For selected target groups, such as unemployed and disadvantaged youth, Christoph Ehlert demonstrates that flexible and well-targeted programmes significantly improve employment chances. To be effective, these programmes must combine individual coaching, classroom training and temporary work. Apart from the programmes, the organisational framework in which the programmes are allocated also influences the outcome. The author shows that the introduction of customer service centres, that streamlined the customers through the counselling and placement process, helped little in bringing unemployed back to work, while the introduction of action programmes |