The Nordlatgale region provides support for employment and education on grounds of sex, nationality, disability and age.
The society integration fund, in collaboration with the training centre “FIBRA” in the North Latgale region, implements a motivation and support programme for people who are faced with obstacles to employment or education because of their gender, nationality, disability or age. In the period from December 2020 to June 2021, support is provided to 60 people at risk of social exclusion in Balvi, Carlos and Rezekne District, all of whom have managed to enter employment or education again.
"It is truly delighted that, during the motivation programme, we had the opportunity to support people in different situations of life. Change agents and other professionals worked with people, their capacity and the ability to identify the causes of problems, and provide the right tools to change the existing situation. The reduction of social inequality and discrimination is a need for the provision of individual, targeted and professional support, which was also provided in the framework of the motivation programme for the people of North Latgale, the Director of the secretariat of the National Integration Fund, Zaiga owl.
“Now, during the Covid-19 pandemic, any aid provided is very important because part of the society is very heavy. Many feel stress and concern about their health and the future, feel financially unstable, cannot be involved in employment as well as education. Therefore, the assistance of all the professionals involved in the project is necessary and important to support and encourage individuals to build their own self-awareness, the ability to identify and address their problems, to motivate them to change. The main benefit of this project is that he feels support from the specialists. As a result, the person is self-conscious, an idea of the future that he wants and is able to change his life,” says Diana Ivanova, co-ordinator of the North Latgale region.
The risk of social exclusion and discrimination is the subject of gender-based discrimination, persons after parental leave, persons who are victims of violence, persons who care for another member of the family, and one parent family, persons after 50 years of age, disability or ethnic origin.
In order to provide high-quality support, as well as to promote the integration of these groups into society, a professional team created within the framework of motivation and support programmes, in which both psychologists, careers and a lawyer were active alongside the social worker/change agent. Both individual and group consultations are provided. It provides an opportunity not only to work in group activities, thus motivating people to further work, but also identifying and finding solutions to the individual life issues of each client, thus creating a solid foundation for his future. As the Nordlatgale co-ordinator Diana Ivanova acknowledges, specialists' consultations are changing not only the lives of the person himself but all his family, improving both the psychological atmosphere of the family and providing children with better opportunities for education and various extra-school activities.
As a result of specialists' support, a member of the motivation programme has acquired the right to drive a tractor; the mother, who has one of the children with special needs, is in a car school so that she can deliver her child to and from a specialised training institution; a number of clients are provided with support for their successful integration into employment. As a result of the project, several participants welcome the support of the psychologist, lawyer, change agent and career advisor and the information received. Thanks to the project, many participants have believed themselves and believe in positive changes in their lives.
As part of the 2018 project “Promoting diversity”, motivation promotion and support services to persons at risk of social exclusion and discrimination are provided. The motivation programme is implemented throughout Latvia. More than 2,000 people who are faced with obstacles to employment or education because of their gender, nationality, disability or sex receive the assistance of professional specialists (social workers, lawyers, psychologists, careers and other professionals), individual and group counselling, thus promoting their integration into society, integration into social life, raising awareness of their rights, helping to engage in employment, including self-employment, education/training, training.
The motivation programme and support measures for people wishing to participate in employment and education are carried out under the European Social Fund project “Promoting diversity” (No 9.1.4.4/16/I/001). Funding of 85% is granted from the European Social Fund and 15% is financed by the Latvian State.
