ABSTRACT

This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book outlines the relevance of frontline work studies in the delivery of activation or welfare-to-work policies. It aims to gain insight into how frontline workers in organizations and agencies responsible for the provision of welfare-to-work actually deliver policies and services and how these 'activation practices' are structured by various contexts such as policy, governance, organizational and occupational. The book presents some examples of countries where the frontline delivery of welfare-to-work takes place in contexts of increased decentralization or persistent decentralization, which makes comparisons between local or regional activation practices and the contexts in which these take place very interesting. Finally, it suggests some general lines along which future research into the frontline delivery of welfare-to-work could be developed.