GDP is a consulting company that has been in existence since 2007. The subject of GDP’s activity is to support public institutions and private companies in the process of planning and implementing projects that shape their economic and organisational development. GDP offers comprehensive support in the process of obtaining EU funds, ranging from the analysis of funding possibilities, through the preparation of a complete project and application, to its final settlement. GDP cooperates with the business sector, local governments, organisations and public institutions, providing training and consulting services in the field of human resources and investment projects.

For 8 years the company has been carrying out projects related to the adaptation of seniors to the labour market. These projects enable people over 50, who are in a difficult situation on the labour market, to return to professional activity. Returning to professional activity is possible by enabling seniors to acquire documented qualifications, competences and professional experience, as well as by reducing deficits in the field of social competences.

RESTART projects have been implemented for several years. Each project takes approximately 2 years. The project “Restart V – Vocational Activation Program for People Over 50” is currently being implemented. Project objective: Enabling 135 unemployed people over 50, living in the Małopolskie Voivodeship, belonging to the groups of people in the most difficult situation on the labour market, to take up and maintain employment by providing them with the opportunity to acquire documented qualifications, competences and professional experience, as well as eliminating deficits in the field of social competences and motivation.

Participants can benefit from the following forms of support:

• Individual Vocational Counseling with the development of an Individual Action Plan. Counselling is carried out in the formula of individual meetings
• Job placement. Job placement can be carried out in the form of direct meetings with participants of the project or in the form of an on-line session (remotely) – adequately to the needs of project
• Support for a career counsellor along with monitoring the implementation of IAP (Individual Action Plan).
• Vocational training (96 hours). The training is aimed at updating and improving soft professional competences and teaching participants how to navigate the labour market.

Internships for 115 participants of the project. The internships are carried out on the basis of the program, under the direction of the internship tutor based on the agreement.

The project is aimed at people over 50 who are not professionally active. It is a big challenge, because we do not implement activities for our employees to improve their adaptation to work, but we have to recruit, get to know and try to help people we do not know at all. A very important role here is played by a good knowledge of the local labour market, employment agencies and a network of contacts with potential employers and organisers of professional internships. You have to take into account not only the age of these people, but also various types of disabilities or difficult life and family situations. You have to be very sensitive and adjust your actions and messages to those 50+. Organisations wishing to implement similar projects must be aware of the organisational and technical challenges they will face. Training and consulting companies should be encouraged to undertake projects with a wide spectrum of impact on the labour market. The solutions presented in this case study may serve as inspiration for future project ideas to help older workers to be active in the labour market.

We have to consider:

• How to make it easier for people over 50 to return to the labour market and find employment?
• How to carry out comprehensive work adaptation programs for people 55+ so that their effects are as useful as possible for these people?
• For older people who are not professionally active, would work be only a source of income, or is work becoming a way to counteract social exclusion of these people?

What activities can be included in a project whose scale of impact on the labour market is to be broad?

age management, Individual Vocational Counseling, Individual Action Plan, job placement, vocational training, internships