Arizona: David Weytsman, President of the country's largest CPAS, in the capital city (Brussels), talks to us about the unemployment reform. “We must not only support precariousness, we must reduce it.”
Some of the Arizona measures will have a concrete impact on municipalities and CPAS centres. This is the case with the two-year limit on unemployment benefits. How do you analyse the situation?
First of all, we need to remember why we're carrying out such a reform. We have nearly 200,000 vacant jobs in Belgium for 274,000 unemployed people, of whom 128,000 have been out of work for more than two years. It's normal for us to implement reforms. Our country is one of the most generous in the world when it comes to unemployment benefits. Providing a safety net is important, but those who are of working age and able to work also need to become active again.
I would also like to point out that “working” is not a dirty word. Sometimes, listening to the opposition (PS-PTB), you get the impression that asking people to find work is an insult. Working allows people to grow, to create connections, to gain financial independence. Working gives meaning to one's life. Finally, let's not forget that thanks to work and taxes, we fund social protection systems.
What impact will this have on the CPAS of the City of Brussels?
Today, at my request, a study is under way to seriously assess the financial impact for the CPAS. A lot is being written in the press, such as pseudo-analyses from the FGTB trade union speaking of a “social bloodbath”, without mentioning that their studies are based on a “zero return to employment” assumption. That's not serious. That's fake news. The FGTB is playing Trump's game.
If you look at the unemployment reforms under the Di Rupo government and later the Michel government, it can be estimated that 27% of long-term unemployed people are likely to seek help from CPAS centres.
Do you think this reform is an opportunity for the CPAS centres?
A reform of the support system was essential. The MR had the courage to push it through at federal level, and it is our responsibility to ensure it is implemented rigorously and effectively. This reform will certainly have an impact on the CPAS centres in our country, but federal support must help them cope with it.
The challenge today is to turn this reform into a concrete opportunity to strengthen support for beneficiaries towards employment. My approach is pragmatic, methodical and results-oriented. The key question is: how can we, within CPAS centres, improve support for beneficiaries in order to maximise their chances of gaining lasting access to employment?
There are several levers that must be fully exploited:
- Improving the PIIS (Individualised Social Integration Project) through co-construction with the beneficiary, to give them a genuine career perspective.
- Developing strategic partnerships with the private sector, to better tailor integration support to businesses' needs.
- Strengthening access to training and skills acquisition, in particular by better matching beneficiaries' profiles with labour market expectations.
- Directing more training towards shortage occupations, where employment prospects are real and immediate.
- Optimising coordination with employment stakeholders (local missions, employment offices, Actiris) by better structuring the network of employment platforms.
- Developing digital tools to ease administrative procedures and communicate even better with young people.
- Encouraging social and solidarity economy initiatives, which offer pathways into the job market for those furthest from employment.
This reform must be an opportunity to speed up the shift towards more proactive and effective support. Politicians have a collective responsibility: to innovate, experiment and implement solutions that will allow beneficiaries to regain lasting independence.
Our goal is clear: to be both creative and effective, so that the CPAS becomes a key player in social and professional empowerment.