School4Job, Bologna, Italy
Name of the Practice | School4Job |
Category | Labour Market Integration Social Integration |
Country - Area/Region | Italy, Bologna |
Geographical Coverage | Metropolitan area |
Timelife | 1 November 2018 – 1 November 2019 |
Level of the practice | Local |
Type of activity | Mixed |
Partnership implementing the initiative The initiative carried out by the cooperative Arca di Noè, in partnership with ASP Città di Bologna, two local high schools (M. Minghetti in Bologna and ISS Archimede in San Giovanni in Persiceto), the Department of Psychology of the University of Bologna, AICIS, and with the support of the Carisbo Foundation. | |
Contents of the practice School4Job was selected as a particularly inspiring initiative in the realm of labour and social integration. Thanks to sustained interactions with professionals and assorted social actors, a group of asylum-seekers could enhance their professional and relational skills, as well as their chances of accessing the job market. The project also involved high-school students of a similar age, thus fostering relationship-building and knowledge exchange. Last, the initiative was based on the cooperation of public, private, and third-sector organizations, and thus stands out as a successful instance of co-creation in the field of social welfare. | |
Evaluation of the practice Several factors contributed to the success of this best practice. First, School4jobs involved a variety of partners – including local authorities, schools and universities, private foundations, and specialized third-sector organizations – that mobilized different resources (economic, cognitive, emotional, etc). Second, the initiative responded to a variety of social demands in a holistic fashion. The provision of concrete instruments for job integration went hand in hand with the creation of a breeding ground for relationship-building – thus simultaneously improving the social and labor integration of asylum-seekers. Third, the project was enacted within a favorable political landscape and through the means of a prosperous welfare system. The practice is (socially) innovative because it is based on a co-creation approach and on the involvement of assorted state and non-state actors. The project responded to similar needs expressed by different target groups (asylum-seekers and high-school students of a similar age), which were thus enabled not only to having greater job opportunities, but also to build mutual relationships. Relatedly, the innovativeness of the project consisted in its ability of connecting different groups and enhancing the social cohesion of the whole local community, especially through dissemination activities. | |
Adaptability/Replicability to other contexts The project has remarkable rooms for scalability. It was developed by involving asylum reception centers, high schools, and universities at the local level. As these institutions are often under the jurisdiction of central authorities, it is then reasonable to develop permanent policies with similar purposes at the national level. | |
Up-Scaling School4jobs can be replicated in other contexts as far as similar success factors are at play. These include the involvement of different partners mobilizing different resources, the existence of a favorable political landscape, and the back-up of a solid, well-equipped welfare system. | |
Related Web site(s) of the practice | http://www.aspbologna.it/ccerca-nel-sito/news/school-for-job |
Related reports and resources developed by the practice |
|
Contact Details | |
