Kerava: Developing the work of the employment unit - A description of an HuIA process

Need for Human Impact Assessment

Based on the decision made by the Kerava preventive work committee, HuIA was implemented in advance assessment of the effects of the Kerava employment unit's operations.

In the Employment Unit, several issues arose as motives for implementing HuIA:

• First, how to convince decision-makers about employment actions when the employment rate is high. When the employment situation is good, employment issues tend to be given less attention because everything seems to be under control. Employment should, however, be given constant attention to avoid corrective action later. We are now more prepared and can concentrate on the structures of employment.
• Second, how to change our own actions so as to serve larger client groups can and at the same time improve the effectiveness of our activities. How to find new ideas at work and achieve something other than is already the case.
• Third, how our example could affect other areas in Finland. How could other municipalities benefit from the Kerava HuIA? How well could it be incorporated into employment policy?

The process and its participants

Six meetings were arranged with the Employment Unit, held between January and April 2003. The director of the Employment Unit, the employment coordinator, the secretary of the preventive work committee and the contact person of the Finnish Healthy Cities Network participated in the HuIA activities. Also, the unit's work trainer was present at one of the meetings. Members of the working group carried out the HuIA project. A draft report was written on the HuIA in spring 2003, and a final report will be completed in autumn 2003.

Models examined and their impacts

Development of the Employment Unit was analysed from the standpoint of resources (funds, staff and other resources) and working methods. In the analysis of employment resources, no action -model meant keeping staff resources and financial contributions as they were. The reduction model analysed the impacts of reduced resources, and the addition model analysed the impacts of added resources.

1.0. No action model

Staff: 3 permanent employees
Employment funds approximately 271 000 euros/year (net)

1.1. Resources reduced

Funds are decreased

1.2. Resources increased

Staff resources increased
Funding for employment increased

It was concluded that the models for organizing resources had an impact on clients, society, the environment, the image of Kerava and the Employment Unit itself. Impacts on society were even more closely analysed; the analysis included the effects on attitudes and values, as well as on social and health care costs.

In the analysis of methods of employment, the ways in which the procedures were carried out were studied; focusing on the clients, the system, the individual, mass action or education, through to performance, based on a soft or hard approach, etc. The following models were analysed as alternatives:

2.0. The objective is mainly to work with the client in mind; methods vary
2.1. Flexible, takes into account the client's personal needs and requests
2.2. Actions solely concentrate on employment

The impacts of these alternatives on the client's life situation, motivation, family members, relationships, income, health and self-esteem were analysed.

See the tables

Use and benefits of HuIA

The HuIA report was given to decision-makers and various bodies. It was read by the Kerava social and special services management group, and was used to support applications for employment funds. The Employment Unit also used HuIA to organize itself and clarify its own working methods. The Unit's revised working method was added to the letter of intent signed with the Employment Office.

The group thought it important to continue with the report and to use it as basis for work in the long run: "This issue has no deadline. We can continue with it for years, ensuring that the change is not too great a leap from the current situation. So, let us proceed in small steps - the paper does not end with the budget hearing."

Further information

Marjo Sormunen
Head of employment unit
City of Kerava

Pekka Heinonen
Health centre psychologist
City of Kerava