1. Introduction
2. Unemployment in GIPUZKOA
3. Spheres of activity
4. Stages
5. Organizational Structure

1. INTRODUCTION

Unemployment is the main social and economic problem in our Province and in the economic zones of which it forms part.

Regarding this matter, the European Commission's White Book is quite clear:

"One word: unemployment. If there were solutions, our countries would have put them into practice. If there was a miracle cure,we´d already know about it.

In this context, with the leadership of the Department of Economics and Tourism of the Regional Council of Gipuzkoa and in accordance with the Basque Association of town Councils in Gipuzkoa -EUDEL- and the Regional Development Agencies in our Province -GARAPEN- and the support of the European Commission (article 10 of the FEDER regulations) we hope to begin a process to analyse the feasability and launching of pilot projects for the creation of employment in the aformentioned areas, in the New Sources of Employment in the Province of Gipuzkoa. All this will be with the clear support of the E.U. which has approved the project, within the framework of art. 10 of the FEDER regulations.

The aim of this initiative, which we call New Employment Sites, is to promote local strategies and pilot projects which aim to create jobs in the local sector in priority sectors such as: day-to-day services , regarding the quality of life, culture and leisure and environmental services.

2. UNEMPLOYMENT IN GIPUZKOA

We have 63.600 people out of work. The high rate of unemployment in our Province is well known to everyone. One in every five people who would like a job is out of work. Amongst young people and women the situation is especially serious. Moreover, most of the unemployed lack the required level of training.

Our unemployment rate is twice the average level in the European Union with a very negative development during the current decade, although it has gone down slightly in the last two years.

The present model of growth, based on gradual increases in productivity is predicted to be clearly insufficient to significantly reduce unemployment. In the same way, the number of people looking for work will continue to rise during the next few years.

On the other hand certain unfulfilled social needs have been discovered related to the quality of life and the protection and conservation of our environment: that is, potential New Employment Sites exist which at the same time as they fulfill the latest requirements of our society help to ease its main problem : unemployment.

3. SPHERES OF ACTIVITY

We have then gone on to identify in the countries of the European Union as a whole, seventeen areas in which local initiative could create jobs, starting from the premise that the European economies still have undiscovered New Sites.

These result from needs which still exist in service activities and which come up against obstacles that prevent them from being put into practice, not only regarding demand but also supply.

The seventeen areas which have been identified within Europe will be analysed and examined through the setting up of pilot projects in our "Historical Province"(Gipuzkoa) and are made up of four large blocks:

• Day-to-day Services
• Services dealing with the quality of life
• Cultural and leisure services
• Environmental services

In the Province of Gipuzkoa, compared with Europe, certain factors have been noted which stress the need for action in certain areas. Regarding this subject the following can be mentioned:

• There are more and more elderly people with greater needs not only as far as leisure is concerned but also with regard to health care and social services.
• The demand for leisure, recreation, sport and culture among the population provides a large potential market, with specific needs according to age.
• The level of environmental and urban blight in some parts of our cities is quite considerable. The restoration and conversion of housing for specific requirements is not very highly developed.
• Attending to the educational and cultural needs of young people who find it difficult to get a job forms another priority area.
• The protection and restoration of our environment must be a priority and forms a growing social demand.

The area which is built-up is especially concentrated in the Irún-San Sebastián-Tolosa axis -this accounts for more than 65% of the population, so that in a few years time we will call what today is a group of separate municipalities a metropolitan area: with all that this means as far as the needs of the population and the provision of services is concerned.

4. STAGES

The New Sources of Employment in Gipuzkoa project is organized in three stages, which will be carried out during the 24 months which the project is expected to last.

Stage 1 : Preliminary. Launch of the project.

• Setting-up the different administrative bodies on the Project (Governing Council, Steering Commitee and Technical Commission).
• Holding a Seminar to inform people about the Project.

• Setting-up work groups.
• Contrasting the feasability of the New Employment Sites which have been selected and the measures taken to boost supply.
• Defining and launching the pilot projects.

• Development of policies to provide support for the creation of jobs (savings due to proximity and service cheques).
• Launching a series of pilot experiences in those New Employment Sites which have previously been identified as viable.
• Defining active policies to generate employment and stimulate the economy which might encourage the creation of employment.

The organizational structure which is envisaged for carrying out the project includes the setting-up of the following bodies, whose duties are listed below:

• Governing Council
• Designing the broad guidelines of the project.
• Stimulating the coverage and awareness of the concept of the New Employment Sites in Guipuzcoa.
• Trying to get society involved in the creation of jobs in the New Employment Sites.
• Supporting the practical application of the conclusions of the project so that they can be adopted in the different policies and activities for stimulating employment which are to be put into practice in Guipuzcoa.

• Steering Commitee
• Carrying out the broad guidelines drawn up by the Governing Council.
• Proposing activities to the Governing Council.
• Approving and making official the documentation resulting from the putting into practice of the project

• Technical Commission
• Carrying out the guidelines drawn up by the Steering Commitee.
• Preparing reports on the measures which have been carried out.
• Coordinating the Work Groups.
• Checking and monitoring the Work Groups.

• Work Groups
• Examining the feasability of creating jobs in the New Employment Sites.
• Monitoring and evaluating the various pilot projects which are to be launched.

Project Manager: Person of Contact:

jmaldanondo@ekonomia.gipuzkoa.net jamondarain@ekonomia.gipuzkoa.net