Dens Newsletter 2

NEWSLETTER 2
→ DENS will raise efficiency!
→ DENS will raise awareness on European
employment strategy!
→ DENS will strengthen the capacities of social
partners!
January 2011

DENS Newsletter 2 |January 2011|PAGE2
Dear readers,
Welcome in the 2nd
edition of project DENS Newsletter. Our project
is approaching to its final phase and in the following pages we
would like to present to you results achieved so far and upcoming
events.
In the past months we continued to exchange experiences,
practices and knowledge related to flexicurity and active ageing
among Denmark, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Croatia in
transnational forum in Prague. In e-forum, that we opened in
DENS web page also representatives of other EU countries joined
us.
In this newsletter we are presenting discussions and conclusions
from Transnational Forum that took place between 18th
and 19th
November 2010 in Prague, Czech Republic, some good practices
recognised and discussed and lessons learned. We are also
presenting e-forum that we opened at the project DENS web page
(http://www.dens-progress.eu/forum).
Do not miss upcoming event that is presented at the end of this
Newsletter as you are kindly invited to join us at the two days
transnational conference FLEXICURITY AND ACTIVE AGEING – HOW TO
MANAGE CHALLENGE that will take place on 15th and 16th February
2011, Hotel Habakuk in Maribor, Slovenia. Please join us in our
discussions and mutual learning and help us find new solutions to
support successful implementation of flexicurity and active ageing
policies in the future.
Enjoy your reading,
Dušanka Lužar Šajt, Manager,
reim, Human Resource Development Centre, Slovenia
IN THIS ISSUE:
→ EDITORIAL
→ TRANSNATIONAL FORUM
→ GOOD PRACTICES
→ LESSONS LEARNED
→ E-FORUM
→ TRANSNATIONAL CONFERENCE
Publisher: eim, HRDC
Editor: Sonja Gavez
Graphic design: Bigpackmedia, GRECO d.o.o.
DENS
www: dens-progress.eu
January 2011
Dušanka Lužar Šajt

Transnational forum in Prague, Czech
Republic
The 2
nd
Transnational forum DENS, where experts and stakeholders from
four countries (Slovenia, Denmark, Czech Republic and Croatia)
were involved, took place between 18
th
and 19
th
November 2010 in
Prague, Czech Republic.
The objectives of the forum were: (1) To maintain discussions from
Aalborg forum on new ideas, practices and policies concerning flexicurity
and active aging with a special focus on job-rotation as flexibility tool that
could be innovatively up-graded to and combined with active ageing
strategies; (2) To enable mutual learning by exchanging experiences,
good practices and knowledge between the policy makers and other key
stakeholders; (3) To enable further networking of key stakeholders in
partner countries.
The participants presented a scale of inputs reaching from lectures and
interactive seminars to practical study visit of a best practice. The initial
lectures familiarized the participants with the background of the social
security system and the labor market in the Czech Republic and their
particularities. Defining the strengths and weaknesses of a system is the
first and crucial step on the way to its improvement. The following
presentations shed light on the situation of elder employees on the Czech
labor market, how it developed over time and what are the biggest
obstacles for the disadvantaged groups. It became clear that in terms of
active ageing strategies the Czech Republic has a lot to learn especially
from Danish neighbors. However, the last of the three Czech
presentations underscored another very important trend - flexicurity
does not concern only elder employees, but can involve other groups
such as graduates or parents on after maternity leave. A possible solution
to problems of disadvantaged groups on the labor market was showed -
volunteering and job sharing. During the interactive and more practical
part of the forum the participants were introduced to ways how to
estimate different types of flexicurity based on four key factors and even
visualize these in a graph. Then it was easier to reflect on the situation
that exists in the participants' home countries in terms of the key factors
and flexicurity. Brainstorming proved to be an important method of
tackling such issues and the participants had to put in words their
opinions and concerns about the state of flexicurity in their country. After
identifying the system and its properties it is necessary to think about
how flexicurity fits and could fit into this system or its reformed version.
It was crucial to realize that flexicurity policies are possible to copy paste;
however, in order for them to succeed it is necessary to adjust such
policies to the existing conditions.
DENS Project team, European Development Agency, Prague
The Transnational Forum in
Prague gave all the participants
an opportunity to discover and
discuss yet other aspects of
flexicurity. Now the mosaic is
complete and we are ready to
start summing up and preparing
for the concluding forum.
Slovenian National radio and TV
station, TV Maribor that recorded
transnational forum and visiting
good practice on active ageing
and flexicurity in Prague and
broadcasted reportage in
European Magazine at Slovenian
national TV. The reportage is
available at the project web page:
http://dens-progress.eu/news-
and-events/video-a-photo-
gallery/reportages.
TRANSNATIONAL FORUM

