Purpose: To give a “second chance” to refugees and other migrants who do not succeed in completing the professional, social and language training within the two years of the introduction programme (or other programmes).
Stimulus/Rationale: The Second Chance programme is mainly aimed at ensuring the integration of the participants in the job market, which include Norwegian language teaching.
Process: The programme started in 2005 as a pilot project run by three professionals and is now a full public programme involving psychologists, health care professionals, teachers, IT experts, etc., cooperating with the Labour and Welfare office of the city of Bergen.
Participants continue receiving social benefits, but if they find a job in the meantime, the amount of the salary is deducted from the benefit. Since the benefits are subject to taxes, this financial assistance is also considered as a tool for teaching the participants how to pay taxes in Norway.
Most of the participants enrolled are women with caregiving responsibilities. Around half have a background from Eritrea, Somalia, and Syria. In their countries they had little or no educational background, and little knowledge of Norwegian language, both reasons why they didn’t manage to secure regular paid employment after finishing the Introduction programme. At the Second chance, participants get a tailor-made personalised work plan, as well as follow-up on by a contact person who establishes a close relation of trust with the participant, mentors them and monitors the progress towards goal achievement. The Second chance programme is built around two main axes: Norwegian lessons and work internships. It includes vocational courses, a “job club”, conversation groups to improve Norwegian language skills, and thematic courses on topics like social norms, IT skills, and job searching.
Examples of dedicated projects are:
- The “Cook and Dialogue” course: the course aims to teach participants the catering profession while stimulating dialogue, self-confidence, and language skills. The participants enrolled in the Cook and Dialogue programme both prepare food for canteens and catering and host their own café.
- Internship in private enterprises: this is a programme that provides traineeship opportunities in the labour market. The municipality finds and negotiates the terms of the traineeship and ensures that job opportunities follow in case the work provided has been satisfactory. Cooperation with the job providers works well particularly because the internship provides companies with low costs recruitment and a reputation of being a socially responsible brand. The Second chance supervisors ensure a close follow-up and provide specific guidance.
Impact: According to figures published in 2019, in 2017 55% of the participants who completed the full programme at the Second chance, including the internship, integrated into the job market. A State funded cost-benefit analysis carried out in 2011 showed that the Second chance programme is good value for money. This view is shared by the current government that has recently increased the funds for this programme.
Key reference documents: https://www.bergen.kommune.no/innbyggerhjelpen/bolig-og-sosiale-tjenester/kvalifisering-til-arbeid/arbeidsrettede-tiltak/arbeidsrettede-tiltak-for-innvandrere-ny-sjanse
