Background Max. Grant Amount is: EUR 1.100.000
The Georgian labour market is presently faced with a number of challenges:
- Long-term structural unemployment occasioned by the collapse of the industrial base following the break-up of the Soviet Union;
- Manifest underutilisation of labour resources as evidenced by the low participation rate of the working age population;
- A predominance of low value added and low-paid jobs, concentrated primarily in the agriculture, public services, and the wholesale
and retail sectors;
- Extensive deregulation of the labour market, and a liberal regulatory
framework supportive of business development, there is a dearth of new jobs being created and employers report difficulties in
recruiting appropriately skilled staff to those jobs which are being created;
- Evident lack of understanding/information on the current structure of the labour market and the actual and potential
growth points in labour demand, and limited support services for job-seekers;
- Limited coordination between education and VET policy and the needs and expectations of employers and potential and
actual employees.
The new Government has adopted a more interventionist approach: the Labour Code has been amended, a new Employment Law, Migration Law, and Health and Safety Regulations are being drafted, and a Strategy and Action Plan (2013-2014) for the re-establishment of labour market institutions have been adopted. In addition, a Labour Market Strategy and an associated Action Plan (2013-2014) were adopted in August 2013, which target five key measures: establishment/improvement of the legal base; formation/development of the labour market infrastructure in order to enhance the range and quality of services available to job-seekers; improved labour market information, through the institutionalization of labour market analysis and the establishment/development of a labour market database; greater synergy between the needs of the labour market and the provisions of the Vocational Education and Training (VET) and continuing education systems; and supporting legal, temporary migration. The present Strategy was conceived as an interim document in order to guide immediate actions to tackle unemployment. Work has commenced on developing a long-term Strategy and Action Plan, which is expected to be ready by the third quarter of 2014.
In order to achieve the challenging goals, the Government has also initiated a number of structural/institutional changes to reinforce the ability of the MoLHSA to develop sound labour market policies and to strengthen the capacities of public institutions to deliver high quality services. In February 2013, the MoLHSA established a new Employment and Labour Policy Department. The Department comprises three Divisions: Labour Migration, Labour Relations and Social Partnership, and Employment Promotion. The Ministry has a total permanent staff complement of 238, and an additional 59 contractual employees. The Employment and Labour Policy Department has a complement of 20 employees. The Department acknowledges that it needs capacity building and technical assistance in order to develop the necessary analytical and policy-making skills in the areas of employment and labour market.
Overall objective
This project aims to reduce poverty and enhance social cohesion in Georgia through the introduction of measures designed to stimulate employment, and to ensure synergy between the demands of the labour market and the skills and qualifications offered by the vocational education and training system. For that reason the purpose is to strengthen the institutional and human resource capacities of the Employment Support Services of Georgia to deliver well-targeted, high-quality, gender-sensitive and cost-effective services to job seekers. For that reason, overall project objective is to reduce.
Eligibility
Only Public Administrations and Mandated bodies as per Twinning Manual of European Union MS may apply through European Union MSs’ National Contact Points.
Twinning proposal and details to be provided Twinning proposals must be submitted to the EU Member States National Contact Points for Twinning following the instructions of the Twinning Manual which must be strictly observed (including the use of the template).
National Contact Points for Twinning will then select one Twinning proposal and submit it to the Contracting Authority within the deadline for applications.
For each application, one copy should be sent by the email address of the National Contact Point.
Budget
Overall amount available for this Call for Proposals is: EUR 1,100,000
Deadline: 30 September 2014
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