Share
9.875
97%
233
2%
94
1%
14
0%
10.216
100%
Vocational training (erhvervsudd.)
Persons
Share
16.687
54%
5.508
18%
4.826
16%
3.755
12%
30.776
100%
Source: Statistics Denmark
The following chapters show the organisation of the Danish employment system, the
services provided by the job centre, and how new information on measures are
collected, especially with respect to employment policy for young people.
8
2
PES ORGANISATION AND SERVICE PROFILE
Today the employment services for members of the unemployment insurance funds
and recipients of social benefits (i.e. insured and uninsured unemployed) are the
responsibility of the municipalities1. There are 91 local job centres (one job centre for
each of the municipalities (except for the smallest municipalities covered by
municipal co-operation schemes)).
The job centres provide employment services for all unemployed people, regardless
of the form of public assistance they receive. The job centres also assist enterprises
in recruiting and retaining employees.
At the job centre, people may for instance:
Register and deregister as an unemployed person
Have an interview concerning jobs
Develop a job plan
Get help with recruiting new employees to their enterprise
In order to ensure continuous follow-up of the employment efforts, there are four
state-run employment regions. The employment regions analyse, monitor and follow
up the efforts made in the job centre, as well as labour market developments.
The National Labour Market Authority, and ultimately the Minister of Employment,
has the overall responsibility for the employment policy in Denmark. The National
Labour Market Authority set up legal rules and measures/tools to ensure the best
possible results and effects of the employment services in the municipal employment
system:
Minimum legislative requirements for active efforts
Financial incentives are to motivate the municipalities to get unemployed people
into jobs through active efforts
Centralised IT tools
Management tools that ensure transparency and focus on the results of the job
centre
Dialogue between the employment regions and job centre on efforts and results
1
As a part of the municipal reform of 1 January 2007 (where Denmark went from 271 municipalities to 98
municipalities), major changes in the political employment system came into effect. Until August 2009, the Danish
state was responsible for the employment services and targeted members of the unemployment insurance funds,
and the Municipal system dealt with recipients of social benefits. However, in accordance with a political
agreement, a decentralisation took place from 1 August 2009. After this date, all the employment services for
members of the unemployment insurance funds and recipients of social benefits (for insured and uninsured
unemployed individuals) became the responsibility of the municipalities.
9
Figure 6: The Employment System in Denmark from 2009
Minister of Employment
National
Authority
Labour
Market
4 Employment regions
Private
Service
Providers
91 job centres
(The municipality council has
the full responsibility)
Source: The National Labour Market Institution
Reimbursement rates
The municipalities pay public assistance benefits to unemployed people and have
expenditure for employability enhancement schemes (upgrading of skills, on-the-jobtraining or jobs with wage subsidy). However, a large part of this expenditure is
reimbursed by the state.
From January 2011, the reimbursement rates will be lowered and harmonized so
that the higher rate of reimbursement - for both the insured and uninsured
unemployed individuals - is 50%, and the lower rate is 30%. The municipalities get
the higher reimbursement rate when unemployed people participate in practical
work-based training in enterprises, wage subsidies or ordinary education. The lower
reimbursement is paid if the unemployed are not in activation or job-search
assistance schemes, or in guidance, upgrading of skills and qualifications schemes.
The municipalities thus have a strong incentive to place unemployed people into
employability enhancement schemes, in other words, where they can participate in
practical, work-based training in enterprises, wage subsidies or ordinary education.
10
3
ENSURING ACCESS TO PES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
In Denmark, the job centres undertake employment-related tasks for all unemployed
people. However, it is the youth guidance centres and not the job centres who are
responsible for the co-operation with schools and provide guidance
services/vocational orientation. The Ministry of Education has the overall
responsibility of the youth guidance centres.
There are 45 municipal youth guidance centres which provide guidance services for
young people up to the age of 25 years. The youth guidance centres focus on
guidance related to the transition from compulsory school to youth education or,
alternatively, to the labour market.
The main target groups for the youth guidance centres are: pupils in primary and
lower secondary school and young people under the age of 25 who are not in
education, training or employment. Their main role is to help young people less than
25 get back into the educational system. The youth guidance centres must offer
guidance and assistance to any youth who has completed compulsory education, is
less than 25-year-olds, has not completed an upper secondary education or a higher
education or is not currently studying one of these. The centres also provide service
to young people under the age of 25 who contact the centres themselves for
guidance.
Guidance activities include individual and group guidance sessions, as well as
introductory courses and bridge-building schemes to give pupils a „taste‟ of
conditions, levels and requirements at different youth education institutions. Crosssectoral co-operation is emphasised in the Danish legislation on guidance to ensure
a coherent guidance system and a regular exchange of experiences, knowledge and
best practice. The youth guidance centres are thus obliged to co-operate closely with
the job centre, as well as primary and secondary schools and youth education
institutions in the area.
