Jobs, dioceses at the forefront

Hundreds of long-term unemployed could find a job in the coming months. Jobs will be offered by the Catholic Church in accordance with the “Declaration on Cooperation for employment” signed a few days ago by Cardinal Dominik Duka, president of the Czech Bishops’ Conference, and Marie Bílková, Director General of the Agency for Employment in the Czech Republic Thus the Bishops’ Conference will be the first institution that has decided to cooperate in supporting active employment policy at national level. Support to disadvantaged persons. “The Declaration on cooperation is a concrete example of cooperative relations between Church and the State”, said Card. Dominik Duka who pointed out that the document “testifies to the commitment of the Bishops’ Conference to promote the creation of new job opportunities”, with a special focus on young people and the elderly missing a few years to retirement. The project is an extension of the existing collaboration of the Employment Agency with various charitable institutions, and it represents a conscious effort to strengthen and systematize the long-standing tradition marking the Church’s commitment for the promotion of employment and managerial direction, abruptly interrupted in the decades of communist rule. Social Responsibility. “The creation of new jobs in the framework of active labour policies ensures the realization of social responsibility towards candidates who find it increasingly hard to find a job. These include young people and those over-50, along with female candidates made redundant after maternity leave as well as all those with a set of disadvantages in terms of employment. A set of steps will help them find a job near their place of residence”, said Marie Bílková, who directs the Agency for Employment, conveying her satisfaction for the positive reaction of the Bishops’ Conference at the proposal of a partnership in this area. The Agency’s proposal is addressed to institutions and organizations such as companies operating in the field of rail and road transport. They were asked to help finding a solution to the unemployment problem, but few of them have responded. Unemployment in the Czech Republic February 2014 was 8.6%, amounting to 625 390 unemployed, with only 38 301 job vacancies. In the forefront. At present, the Catholic Church in the Czech Republic has employed some 5thousand people, but only a few dozen of them have jobs that are financially supported by the State. According to the agreement, hundreds of new employees will be working in the administration of dioceses, parishes, convents and charities, maintenance or building sectors. The Employment Agency will provide not only financial support but also traineeships and other such courses that will increase job opportunities for the long-term unemployed. “It consists of a complex system of counseling, retraining courses and preliminary selection of suitable candidates”, Bílková pointed out. Ample room for cooperation has been identified in the public service sector, in which concrete support by the Agency could last up to a year. These temporary positions include, for example, relief after natural disasters, conservation work, maintenance of buildings and premises. This form of support is aimed at the creation of “socially useful work”. This tool can be activated for people who have been unemployed for more than five months. Practical aspects of cooperation. The local offices of the Agency for Employment will thereby contact Church institutions and organizations in their region to search for job opportunities. The institutions run by the Church (parishes, dioceses, religious orders, schools, charities) will map out their requirements in terms of employment and their ability to provide support. They will then inform the Agency and negotiate concrete conditions at individual level. All parties involved are hoping that the possibilities of effective cooperation will grow with experience, and make the labour market a lively place thanks to the combination of practical skills and renewed self-esteem of currently disadvantaged job seekers.