Visiting Good Practice in Prague
On the 19th
November 2010 the
participants of Transnational
Forum had an opportunity to
visit the Metropolitan University
Prague where they met people
responsible for the project
activities, as well as some
members of its target group. The
aim of the project realized by
Metropolitan University Prague
is to help young disabled people
with the integration into the
labour market. There are 50
young people currently involved
in this project which is supported
by European Social Fund.
Visiting good practice in Prague
During the study visit to the MetropolitanUniversity the above mentioned
observation was confirmed – flexicurity can serve as a tool for other
disadvantaged groups on the labor market. In this particular case the
participants had the chance to see how a university run programme
funded by the European Social Fund facilitates internships and training
for handicapped young graduates that eventually improves their chances
at employment.
This program therefore does not offer permanent jobs, but it creates a
jobs training room. The handicapped have the chance during 14 months
to check how it will look like during the real working process. And they
can better identify the real opportunities to engage into a real labour
market.
For this reason there is a consultative guidance department which
presents the project results towards the employers. The aim is also to
contact appropriate institutions which could employ handicapped people.
The professionals of the MUP working for the project try to help young
handicapped with entering into the labour market using these measures:
initial diagnosis, individual counselling and career preparation of
individual plans, courses of general education, preparation and
implementation of workshops for potential employers, training of
working skills of the participants, preparation and implementation of a
mini job fair designed to meet prospective employers with the project
participants.
Flexicurity in the labour market in this case can be seen in the measures
how MUP tries to help disabled people and also how they promote the
concept into a wide public and employers. There can be seen various
opportunities for handicapped in the labour market. But it is linked to
many inconveniences the employee and also the employer have to go
through. One of them is transportation from home to the work place.
Once these challenges are surpassed it brings a great benefit to the
society.
There are also other needs in a current society concerning the
unprivileged ones (seniors, handicapped, graduates, parents on a
maternity leave).
Continuing with this idea it would be interesting to have the opportunity
to discuss flexicurity on the labour market from the perspective of
parents with small children who would like to have part time jobs. Being
involved into a working process helps them to maintain their position on
the labour market. Once they have a part time job there should be an
institution taking care of their children. It would be beneficial to discuss
the pros and minus of supporting kinder garden institutions as a part not
only of a state corporations but also the private ones and also the state
measures of supporting the part time jobs.
I am employed at Metropolian University
since March 2010. I am informing the
students and university visitors. I am
satisfied with my employment.
I studied at Metropolitan University last
year andgot acquainted with the
university director. It was coincidence
regarding my work as I was searching
for the job in health care. The
circumstances are better as before 1989,
but it still quite difficult to find the job.
Petra Filerova
GOOD PRACTICES

Flexicurity
In the Programme for the
Economic Recovery introduced in
April 2010, the Government of
Croatia refers to the concept of
flexicurity where it sets the goal
“Ensuring the flexibility of the
work force and the safety of
employment (flexicurity), as a
joint (win-win) effort of the
social partners”.
Active agening
The National Employment
Promotion Plan (NEPP) follows
the employment policy priorities
set by the revised Lisbon Growth
and Jobs Agenda, and pays
particular attention to the
following: increasing labour
supply, attracting and retaining
more people in employment,
modernising the social
protection system, improving
adaptability of workers and
enterprises, increasing
investment in human capital
through better education and
skills, good governance,
administrative-capacity building.
Good practices in Croatia related to concept of
flexicurity and active aging policy measures
Active labour market meausres
The active policy measures falling under the responsibility of the Croatian
Employment Service include: co-financing of employment of unemployed
persons, co-financing of personal advancement for the purpose of
keeping current employment, financing of labour market-oriented
education for unemployed persons, and co-financing and financing of
employment in public work programmes. The intention is given to
increasing the employability of employed and unemployed persons
through further education. On one hand, additional education increases
employability and provides opportunities for acquisition of new skills and,
on the other, it reduces the imbalance between the supply and demand
for particular skills and occupations in the labour market. Some of the
mentioned measures are targeted at older workers or at unemployed
persons over 50 and employed persons over 50 years of age at risk of
becoming unemployed due to their age, educational level, lack of
professional knowledge and skills.
The measure Co-financing training of employed persons targets workers
over 50 who are facing the introduction of new technologies, higher
standards and changes in the production programs of their employers.
The aim of this measure is to support the maintenance of employees over
50 through training and retraining and to help the employer to remain
productive and competitive.
The subsidy is given to the employers who are introducing new
technologies, higher standards and changes in their production programs
in maximum intensity of 70% cost of training for workers on permanent
work contracts, employed for at least 12 months. The employer is obliged
to organizes workplace training. Measure Co-financing the employment
of people over 50 aims at subsidising the employment of older persons
from the unemployment register or those who are serving redundancy
notice period. Training of the unemployed and Public works are measures
aimed at increasing the employability and motivation of the long term
unemployed and other persons who are in an unfavourable position in
the labour market.
Mobile Teams
For the purpose of ensuring support to workers covered by redeployment
programmes, regardless of whether their employment was terminated
for restructuring, organisational or economic reasons, mobile teams were
formed within the Croatian Employment Service. They are composed of
professionals from the field of career development: employment
counsellors, psychologists, lawyers, and other professionals, if necessary.
The purpose of mobile teams is to prepare the redundant workers for the
labour market and act on their behalf while they are still employed in
their respective companies in order to reduce the number of persons
entering the register of unemployed persons. Mobile teams are
established within companies with surplus employees, and their activities
are carried out as long as there is a need for team work.
For the purpose of making the declared surplus employees aware of the
new possibilities and conditions in the labour market, mobile teams
provide various services: information about the labour market and the
GOOD PRACTICES

