Securing sustainable employment: Counselling service supports former unemployed and their employers

Münsterland Regional Agency promotes the "Outreach stabilisation counselling" service

What to do if you have problems in your new job? People who return to work after a long period of unemployment often have difficulties settling into everyday work. Free support is available to those affected through so-called outreach stabilisation counselling. Taking into account the personal and social situation, counsellors help with all problems that might cause former unemployed people to give up work again. The Münsterland Regional Agency, based at Münsterland e.V., coordinates the programme in the region and networks the regional counsellors.

Whether it's help with childcare, finding a flat, debts, lack of motivation or lovesickness: if something doesn't work right at the beginning of a new employment relationship because many things are different and unfamiliar, the outreach stabilisation counselling helps. In order to prevent the new employment relationship from being terminated or broken off, the counsellors help to solve any problems that may arise after taking up employment at an early stage. Alexandra Poppenborg from the Münsterland Regional Agency at Münsterland e.V. explains: "The special thing about counselling is the personal support and proximity to those seeking advice. Personal conversations can take place, for example, in the lunch break, during a walk or via messenger services."

The counselling service is free of charge and independent of authorities. Former unemployed people can contact one of the counselling centres in Münsterland, including the Bildungsinstitut Münster e.V. for the districts of Steinfurt, Warendorf and the city of Münster, the BBS Berufsbildungsstätte Westmünsterland GmbH for the district of Borken or the GEBA mbH for the district of Coesfeld. Employers can also take advantage of the offer of stabilisation counselling and receive support in the induction and integration of their new employees. It is not necessary to be referred by a job centre or employment agency.

The Münsterland Regional Agency regularly invites counsellors from the region to a joint exchange. Counsellor Susanne Schnieder reported at the last meeting in October: "The contents of the counselling are very different. From the fear of not being able to cope with the challenges in the new job, to general difficulties in the company, to addiction problems, we advise those concerned individually and confidentially." The ways in which those seeking advice come to us are also very individual, Schnieder revealed. "Some come to us through their employer, others through the job centre or via the internet." Support for trainees is also possible, he said.

The outreach stabilisation counselling is funded by the EU and aims to secure new employment relationships in the long term.

A complete list of counselling centres in Münsterland is available online at https://www.mags.nrw/stabilisierungsberatung.