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Selected evaluation results for ESF communication in Italy

Orsola FornaraMinistry of labour and social policy

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Italian context A complex framework:

23 MAs (2 at a national level, 21 at a regional level), 24 ESF OPs

need to find an occasion of mutual confrontation and synthesis: creation of the national network of ESF communication

2-3 meetings a year, in Rome

very basic organisation: regular contacts, availability through e-mail, telephone and an internet open-access page with the minutes of the meetings, the list of participants and working documents

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End 2009: the network concentrates on the evaluation of ESF communication

Objective: gain a national panorama on the ESF communication measures of the 24 OPs

Path: find common elements among heterogeneous communication contexts:

the index of the chapter on evaluation in the annual implementation report 2010 (23 MA)

check-list of ESF communication activities (11 MA) structure for describing best practices

Reading the mid-term evaluations

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Who knows more about ESF in Italy? 25-34 years old people, entering the labour market, with

high educational level

workers who want to re-qualify

While: disadvantaged groups, women/people in general less educated are less informed

information reaches more easily insiders than the “man in the street”

ESF is known best for its role in facilitating vocational training rather than for guidance/employment measures

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What to communicate tell about case stories: real experiences by testimonial

turns out to be convincing; empathy and imitation play a great role; success of ESF measures is more touchable

push forward a coherent visual identity: a clear-recognisable-unique image (colours, logo) helps in identifying ESF measures

concentrate ESF in a nutshell: short files with graphs and tables summarising programs and projects objectives, actions and results facilitate the comprehension of measures undertaken, of targets involved, of territory and economical sectors reached, etc.

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How to communicate be simple: avoid bureaucratic jargon, adapt language to

target groups (young? immigrants?...); use recognisable claims

go local: disseminate ESF also in peripheral areas; involve local key-players;

exploit the multipliers (1): media helps in simplifying language, in reducing distances; tv reaches people that do not read newspapers; but local newspapers seem useful, anyway

exploit the multipliers (2): schools, vocational training centres, social partners can communicate directly to participants

exploit the multipliers (3): very popular/significant events/fairs; or, on the other side, attractive happenings for specific target (e.g. concerts or other exhibitions for youngsters)

be ubiquitous: create formats for tv and web

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The web: a double edged sword

Pro: you can reach wide range and a great number of people, countrywide. Convenient for involving young people and/or educated audiences

Contra: it’s potentially discriminatory, it cuts off people with no digital literacy, mainly underprivileged who need at most ESF help. For weak target groups, traditional channels has proven to be more effective (public services for the protection/counselling of workers, retired people, immigrants, consumers, etc.)

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One or two best practice…Learning is an experienceA travelling exhibition describes ESF and the voucher system in Lombardia Region to students and their families

photos, videos, files with numbers and data, interviews to testimonials 5 months hosted in schools, vocational training centres, public spaces of 11 towns of the regioncustomer satisfaction survey (400 questionnaires)

(the title quotes Albert Einstein “Learning is experience. Everything else is just information”)

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One or two best practice…Working and bringing up well your children. Thanks to the “service voucher” you don’t jump through all sorts of hoops

a widespread campaign (Provincia autonoma di Trento) a campaign integrating different instruments (brochures, posters, posters on buses, advertisements on local newspapers, tv and radio spots) a previous evaluation showed that in peripheral areas (such as isolated alpine valleys) the voucher was not known the campaign has successfully taken into account this caveat

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Recommendations……communicating to the public Reinforce local public information services (for difficult targets) Simplify language Use case stories Make the most of popular and crowd-pulling events Cut in local key-players using innovative solutions Don’t communicate only when you publish a call for projects…and to insiders Coordinate the information inside the administration and

towards external societies Use monitoring data to control implementation and expenses Exchange information with local information desks Consolidate the media relations Enhance the results of past evaluations

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ofornara@lavoro.gov.it

Thank you