manner in which various rights can be claimed, i.e. assistance in defining
their work potential, organisation of workshops through which the workers
acquire job-search skills, education in acquiring professional skills,
assistance in self-employment and business start-ups, organisation of an
internal labour exchange within the company where job vacancies can be
posted, placement services within the open labour market, and co-financing
of employment with other employers for workers over 50 years of age.
Future steps
Ministry of the Family, Veterans’ Affairs and Intergenerational Solidarity
adopted Strategic Plan 2011-2013 in May 2010. The special goal 3.1.
Expanding the Network of External Institutional Services for the Elderly aims
at improving the quality of living of elderly persons, primarily in isolated
regions and communities with a high percentage of older population by
providing various social services such as home care assistance and day care.
National Employment Promotion Plan 2011-2012
The reduction in working hours would be a good tool to support the
maintenance of elder employees. Flexible forms of work organization such
as work sharing, job sharing and job rotation would be ideal tools for
achieving this, because they would provide the employees with the
opportunity to use the time off work to acquire training and retraining
necessary for them to learn how to work in the changing environment and
retain their employment.
DENS Project team, Croatian Emplyoment Service, Zagreb
Measures to reduce impact of crisis in Slovenia
The Partial subsidy of full-working time Act
The Government approved the Act on Partial Subsidising of Full-Time Jobs
in the beginning of 2009. The Act aims to ease the effects of the coming
financial crisis by providing assistance to employers should they decide to
shorten working time. The draft Act is based on the principle that economic
measures taken during the financial crisis should seek to ensure
employment and maintain jobs, including with incentives to shorten
working time. The Act introduces the possibility of partial subsidizing full-
time work.
The Act introduces the measure of subsidising full-time work, a new instrument
in active employment policy, which will ensure full years of service, while
decreasing employers’ costs with regard to salaries and protecting the social
security fund.
In accordance with the Employment Relationship Act, the primary duty of
an employer is to provide work for the employee as agreed in the
employment contract. Full-time employees must be ensured full-time work.
Should an employer fail to do this due to the market situation, and ensure
only shorter working hours (32 hours per week), the employer must still pay
a full-time salary in accordance with the law, which is also the basis for
calculating the benefits paid. The legal status of employees remains
unchanged and they retain all the rights granted to full-time workers.
Work sharing, job sharing and
job rotation introduction is
proposed in the National
Employment Promotion Plan
2011-2012 which is currently
being developed and will be
adopted by the end of 2010.
Croatian DENS team
GOOD PRACTICES
The Partial subsidy of full-
working time Act defines the
conditions under which an
employer can apply for a
subsidy, which include a
commitment not to lay off
employees and not to pay
bonuses and rewards to
management and supervisory
boards. Should an employer
breach the terms or fail to pay
the social security benefits which
are being subsidised, it will have
to return the funds provided in
full or in the appropriate
amount. On the basis of this act,
an employer who shortens the
working week to 36 hours to
retain employees can be granted
a subsidy of 60 EUR per
employee per month.

Partial Reimbursement of Compensation Pay Act
In April 2009 a second measure supported employment and retaining of
workers – Act on partially reimbursement of Compensation Pay Act came
into force (85 % of average wage).
The main purpose of the Act was to mitigate negative crisis consequences.
The Act provides co-financing of unemployment benefit (during temporary
unemployment) as well as subsidising of training or up-skilling in the period
of temporary unemployment (at least 20% of “working” time should be
devoted to training). Act is eligible for employers who prepare special
program, focused on job retaining and rise in working place quality and who
are for the time being not able to provide work due to business reasons.
The crisis measure expires in 2010.
Magda Zupančič, Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs,
Republic of Slovenia
Recognizing the older workers capacities in company
Mariborska Livarna Maribor, Slovenia
In our company older workers play an important role. We are aware of
dangerous consequences that potential deficiency of younger workforce
and quick leaving of older workers can bring to our production and
development. In this way we can lose some of the topmost knowledge. This
is the reason why we want to recognize the older workers capacities, keep
them at workplace and make good use of their knowledge and experiences
that they can transfer as workers or mentors to younger generations.
Qualification of older workers
When we are planning the education and qualification we take into
consideration what kind of knowledge individual needs to carry on his work,
and not his age.
Especially for older workers we have prepared the computer education
programme and workshop connected to the themes regarding healthy ways
of life like promotion of health healthy life style and stress management at
workplace.
Project Promotion of health at workplace
We are aslo implementing the project Lowering of absenteeism –
promotion of health at workplace, financially supported by Health
Insurance Institute of Slovenia. In the framework of the project we are
carrying on: (1) Qualification of the employees with main stress on
identifying the ways of own health protection, recognizing the health risk
factors and handling of the individual to prevent injuries at workplace; (2)
Qualification of the management with main stress on ergonomic solutions
at settling working environment of the individual, and (3) Correcting the
ergonomic irregularities at workplace by cooperating with authorised
doctor and expert from Health Care Centre.
Milena Bratušek, MLM, Slovenia
GOOD PRACTICES
Should an employer opt for a 36-
hour week for a full-time
position, and then agree with
the authorised unions to ensure
work for only 32 hours a week,
they are entitled to an additional
subsidy of 60 EUR per month per
employee under certain
conditions. The crisis measure
expires in 2010.
Older workers – mentors
Older, experienced workers, that
had been assessed as able to
transfer their knowledge to
younger generations, have been
additionally qualified as
mentors. Some of the mentors
are also workers, that could not
carry on with their work due to
health problems, but they have
become good mentors and
advisers. Mentors introduce new
workers into their job and offer
other help to younger co-
workers. They play an important
role at education and upbringing
their staff.

