Pathways to Work
Re-integration Improvement Research Programme
About the programme
The Re-integration Improvement Research Programme (Reintegratie Verbeteronderzoek, or RVO) is an interdisciplinary academic research programme that investigates welfare-to-work transitions in the Netherlands. The programme brings together social-scientific, legal and medical perspectives to strengthen the evidence base for re-integration policy and practice.
The programme consists of ten research projects organised around three interrelated environments that influence people's chances of returning to the labour market: the institutional environment, the social environment of the individual and the work environment. By studying these three contexts in conjunction, the programme offers insights that go beyond traditional sector-specific research.
The RVO was funded by the Stichting Instituut Gak and ran from 2007 to 2011. Researchers from the University of Amsterdam (UvA), Utrecht University (UU) and the University of Groningen (RUG) collaborated within the programme.
Research domains
Institutional environment
Research into the legal and policy frameworks within which re-integration takes place. This encompasses the collaboration between implementing organisations, the influence of legislation and the effectiveness of institutional arrangements for activating welfare recipients.
Social environment
Analysis of the role that social networks, family circumstances and the broader community play in re-integration processes. This includes research into the motivation, trust and personal capabilities of welfare recipients, with particular attention to vulnerable groups such as partially disabled workers, migrant youth and long-term benefit recipients.
Work environment
Investigation into the role of employers, working conditions and workplace adaptations in successful return to work. This domain covers studies on chronic illness, partial disability and vocational rehabilitation of cancer patients and those with prolonged fatigue.
Key findings
The programme has demonstrated that the population of welfare recipients is highly diverse, requiring tailored approaches that account for individual circumstances. Early engagement of employers significantly increases the likelihood of sustainable return to work, particularly for employees with chronic conditions.
The research also highlights persistent gaps in the coordination between different institutional actors in the welfare-to-work chain. The programme advocates for a learning sector that continuously improves its practice based on scientific evidence.
Programme coordination
Dr. C.C.A.M. Sol
Programme leader
Hugo Sinzheimer Institute / AIAS, University of Amsterdam
Prof. dr. G.C.M. Knijn
Coordinator
Department of Sociology, Utrecht University
Prof. dr. M.H.W. Frings-Dresen
Coordinator
Coronel Institute, AMC / University of Amsterdam
Contact
For further information about the programme and its publications, please contact:
Amsterdam, the Netherlands