Lublin, 31th March
On 31 of March the main meeting dedicated to the student debates which concerned problem such as supporting employment and counteracting unemployment with the future social model in EU took place. The debates were organized by Regional Centre of European Information in Lublin in cooperation with the Nowy Staw Foundation, supported by the JEF European Secretariat The main coordinator was Dorota Wróbel, whose involved to the cooperation other RCIE volunteers.

First debate referred to the unemployment in Poland and the methods of its counteracting.
Mrs. Bozena Gruszecka, the main Intermediary in Employment Office in Lublin, was invited for presentation of this problem.

After greeting Mrs. Gruszecka gave a short lecture. She presented economic, demographic and social-lawful factors determining unemployment in Poland. Among economic factors she mentioned: liberalization of economy, rapid privatization, recession of economy, the structure of farms, passive attitude and beheaviour of many subjects. She also mentioned that a great demographic problem in Poland is our ageing society and this will make worse the situation on the labour market. Very bad influence of such situation had successive Polish law of employment, which was introduced in 1989.
The most interesting problem for participants was situation on the labour market in Lublin. They asked a concrete questions which concerned them directly. The biggest problem on labour market in Lublin have graduates of such specialization as: law, pedagogic, economy and agricultural specialization.

Then the lecturer concentrate on methods which counteract unemployment and among passive method she emphasized benefits.

The participants were much more interested in active methods which counteract unemployment such as: trainings, intervention works, public works, graduational agreements, various kinds of loans or occupational advisory. They asked about hard facts and they learned that labour office sponsored trainings, but this trainings are limited for: secretaries, accountants, gastronomy and basic computer courses. But our market is locked in: computer scientists, managers having a fluent knowledge of foreign languages, lecturers with work experience.

After 15-minutes break, discussion started again and the main problem were questions concerned young people - chances on the labour market.

Participants were interested in programs of self-employment and effects of these programs. It turned out that for such people loans are granted and about 4-5% a young people take this opportunity. Lecturer gave an answer to individual questions, for example work abroad.
The participants have learned that the best region for graduates to find work is Warsaw and Western Poland and that Lublin region after accession to EU will be at the end of the regions' list with the lowest unemployment.

Lublin, 7 th April 2003
The leader: Dr AndrzejDumala (UMCS University in Lublin)
The subject: The employment policy in the EU

1. An introduction: What exactly is an employment policy? What about a relation to the Social Policy? Where is a place for employment policy among community aims ( a discussion about open method of coordination), successive steps in creation of legal foundations of common strategy in employment (regulation in Amsterdam Treaty, the White Book, the plan of European Council -Essen, 1994, extraordinary meeting of European Council in Luxemburg (1997) supporting actions against unemployment the meeting in Carddiff (1998), in Kiel (1999), Lisbon (2000)- the Lisbon Strategy).

2. The European Strategy of employment -discussion
- the discussion about the main aims of employment strategy: achieving of high level of employment in economy by all groups in labour market; leaving passive struggle with employment, priority for a new labour organization- adapting of firms to the changing of economy conditions in such a way that firms have assured security and possibility long-term education of employers. There should be also an equal chances for everybody to the labour market.

The main principles of employment policy in the scope of European Employment strategy
a/ returning in preventing actions and preceding actions,
b/ "managing by aims",
c/ multipartial monitoring and evaluation mechanism in the scope of strategy,
d/ integration of employment policy with others community policies
e/ endeavour to engaging of all social, regional and local partners as also organizations non-profit to actions against unemployment.

3. The discussion: questions and problems which was touched by participants during debates

- principles of using of Structural Funds:
Who can use it? If using the Structural Funds may be a threaten to a competition? What kinds of criterions are taken into account during estimating of projects demanded money from Funds?
- the problem of employment in agriculture and among persons who have low professional skills. What kind pf programs are prepared for this groups of people in the EU? Is " cheap labour force" going to be a threaten for European physical workers?
- the great problem of mental barriers of this group which repress their professional mobility
- problems of competition in labour market in Poland as also in european labour market - why after accession, could be a higher unemployment in Poland? Are there any protection of labour market in Poland against high - skilled employees from the EU? Are Polish people well prepared to the competition which is on the European labour market?

4. The end of meeting.

Lublin, 14 th April 2003

The final meeting –“Students debates – Employment Support & Unemployment Counteraction in the future social model of the EU” took place on Monday, 14 th April 2003, in KUL (the hall, number 243).
At the beginning students were divided into six groups. Every group consisted of about 7-12 people. The main task of participants was to find methods suitable in solving one unemployment problem. Each student’s group have been working on one social unemployment social group. After discussion, students proposed their methods which should be, according to them, written down in the Future European Constitution. Students had been working in groups for about an hour. Their conclusions were written on a special large paper and the picture of it is sent to you.
Afterwards, a few representatives of each group gave a short presentation of their ideas for about 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile they were questioned by others and they were forced to explain their methods more clearly. Many students criticized methods of other groups, so that the discussion was more interesting, especially the discussion concerning methods fighting against unemployment among women.
Methods and conclusion from the last meeting are written down in the final report.

1) LECTURE - The lecturer presents the European Union attitude towards unemployment

2.) WORKSHOPS - Participants work in group and find out the best and sometimes brand new ideas: how to struggle with unemployment in the future European Union.

3) PRESENTATION – Participants present their ideas and answer questions.

4.) CELEBRATION – All participants receive certificates of participation in the debates and sign up declaration.

Listen to Radio Interviews concerning this debate

First Interview (MP3 file)

Second Interview (MP3 file)

This project was organised in the framework of JEF transnational project on the Future of Europe supported by the European Union.

JEF European Secretariat
Chaussée de Wavre 214d /Waversesteenweg 214dB-1050 Bruxelles/BrusselTel.: +32 (0)2 512 00 53; Fax.: +32 (0)2 626 95 01email: info@jef-europe.net; website: www.jef-europe.net