Evaluation of "CRIS -Cooperate, Reach Out, Integrate Services" project

The CRIS project focuses on improving the contents and coordination of services to support the labour market integration of disadvantaged groups. In particular, the project aims to tackle labour market barriers and access to services by (1) strengthening referral mechanisms and, if necessary, introducing new outreach activities, (2) strengthening or developing the capacities of participating public agencies, (3) filling service gaps by capacity-building in the public agencies and/or developing an effective model of subcontracting NGO services. The interventions are implemented in three countries (Germany, Hungary, Slovakia), and involve similar target groups: long-term unemployed or working-age inactive people who face multiple problems and are likely to face labour market discrimination due to ethnic origin. The project partners will develop similar tools and practices in varying contexts, which may allow for the analysis of the transferability of the tools.

The Budapest Institute was commissioned as external evaluator of the project, and will report on:

- the overall quality of project implementation

- the range and quality of the interventions

- the outcomes and impacts of the interventions. 

The project is led by MainArbeit - Kommunales Jobcenter Offenbach. The project partners include: Johanna Bischitz Integrated Human Services Centre (HU), Artemisszio Foundation (HU), People in Need (SK), Centre of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (CoLSAF -SK), Centre of social and psychological sciences of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SK). BI was contracted by Main Arbeit. The project is funded under the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI)