IWorCon project - Final Edition
IWorCon aims to improve working conditions in the social services sector and further build capacity for social dialogue and employers’ organisations.
The IWorCon project is coming to an end. On 6 February, project partners, employers’ organisations, trade unions, social services providers, and researchers gathered for the project’s final conference.
IWorCon focused on improving working conditions in the social services sector, reinforcing the sector’s attractiveness and further building the capacity of employers’ organisations. Managed by UNIPSO (Belgium), the project brought together 17 partners from 13 European countries, including the EU sectoral social partners in social services, the Social Employers and EPSU.
The final conference highlighted key project outcomes, including recommendations on improving working conditions in social services. The 10 recommendations focus on a wide range of topics in the field of risk assessment, prevention, and workplace well-being. They are available in English, Finnish, French, German, Greek and Spanish.
IWorCon also produced a guide on building and managing effective employers’ organisations in social services. Developed through study visits to employers’ organisations in six countries, the guide covers topics such as governance and strategy, membership, financing, social dialogue, communication and representation. The guide is available in English, Bulgarian, Greek, Polish and Romanian.
Additionally, the final conference discussed the role of AI and digital tools in enhancing working conditions. Speakers presented real-world applications of AI and digitalisation in social services, such as AI-driven staff scheduling, automated meeting documentation, and digital training programmes. Participants emphasised the importance of transparent communication, training, and a bottom-up approach to AI adoption.
Project partners are committed to continuing their collaboration on topics such as physical and psychosocial risk prevention, the follow-up on the European Care Strategy implementation, and capacity building for employers’ organisations in social services. This includes a new project set to launch in April 2025.
Supporting documents:
Final conference presentations
For more information on IWorCon, visit the project webpage.
*This publication reflects the authors’ views only. The Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
Make it Work: The road towards Work Inclusion
“Make it Work: the road towards Work Inclusion” is a project implemented by the project promoter MARGARITA VTC and the partner Association of Parents, Guardians and Friends of People with Autism Larissa Prefecture, in the framework of the BUILD programme. BUILD is co-funded by the European Union, through the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme, the Bodossaki Foundation and the NGO Support Centre.
Our aim is to strengthen the policy dialogue for the Supported Employment for people with intellectual disabilities and autism in Greece, through:
- a survey on employees with intellectual disabilities and autism, employers and special education organisations
- a best practice workshop with the French organisation LADAPT
- a workshop on Supported Employment in Larissa
- a raising awareness campaign through social media
- and meetings with the stakeholders to promote the political dialogue.
TransitAction: Breaking Barriers & Supporting Young Adults in their Transition to Employment
The TransitAction Project provides, Young Adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (YAASD), their Job Coaches and other actors in their lives, new skills and innovative tools to support them overcome the challenges in transitioning from education to employment. The project has adopted, tested and provided training across a broad range of resources that are accessible on the TransitAction website.
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Work@ble outcomes
- The e-Scape Room to train and assess job skills tailor-made to people with learning needs and cognitive difficulties due to disabilities.
- Guidelines for job coaches and VET mentors in the use of the e-Scape Room
- Collection of job coaching resources and tools addressed to people with disabilities.
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The main objective of this project is to increase employment among young people with disabilities (YPWD). The related four key aims are:
- YPWD are more self-confident and have a more proactive approach to job search.
- Job coaches and YPWD have a stronger, more fruitful relationship, supporting real job inclusion.
- Companies are able to adapt their environment and work process to create sustainable jobs for YPWD.
- Job coaches’ training is effective and takes into account the inputs and insights from the YPWD and is also co-produced with the YPWD and the peer mentors.
IPAT: Integrative Parents’ Autism Training
IPAT aims to increase awareness about the role and the importance of the parental training in the global management of the needs of autistic people, to increase accessibility to effective training, to motivate parents to use a valid self -training approach at different stages of life, in order to advocate for the rights and social inclusion of autistic individuals and eliminating stigma.
Right to Connect: Digital inclusion for persons with intellectual disabilities
Right to Connect is an ERASMUS+ project that aims to improve the digital literacy for people with intellectual disabilities by developing an e-learning platform co-designed with the users.
VIRTUS: Upscaling Vocational Pathways
VIRTUS: Upscaling Vocational Pathways is a 2-years project which aims to battle unemployment for underrepresented populations, such as autistic individuals, by providing high quality certified skills and by preparing them for the labour market.
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The Virtus Project foresees the creation of the following outputs:
- An innovative curriculum
- A training KIT for trainers
- Virtual Reality (VR) platform and scenarios
- Piloting Activities
- A VIRTUS certification scheme
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- Client Engagement
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