an action research project

LinkAge is an action research project developed to examine age in terms of enabling and constraining activities advanced by trade unions and employers’ representatives in Europe.

Adopting a ‘rights-based’ rather than ‘needs-based’ approach, LinkAge provides research to identify actions aimed at representation, engagement and active inclusion in relation to ‘active ageing’ and youth employment, specifically framed within the context of recent economic changes, developments in industrial relations and social dialogue. 

Assuming a qualitative methodology and a multidimensional approach, the project promotes social dialogue in terms of discourse and exchange of practice for investigating the current reality in tandem with the breadth of alternative strategies. This facilitates the creation of informed policy recommendations for improvement of working conditions for vulnerable age collectives based on common features of integration and equality.

LinkAge highlights good practice examples on labour market integration of vulnerable age groups from the study’s six countries and at the European comparative level. In addition to the knowledge gained from the LinkAge research, a key added value of the project is contributed by the participation of trade unions working alongside selected research institutions from Austria, Belgium, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the UK.

Preliminary project results:

Jubany (coord.) (2013): LinkAge. Labour market integration of vulnerable age groups through social dialogue. Barcelona: University of Barcelona. (also available as e-book)

Team:

• Dipl.Ing. Jana Machacova (project leader)
• Magª. Caroline Manahl
• Magª. Berenike Ecker, M.E.S. MSc
• Mag. Wolfgang Michalek

Section: Work and Equal Opportunities

Partners:

• L’Istituto di Ricerche Economiche e Sociali
• Solidarnosc Malopolski
• Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia
• Université Libre de Bruxelles
• Aston University
• University of Barcelona/European Social Research Unit/Department of Social Anthropology (Coordinator)

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Related Articles:

• Publication: LinkAge - Labour Market Integration of Vulnerable Age Groups through Social Dialogue

Tags: ageing society, integration, labour market, participation