PROMIS – Transnational Co-operation

Transnationality is a core theme of the EQUAL Programme. It is recognised that transnationality can lead to a better insight into the nature and forms of discrimination, inequality and labour market exclusion that exists throughout Europe. Through observing forms of discrimination and learning how they are dealt with (both through policy and in practice), opportunities arise to transfer learning on a two-way basis.

Equal at Work has established a transnational partnership (PROMIS) with EQUAL projects, under the ‘Employability’ and ‘Adaptability’ strands, in Munich, Bordeaux and Naples. All projects under this partnership are citywide initiatives composed of key interests and actors and have joined forces on the basis that they are each large urban labour markets concerned with access and equality issues. The purpose of this partnership is to maximise opportunities for inclusive and equal access to the labour market to the benefit of those currently excluded, and to facilitate the exchange of experience and information in achieving this.

The partners to PROMIS have completed three Transnational Exchange visits to date:
• Munich in September 2002
• Naples in May 2003
• Bordeaux in November 2003
• Dublin in April 2004.
During each of the Exchanges, delegates participated in conferences and seminars, and had the opportunity to learn of, and visit, projects working with socially excluded groups in the respective cities. Delegates also had an opportunity to exchange information on the labour market in their respective cities, the profiling of project participants, and approaches to developing formal and informal learning in the workplace – three key issues being investigated by this transnational partnership.

Equal at Work hosted a PROMIS transnational exchange from 19th - 21st April 2004. Over 20 delegates from Bordeaux, Munich and Naples took part in this Exchange. The agenda for this three-day event was prepared in co-operation with the transnational delegates and the four local sites of Equal at Work. The event was a huge success - feedback from delegates has been very positive and the agenda covered a wide range of issues thus ensuring that there was something for everyone on the programme. Some examples of events organised include: seminar on the Irish Governance, the Labour Market and Equality Issues (with presentations from Ursula Barry, UCD and Carole Sullivan, the Equality Authority), discussion on competency based recruitment in the public sector, visit to the Gateway Project, and presentation on JobRotation as an effective labour market intervention.

The added value which PROMIS brought to Equal at Work was important to the work of the Project. Not only were networks developed but having partners involved in both the employability and adaptability strands of EQUAL meant that partners were in a position to learn from, and disseminate learning across, two thematic networks. To improve communication among partners, and aid dissemination and exchange of information, the Transnational Steering Committee held virtual meetings – and continue to do so. By so doing, partners were in a position to monitor each other’s progress and link-up on specific actions. The development of the PROMIS web platform (see www.promis-equal.com/) has allowed each partner, and the general public, to see what each partner or ‘site’ has done, is doing, what they have achieved and what they hope to achieve.

This transnational partnership has, over its lifetime, facilitated transnational partners in working together on specific actions and in pursuing bi-lateral co-operation on particular elements. One such area where partners have worked together is on the analysis of the labour markets of Dublin, Bordeaux, Naples and Munich. The following PowerPoint presentation details the findings of this analysis.
PROMIS – Labour Market Analysis by Gennaro Di Vincenzo