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Final report - project MOVE 2017-2018

1. Introduction

1.1 Why this project?

The reason to start project MOVE is that since 2016 municipalities in the Netherlands, such as Weener XL, Work and Income ‘s-Hertogenbosch, are increasingly confronted with vulnerable young adults due to changing legislation. The goals (primarily) of Weener XL are to prevent inflow into welfare benefits of young people and to realise outflow to work or school as much as possible. In addition, due to changing legislation, municipalities have taken over tasks and services for vulnerable young adults from Secondary Special Education and Practical Education. This group consists also of young people who are not entitled to any benefit, for example due to the fact that they are not yet 18 years old.

Behavioural problems often play a major role in the life of this vulnerable young people who stranded in previous school or work situations. Many of these young people do not have any future prospects, due to negative experiences. They often develop a negative attitude to a traditional school or employment setting. Unfortunately we also have to note that the current services of Weener XL do not always support adequately these vulnerable young people. Therefore, we looked for alternative forms of service that we could deploy. Services to create positive self-awareness in an alternative and creative way. Engaging young people and giving them the opportunity to share their own thoughts and feelings in a safe environment, helping them to tackle their problems.

Our regular reintegration instruments for young people include (among other tools) training in work and social skills, offering work experience places, giving job training, providing life coaching, job coaching, job hunting and sharing employment vacancies. In addition, there are also alternative instruments such as sheltered employment and daytime activities for the vulnerable young adults.

Experience tells us that sheltered work experience and daytime activities are often demotivating for these young people because the activities do not provide any challenge or stimulation for them. In other words, it does not enhance their own sense of self-worth and independence and does not provide them with a useful way of spending their days. This makes it hard to motivate and prepare them properly for the labour market. A possible consequence is that we might create a "lost generation" that can no longer participate in our society.

On regional level

In the labour market region of Noord-Oost Brabant, the agrifood sector is the main engine of the regional economy with around 7,000 companies that create food and food systems for current and future generations. These firms represent more than 52,000 jobs. Governments, knowledge institutions and industry work in our region joined forces in a foundation called AgriFood Capital.

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