The Church promotes employment

The message is clear: “People need hope, and work is part of this hope. We thank all those who are committed on this front, but we must continue, and avoid wasting time”, urged the spokesperson of the French bishops Bernard Podvin. Msgr. Podvin recently took part in a symposium that focused on themes related to employment organized by “Ecclesia RH”, an association promoted and supported by the Church, providing assistance to enterprises, associations, dioceses, foundations and reception centers with the contribution of experts and advisors. The services it provides range from staff recruitment to legal advice, from accompaniment for the adoption of new development strategies. In 2012 the organization helped 100 people find a job by circulating offers and requests, helping candidates draw up their CVs and submit them. The symposium took place in the same days when in London ECB President Mario Draghi launched for the umpteenth time a cry of alarm on youth unemployment, while in Brussels EU government leaders left with the promise to put youth unemployment at the heart of the European Council at the end of June. And while politicians argue among themselves and seek solutions to exit the “employment standstill”, the Churches in Europe are working at grassroots level, inadvertently becoming the sentinels of the emotional state and the real situation of those who lost their jobs or are looking for one. The Church alone can’t do much. “It’s a very difficult situation”, said Msgr. Podvin. It is estimated that 3 million people in France are unemployed. And although the figures tend to vary the situation is very serious”. “People often get discouraged. They feel lonely, unappreciated, humiliated. They loose self-esteem”. The Church is actively tackling this emergency through initiatives such as Ecclesia RH, through parishes, networks of associations and movements, seeking to provide concrete answers and to encourage a “solidarity and a fraternity bond towards those who are in need and feel discouraged”. The jobless realm is one of many “existential peripheries” which Pope Francis is prompting the Churches to care for. “His message – continued Fr Podvin – was greatly welcomed in France. It had a great impact on people who felt encouraged by his words”. But the Church alone can’t do much. The proactive commitment of policymakers is needed. “Often politicians engage in technical talks among themselves while they should communicate more with citizens, especially in terms of addressing the question of unemployment and providing help to the young”. Young and senior citizens. What are the answers? “The ongoing situation is not more serious than other periods of recession and unemployment. The problem is finding the right solutions”, said the director of “Ecclésia RH” Jacques de Scorraille. Action is possible at various levels, and while as citizens we can do little at the macroeconomic level, there are solutions that can be implemented at a more personal level, where a lot can and must be done. Measures such as helping people in terms of vocational training, support to businesses, initiatives and outreach projects with regard to situations of unemployment”. De Scorraille said that those who usually turn to Ecclesia RH for help can be divided into two main groups: young graduates who have a hard time finding a job like their European peers and senior citizens i.e, those who are over 50. “If you lose your job at that age – and this is happening in a particular way in the industrial sector – it’s terrible because if you exit from the labour market and you still have 20 years of professional work ahead of you, it’s even harder to get into it at again”, De Scorraille point it out. Situations vary greatly. “Some people not only lost their jobs but are also having hard times because of a divorce, a sick child, old parents to take care of. In general, young people are discouraged. They are afraid and anguished for their future. They know that unemployment can last for a long time. Often, from a more spiritual angle, these situations lead to loose faith and hope in life”. Also the director of Ecclesia RH launched an appeal to the political realm so as to promote “employment-boosting measures. In these hard times financial experts, business leaders, politicians and unions must join their forces and their skills. It seems as if growth and employment recovery, and the emergence from the ongoing feeling of helplessness are impossible. People also feel that the political realm instead of promoting growth is acting as a hindrance to growth. We must quickly take action to transform this state of affairs”.