""

The GSIP Project story during 2021 – Journal 3

This is the third Journal of the EU (Urban Innovative Actions – UIA) funded GSIP (Growth and Social Investments Pacts) Project, one of the main instruments used by the City of Vantaa in Finland to develop a solid local jobs and skills agenda applying a labour market innovation discourse that interrelates innovation with inclusive business growth. It was compiled by the UIA Expert of the Project within the context of the Task B’ “Capturing knowledge” (development of documentation and outputs that will capture and disseminate the lessons learnt and good practices for a wider audience) that UIA Experts shall perform during their activities.

""

How could independent Research Organizations contribute to the development of local jobs and skills agendas? Lessons from the Vantaa GSIP Project

This is the web-article No. 7 of the GSIP (Growth and Social Investments Pacts) Project, an initiative of the City of Vantaa (FI) to develop an innovative local jobs and skills agenda. It provides readers with on the ground information about the contribution of Finnish research community to the successful design and implementation of the Vantaa GSIP Project.

Growth through competence management

One part of the Urban Growth in Vantaa project included in spring 2021 a coaching programme for competence management and development called ”Competencies for Growth” (OSKA for short) for Vantaa SMEs. Work on the programme was begun in 2020 to meet challenges experienced by companies as a result of technological changes, and it was first developed with partner companies.  OSKA was warmly welcomed by SMEs, and there was a clear need for coaching in competence management. Competence management and development were made transparent and actively developed processes with the support of an external coach.

Municipalities as drivers of change in the regeneration of urban labour markets – The paradigm of the GSIP Project “Updating skills for employees” model

This is the second Zoom-in of the EU (Urban Innovative Actions – UIA) funded GSIP (Growth and Social Investments Pacts) Project, one of the main instruments used by the City of Vantaa in Finland to develop a solid local jobs and skills agenda applying a labour market innovation discourse that interrelates innovation with inclusive business growth. It concerns a challenging issue of the active employment discourse in Europe: the role of Municipalities as drivers of change in the regeneration of urban labour markets through the design and provision of tailor made human resources development services to small and medium size companies.

Flag with Varia's logo

The paradigm of vocational education and training services in the Vantaa GSIP Project – The role of the Vantaa Vocational College Varia

This is the web-article No. 5 of the GSIP (Growth and Social Investments Pacts) Project, an initiative of the City of Vantaa (FI) to develop an innovative local jobs and skills agenda. It provides readers with a case study about the strong impact of Vocational Education and Training (VET) services designed and offered by municipality VET providers, discussing the role of the Vantaa Vocational College Varia.

""

How did the Vantaa GSIP Project achieve to develop active employment programmes with strong social impact? The GSIP 1 model case study

This is the web-article No. 4 of the GSIP (Growth and Social Investments Pacts) Project, an initiative of the City of Vantaa (FI) to develop active employment programmes with strong social impact. It provides readers with a case study about the methods that local stakeholders may use to design and implement active employment programmes with strong social impact, combining efforts to support businesses, employees and unemployed persons.

How could European cities promote a solid active inclusion model

In his 1st Zoom-In, GSIP expert Gabriel Amitsis, focuses on a rather neglected issue in the overall debate about the development of local community jobs and skills agendas in Europe: the role and the contribution of European cities towards a solid active inclusion model through inclusive labour markets for unemployed persons. Gabriel highlights the EU and the Finnish approach to active inclusion, discusses the models that the GSIP Vantaa Project has applied so far to develop a sound local active inclusion agenda for unemployed persons, and summarizes key learning points and major challenges of interest to local policy makers and stakeholders across Europe.

How may policy discourse influence local jobs and skills agendas? The case of the Vantaa GSIP Project

Transnational and comparative social policy research shows that integrating individuals with complex social problems (such as low qualifications, outdated skills and unemployment) into society and the labour market cannot be achieved solely by traditional employment measures (mostly income support and job-search assistance). Additional instruments are needed, for example vocational training programmes, public job-creation schemes, incentive reinforcement, employment assistance and upskilling, applied either at the national or regional / local level.