The regional stakeholder workshop was held in Kokkola on 2 June and organised by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH).
The workshop focused on key elements of the ENGINE model. FIOH first presented which elements — such as coalition building, employer engagement, employee mobility, and the inflow of job seekers — had been implemented, who was involved, and what concrete actions had been taken.
Following this, participants reflected on what worked well, what did not, and why. They also discussed key enabling and constraining factors, as well as the conditions under which the coalition and its interventions could be sustained or scaled up.
A total of 10 participants representing eight stakeholders took part in the two-hour, in-person workshop at Kokkola City Hall. These included representatives from municipal employment services, business services and HR, a third-sector organisation, a training institution, an entrepreneurs’ association, a trade union, and unemployed job seekers.
Key findings:
- In coalition building, it was important to consider factors related to regional vitality alongside employment and inclusion. This perspective proved effective in attracting employer engagement.
- For a coalition to be sustainable, it requires a shared goal and purpose, regular activities, clearly identified benefits for each stakeholder, trust, strong leadership, representation from a diverse range of sectors, and some form of cooperation agreement.
- Regular communication about the coalition’s activities and successes promotes both its functioning and stakeholders’ commitment to it.
- The ENGINE model appears most feasible for larger organisations or within specific sectors. It is more challenging to implement in regions dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
- Implementation of the model is particularly difficult during economic downturns when demand for labour is low.
- The peer group-based TAITE coaching programme for job seekers shows strong potential for scaling both nationally and internationally, due to its positive impact on employment and the lives of long-term unemployed individuals.
- Supervisors’ competencies in career development and continuous learning can be strengthened through training developed in the Finnish Living Lab. This approach is applicable in Finnish workplaces and for supervisors working in English.