The approach works by engaging​​ people who have been unemployed for over a year, assessing their skills and aspirations, matching them with community needs, and creating a job that addresses these needs.

​​​Everyone is employable

The philosophy of the approach builds on three main assumptions:

1. Everyone is employable​ when jobs are adapted to people's abilities and skills​
2. There is no shortage of work​ when the choice of activity is not determined solely by the market profitability
3. There is no lack of money, as employment deprivation costs the community more than the creation of the jobs needed to make employment a right.

An important feature of the approach is to distinguish between work and employment. Once it is done and local needs identified, any work can become employment if it serves the community.

Building a sense of community

Laurent Grandguillaume, President of the Association of the Zero Long-term Unemployment Territories in France, says that: 'Territoires zéro chômeur de longue durée have shown that we can work together  with people and communities, to put an end to long-term unemployment, in the firm belief that the right to employment costs less than unemployment and, what is more, it brings  benefits for the people and for the communities they live in.’

The success of the project 'Territoires Zéro Chômeur​​ de Longue Durée' lies in its collaborative approach. The initiative works closely with local businesses, municipalities,​ employment bodies ​and the unemployed, to identify community needs that can be addressed through new employment opportunities. This method not only creates jobs but also fosters a sense of community and belonging among participants.

​​​Nicolas Devaux, an employee in Loos who benefited from this initiative, shared that ‘Getting involved [in the project], I met some of my neighbours for the first time, despite living in this neighbourhood for over thirty years. This shows the deep social isolation that can happen when unemployed’.

Scaling up success

Starting with a sample of 10 ‘territories’ in 2016, the initiative has evolved into a nation-wide movement that extends beyond merely generating jobs for the unemployed. Its overarching goal is to make the right to employment for everyone in France a reality.

Encouraged by its success across France, covering more than 60 territories, the initiative is now expanding towards Belgium and other countries. This expansion is not just about replicating the model but also about adapting it to different community needs and contexts.