Social services: a source of new job opportunities
Yesterday (23 April 2009) the Conference on Social Services ended in Prague. It was organised by the Czech Presidency in cooperation with the European Commission in the context of the implementation of one of the main priorities in the area of labour and social affairs.
The conference outlined the groundwork for future pan-European discussions on the role of social services in society. In spite of different concepts of social services in individual EU Member States, in terms of securing them, distribution of competence and financial sustainability, representatives of all Member States and other stakeholders agreed on their function and objectives.
Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Petr Nečas identified three key issues relating to systems of social services: Why and in which situations does modern society need social services? What must the social services guarantee their clients and how should they be regulated? What is their role in the global social context?
He underscored the importance of development and sustainability of social services particularly in relation to employment, education, housing and health. “Social services are becoming increasingly important particularly as a source of job opportunities,” stated Minister Nečas. The number of persons employed in social services has been continually rising in the Czech Republic since 2006. “Whereas in 2006 the number of persons employed in social services was 48,000, in 2008 this number increased to 54,000,” added the Minister. This trend applies to the whole of the EU while the area of social services is a source of job opportunities particularly for women and older employees. However, the role of social services is to keep the persons who use these services in the labour market and to motivate them to utilise their capabilities to the maximum and to support solutions in unfavourable social situations and thus prevent social exclusion.
Petr Nečas also highlighted the significant role of communication between people and relevant bodies of public administration and organisations that offer solutions to their problems in the area of social services. The service must guarantee protection of the rights of the client, the equal status of the service provider and also the adequacy of the range of the service so that it fulfils the client’s wishes and not the needs of the provider.
The conference was attended by representatives of EU Member States, the European Commission, social partners on European level, European and Czech non-profit organisations and by representatives of users of social services.
The participants in the conference reached an agreement on the following conclusions, which will serve as the basis for a joint European framework that the Czech Republic plans to introduce at the EPSCO Council meeting in June 2009.
Priority objectives proposed by the Czech Presidency as the joint underlying framework in the area of social services.
Contact:
- Jana Říhová, spokeswoman of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
- Tel.: +420 221 922 249, GSM: +420 725 761 147, jana.rihova@mpsv.cz
Last update: 16.8.2011 15:30
