The development of ‘activation policies’ is a general trend in Europe, as a set of policies aiming at bringing people back to employment, either through financial incentives, or through compulsory activities.
While repeating that employment is a way towards social inclusion, EAPN has already expressed its concerns regarding the way activation is sometimes implemented; which can lead to the reverse effect of increased levels of poverty and social exclusion. On the contrary activation based on rights and participation of the persons can be very effective.
We demand that vision of “good activation” should be driving in the shaping and implementation of the “Active Inclusion approach” currently being developed at EU level to foster social inclusion.
In the continuation of its commitment to voice the experience of People experiencing poverty, EAPN will work in 2008 to develop the project of a video illustrating its position on activation, based on people’s experience.
Interesting links:
- The EAPN Position Paper “Can activation schemes work for social inclusion? EAPN criteria for ‘good’ activation” (November 2005).
- The EAPN Publication “Voices from the Poverty Line” (September 2006).
- EAPN Briefing on “Active Inclusion: What is at stake?”
- Report on EAPN Seminar on Active Inclusion, Paris, 13 June 2008.
