Problem addressed

Long term unemployed persons need more continous support in order to access the labor market - support which is not provided due to the lack of ressources.

The number of long-term unemployed in Austria is currently rising significantly, particularly among those who have already gone through a wide range of measures offered by the Public Employment Service but have still not been successfully integrated into the labour market. In our project, long-term unemployment is not an individual problem, but a multifactorial one. We do not see the problem as lying with the long-term unemployed, but rather in the circumstances that prevent them from overcoming long-term unemployment. With a view to empowerment, the aim is to support the long-term unemployed in such a way that they, who often feel ‘labelled’, actually become jobseekers.

Innovative solution

Job Navi provides continous case management in order to prevent drop outs when long term unemployed persons transits from alabour market related service to a job in the labour market, for instance. Job Navi starts with an comprehensive assessment checking not only labor market related dimensions of the target group. 

The case management service for long-term unemployed persons, operating at the interface between the AMS (Public Employment Service), labour market policy measures and the labour market, is a new initiative in the region.  The following elements are new to the project concept:

• The scaling of the approach “Unterstützte Beschäftigung” (supported employment) into the region 

• Continuous case management for members of the target group, including whilst they are participating in a labour market policy measure, as well as follow-up support to ensure labour market integration

• Job search designed to avoid further experiences of failure, such that, through assessments by case management, at least a work trial is likely

• The provision of comprehensive support options for companies to enable sustainable integration into the workplace

Key results and benefits

Since Job Navi started just at the beginning of 2026 it is to early to state key results yet. After some more time it will become clear if the innovative approach leads to better results in the labour market related system of stake holders. 

The main objective is to pilot a new approach in Tyrol (Austria) that addresses the highly diverse circumstances and needs of people who are extremely distant from the labour market and face a wide range of barriers to employment.

At an individual level, the benefit of the project lies in having designed, implemented and further developed an approach that addresses the diverse circumstances and needs of the target group and identifies feasible pathways to labour market integration through: continuous case management with intensive individual assessment to identify the most suitable measure for each individual, enabling the target group to secure jobs that are appropriate to their capabilities. For the individuals in the target group, the benefit lies in avoiding frustration caused by unsuitable job offers, whilst at the same time strengthening their self-efficacy and enabling them to participate in working life.

The benefit at a societal level lies in having, ideally, developed an approach to tackle rising unemployment among the long-term unemployed, to help reduce social inequality within the target group.

Potential for mainstreaming

There is of course the potential for mainstreaming; As already mentioned we test the approach “Unterstützte Beschäftigung” (supported employment) in the region; If the results are positive it could be rescaled into other regions based on our experiences and the documentation of the project.   The above mentioned ressources for a comprehensive assessment for instance are needed urgently in other regions as well.