EhAP Plus - Integration helps counter the exclusion of the most deprived

The EhAP Plus programme is designed to improve the living conditions and social integration of particularly deprived newly arrived Union citizens and their children under the age of 18, as well as homeless people or people at risk of homelessness and their children under the age of 18.

This aim is to be achieved by reaching out to, counselling and accompanying these persons in accessing existing local or regional support services. Accompanying measures can be provided for a longer period of time (generally twelve months, and in justified cases, more).

The measures are low-threshold and are intended to shore up existing structures and amplify their impact. They also enable information and counselling on labour market-related subjects to be provided at a low-threshold level, separate from and as a complement to the core remit of local employment agencies and job centres.

To improve the knowledge relating to the living conditions and needs of the target groups as well as the issues of antiziganism and anti-discrimination, measures can also be funded to raise awareness and train employees at public administrations, institutions from the regular support system as well as local social work institutions.

To complement this, a nationwide and low-threshold pilot project is being funded for outreach information and referral counselling on social media. This will specifically support the people that local support EhAP Plus projects do not reach. The aim here is also to counteract misinformation on social media, integrating and supporting the locally and regionally oriented EhAP Plus projects.

The horizontal principles (formerly horizontal objectives) on gender equality, non-discrimination and the ecological dimension of sustainability must be complied with in principle.