Active ageing good practices in Slovenian Army
Pre-retirement seminars
Slovene military staff should retire according to the Defence Act, which
declares cessation of work on the field of defence by the end of the
calendar year, in which retirement conditions are fulfilled, the latest. The
Service in the Slovenian Armed Forces Act declares retirement preparation
procedures. Thus, active preparation for transition is organized for Slovene
military staff. The purpose of this preparation is retirement crisis mitigation,
as researches have shown, that the most difficulties accepting the changes
have those, who have been employed in large systems as Army is.
People respond differently to retirement due to personal characteristics,
former way of life and external factors. It is very important that individual is
prepared for retirement to be able to experience coming period as a new
challenge in life. Preparation for retirement is not about prescribed forms of
behaviour how to spend time, but exchange of experiences, ideas and
proposals regarding all important fields of life. In such way the participants
are motivated for active, creative and full spending of so-called third period
of life.
Mojca Vučko, Ministry of Defence, Republic Slovenia
Self-help between former military and Ministry of Defence
staff
In the years 2009 and 2010 the network of inter-generational groups for
quality ageing was created in the framework of the projects taking care of
former military and MoD staff, i.e. retired soldiers, NCOs and officers.
Leaders training, teams creating and organizing the network, mainly in own
resources activation, was technically assisted by Anton Trstenjak Institute.
Leaders, eight women and eight men, come out of military and MoD staff.
Half of them are still employed, half of them are retired, but still young and
vital enough to share their social capital with peer colleagues. It is exactly
peer affiliation, which is the main characteristic of self-help between former
military and MoD staff performing.
At setting up the groups numbered from five to fifteen members, 58
members were included, the youngest among them was 44 and the oldest
88 years old. 25 men and 33 women regularly attend the meetings. 26
members come from MoD administration and 19 members from Slovenian
Army. The groups are very opened i.e. also 13 partners of former staff are
included that strengthen their partnership in such way. Data show that up
to 70% of the group members still live in partnership relation, which means
that they are not entirely excluded and isolated, their membership can also
be understood as preparation for old age despite of the fact that they could
already be considered as old, according to their age.
Most of the members are still active and three of the groups are defined as
motive, two of them as cultural and two as dialog groups. Members still
attend the meetings alone, only one is taken care of by his relative and one
is brought to the meeting by the leader of the group.
Peter Košak, Organizer of the MoD inter-generational groups network,
Ministry of Defence, Republic Slovenia
GOOD PRACTICES
Inter-generational groups for
quality ageing are active in
Kranj, Škofja Loka, Maribor, two
of them in Ljubljana, Vipava and
Novo mesto. Referring to the
number of former military and
MoD staff, living out of the
covered area, experiences show
a need for new leadership
couples training, which is
planned in autumn 2011.
Transition from regular work
with structured time, defined
business activities, every day
communication and inter-
relations, awakes affiliation
feeling, which changes by
retirement.
Despite of the fact, that seven
groups momentarily included in
the network, were set up on the
basis of the same professional
background, they differ a lot due
to the environment in which
they arised, the number of
former staff in the environment
and especially due to the
leadership couples, who were
setting up and leading the
groups.

