Monitoring research for the project PRO AKTIV: Shaping participation – preserving the ability to work

Objectives of the project

The PRO AKTIV project implemented by the job centres Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis and Märkischer Kreis, as well as Deutsche Rentenversicherung Westfalen pension insurance company, is a model project of the federal programme "rehapro". The central aim of the project is to restore/improve the employability of job-seekers (SGB-II benefit recipients with health problems). To achieve this, health-promoting offers are to be combined with qualification offers on the one hand. On the other hand, a better connection between job centres, pension insurance and service providers as well as other relevant actors (e.g. self-help organizations) will be sought.

The monitoring research of the Institute for Work, Skills and Training is intended to identify possible changes, successes and failures within the framework of PRO AKTIV. The results are passed on to the job centres of the areas Märkischer Kreis and Ennepe-RuhrKreis as well as to Rentenversicherung Westfalen and discussed together with regard to the further arrangement of the model project.

Methods

The accompanying research comprises three modules, each of which focuses on the central players of PRO AKTIV: the participants (module 1), the lots of job centres/pension insurance (module 2) and the employers (module 3).

Module 1: Standardized, repeated surveys and their evaluation are used to map changes on the participant side. In addition, qualitative interviews will complement the results of the quantitative evaluation. The qualitative analysis will also enable the study of negotiation processes between autonomy and assistance.

Module 2: In order to investigate aspects of the professionalism of the pilots (Lots*innen) and their cooperation with the participants, the participation advisors (Teilhabeberater*innen), the potential employers and the project partners, guided interviews will be conducted which will be analysed by content analysis.

Module 3: A monitoring is planned to analyse under which conditions employers employ persons with health restrictions and on which workplaces they are employed. It will record which employers participate in PRO AKTIV with which employment opportunities. In addition, the analysis of semi-standardized interviews with employers will provide information on their experiences in recruiting and training employees with health restrictions.