Individual case management lies at the heart of preventive strategies to reduce unemployment. This is achieved by identifying appropriate tailor-made intervention measures and by determining the targeted assistance needs of each respective client.

The session will look specifically into the policy lessons that may be drawn from national experiences. The policy lessons to be examined mainly come from an inquiry undertaken during the triennium among countries which have acquired some experience with case management or have recently implemented such an approach.

Pros and cons of unemployment insurance
High unemployment rates continue in many countries despite the efforts of unemployment insurance schemes to implement activation measures with a view to helping people return to work as early as possible. The evidence suggests that these policies have had a limited impact. On this basis, critics suggest that unemployment insurance schemes are not only too costly but also somewhat inefficient. But how have unemployment schemes really fared? Are they necessary? What is their contribution to society? What alternatives exist to provide adequate protection in case of unemployment? A keynote presentation, followed by a debate, will discuss the pros and cons of unemployment insurance.