Flexible Danish Labour Market
At the Transnational forum in Aalborg, partners presented key findings
and conclusions from national workshops, implemented in each partner
country. The small Workshop followed based upon selected questions
concerning flexicurity, active ageing, best practices and mutual learning.
Partners from Slovenia pointed out that the biggest problem in Slovenia is
almost no competent social dialogue. Croatian partners stated almost the
same situation in Croatia and the Czech partners stated that they got new
government this summer and nothing has changed since then on the area
of flexibility. After that project partners visited Trade Union FOA where
social dialogue, role of trade unions in the Danish labour market and
examples of specific agreements and legislation related to job rotation
were presented. Partners from other countries have learned about the
different situation on the Danish labour market, where they have very
powerful trade unions playing completely different role than in other
partner countries, this is why social dialogue is possible.
Project partners concluded that Danish labour market is much more
flexible than other partner countries labour markets. LM measures in
Denmark are quickly adapting to current labour market situation.
Partners found out differences, especially in effective social system and in
higher awareness regarding ageing workforce. Danish social dialogue is
very efficient with long tradition, strong partnership approach, supported
by trade unions and other social partners.
DENS Project team, AOF, Aalborg
Flexicurity and its application is by no means uniform
In general the transnational forum in Prague has been evaluated as
inspiring, providing many impulses for further work. The participants
underscored the importance of benchmarking and the need to adjust
flexicurity policies to the conditions in the individual countries. They also
appreciated examples of flexicurity practices provided by the Czech
experts and best practice at the Metropolitan University, Prague. The
most appreciated were: volunteering as a tool of flexicurity for young
graduates or parents after maternity leave, job sharing and the system of
internships and trainings for handicapped people. At the same time all
participants see the crucial importance of job-rotation as a tool of active-
ageing strategies, however, many participants pointed out that their
country is not taking advantage of such a tool yet. Another aspect of the
forum that has been evaluated as positive was the diversity of
presentations and topics covered.
Many participants emphasized that more actors should be included into
such a debate about flexicurity and active ageing, in particular actors who
have influence on decision making. The aim of the concluding
transnational forum thus should be to invite such actors or come up with
a strategy how to get them involved in the future. Also the importance of
good practices was mentioned often, a suggestion for the last forum
would thus be to encourage the participants to introduce more examples
of successful flexicurity and active ageing practices in their countries.
Job rotation system, which is very
successful in Denmark, can be an
effective measure for increasing
flexibility at the labour market and
at the same time could be used for
dealing with ageing workforce and
senior policies. Job rotation can
support active ageing and it can
bring win-win situation for all.
Partners decided to further on
discuss and develop the scheme of
JR as tool for supporting active
ageing and flexicurity policies in
individual partner countries as
well as wider in EU.
One of the crucial lessons learned
is that flexicurity and its
application is by no means
uniform. On the one hand in
countries like Denmark job-
rotation is a tool to support
human resource development and
active ageing strategies in the
companies; on the other hand in
countries like the Czech Republic,
Slovenia, Croatia given, that the
problems and needs of the labor
market are different in those
countries, job rotation serves
rather to battle unemployment. In
conclusion, transnational forum
was an ideal opportunity to
discuss the implications of this
diversity of roles that flexicurity
and active ageing plays.
LESSONS LEARNED

Excellent opportunities to learn from the project partners
and their experiences
One of the main objectives of the DENS project is exchange of good
practices and ideas on successful and efficient policy implementation in
the context of active ageing and promoting flexicurity. This objective is
very important for us, Croatian partners, since our country is currently
putting great efforts into becoming a member of EU. Croatia has
recognized key flexicurity components, such as lifelong learning,
enhancement of social dialogue, implementation of active labour market
policies etc., but despite the efforts, still lags behind EU Member States in
the design and implementation of both the flexicurity concept and active
ageing policies.
Both Transnational Forums presented excellent opportunities to learn
from the project partners and their experiences as old (Denmark) and
new (Slovenia and Czech Republic) EU member states. The main focus of
the Aalborg Transnational Forum was the job rotation scheme. The
participants of the Forum had a chance to see an example of "job rotation
scheme” in a public institution for the care of elderly and infirm persons,
named "Smedergaarden", where the unemployed are trained to work in
order to replace regular employees at a time when they attend additional
trainings. Visits to the trade union representatives FOA and the private
company "Aalborg Industries” were also inspiring. We had a chance to
see an excellent example of successful social dialogue on the local level.
“Job rotation scheme” was a mutual initiative of FOA, training institution
AOF Nord and local government. Croatia, on the other hand, despite
established institutional mechanisms and some positive examples of
active participation of social partners in the formulation and
implementation of policies can still learn a lot from Danish experiences.
During the Transnational Forum in the Czech Republic, the participants
were introduced with an overview of social policies in the Czech Republic
and the position of the elderly on the labour market. The visit to
University Metropolitan, which implements projects financed through ESF
concerning inclusion of persons with disabilities on the labour market,
was useful as a way of seeing how the Czech Republic, as a new member
state, puts the ESF funds to use in practice.
The interactive workshop held during the Transnational Forum in Prague,
where participants debated on ways to combine existing measures of
active labour market policies with the “job rotation” measure in each of
the partner countries, helped us to “test” the “job rotation measure”
planned within the National Employment Promotion Plan (NEPP) for 2011
and 2012 and to receive feedback on it from the project partners and
their stakeholders. The DENS experience has, therefore, been really
valuable for us.
DENS Project team, Croatian Emplyoment Service, Zagreb
LESSONS LEARNED
The national workshop and
Transnational Forums within the
DENS project were an excellent
tool and opportunity for different
stakeholders to talk and exchange
standpoints, first on the national,
and then on the international
level. Through discussions on the
national level, key Croatian
stakeholders were informed about
flexicurity and active ageing
concepts in Croatia, and identified
main obstacles and challenges
related to employment policy
development.
All project partners agreed that
“job rotation scheme” can be an
effective measure for increasing
flexibility on the labour market
and at the same time could be
used for dealing with ageing
workforce which can result in a
win-win situation for all.

