The second Local Labour Market Forum meeting was successfully held on 13th of January in Varna, Bulgaria, organised by BATTI, bringing together key institutional stakeholders to discuss sustainable employment solutions and social entrepreneurship.
The event gathered 13 representatives from major institutions, including:
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Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
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Ministry of Labour and Social Policy – Varna
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Directorate of Labour Bureau – Varna
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Territorial Centre for Qualification and Re-Qualification
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Foundation “Joy for Our Children”
Focus of the Meeting
The meeting followed a structured agenda covering:
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Social Entrepreneurship as a modern approach to sustainable employment
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Governance self-assessment
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Establishing internal rules and structures
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Project timeline and integration process
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Planning next implementation steps
Key Outcomes
The forum resulted in the selection of two pilot activities:
✔ Open Workplace Days
✔ Workshops for Vulnerable Groups
Participants agreed on:
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Initial implementation scope
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Target municipalities
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Employer involvement
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A flexible and inclusive definition of vulnerable groups
The meeting confirmed strong institutional readiness to proceed with pilot planning and coordination.
Methodological Reflections
What worked well:
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High stakeholder engagement
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Clear and structured agenda
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Effective cooperation between labour market institutions and employers
What can be improved:
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More time for in-depth discussion of training themes
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Earlier involvement of academic institutions
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More systematic feedback collection from non-participating stakeholders
The event marked an important step forward in strengthening collaboration for inclusive and sustainable labour market initiatives in Varna.
