Lane, Chris

The role of online working in combating barriers to employment

Abstract

A number of web-based business services marketplaces have emerged in recent years. These marketplaces typically provide an environment in which freelance experts compete for project assignments. They also allow clients and experts to monitor and record how projects are progressing.

Meanwhile many groups face barriers to employment for a range of reasons. For example people with limited mobility, people living in areas in economic decline and people facing employment related discrimination. Business services marketplaces based on the Internet would seem to offer the potential to overcome some of these barriers.

'Workonline' is a European Social Fund project that aims to help individuals develop the skills and knowledge needed to take advantage of opportunities in online freelance employment. It is based on a partnership between business services marketplace smarterwork.com and the University of North London. The project particularly targets people over 50 and disabled people who are not currently in employment.

Using an action research approach, the project also aims to identify the conditions in which web-based teleworking can combat barriers to employment for workers from disadvantaged groups. This paper will present the project findings of 'Workonline'.