EU allocates €18 million to boost job access for disabled and vulnerable groups

VASTE, a European initiative supporting disabled and vulnerable individuals secure a job, has been awarded €18 million from the European Social Fund Plus to launch its second edition.

The funds, spread over five years and to be administered by the agency Jobsplus, represent an increase of €6 million compared to the first VASTE programme. The initial programme supported and trained 2,400 people, 45 per cent of whom found employment within six months of completing the programme or continued training to be employed in specific jobs.

The second VASTE programme was developed through collaborative consultations with Jobsplus and several non-governmental organizations, with the goal of supporting former substance abusers, ex-prisoners, and individuals facing social challenges in gaining access to the job market.

CEO of Jobsplus Celia Falzon, appointed last year, highlighted that “in Malta, where unemployment is at historic lows, the real challenge is to include those still excluded from the labour market.”

Speaking about the second edition of VASTE, she said that this opens a new phase of investment under the European Social Fund Plus, delivered in strong partnership with strategic partners, providing training, coaching, therapeutic support, and mentoring.

Malta has recently achieved the second-lowest unemployment rate in the European Union, standing at just 0.7 per cent, according to data from Eurostat.

This programme aims to not only addresses unemployment among the most vulnerable but also brings about change, with social justice, autonomy, and economic impact.

Minister for Home Affairs, Security, Reforms and Equality, Byron Camilleri and Minister for European Funds and the Implementation of the Electoral Programme, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, were both present at the launch.