This job search programme, targeted at older unemployed workers, has proven to be an effective measure to reduce long-term unemployment amongst the target group. It has a direct link to the Council recommendation on the integration of the long-term unemployed into the labour market (2016/C 67/01). In particular, it focuses on preventing long-term unemployment according to the European Employment Strategy (EES) guidelines of enhancing labour supply, skills and competences by providing job search assistance in an early stage of unemployment for a group with a high risk of long-term unemployment.

The ineffective job searching of older job seekers, due to deprecated job search skills, discouragement and reluctance to ask others for assistance.

The aim of STEP is to improve job finding skills of older workers and learning how to use their social network to find a job in order to:

• increase job finding probabilities of participants;
• reduce long-term unemployment amongst older workers; and
• inform participants about other active labour market policies to increase hiring of older workers, such as subsidies.

• STEP is a group training, where groups of about 12 older job seekers follow a ten-week training in job search skills and networking.
• The programme involves ten group meetings of about four hours each and two short individual meetings with a trainer.
• The programme starts with a test of abilities and job interests, other lessons include practicing job interviews and elevator pitches, using social media and the job seekers network to find a job and learning other job search skills.
• In addition to the weekly meetings, participants are encouraged to have at least one talk with someone in their own social network about potential employment opportunities.

Between 2013 and 2017, roughly 120,000 older job seekers participated in STEP.

Based on a large-scale Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT), researchers concluded that STEP:

• increased the outflow from unemployment in the first year of unemployment from 38% to 42.5%;
• increased the job finding rate of participants of STEP, in particular they find work faster compared to non-participants;
• is cost-effective, meaning that participation in STEP reduces the unemployment benefits of participants and this reduction exceeds the costs of the programme; and
• only has positive effects for job seekers with secondary education and higher. There are no effects for job seekers with primary education.

Based on survey information, researchers conclude that:

• Participants are satisfied with the training and trainer, 81% of the participants thinks the programme is useful and 80% enjoyed participating.
• Participants have better job search skills than non-participants.
• Participants feel more supported in their job search compared to non-participants.
• Participants feel more confident that they will find a job compared to non-participants.