The job centre services to young 15-17-year olds
Since August 2010, the job centres can provide activation and mentor services to
young people aged 15-17 who have not yet begun an education or do not have a
job. Therefore, resources have also been provided for increased co-operation
between the youth guidance centres, educational institutions and the job centre. The
Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Employment are co-operating to develop a
database which will ensure a full overview of the education and training of each
young individual. This will enable the quick identification of vulnerable young people
and provide the information needed to offer a targeted effort. The database will be
available in 2011.
11
4
PES SERVICES AND PARTNERSHIPS FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE
Public expenditures in active and passive labour market programmes in general are
about 2.5% of GDP (1.5% of GDP on passive labour market policies and 1.0% on
active measures)2.
The overall services provided by the job centres typically consist of i) guidance and
upgrading of skills and qualifications; ii) practical work training in enterprises; and iii)
wage subsidies. These instruments can be combined according to the needs of the
person and/or those of the labour market
The primary goal for the job centres is to get the young unemployed with an upper
secondary education into jobs and the young unemployed without an upper
secondary education into education.
As a general rule, every recipient of unemployment benefits should be registered as
unemployed at the local job centre and should actively search for a job. He/she has
to apply for all jobs which he/she can manage and must be able to start a job with
one day‟s notice. All unemployed people will, after some time, receive an individual
action plan indicating regular mandatory contacts with the job centre, as well as
participation in ALMPs.
Four target groups
The employment policy for young people is based on four target groups:
Figure 7: The four target groups
2
Source: Eurostat/OECD database on Labour Market Programmes (jobs for youth 2010)
12
The job centres provide job interviews and activations to the four target groups and
can impose sanctions if the unemployed do not take active part. If a young person
belongs to target group 2, the job centre can oblige him/her to take actions in order
to be enrolled in ordinary education, and if not, the job centre can impose sanctions
on his/her benefits/allowances.
Private Service Providers
The job centres can decide to use external service providers to provide services to
the unemployed. It is however mandatory for the job centre to use private service
providers for the unemployed with an academic education due to concerns that this
target group would not get the sufficient quality of services particular in the smaller
job centres.
The social partners
The social partners are involved in employment policy through councils at national,
regional and local level. The cooperation with social partners is an integral part of
labour market policy. This also applies in fields that are primarily regulated by
legislation, such as health and safety at work, job placement and unemployment
insurance. The social partners are consulted in connection with the drafting of
legislation related to the labour market. In many fields, decisions are made by central
or local councils in which the social partners are also represented.
National Unit for young people
The National Labour Market Authority has established a National Unit for the young
unemployed. The unit provides guidance for the job centre on how to understand the
legal rules and best practises for young unemployed.
Legal rules
The main legal rules regarding activation measures for the young unemployed are:
If aged 18-19, they are entitled to a period in activation within one month for a
length of six months.
If aged 20-29, they are entitled to a period of activation within three months for a
length of six months.
If still unemployed, the job centre initiates a new activation period within six
months of the last activation period.
The legal rules on job interviews are:
If aged 18-29, they are entitled to a job interview within one months and at least
every three months
IT systems
In order to ensure a transparent labour market, the National Labour Market Authority
provides a national database of job ads and CVs (www.jobnet.dk). It is mandatory for
the unemployed person to fill out a CV within three weeks. The database also trawls
other job databases on the Internet so it contains all job ads available online in
13
Denmark. Therefore, the database is a useful tool in order to actively look for jobs.
The National Labour Market Authority also provides Statistics on the services and
results of the job centres which is available for everyone at www.jobindsats.dk
Other services available to young people
The job centres can provide tests in reading/writing and maths, and if needed,
they can provide courses in reading/writing and maths.
The job centres can also provide a mentor for young people and the young
person can keep their mentor when they start studying.
The job and CV database is extended to include part-time jobs for young people
aged 15-17
Initiatives of the National Labour Market Authority
In order to promote employment services in the municipalities that have an effect on
employment, the National Labour Market Authority initiates new legislation,
campaigns and dialogue with the job centres through campaigns, pamphlets and
new measurements on www.jobindsats.dk etc.
Local job centre initiatives
The job centres often cooperate with social partners and schools in setting up local
events, campaigns, websites etc. to help young people into jobs or education. There
is a wide range of these initiatives across the job centres since the job centres
decide locally to participate in these initiatives.