DENS Newsletter 2 |January 2011|PAGE11LESSONS LEARNED
Flexicurity - Under gender perspective
Despite the fact that more flexibility through part-time work are
welcomed by the majority of women and men to ensure a better work-
life balance, women are often at a disadvantage in the labour market in
terms of flexibility and security. Women’s participation in the labour
market is still largely typified by a high and increasing share of part-time
work. In 2009, almost 19% of those in employment in the EU were
working part time. Women commonly work part-time in a number of
Member States. In 2008, the share of women employees working part-
time was 31.1% in the EU-27 while the corresponding figure for men was
7.9%. In Netherlands, more than 75% of female workers did so in 2009,
while 40% or more did so in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Sweden and the
United Kingdom. Conversely, the share of part-timers among female
workers was very low in Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary, Latvia, the Czech
Republic and Lithuania.
Within different flexicurity policies and actions is gender dimension still
lagging behind and gender and sensitive and innovative approaches need
to be developed. The main issues to be addressed are low activity and
employment rates, gender segregation – especially contractual
segregation (women are more likely to be found in less protected jobs)
and gender pay gap.
At the web page: www.flexicurity-gender.eu/project you can find an
interesting reading - project “Flexicurity - Under a gender perspective”.
Project partners from Bulgaria, Italy and Czech Republic want to raise the
awareness about the common principle on flexicurity in the framework of
national programmes and aim to identify possible political guidelines and
suggestions - best practices to implement flexicurity policies under a
gender perspective in the countries.
Vanja Hazl, External expert, Slovenia
Consideration of gender is of
importance when discussing
flexicurity, because women form a
majority of the workers found in
flexible work form and women are
to some extend more vulnerable
than men as far as the security
aspect of flexicurity is concerned.

DENS e- Forum
In December 2010 the transnational e-Forum was established on the DENS
web page (http://www.dens-progress.eu/forum), with the purpose to
enable wider national and transnational discussions and benchmarking on
agreed topics of labour supply in the context of active aging and promoting
flexicurity having in mind guidelines and principles that characterize the
design and implementation of successful labour market approaches for dealing
with current crisis and the effects beyond the crisis. This “virtual transnational
forum enables involvement of greater number of stakeholders and target
groups from partner countries and wider, from EU member states and
accession counties.
e-Forumisan opportunity for maintaining debate of new forms, new ideas,
practices and policies for finding solutions for the most vulnerable target
groups on the labour market in the current global economic crisis and
beyond the crisis. It also promotes transnational exchanges between the policy
makers and other key stakeholders and is a good ground for transnational co-
operation and exchange that will possibly follow after the project ends.
Conclusions from these forum discussions will be presented at the
transnational conference “Different experiences-new solutions” that will
be organised in Slovenian city of Maribor on 15
th
and 16
th
February 2011.
Best practices identified in this forum will be also presented at the
conference and best practices holders will be invited to present them
personally or via video-conference.
Why discussing flexicurity and active ageing?
The European Union has set five ambitious objectives - on employment,
innovation, education, social inclusion and climate/energy - to be reached
by 2020. The EU has agreed on an employment rate target for women and
men of 75% for the 20-64 years age group by 2020: an ambitious
commitment to the sustainability of Europe’s social model, welfare
systems, economic growth and public finances. Bridging the gap to the
target will be no easy task. The crisis has brought the employment rate
down to 69%, and the unemployment rate up to 10%; assuming the labour
market stabilises in 2010-2011, achieving an employment rate of 75% by
2020 willrequire an average employment growth slightly above 1% per
annum. With declining fertility rates, the EU working age population (15-
64) will start shrinking as early as 2012; A skilled workforce is an essential
asset to develop a competitive, sustainable and innovative economy in line
with Europe 2020 goals. Older workers constitute aworkforce which is
crucial not only to raise labour utilisation but also to directly contribute to
higher growth and the sustainability of pension systems. In that context,
theemployability, productivity as well as health and wellbeing issues of
older people are important.
Active ageing strategies are highly consistent with flexicurity strategies,
since they both aim to ensure that all citizens can easily adapt to
demographic and technological changes and find a good job at every stage
of their active life. The success of the Europe 2020 strategy objectives
crucially depends on the ability of EU member States to play their part in
implementing the necessary reforms.
DENS Project team, HRDC, Slovenia
e-Forum serves as a framework
for identifying and
disseminating good practice,
exchange experiences and
opinions with and among
experts, companies,
practitioners as well as
stakeholders and decision
makers.Nevertheless, forum
serves for encouraging
policymakers and stakeholders
at all EU levels and wider,
especially in accession countries
to promote flexicurity and active
ageing.
The EU employment rate target
for women and men of 75 % by
2020 will only be achieved by
pooling all efforts and
instruments. Flexicurity as well
as active ageing are among key
Agenda for new skills and jobs’
priorities. (Agenda and Europe
2020:
http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020
/index_en.htm).
E- FORUM

