Create your own job (Eigen Werk)

Frans Heessels

Project manager DWI

December 2007

Chain project (UWV/CWI/DWI) that coaches unemployed people

over 40 on the road to self-employment

Participation to the project is possible when the candidate is on social

welfare or unemployment benefit

The project is staffed and financed from within the chain

Work is only outsourced to the private market if this is necessary

(vouchering for extra expertise & giving workshops)

The project…

The project lasts for 6 months but can be extended to 12 months in

individual cases

Method: group dynamics, sub-groups with homework assignments,

individual coaching and partial hiring of external expertise (to be used

according to candidate’s needs)

The program has 3 stages : Stage 1 : making a professional business-plan

Stage 2 : after approval of the plan the candidate starts the business “on trial”.

Stage 3 : the candidate starts the business on a permanent basis.

and how it works…

Figures from 26 April 2006 to 1 december 2007:

1.     995 applicant candidates (50 % Wwb / 50 % UWV) 2.     More than 490 candidates currently active in the project 3.     170 people completely signed off from unemployment

benefit or social welfare 4.     101 people partially off unemployment benefit or social

welfare (currently running their business “on trial“)

Eigen Werk has recently been selected as Good Practice in a study on reintegration opportunities for older job seekers carried out on behalf of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW).

The results

Chain identity of the project : candidates can focus completely on their business. We are not a school, but a course with mutual commitment. We work with motivated candidates with a lot of skills and “life

experience”. The candidates are doing the work, we give them full support ! Candidates have influence on our program ( what do you need, what

do you miss ? )

We treat our candidates like equals : we all have the same goal. Their success is our success.

Important factors for the project’s success :