The initiative is a socio-economic enterprise and offers work to ex-substance abusers on various time-schedules according to their capacities. It provides socio-pedagogic assistance and helps them to combat handicaps and difficulties which embedded regular employment so far.

The idea for an employment initiative for substance abusers was developed 5 years ago by the association Wiener Sozialprojekte (Vienna Social Projects) which is the mother association of this initiative, and other low-threshold institutions for substance abusers. Social workers had observed that their clients were willing to work, but had no opportunities to enter the labour market and if they did find employment, it seemed impossible for them to stay employed.

The objective of the initiative is to offer job opportunities and reduce obstacles for getting employment. The project was started with easy-to-do dispatch-activities. Later the initiative was extended to a transit worker-programme. No initial difficulties are known. The initial project manager and the manager of the association were very active in promoting the initiative in the beginning.

Objective of the initiative is the reduction res. removal of the clients' handicaps to find employment. Within the transit year, they are given assistance by the social worker with their private problems (regulation of debts, finding proper accommodation, finding a place in a substitution programme) so that they get ready for employment. Parallel they are trained to work.

The objective in the outplacement-phase is to find a work- or a training-place in intensive co-operation with the Vienna Job Exchange. Follow-up-guiding is provided on demand. Transit workers in refurbishing stay mostly in this field, the others return to their former work-field. About 70% of the participants of the transit year are ready for employment. 

Social and Indirect Effects
Users are in general familiar with the social objectives of the initiative; thus social commitment on their behalf adds certainly to their interest in the professional fulfilment of their orders. The innovative aspect of the initiative lies in its uniqueness considering the target group of substance abusers. The drop out rate has been reduced within the initiative, the young participants have shown to be ready to work and willing to work. It is important to stress this aspect and thus reduce prejudices. There are some other projects which start to work with this target group as daily workers, but not in the form of a socio-economic enterprise. Other initiatives visit fix und fertig every now and then and ask for advice. The one-day-work-scheme is frequently adopted very quickly. Low-threshold work for one day often is the only legal possibility for drug-addicts to earn money.

Assessment-Innovation-transferability
Internal assessment has gone on for 3 or 4 years. One feature of success is certainly the professional character of the accomplished work (as fast and accurate as other firms and fairly cheap). Another important aspect is the availability of professional machinery and trainers. Additionally, the selection of the transit workers is important; thus, it is avoided to admit unreliable or relapse-endangered people. Overall, the concept is transferable and promises success. This is in particular true for the one-day-work-scheme. The demand on behalf of the target group is certainly given in Vienna and in other cities. The project is probably not transferable to rural areas. It is regarded as transferable also to other economic sectors like tailoring, carpentry, bicycle repair, etc.

Prospects
Plans for the coming year are the removal into another district in Vienna. This is related to a project within the Community initiative URBAN Gürtel plus which targets to cover the empty space between the two time schemes: the one-day-work-scheme (low-threshold work for severely addicted people) and the transit work-scheme (higher threshold work for one year). So it will aim at people who are not yet stable enough for regular work but are ready for work to a certain extent and who do not fit in any of the existing schemes. Dispatch-activities shall be accomplished but also other activities. Additionally, the participants will be assisted in finding practice-posts and courses in theatre-pedagogics will be offered. The projected target group are female substance abusers.

Fix und Fertig
Mrs. Angelika Schaller (Social worker), tel. +43 1 5811681 12

01/01/1993

case

Urban Policy

Social inclusion & integration