DENS TRANSNATIONAL CONFERENCE
FLEXICURITY AND ACTIVE AGEING – HOW TO MANAGE CHALLENGE?
DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES – NEW SOLUTIONS
15th and 16th February 2011, Hotel Habakuk in Maribor, Slovenia
The purpose of the Conference is to share solutions, initiatives and
approaches that have been recognised as good practices and debate
possible new solutions for the implementation of flexicurity and active
ageing policies and practices in the future. Those topics are strongly linked
to Europe 2020 growth Strategy and An Agenda for New skills and Jobs: A
European contribution towards full employment (Brusseles, COM (2010)
682/3 as well as with European Commission proposal on “European year
for active Ageing” in 2012.
Slovenia is currently facing numerous changes on the area of flexicurity
and social cohesion. New Labour Market Regulation Act have just entered
into force, National Assembly adopted Law on Small Work in November
2010 and Pension and Disability Insurance Act in December 2010. In
autumn the Active Ageing Measures, aiming the increase of average
employment rate of elder from 55 to 64 years, were adopted. The Bill
amending the Employment Relationships Act was prepared in March
2010.
Experiences and good practices examples on the area of flexicurity and
active ageing from EU member states and accession countries (Denmark,
Great Britain, Belgium, Germany, CzechRepublic, Slovenia, and Croatia etc.)
will be presented at the Conference. Respected guests, social partners,
experts and representatives of companies, non-governmental and public
sector, from Slovenia as well as from abroad, will join us.
Maribor, Slovenia
Conference is, especially in this
time of changes, the opportunity
to exchange the experiences,
good practices, initiatives and
approaches on the area of
flexicurity and active ageing and
find new possibilities and
common solutions for the future.
Transnational conference will be in
Hotel Habakuk, Maribor, Slovenia
We are kindly inviting you to join us
at the Conference and contribute to
the exchange of experiences and
good practices on the area of
flexicurity and active ageing and
together with us try to find new
solutions for the future.
Participation at the conference is
free of charge.
Please, see Conference programme
in the next pages.
DENS Project team
TRANSNATIONAL CONFERENCE

