TiTiTy - new models to support employment services in rural enterprises

The starting point of the Titity project is to develop new models to support employment services in rural enterprises. In a changing security environment, the self-sufficiency rate of Finnish food production has become an important issue.

Finnish labor is needed on the farms. The project promotes employment in rural enterprises and the application for education in the field of natural resources, so that the availability of Finnish labor in these sectors can be secured.

In Kainuu, there is a shortage of skilled workers in many natural resource jobs at a time when many, especially men, are in a challenging labor market position. On the other hand, there are labor shortages in other sectors as well, such as social and health care. Half of the unemployed in Kainuu are difficult to employ. Effective means of employment and retraining are needed to meet labor supply and demand.

The project supports the employment of those in a weak labor market position in resource companies through coaching, using the Green Care perspective. With the empowerment of clients, they may have learning aspirations in various fields that can be promoted in the project and thereby improve employment opportunities in the future. The project will increase the attractiveness of the countryside and its enterprises for retraining and returning to work. The project lowers the threshold for rural enterprises to hire outside labor and at the same time increases new business opportunities for enterprises by developing new types of employment support services for special groups.

The Green Care operating concept can support the emergence of new types of operating models. In the reform of municipal employment services, municipalities and TE services need new solutions to provide services to their customers. Green Care is cross-sectoral and cross-disciplinary, and thus combines rural livelihoods and environments with employment management.

The project partners are Kajaani University of Applied Sciences (KAMK), Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) and Kainuu Vocational College (KAO).