Designing public employment programmes (PEPs)

This course covered the policy and design aspects of Public Employment Programmes (PEPs) and discussed how PEPs can be used to create employment, bridge gaps in the provision of assets or services, complement social protection measures, and contribute to Active Labour Market Policies (ALMPs). The course shared experiences on how these programmes have been used to respond to crises throughout history including experiences from high, middle, and low-income countries that provided tools enabling effective programme design, to achieve multiple objectives. In addition to the interactive e-learning experience, the course invited a panel of experts and practitioners to present their field experiences where the course knowledge has been already implemented. Participants have been provided with hands-on guidance while interacting with the course experts helping them demonstrate the knowledge gained throughout the learning journey in Designing Public employment programmes (PEPs). OBJECTIVES The course has successfully achieved the following objectives: 1. Provided a comprehensive overview of how these programmes have been used for economic recovery over history; 2. Ensured the understanding of the role of PEPs in achieving full employment and decent work, as well as some of the key policy dilemmas and trade-offs encountered in the use of PEPs; 3. Familiarized participants with several tools for effective public programme design, implementation and assessment; 4. Provided insights into the expansion of PEP activities into: labour-based works, green works, education, tourism, and care economy. 5. Provided knowledge of innovations and best practices of PEPs for decent work creation; including – Getting exposure to operational and work organization methodologies and capacity building approaches; and – Learning from several countries’ experiences and good practices. CONTENT The course covered the following six topics: Theme 1: Key concepts: Right to work, full employment, and employment guarantees This module introduced the key concepts that underpin the rationale for Public Employment Programmes, in particular in times of crisis and increasing unemployment and underemployment. It highlighted their role in achieving full employment and providing a rights-based approach to employment. The module will also include discussions on PEPs and their role in fulfilling the social contract and how this may shift in a rapidly changing world of work. Theme 2: PEPs in relation to investment, employment and social policy PEPs generally have employment, social and investment related objectives. As such their alignment and integration with public investment, skills, social protection and active labour market policies are particular important. This module delved into the areas of overlap and intersection and identified areas of both synergies and trade-offs. Theme 3: Essential characteristics and design of PEPS In this module, the defining characteristics of PEPs has been discussed. Tools for the design and assessment of these programmes developed by the ILO and with other agencies has been introduced. Theme 4: PEPs creating employment in different sectors PEPs can implement different work activities including environmental, social and infrastructure works. “Green” activities include the use of nature-based solutions for hybrid infrastructure, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and ecosystem restoration. Social works tend to focus on the care economy and education. This module focused on how PEPs can assist in both improving coverage and standards in the sector, while infrastructure can include a wide range of construction and maintenance activities. This module included several country case studies. Theme 5: PEPs and decent work PEPs often operate in difficult contexts with large decent work deficits and thus it is important that these programmes incorporate measures to ensure the safeguarding of minimum standards and conditions of work. This module provided guidance on amongst others wage setting, appropriate conditions of work, occupational health and safety, and measures to target vulnerable groups that face challenges accessing the labour market. This module included several country case studies. Theme 6 - Monitoring and Evaluation and Critical Operational issues This module focused on key operational issues that can be particularly challenging in PEPs, including contracting workers and making payments, monitoring, reporting, and evaluation of PEPs, and inclusion of workers and communities in decision-making and accountability. The module highlighted how recent technologies such as reporting systems can be used to improve operations. The model has also discussed methodologies in conducting the impact assessment including examples of ex-ante and ex-post studies of similar programmes. NUMBER OF HOURS: 60