“Som att öppna en Aladdinask” En fallstudie av Reningsborgs arbete med individer som står långt ifrån arbetsmarknaden

Abstract

Unemployment is a global issue, and over a hundred thousand people in Sweden participate in active labour market programs every year. This essay is a case study of a specific labor market policy program that has existed for three years, and appears to have a unique approach. The essay examines what the program does for the participants, along with the mentors' roles and approach. More specifically, it asks what the mentors’ roles are and how they motivate their work. It also asks how the participants experienced the program and what progress they made during their time in the program. The study was conducted at Reningsborg in Gothenburg, Sweden, an organisation that collaborates with the local unemployment centers. Data for the study was collected through interviews with two mentors and six participants. The findings of the study shows that the mentors work with an empowering approach and focuses on every individual. This approach resulted in the increased well-being of the participants, who all reported that their quality of life bettered after enrolling in the program. This improvement was due to their being treated with respect and gaining a sense of control over their life and future.