25th European Social Services Conference - Transforming lives through innovation and technology

The 25th European Social Services Conference will take place in Valletta, Malta on 26-28 June 2017. This event is organised by the European Social Network in cooperation with the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The conference will explore how new innovative practices and technology can help create better local social services for the future. The programme is articulated around the following topics:

• Innovation and technology in the public sector – why does it matter?

• Social and health care innovation and technology in practice

• Thinking outside the box – new approaches to service user involvement

• Game changers for the future of social services

and a series of workshops to which Eurofound, as a partner, will actively participate.

More information is available on the conference website

Eurofound contribution

Eurofound will be running a workshop on Work and employment in the digital age – the inclusion of those furthest from the labour market:

The overall aim of the workshop will be to present and discuss a few innovative initiatives in Member States that focus on the labour market re-integration of the inactive population.

Based on the Eurofound’s in-depth study of the inactive population, this workshop will focus on the policy initiatives that aim exclusively to activate and promote the labour market inclusion of inactive groups in society. Two innovative examples will be selected and discussed in detail. The workshop will discuss the challenges associated with their implementation as well as their outcomes, while also aiming to present the perspective of the service providers as well as that of the end users.

Given the difficulty for service providers in locating and reaching out to the inactive population, as well as catering to the often complex needs of the target population (such as health and other socially related needs), innovative (digital) ways of delivering assistance will be the focus of the initiatives.

Presentations

• Work and employment in the digital age - Anna Ludwinek, Research manager, Eurofound (362KB PDF)

• Decreasing youth unemployment in Sweden - Brita Borg and Pia Lunöe - Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) (748KB PDF)

• Alternative work paid by the day - Jean-Hugues Morales - TAPAJ (Travail Alternatif Payé À la Journée) (1.93MB PDF)