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH
2011
9.00 – 9.30 Registration of participants
9.30 – 10.15 Wellcome and opening speeches
Franc Kangler, mayor, Municipality of Maribor
Ivan Svetlik, Ph.D., Minister, Republic of Slovenia, Ministry of Labour, Family and Social affairs
Samo Hribar Milič, MSc General Director, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia
Dušan Semolič, MSc, president, Association of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia
10.15 – 10.30 About DENS project and its results; Dušanka Lužar Šajt, eim, Human Resource Development Centre
FLEXICURITY AND ACTIVE AGEING in EU and Member states - TOWARDS NEW CHALLENGES
10.30 – 10.50 Flexicurity – a Danish model for Europe? and benchmark report – Flexicurity and Active Ageing; Jens Kruhøffer, Denmark
10.50 – 11.10 Flexicurity and Ageing Labour Market in Slovenia – challenges and (possible) solutions; Zoran Kotolenko, deputy of the director general,
Ministry of Labour Family and Social Affairs
11.10 – 11.40 Coffee break
11.40 – 12.00 Lifelong Learning for successful implementation of Flexicurity model and Active Ageing - how do we manage in Slovenia?
Vinko Logaj, MSc, Ministry of Education and Sport, Secondary, Higher Vocational and Adult Education Directorate
12.00 – 12.15 Flexicurity and Ageing Labour Market in Czech Republic - challenges and (possible) solutions;
Ms. Bohumila Čabanova, Faculty of Social Science, Charls University Prague, Czech Republic
12.15 – 12.30 Flexicurity and Ageing Labour Market in Croatia - challenges and (possible) solutions
Ivanka Zlatec, Head of EURES and International Placement Division, Employment Service of Croatia, Croatia
12.30 – 13.00 Panel discussion
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch break
WORKSHOPS: PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES
14.00 – 15.30 WORKSHOP 1: FLEXICURITY IN PRACTICE (moderated by Dušanka Lužar Šajt)
14.00 – 14.15 Job rotation in Danish practice – how is it connected to flexicurity pathway and active ageing policies?
Jette Nissen, Aalborg Municipality, Denmark
14.15 – 14.30 Belgium career break (time credit) scheme - How it works in real sector?
Stephanie Devisscher, Manager in labour market and socio-economic policy, Belgium
14.30 – 14.45 Anti crisis acts in Slovenia (Partial subsidising full-working time & Partial reimbursement of wage compensation) – practical experiences and
challenges?; Sabina Špehar, Employment Service of Slovenia
14.45 – 15.00 What flexicurity means for the company and how we managed this challenge in the company during the crisis with help of “anti crisis
measures” in Slovenia; Urša Lapajne, Mariborska Livarna Maribor
15.00 – 15.30 Discussion
14.00 – 15.30 WORKSHOP 2: A FLEXIBLE AND SECURE LABOUR MARKET NEEDS STRONG SOCIAL PARTNERS (moderated by Jens Kruhøffer)
14.00 – 14.20 A flexible and secure labour market needs strong social partners; Jens Kruhøffer in the name of Kresten Gaardssoe, president of FOA (Trade
Union,) Denmark
14.20 – 14.35 What challenges do flexicurity and workforce ageing bring to employers in Slovenia and how employers cooperate in social dialog?; Metka
Penko Natlačen, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Slovenia
14.35 – 14.50 How flexicurity affects elder workers and how trade unions participate in social dialog related to those issues in Slovenia?; Goran Lukič,
Association of Slovenian Free Trade Unions
14.50 – 15.05 Age management strategies, Jože Glazer, Member of the Chairmanship, association for Personnel Management of Slovenia
15.45 – 17.15 Repetition of the workshops:
WORKSHOP 1: FLEXICURITY IN PRACTICE
WORKSHOP 2: A FLEXIBLE AND SECURE LABOUR MARKET NEEDS STRONG SOCIAL PARTNERS
TRANSNATIONAL CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH
2011
8.30 – 9.00 Registration of the participants
9.00 – 9.10 Welcome and scope of the 2nd
day of the conference
9.10 – 9.30 Conclusions from workshop 1 & 2
9.30 – 9.45 An agenda for new skills and Jobs – Towards new momentum for flexicurity and active ageing - EU Year of active ageing 2012;
Mr. Santiago Loranca Garcia, Head of EMPL C1, EC, DG Employment, social affairs and Inclusion
9.45 – 10.00 Panel discussion
AGE MANAGEMENT AT WORKPLACE AND SUPPORTING ELDERLY TO ENTER LABOUR MARKET
10.00 – 10.15 Measures to promote active ageing in Slovenia; Magda Zupančič, MSc, Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs
10.15 – 10.30 Career orientation – important competence of employed and unemployed; Darija Jamnik, Employment Service of Slovenia
10.30 – 10.45 Inclusion of elder people in learning/education is reality in Denmark; Lene Cato, AOF Nord, Aalborg, Denmark
ELDERY FRENDLY EMPLOYERS – WORKSHOP AND GOOD PRACTICES
11.15 – 11.30 Investors in people Standard: Health and wellbeing at work model and good practice; Carole Ramsha, IIP International, UK,
11.30 – 11.45 Age management good practice; Milena Bratušek, Mariborska Livarna, Slovenia
11.45 – 11.55 Aalborg Industries – Danish age management good practice (Video post)
11.55 – 12.10 Slovenian good practice public sector – Age management policy in Slovenian Army;
Mojca Vučko, Ministry of Defence, Slovenian Army
12.10 – 12.25 Skills Mismatch Among Ageing Workers & the right skills for silver workers”
Wolfgang Müller, director German Federal Employment Agency, EU Representation in Bruxelles &"Chair of the Working Group on New
Skills for New Jobs of the European Public Employment Services"
12.45 - 13.10 Coffee break
GET ELDER PEOPLE INTO EMPLOYMENT
13.10 – 13.25 Career orientation and employment programme for unemployed - Active after 50 – experiences from social - experiment pilot
programme; Natalija Žunko, eim, Human Resource Development Centre
13.25 – 13.40 Supporting self-unemployment for unemployed over 50; Miroslav Suchanec, RILSA, Prague, Czech Republic
13.40 – 13.50 New skills for elder workers in France (ESF video)
13.50 – 14.10 Unlocking the potential for people over 50 and why is important to maximise participation and wellbeing of people after 50 (UK good
practice)
Prof. Paul Kingston, Director, Centre for Ageing and Mental Health, Strafordshire University, UK& John White, Director, PISCES
(Partnerships in Social and Community Enterprise in Schools Skills for Life Social Care and Sustainability),Wolverhampton, UK
14.10 – 14. 30 Discussion and conclusions of the conference
14.30 Lunch
Organizer reserves the right for eventual changes in the conference programme.

DENS KEY MESSAGES
DENS WILL RAISE EFFICIENCY!
By sharing experience and exchanging best practices on
successful and efficient genuine locally generated
employment strategies with successful old EU Member
States the project will contribute to more consistent and
homogenous generation and implementation of employment
strategies at national, regional and local level that are in line
with EES.
DENS WILL RAISE AWARENESS ON EUROPEAN EMPLOYMENT
STRATEGY!
The awareness about employment strategies in Europe will
be raised. By disseminating DENS project' results through
different events and by active involvement of key local
stakeholders to DENS forums and conference the
recommendations on improvement of active ageing and
flexicurity will be mainstream to local / regional / national
and EU labour market policies.
DENS WILL STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITIES OF SOCIAL
PARTNERS!
By designing in stakeholder’s action groups stakeholders will
be involved in preparation of employment strategies
development of projects to be financed by ESF and will
support the context of EES. Trough process of mutual
learning stakeholders will strengthen their capacity.
The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the DENS partnership
and it does not represent the opinion of the European Commission. The
Commission is not responsible for any use that might be made of information
contained herein.
DENS WILL RAISE EFFICIENCY!
DENS WILL RAISE AWARENESS ON
EUROPEAN EMPLOYMENT STRATEGY!
DENS WILL STRENGTHEN THE
CAPACITIES OF SOCIAL PARTNERS!

Dens Newsletter 2

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