Exploring the Ingredients of Success

Beskrivelse

In most countries, it has been recognized as a main political challenge to enhance employment for the most vulnerable groups in society. However, when looking at jobseekers with long unemployment history and substantial health and/or social problems, the stories of success, in terms of people moving from being dependent on social benefits to getting a job, are limited.
In this paper we investigate the exceptions of this discouraging general picture, by identifying the jobseekers that manage to get a job despite dealing with e.g. alcohol problems, chronic disease or problems in the family. Based on interviews with 13 former benefit claimants and their former caseworkers, the scope of the paper is to contribute with an understanding of the crucial elements in making it from long-term jobseeker to being ready for a job, finding it and keeping it. The analysis reveals success is not determined by frontline workers coercing clients or by them providing extraordinary help. Neither is it a question of jobseekers gradually progressing towards a sufficient level of employability. The findings show that the most important ingredients of success are timing and co-creation of support that is both meaningful and coherent from a client perspective. Successful outcomes coexist with clients’ narratives of being able to influence their own process and of having support in managing the employment system including being provided with indisputable documentation for their capability.

Periode	10 aug. 2018
Begivenhedstitel	Nordic Sociological Association Conference 2018
Begivenhedstype	Konference
Placering	Aalborg, DanmarkVis på kort
Grad af anerkendelse	International