In dealing with redundant workers, through financial support and the methodology of the Employment service of Slovenia it has been shown that by application of this programme only, without more holistic approach and solutions for these problems, redundant workers cannot be employed successfully enough. At the Podravje regional fund, unlike in other labour funds in Slovenia, we have started to become more involved in activities development. Through these activities we are providing help in the area of Podravje developmental tasks consortium in opening-up new jobs and (self)employment in various dynamic forms of work, and promoting the culture of life-long learning that is an important criteria for faster re-employment of redundant workers.

Given that the employers mostly decide to reduce the number of unskilled workers, i.e. older workers and women, the labour fund's programme provides individual counselling to redundant workers about their future career path. The approaches to individual counselling are based on the employment plan that is written by every individual in accordance with their interests and abilities and represents a tool for achieving career goals.

During the employment plan writing, two trainers provide help, who also cooperate with various institutions (VIGCs, unions, ESS, external educational and training institutions, etc.), in order to bring the support environment closer to participants, to help them in their future job seeking activities.

Considering we are dealing with two different target groups of redundant workers (permanently redundant workers and potentially redundant workers), we try to ensure a high standard of workshop content as well as trainers’ knowledge.

Reasons:

• Professional field does not answer the needs of potential users;
• Lack of cooperation between key role-players;
• Lack of time of role-players;
• Rivalry among role-players, resulting in uncoordinated and unsystematic approach to redundant workers.

Consequences:

• Some external providers do not offer quality provision of the workshop content;
• Inadequate counselling and information giving;
• Lack of and dispersion of information in the field of career guidance that is of public nature and aimed at different target groups;
• Low motivation for cooperation from participants.

Possible solutions:

• Decentralization of activities, systemic setting, control and active cooperation of key role-players at the level of activity implementation;
• Participation and personal responsibility in implementing activities and reaching goals;
• Additional effort in gaining expert knowledge;
• Forming new approaches in helping redundant workers.