Completed project
TRAINING OF BENEFICIARIES UNDER THE OPERATION 'PROMOTION OF EMPLOYMENT THROUGH PUBLIC BENEFIT PROGRAMMES (UNEMPLOYMENT POCKETS) — FIRST CYCLE'
Scope of the action
This operation covers, in the first instance, the first cycle (the second cycle follows) of the public benefit employment programmes in the 17 municipalities identified as unemployment pockets (listed under BENEFICIARIES OF THE ACTION). It has a twofold aim: to address directly the unemployment of population groups hit by the economic crisis and the long recession the Greek economy has endured, in the areas worst affected by unemployment; and to upgrade participants' qualifications so as to ease their return to the labour market.
These are public benefit employment programmes of eight months' duration, addressed principally to the long-term unemployed. They are delivered in accordance with Joint Ministerial Decision no. 6.1714/5.1504 "Promotion of employment through public benefit programmes under the NSRF 2014-2020" (Government Gazette 424/22-02-2016), as in force from time to time, and are funded by the Operational Programme 'Human Resources Development, Education & Lifelong Learning' with resources from Greece and the European Union (European Social Fund).
The 3,737 unemployed people taking part work on projects that improve the daily life of local communities. To help them return to the labour market, the programmes also include activation measures such as counselling and training.
On counselling, two mandatory sessions are offered free of charge at OAED's KPA2 employment centres, on entry to and exit from the operation, under terms set out in OAED Public Call 7/2016.
For the first cycle, the action covers the following municipalities (the five served by MEK branches are shown in bold):
- Perama
- Ampelokipoi – Menemeni
- Argos – Mykines
- Thermaikos
- Kalamaria
- Arta
- Pavlos Melas
- Salamina
- Agioi Anargyroi – Kamatero
- Fyli
- Paionia
- Aspropyrgos
- Kordelio – Evosmos
- Sintiki
- Agrinio
- Korinthos
- Keratsini – Drapetsona
West Thessaloniki branch (130 Lagkada Street, opposite the Neapoli KPA employment centre) serves beneficiaries from the municipalities of Ampelokipoi – Menemeni, Kordelio – Evosmos and Pavlos Melas.
East Thessaloniki branch (14th km Thessaloniki – N. Michaniona, next to the Public Vocational Training Institute of Thermi) serves beneficiaries from the municipalities of Thermaikos and Kalamaria.
Beneficiaries of the action
The beneficiaries are participants in the public benefit programmes across the 17 unemployment-pocket municipalities who have been placed in posts and have chosen to attend the training programmes, following the procedure described in OAED Public Call 7/2016.
Beneficiaries are entitled to a "Training Voucher", which allows them to receive continuing vocational training services in "Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)" at three levels of knowledge — elementary, basic and advanced — as well as in "Social Economy and Social Entrepreneurship".
Activating the Training Voucher
Beneficiaries are personally responsible for activating their Training Voucher within 15 days of the Register of Beneficiaries being published on the dedicated website (http://www.voucher.gov.gr).
Within those 15 days, each beneficiary must choose their preferred training provider from the Register of Providers, which is also published on the dedicated website (http://www.voucher.gov.gr).
To register with a provider, the beneficiary must supply the following:
- A certificate from the municipality where they are employed
- A copy of their identity card
- Their application reference number
A single contract is then concluded between beneficiary and provider: a beneficiary may not hold contracts with more than one training provider at the same time.
Scope of the training programmes
MEK, in cooperation with the certification body ACTA — Aristotle Certification Training & Assessment, a spin-off of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, which is listed in the EOPPEP register as a body awarding certificates in computer literacy, delivers the following training programmes at its two branches in the Regional Unit of Thessaloniki, with a total duration of 120 hours depending on the beneficiary's level of knowledge and skills:
TRAINING PROGRAMME — LEVEL I
- Word processing — Word (30 hours)
- Spreadsheets — Excel (30 hours)
- Web browsing and communication — Browser & Outlook (30 hours)
TRAINING PROGRAMME — LEVEL II
- Word processing — Word (20 hours)
- Spreadsheets — Excel (20 hours)
- Web browsing and communication — Browser & Outlook (30 hours)
- Presentations — PowerPoint (20 hours)
TRAINING PROGRAMME — LEVEL III
- Word processing — Word (20 hours)
- Spreadsheets — Excel (15 hours)
- Web browsing and communication — Browser & Outlook (20 hours)
- Presentations — PowerPoint (15 hours)
- Databases — Access (20 hours)
All three training programmes also incorporate the following modules, of 30 hours in total:
- Health and safety at work
- Basic principles of labour law
- CV writing techniques, developing a personal strategy, career guidance, methods of finding work, and a simulated interview with an employer
- Social economy and social entrepreneurship
Every beneficiary who successfully completes the certification examination or re-examination receives the corresponding certificate; otherwise a certificate of attendance is issued.
The training programmes run weekly, one day a week, within working hours, by arrangement with the municipality employing the beneficiary.
POSTER KOINOFELIS 17_1.pdf (in Greek)
