The sub-project 1 maps and describes the problem areas of social security in Finland and the comparison countries with the help of the following questions:
The sub-project utilizes previous research literature as well as national and international studies, reports and databases.
The sub-project 2 maps and describes the benefits, services and processes related to jobseekers’ problems in the selected countries, answering the following research questions:
The sub-project will carry out a vignette survey of Finland and four comparison countries (Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom), which will be supplemented by expert interviews. In the vignette four main hypothetical categories (youth unemployed, long-term unemployed with and without insurance, long-term unemployed with refugee background) are separated and the respondents (expert in social security and PES administration) will reflect how a typical pathway extends for such category and how different factors (manipulated differences in situation) affect the clients situation: e.g. how does level of education (primary/secondary education qualifications), the receipt of earnings related or basic benefit, persons health related work ability etc. affect to the allocated services (and benefits). Furthermore, the vignettes aim at understanding the process related issues (i.e. related to when, who and how services are provided) and what major obstacles the people as well as admin faces in these situations.
The sub-project 3 brings together a wide range of international research evidence on the effectiveness of solutions. The sub-project will make use of existing statistical data, including international questionnaires (EU-SILC), statistics and databases (MISSOC, SPIN). In addition, we utilize existing evaluation studies in target countries.
The aim of the sub-project 4 is to identify features in the social security systems of the four comparison countries that could be used in Finland's social security reform. The utilization of these features in the Finnish social security system is studied by using the EUROMOD microsimulation model. The simulation study is carried out in the so-called a policy swap-type exercise in which parts of another country's social security system replace parts of the Finnish social security system or introduce new parts into the Finnish social security system. The results of the simulation are evaluated in relation to the solutions obtained from the vignettes, which gives a better understanding of the compatibility of the service system with the benefit system. Subproject 4 thus enables a unique and comprehensive comparison of the possibilities of international solutions in Finland.