JOPAS - Promoting flexible career paths in social work and the availability of skilled social workers in South Ostrobothnia and Satakunta

The project is being implemented the Satakunta and South Ostrobotnia regions, where are no local universities. The national labour shortage in the social sector, especially the need for social workers requiring Master's degree university education, is emphasised in no-university regions. Adequate and skilled social work personnel are essential for the provision of high-quality and effective social work services.
 

The project will develop new types of education solutions and complementary approaches to existing activities, with the aim of
 

1.  strengthening the accessibility of social work education in an acute and proactive manner,
2. supporting flexible career paths in the social sector, and
3. promoting the accessability of social workers in Satakunta and South Ostrobothnia, taking into account the specific circumstances and needs of both regions.
    

The project measures promote the transition from one education to another and the internal occupational mobility in the social sector by speeding up career paths and by the development of skills required by the changing field of social services. The project accelerates the employment opportunities of participants and the matching of labour markets and education. The project strengthens the activities of the implementing organisations and partners and creates new forms of co-ordination and guidance structures for organisations based on co-operation.