Westminster Applied Evaluation Workshop

A series of seminars organised by Policy Studies Institute and
the Centre for Employment Research

session seven: Thursday 27 May, 4.00pm - 6.00pm

Differential effects of active labour
market programmes for the unemployed

Barbara Sianesi
Institute for Fiscal Studies

Abstract

The presentation scrutinises the Swedish ‘model’ of active labour market programmes and its experience during the atypically high unemployment in the 1990s to derive some general lessons as to which type of programme works best.

Specifically, the differential performance of labour-market training, workplace introduction, work experience, relief work, trainee replacement and employment subsidies is investigated in terms of short- and long-term employment rates and unemployment-benefit collection probability.

Methodologically, an extension of propensity score multiple-treatment matching methods is proposed to investigate the differential performance of these programmes relative to one another as well as vis-à-vis more intense job search in open unemployment.

Both relative to one another and compared to more intense job search, the central finding is that the more similar to a regular job, the more effective a programme is for its participants. Employment subsidies perform best by far, followed by trainee replacement and, by a long stretch, labour-market training. Relief work and two types of work practice schemes appear by contrast to be mainly used to re-qualify for unemployment benefits.

Venue:

Auditor/L, HM Treasury, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2BQ

Directions:

Multimap

Nearest tube stations: Westminster, St James's Park

Further information

Please contact Stefan Speckesser.