14
5
EFFECTIVE PES MEASURES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
In Denmark, the main ALMP instruments are: 1) guidance and upgrading of skills
and qualifications; 2) practical work-based training in enterprises; and 3) wage
subsidies. These three instruments can be combined according to the needs of the
person and/or those of the labour market.
In order to gather more information on the measures targeting the unemployed, the
National Labour Market Authority carries out randomized controlled trials (controlled
trials) where uniquely planned programmes are tested.
Box 2: More on controlled trials
The target group in controlled trials is divided into a treatment group and a
control group
The treatment group is subject to the program being tested while the
control group is subject to the normal procedure
A large number of randomly selected persons (at least 1,000 in treatmentgroup and control-group) and a large number of job centres have to
participate in the trials for the results to be representative.
Job centres register their services during the trial for both groups. The
data is used to monitor if the job centres implement the program properly
and to be able to measure cost-benefit of the effects by the end of the
trial.
Controlled trials are evaluated by external evaluators. The quantitative
evaluation shows the effects of the program given to the test group
compared to the program given to the control group. The qualitative
evaluation tries to explain the results found in the quantitative evaluation.
The National Labour Market Authority has initiated six controlled trials. Four trials
has been completed and evaluated, one is in the evaluation phase and one has just
been started.
Job interviews in the beginning of the spell and intensive follow up works
The National Labour Market Authority has carried out two controlled trials testing the
effects of an early and intensive effort of the job centre. The target group was newly
unemployed members of unemployment insurance funds across all age groups. The
quantitative evaluations showed that the early and intensive effort had a significant
effect on employment. Job interviews in the beginning of the unemployment spell
followed by job interviews every second week is very effective in order to get
unemployed into jobs. This result also applied for the young unemployed.
15
Activation in real enterprises works
Most studies (Danish as well as international studies) find that activation is most
effective if it is organised in the form of practical work-based training in enterprises or
through wage subsidies. This result applies to all age groups of the unemployed.
Activation in real enterprises helps the unemployed person to get a network of real
colleagues and carry out real tasks. It also helps the unemployed person to develop
their skills.
The National Labour Market Authority has set up a campaign to promote enterprise
centres. Here job centres can arrange with a company (for example a local super
market) to set up a fixed number of seats (at least four seats) for recipients of social
benefits with other problems than unemployment (abuses, psychological problems
etc.) and therefore not capable of finding a job on ordinary terms within three
months.
In an enterprise-centre the people on social benefits work a few hours a week for a
period of up to 13 weeks with the possibility of having the period extended. A fixed
number of seats mean that when one person on social benefits leaves the company,
he or she makes room for another to enter. As a part of the arrangement the job
centre pay for one of the employees in the company to be a mentor for people
on social benefits and thereby give the support needed for these persons to get back
on track.
An evaluation of enterprise centres showed that enterprise centres bring more
people (on social benefits and not capable of taking a job within three months)
into ordinary jobs than other activation programs for this target group. Enterprise
centres gives the people on social benefits a network of real colleagues and they
also get the opportunity to carry out real tasks in the company helping them to
improve their skills. The mentor ensures that they get the support they need. The job
centres are continuously in contact with the enterprise-centres as well as the people
on social benefits in the enterprise centres and help them if needed.
A controlled trial for young unemployed people
In 2009, the National Labour Market Authority set up a controlled trial called “Unge –
godt i gang”„(Young people – well started‟) in 14 selected job centres. The target
group was young 18-29 year olds irrespective of the type of benefit they receive.
The control group was given the „normal‟ services provided by the job centre (see
section 4). The program for the persons in the test group with an upper secondary
education was:
A letter of participation in the project 'Young People – Well Started‟
Weekly job interviews or job interviews once every two week at the job centre
with a focus on getting a job
Activation in the form of practical work-based training in enterprises or wage
subsidies for 26 weeks after 13 weeks
16
The program for the people in the test group without an upper secondary education
was:
A letter of participation in the project 'Young People – Well Started'
After 1 week: a course where the job centre clarify the skills and wishes of the
young person
Weekly interviews with the job centre with a focus on how and when to start
education
If necessary, a mentor
If necessary, a reading/writing course
Activation in the form of practical work-based training in enterprises or wage
subsidies for 26 weeks after 6 weeks in the trial
The trial on young people will be evaluated in 2011.
How do we use the results?
The controlled trials produce new knowledge about effective measures targeted
different groups of unemployed people. The National Labour Market Authority uses
the new knowledge to develop its employment policy through new legislation,
campaigns and dialogue with the job centre. This new knowledge often leads to
more questions which need to be investigated.
