Shortcut to work

“Shortcut To Work facilitates the full integration and active citizenship of underpriviliged young people in society by guiding them on their track toward a sustainable job.”

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The purpose of Shortcut To Work (Spoorzoeker [BE] Stad Antwerpen) is to provide a sustainable solution for unemployed young people with uncertain future perspectives and companies looking for long-term motivated staff, by engaging both parties to get on track together.

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Our participants

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Shortcut To Work commits to a deliberately low-threshold intake in a challenging urban context: welcoming young people - mainly migrants and refugees - struggling with language barriers, limited learning capacity, low self-esteem, underdeveloped social skills, non-existent networks, difficult integration processes, mental issues, life choices and perspectives. Most of them tend to live under the radar. Therefore, we deploy new ways of outreach: attractive installations in the streets, low-threshold events and young ambassadors actively involved in our project. These have proven to be successful in finding and connecting with people. In addition, we have an engaged referral network, both in-house and external, to provide (nearly) everyone with the supportive trajectory most fitting their situation and needs.

Motivation is key as participants are strongly encouraged to take ownership. To foster this crucial personal drive, we provide an easy continuous drop-in system without a waiting period.

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Secret formula: 8 weeks “getting on track” + 8 weeks internship = sign contract + follow-up

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During the first 8 weeks Shortcut To Work focuses on experience-oriented guidance in group and individual support tackling preconditions to be able to work.

 

Ownership is key: the participant decides on combinations of tracks he wants to add to his personal road map. New triggering tracks are frequently added to the menu, upon demand and in direct response to opportunities arising on the road.

 

These are examples of top tracks from the current menu.

 

Technical skills: build your own bike and use it for commuting later, or obtain your safety certificate for work in the industrial sector.

 

Digital skills: level up! Language skills: impulses and opportunities to practice all-round.

 

Sport together: acquire tangible social skills needed in a work context.          

We add in extra challenging new contexts to elicit deep-learning in group: build a raft, visit an experimental cultural expo, visit companies, participate in teaser workshops in woodwork & barista skills, organise events together.

 

This way, we can discover their real talents and characteristics, which enables us to spark the personal connection between company representatives and participants. The latter decide in which company they prefer to undertake an internship.

 

During the internship we support both the participants in their focused learning process and the company in the transition process toward a tangibly more inclusive organisation.

 

This twofold support continues, well after the participant and company have formalised their long-term connection by means of a job contract.

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Shortcut To Work features a hands-on, inviting, agile, participant-driven, refreshing style with direct impact, befitting the challenging urban context of European cities. You are most welcome to visit this innovative project funded and actively supported by the City of Antwerp.