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On 24 November 2008, the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC) published a report (Encouraging work and supporting communities) which argues that governments, by supporting the capacity of voluntary organisations in vulnerable communities, can bring about sustainable benefits to these communities and help improve the circumstances of the unemployed.
The Community Employment Innovation Project (CEIP) was introduced as a demonstration project to test an active re-employment strategy for unemployed people who volunteer to work on locally developed community projects in areas hit by chronic unemployment. In exchange for foregoing their employment insurance or social assistance benefits, CEIP offered participants wages to work on community projects for up to three years, giving them a significant period of stable income as well as an opportunity to gain work experience, acquire new skills and expand their network of contacts.
The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the effects of CEIP on the communities that developed projects and on the unemployed who participated in them.
Results show that the CEIP model was successful in promoting local cohesion, encouraging the development of social capital and increasing socially inclusive activities in participating communities. Large positive community effects were achieved for various groups served by the projects, in particular the young, seniors and low income families.