The New Services of Employment and Working Ability (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

Pass/Fail

Content scheduling

The course consists of four webinars, which take place approximately every few weeks. Before each webinar, you will do some pre-assignments and after each webinar you will write one part of a learning diary.

As soon as the course starts, you will see more detailed instructions on the module for the pre-assignments, the learning diary and the setting of personal learning objectives. The independent assignment will be instructed in the 2nd webinar and you will also do it in parts.

Objective

Purpose of the course
During the course, the student acquires basic competence in the service system for employment and work ability, its areas and activities. Learns to know factors and situations related to the challenges of employment and work ability and to find ways to solve situations as part of cooperation networks.

After completing the course, the student
- Understands the significance of maintaining, assessing and promoting work ability from the perspective of individuals, organisations and society
- Knows the roles of the actors supporting employment and work ability, the network and the legislation governing the activities
- Knows how to work as part of a multidisciplinary network and system in their work role
- Knows the services provided by the third sector in promoting continued employment and employment
- Understands work and its transformation and Finnish world of work
- Knows the challenges related to the employment and work ability of people of working age

Content

Work ability. Change in the world of work. Service system for employment and work ability. Challenges to employment and work ability.

Location and time

The course will take place online from 25.8. - 12.10.2025 with webinars held in Zoom.

Materials

Hautaviita Päivi ym. Sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon järjestelmä. Helsinki : Sanoma Pro Oy, 2020.

Hemmi-Lehtola Riikka. Työkykykoordinaattorit kunta-alalla. Tehtävänkuva, työssä onnistuminen ja työn kehittämiskohteet. Kevan tutkimuksia 3/2017. Löytyy verkosta.

Hujala, Anneli; Taskinen, Helena (2020). Uudistuva sosiaali- ja terveysala. Tampere University Press 2020.

Juvonen-Posti Pirjo, Saikku Peppi, Turunen Jarno (toimittajat). Elinikäistä osallistumista vai elämää työ edellä? Työikäisten monialaisten palveluiden yhteensovittaminen ja vaikuttavuuden arviointi -loppuraportti. Valtioneuvoston
selvitys- ja tutkimustoiminnan julkaisusarja 2020:40.

Järvikoski A, Takala E-P, Juvonen-Posti P, Härkäpää K. Työkyvyn käsite ja työkykymallit kuntoutuksen tutkimuksessa ja käytännöissä. Kelan sosiaali- ja terveysturvan tutkimuksia 2018.

Kausto ym. 2021. Työkyvyn tukitoimet ja työhön osallistuminen. Sairauspoissaolojen omailmoituskäytäntö, korvaavan työn malli, työkykykoordinaattoritoiminta ja osatyökyvyttömyysetuudet kunta-alalla. Työterveyslaitos.

Saikku Peppi. Hallinnan rajoilla : Monialainen koordinaatio vaikeasti työllistyvien työllistymisen edistämisessä. Helsingin yliopisto 2018.

Tietoa työkyvystä 1/2020. Työn murros ja työkyky - näkökulmia ja välineitä työkykyjohtamisen tueksi. Varma.

Muu opintojaksolla ilmoitettava materiaali.

Teaching methods

At the beginning of the course, you will be introduced to the importance of work capacity through a podcast. You will start by mapping your skills against the course objectives and setting your own personal learning goals. If you wish, you can make use of guidance in setting and assessing your objectives.

Through the learning diary, you will form your own understanding of the subject area you are studying, practise reflective thinking and build your own knowledge base. During the course, you will carry out an independent assignment to outline the job description of a work capability coordinator in a specific organisation.

You will prepare for the webinars by means of pre-assignments. There will be pre-assignments for each of the 4 webinars, with the most extensive pre-assignment in the middle of the course. The webinars will cover the basic concepts of work capability support, the service system and networks of work capability coordinators through intensive introductions and a variety of interactive sessions.

The course will use elements of collaborative learning, emphasising open and varied interaction, responsibility for one's own and others' learning, knowledge sharing and reflection on learning. Discussions will aim to create dialogue and bring out the voice of each participant. You will be able to practise your interaction skills in a guided and collaborative learning environment. You will have the opportunity to ask questions about the themes of the course at any time and receive answers from a variety of perspectives.

Employer connections

The independent task can be carried out in your own work or in a traineeship, provided it is centrally related to employment or disability support services.

During the course, you will be in personal contact with a disability support specialist and learn about current issues in disability support services. You will share your knowledge with other students and learn about the issues raised in different areas.

Exam schedules

The course does not include an exam.

The assessed assignments (learning diary and independent study) are designed to be completed evenly throughout the course. Assignments will be returned at the end of the course. If necessary, it will be possible to complete the assignments in retakes, the exact dates of which can be found in the moodle workspace.

To progress to the second module of the Work Capability Coordinator training (Comprehensive approach to employment and work capability), you must have successfully completed this course.

Student workload

Introduction to the course timetable, assessment, content and moodle workspace 4 h

Setting and assessment of personal learning objectives 10 h

Promotion of learning objectives in webinars and preparation for webinars 44 h

Reflection and building a knowledge base through a learning diary 26 h

Structuring the job description of an employability coordinator through an independent task 24 h

Promoting learning objectives and developing interaction skills in discussion areas 27 h

Total 135 h

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

Pass: The student is familiar with concepts of work ability and understands the significance of work ability from the perspective of the individual, organisation and society. The student is familiar with the service system for employment and work ability and its areas and is able to act as a coordinator in their own cooperation network. The student is familiar with factors and situations related to the challenges of employment and work ability and is able to find ways of solving situations. The student is able to examine the change in the working environment in relation to work and work ability. Approved completion requires active participation in teaching and group work and the successful completion of each learning assignment.

Qualifications

Kokemusta työikäisten työllistymisen, työhön paluun ja työssä jatkamisen parissa työskentelystä.

Further information

You will receive verbal feedback on your learning diary and independent assignment in your moodle workspace.

You will self-assess your progress towards your learning objectives and, if you wish, you can review your progress through a short one-to-one discussion with your teacher.

You will have the opportunity to receive feedback from other students.

You will be able to reflect on your progress during the course in a series of discussions in different configurations.

The course will make use of the Learning Material for Work Capacity Support developed by the Institute of Occupational Health using the co-creation method.