17
6
ASPECTS
OF
CONCLUSIONS
TRANSFERABILITY
AND
The structures of the Austrian and Danish employment systems are very different
which limits the potential transferability of the Austrian practice to Denmark. The
Danish employment system is more decentralised than the Austrian system and
employment policy and education policy are also more divided than in Austria. In
Denmark, the employment services in the job centres are the responsibility of the
municipalities, whereas in Austria the employment services of the PES are the
responsibility of the state. Also, in Denmark, the cooperation with schools, contact
with pupils, apprenticeships etc. are not the responsibility of the job centres (but the
youth guidance centres and the Ministry of Education), where as in Austria, it is the
responsibility of the PES.
Also, the approval of benefits is different in the two countries. In Austria, young
people less 25 years-of-age have to prove 6 months of employment within the last
12 months before the claim and the benefit can only be granted if the PES cannot
get them into employment or vocational training within 4 weeks. In Denmark, more
young people are entitled to benefits as the approval system seems less demanding.
In Austria, the legal rules are more based on rights rather than duties, whereas in
Denmark the legal rules are based on the principle that rights and duties go hand in
hand. It could be interesting to know more about how Austria avoids the phenomena
of „creaming‟. It could also be useful to learn more about how they motivate the
unemployed without having the instrument of sanctions.
The unemployment rate for young people in Austria is very low (according to
Eurostat, the third lowest in Europe), and in this respect, it would also be interesting
to learn more about the active measures in Austria.
In Austria, they have found that after three months (and 12 months) after the end of
measure:
85% after 3 months (83% after 12 months) of those who have undergone
subsidised apprenticeship training in a company were in some kind of
employment.
o
In subsidised apprenticeship training, the companies get a monthly
allowance up to €400 for providing apprenticeship training to girls within
areas where there is a low share (less than 40%) of female participants,
disadvantaged youths and youths participating in „integrative vocational
training‟ i.e. disabled persons, persons who did not receive a lower
secondary school degree. The companies get a monthly allowance up to
€ 755 for training youths older than 19 whose employment problem can
only be solved by such training.
66% (81%) of those who have undergone subsidised apprenticeship training in a
institution were in some kind of employment.
18
o
Subsidised apprenticeship training takes place in vocational training
centres and most of them closely related to social partners and
associations selected through a tendering process
64% (65%) of those who had been activated via a wage subsidy were in some
kind of employment.
o
Companies and institutions can be offered wage subsidies to employ
jobseekers who are registered unemployed for more than 6 months
(youth < 25 years) and more than 12 months (> 25 years). The
maximum duration is 2 years and the maximum subsidy is 2/3 of the
salary, including non-wage labour costs.
59% (52%) of those who had got assistance through „counselling and assistance
providers‟
o
PES counsellors can be outsourced to respective institutions called
„counselling and assistance providers‟. In some regions, such providers
take care of young jobseekers or apprenticeship-seekers that are hard to
place.
58% (58%) of those who participated in external courses were in some kind of
employment.
48% (68%) of those who participated in vocational orientation and similar
measures were in some kind of employment.
46% (55%) of those who participated in integrative apprenticeship training
o
Youths participating in „integrative vocational training‟ i.e. disabled
persons, persons who did not receive a lower secondary school degree.
Integrative apprenticeship training offers two options: training in basic
skills demanded by the labour market which leads to an officially
recognised certificate or a prolonged version up to 3 years leading to a
regular apprenticeship certificate.
44% (54%) of those who participated in employment in a non-profit employment
project were in some kind of employment.
o
Non-profit organisations offer jobs for long-term unemployed up to one
year. They are involved in repairing items and offer services like the
maintenance of playgrounds, public gardens etc.
34% (64%) of those who participated in German language courses where in
some kind of employment.
21% (46%) of those who participated in courses to obtain a lower secondary
school degree where in some kind of employment.
Conclusion/comments on the most effective practices
The Danish National Labour Market Authority focuses on helping the job centres to
promote the services which have an effect on increasing the labour supply and
19
reducing unemployment. The controlled trials produce new knowledge about the
effective measures targeted at different groups of unemployed people. The National
Labour Market Authority uses the new knowledge to develop its employment policy
through new legislation, campaigns and dialogue with the job centres.
Like the Austrian public employment service, the Danish National Labour Market
Authority also finds that it is very important that young people get an education as it
lowers the risk of them being unemployed. Therefore, the job centres are able to
oblige young persons (without children and considered able to take up an education)
to take actions in order to be enrolled in ordinary education, and if not, the job centre
can impose sanctions on his/her benefits/allowances. Also the Danish National
Labour Market Authority finds that active measures are very effective in helping
young people into jobs and education and activation is most effective if it is
organised in the form of practical work-based training in enterprises or through wage
subsidise. Finally, activation in enterprise-centres is an effective tool to help people
across all age groups with other problems than unemployment back on track.
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