Struggle against joblessness
Düsseldorf, the fourth-largest city in Germany, is taking significant strides to address long-term unemployment. Since January 2019, the Participation Opportunities Act (Teilhabechancengesetz) has been in effect, aiming to integrate long-term unemployed individuals (over 25 years old and receiving unemployment benefit II for six years or longer) into social security-paying employment relationships.
One of the key initiatives in Düsseldorf is the Working Opportunities Plus (Arbeitsgelegenheiten Plus) project. This programme provides subsidized job opportunities to long-term unemployed individuals, allowing them to gain practical work experience, integrate into regular work environments, and improve their employability through structured employment while receiving social benefits support. Last year, 104 out of 217 participants completed the AghPlus project. 5 of these participants were placed in employment, and 21 in publicly funded employment. 113 participants are still in the ongoing project.
Another initiative, Working Opportunities "Working & Learning German", combines employment opportunities with German language learning. This addresses language barriers that often hinder integration into the job market for some unemployed individuals, particularly migrants. By the end of December 2019, the job center in Düsseldorf had concluded 454 employment contracts with various employers for various activities under the Participation Opportunities Act.
i-Punkt Work Locations are local centers offering counseling, job search support, training opportunities, and network collaboration to foster individualized pathways back into employment for long-term unemployed persons. Since 2016, a total of over 1,000 long-term unemployed people have been advised at the i-Points, of whom around 70 percent received unemployment benefit II. The city of Düsseldorf annually invests 2.2 million euros in the fight against long-term unemployment, with the job center Düsseldorf financing the i-Punkt Work locations since 2019.
The AghPlus project offers individual support to help participants gradually approach the labor market and maintain their resources. The i-Points Work supports long-term unemployed people in their vocational orientation on site. A total of 250 funding places are available for the AghPlus project.
Recently, the fifth i-Punkt Work location has been opened in Garath, joining the four existing locations in Wersten/Holthausen, Rath/Mörsenbroich, Oberbilk/Flingern, and Eller/Hassels-Nord. The new i-Punkt Work location in Garath is financed from funds of the communal employment promotion, which is intended to complement the offers of the job center.
City director Burkhard Hintzsche acknowledges that integrating long-term unemployed individuals into the labor market is a significant challenge. He emphasizes the need to consider regular legal changes and current developments, such as the Corona pandemic, when addressing this issue. The Department of Social Affairs in Düsseldorf continues to develop tailored projects and offers for people affected by long-term unemployment.
For more specific, up-to-date information, contacting Düsseldorf’s local labor agency or social service offices is recommended. The search results provided did not include direct references or detailed descriptions of these specific projects or initiatives in Düsseldorf beyond the general context of employment opportunities and job postings in the region.
The Working Opportunities Plus (Arbeitsgelegenheiten Plus) program, a key initiative in Düsseldorf, offers financially subsidized job opportunities to long-term unemployed individuals, aiming to enhance their employability through structured employment and providing social benefits support.
In addition, the Working & Learning German initiative combines job opportunities with German language learning, addressing language barriers that hinder integration into the job market, particularly for migrants. This initiative is part of the Participation Opportunities Act in Düsseldorf's ongoing efforts to tackle long-term unemployment.
