Summary

The Swiss impulse program for the reintegration of older and hard-to-place unemployed persons implemented 35 projects in 22 cantons between 2020 and 2026. Evaluations show that job coaching as a single measure has the highest success rate and positive effects on application skills, motivation, and self-confidence. Most of these projects are now being integrated into the regular structures of unemployment insurance. Intensive counseling services and low-threshold formats also prove effective and are being continued permanently by the cantons.

Persons

Topics

  • Labor market integration
  • Job Coaching
  • Unemployment insurance
  • Counseling services
  • Digital skills

Clarus Lead

The federal office evaluated an impulse program for labor market integration of older and hard-to-place unemployed persons. 22 cantons implemented 35 projects targeting seven areas of action: Job Coaching, intensified counseling, skills development, new program development, self-learning formats, digital skills, and network expansion. The synthesis of external evaluations identifies job coaching as a success factor with proven positive effects on placement rates and participant satisfaction. For decision-makers in cantons and labor market authorities, this means: investments in individual support pay off and should be anchored in regular structures.

Detailed Summary

The impulse program was commissioned by the Federal Council in 2019 and implemented by SECO within the framework of unemployment insurance (ALV) and public employment services (öAV). The 35 cantonal projects addressed different integration barriers with differentiated approaches. The evaluation synthesis shows overall positive effects on central job search factors: application skills, motivation, self-confidence, and social contacts improved measurably.

A key insight concerns scalability: projects with very specific target groups reached fewer participants and therefore showed lower effectiveness. The placement of persons with increased support needs remains challenging and requires close, continuous contact with employers. Job coaching was tested by 14 cantons and showed positive effects on actual reintegration in two projects with quantitative impact analysis. Participant satisfaction was consistently very high. The majority of these projects are being transferred to regular structures and form a focus of the "öAV Strategy 2030."

In addition to job coaching, more intensive counseling services on specific topics and low-threshold, flexibly usable formats also proved effective. A large portion of these projects is being permanently introduced by the cantons, indicating sustained acceptance.

Key Statements

  • Job coaching is the success factor: Individual support demonstrates proven positive effects on placement and participant satisfaction
  • Scaling is a challenge: Target groups that are too specific reach too few persons; more broadly applicable approaches are more efficient
  • Intensive counseling and low-threshold formats work: These approaches are being permanently integrated into regular structures by cantons
  • Close employer contacts are necessary: Especially for persons with increased support needs, continuous placement work is required

Critical Questions

  1. Data Quality: What comparison groups were used in the two projects with quantitative impact analysis? Are the effects causal or correlative?

  2. Selection Bias: Do job coaching project participants differ in motivation or prerequisites from non-participants? Could self-selection explain the high satisfaction values?

  3. Long-term Effects: How long were participants observed after program completion? Do placement successes remain sustainable or are there relapse rates?

  4. Cost-Effectiveness: What costs per successful placement occurred with job coaching compared to other areas of action?

  5. Implementation Risks: Which cantons are implementing job coaching and which are not? Are there differences in capacity or political priority?

  6. Target Group Definition: Why do specific target group projects reach fewer participants? Is this a recruitment or a needs problem?

Sources

Primary Source: Impulse Program for Promoting Reintegration of Hard-to-Place and Older Unemployed – Evaluation Reports – https://www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/l335OYuKNdJLBoZz-BNKd

Verification Status: ✓ February 17, 2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Checking: February 17, 2026