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 :