Themes

Regions

Employment & Labour

The aim of fuller employment, improved skills and better jobs, especially for socially and economically excluded people, underpins all ECOTEC's research and consultancy work. Through work for major government departments, ECOTEC has helped shape the solution to key policy challenges in this area.  

For example, we have recently reported to DWP on methods to improve  access to Jobcentre Plus services for people with communication barriers – including people with disabilities and people with English as a second language –groups for whom access to work is key. 

ECOTEC has also been supporting DWP in the development of the City Strategy Business Plans, a central element of employment strategy in the pathfinder areas, being rolled out nationally in the near future.  

ECOTEC can help you:

  • Plan your employment initiatives – especially where this involves improving pathways to employment for economically and socially excluded groups;
  • Advise you on best practice with our knowledge of 'what works' from Europe and other parts of the UK;
  • Help you plan practical programmes and projects in place to meet national and regional policy;
  • Carry out research with vulnerable workers and employers in a sensitive but systematic manner;
  • Evaluate your initiatives.

Service Portfolio: IDELE

This three year project was initiated by the European Commission in 2003 and was implemented by ECOTEC Research and Consulting Ltd on behalf of the Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.

The project aimed to provide an evidence base for local and national stakeholders from across the EU 27 with an interest in local employment development. Using a combination of research, case studies and seminars bringing together practitioners and policymakers from across Europe, ECOTEC captured the essence of what it is to act locally for employment and development. We identified and researched good practice examples of local partnerships and national policy frameworks in 12 key themes in local employment development across Europe and organised international seminars to consider each theme, critically review best practice examples, debate the key issues and draw conclusions to inform policy development.

The project produced and made available a wealth of practical and research material and made recommendations for policymakers and practitioners at all levels to help shape future policy programmes and action. It directly inspired more than 400 policymakers and practitioners from across Europe who attended the seminars and others who accessed the material via the web.

IDELE seminars facilitated by ECOTEC evolved over three years into a unique and effective ‘conversational’ format capable of bringing together and capturing the views of wide range of stakeholders.

Find out more at http://www.ecotec.com/idele/

james.rampton@ecotec.com
+44 121 616 3600


Other projects in this Portfolio