Làbora Programme for the promotion of employmentfor people at risk of social exclusion (Barcelona)

The Làbora, Barcelona Mercado Laboral Reservado programme, aims at the promotion of employment among people who have difficulty accessing the labour market. It is an initiative led by the Instituto Municipal de Servicios Sociales of Barcelona City Council in collaboration with various social organisations, represented by ECAS (Entidades Catalanas de Acción Social), FEICAT (Empresas de Inserción de Cataluña), and the Red Cross. The action of these stakeholders must be complemented by the involvement of the business community of the city.

It is a reserved labour market for people at risk of social exclusion. This space serves a dual function. On the one hand, it allows companies to hire the person whose skills profile best matches the vacancy. On the other hand, networking between Social Services and the team of professionals from the social organisations provides advice and support in selecting the best profile, while also providing individual support to the candidate in adapting to the new job.

The LÀBORA Programme is therefore a city-wide project that works to promote equal opportunities among citizens by linking companies to this commitment, which takes shape through Social Responsibility.

Its relational and operational management stems from an innovative approach. It fosters strategic alliances with companies and organisations in the city to enhance the company’s added value and differentiation. In addition, it certifies recognition as a socially committed organisation by awarding a LÀBORA Seal, which certifies that the company has formally hired a person at risk of social exclusion, thereby upholding equal opportunities for the citizens of Barcelona. 

Programme methodology:

It is an innovative programme designed to achieve the best fit between the job vacancy and the best candidate. This objective is achieved through:

a) Networking between Social Services and a team of professionals specialising in job placement who work in a coordinated and collaborative way.

b) Individualised support for participants referred by Social Services, in order to design employment pathways in which candidacies are worked on and assessed in relation to specific job profiles. To this end, the city’s resources in the field of employability and training for unemployed people are used.

c) A team of business outreach officers who manage the relationship with companies and provide them with personalised support in:

• defining skills profiles in relation to jobs, managing the publication of job offers, intermediation with the candidacies of Làbora participants, collaboration in selection processes, follow-up after placement…
• the opportunity to benefit from financial incentives and rebates: financial incentives for the creation of jobs and stable employment promoted by the Economy and Employment area; other hiring rebates and incentives from the Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social.

Which companies and organisations can take part?

Companies and organisations with at least one workplace in a municipality of the Barcelona metropolitan area.
Companies and organisations of any size: self-employed workers, micro-enterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises, large companies.