FOSTER

FOSTER aimed to examine HR practices and social inclusion providing an analysis of human resource strategies and provision of training and development in the SME sector across Europe. FOSTER takes an in-depth look at Broader Social Inclusion (BSI) practices. Poverty and social exclusion refers to when people are prevented from participating fully in economic, social and civil life and/or when their access to income and other resources (personal, family, social and cultural) is so inadequate as to exclude them from enjoying a standard of living and quality of life that is regarded as acceptable by the society in which they live. In such situations people often are unable to fully access their fundamental rights. This examines how organisations are developing strategies to recruit, train and re-train people generally categorised under headings such as: the longer-term unemployed; women returning to work; older workers; single parents; workers with disability; those living in primarily disadvantaged areas and members of the travelling community, to name but a few.

FOSTER reports on best practices and has developed a training CD-ROM pack to influence and encourage organisational decision makers to formulate policies that favour the employment of these categories of workers. It will also aim to bring about greater social inclusion, encourage more employee-friendly oriented policies (i.e, work/life balance, family- friendly practices, childcare provision, diverse working methods) and also provide equality in training and career development opportunities to workers. It has, as part of its suite of products a DVD documentary entitled “Difference Matters”, a report entitled Marginal Differences: Social Exclusion & Work Inclusion.

Partners

• FIATEST, Romania
• InforEmpresa, Spain
• HRDC, Greece
• The Foundation for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship, Lodz, Poland
• Queen Margaret University, Scotland, UK

Outputs

• Good practice employment case studies
• Video documentary
• project website
• A good-practice guide to social inclusion
• Seminars and workshops

Website

www.fosterproject.com