Linköping municipality’s integration and labor market administration tasks include supporting individuals who are dependent on financial assistance so that they can become self-sufficient and independent. The municipality therefore works closely with citizens, other administrations, businesses, authorities and other public actors, but also with non-profit organizations such as Östergötland’s City Mission.
The municipality and the City Mission have a long tradition of collaborations that have looked a little different over time, depending on the social challenges our city has faced. Today, we have an important partnership, a so-called Idéburet partnership (an IOP), which means that people who are far from the labor market can get job training at Stadsmissionen.
Since before, the City Mission runs a number of social enterprises such as a cafe, restaurant and second-hand shop here in Linköping with places for job training, where people are given the opportunity to build self-confidence, improve their quality of life and get closer to the job market. Because within the same organization there is access to several different professional categories and industries, people can grow step by step through different degrees of challenges in the different companies. It provides security and stability so that participants dare to take the next step in their own personal development journey.
In connection with Stadsmissionen’s start of the social food store Matmissionen in Skäggetorp at the beginning of the year, the partnership has been expanded with several work-like activities, it gives more people the opportunity to work training and get a context to grow in. Every step is valuable in the personal journey towards self-sufficiency .
In the collaboration there is a strong desire to improve the situation for the people who need some form of support to enter the labor market. With short decision-making paths, civil society can quickly make changes to further develop what has been started, with the individual in focus.
No one can solve societal challenges on their own. We are convinced that when civil society, the public sector and business work together, we achieve lasting positive change in our municipality, to the benefit of all.
