In my thesis I focus on a comparison of a 6-month and an 11-month social activation programme. A social activation programme is a programme to help people who are long-term unemployed or excluded from the labour market. It is designed to promote social inclusion and enable participants to acquire new skills and knowledge to improve their employability. The aim of the thesis was to find out which social activation programme leads to better outcomes for the participants taking part in the programme. It evaluated the satisfaction and experience of the participants. I used both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection in the form of a survey questionnaire, which included open-ended questions, and I also interviewed the social activation coordinator. I found that users' experiences varied widely. Participants perceived that their chances of getting a job after the programme increased with their participation in the programme. I find that the providers of social activation programmes cooperate with each other and create better employability for the individual. In this thesis, I have presented the theoretical basis of social activation and described the two programmes in detail, comparing them with each other. I have analysed the data collected, focusing on the differences in the effectiveness of the two programmes for the participants, and finally presented my findings and conclusions. The thesis provides an insight into the process of both programmes and highlights their strengths and weaknesses, thus making an important contribution to the understanding of the topic for all those working in the field of social activation and programming to help vulnerable groups in society.
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