Currently, there are only five people in the system of compulsory community service for people who are unemployed in Flanders, the office of Flemish Work Minister Jo Brouns confirmed.
The community service policy aims to force people who have not worked for at least two years to perform certain tasks for a maximum of two days a week over a period of six months.
On top of their benefits, they receive €1.30/hour for this, a symbolic compensation because the Constitutional Court had previously ruled that otherwise the system would be considered forced labour.
Ultimately, 94 local authorities are participating: together, they will offer 819 jobs – called 'apprenticeships' in the jargon – to the unemployed. The European stimulus money used to finance the places has convinced many municipalities.
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Now, however, it appears that there are currently only five people working in the system. "There are many more, 300, who are doing internships at local authorities, but specifically within the criteria set for community service, there are far too few," Brouns admitted in parliament. "The evaluation is therefore necessary. We are going to do it."
According to Brouns, the selection criteria are too strict. "It is important to look at the specific criteria together with the VDAB (The Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service). Why does it have to take two years before one is eligible for this? Why only in education, in local authorities or non-profit organizations? Why not go much further?"
Flemish MP Maurits Vande Reyde of Open VLD responded in parliament that community service should indeed be focused on. "But we must continue on that path. If local authorities beg to direct people to that community service, if there are 816 places available in a total group of 37,000 and there are three or eighty, then that is very little at the moment."
