Social Empowerment Forums: An Effective Tool in Enabling Social Security Beneficiaries to Achieve Self-Reliance and Actively Participate in the Labor Market
Publication date: 09 October 2024 - 06 Rabi' al-thani 1446Since the launch of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and its related programs, the development sector in the Kingdom has seen significant progress in improving the conditions of social security beneficiaries and enhancing their quality of life. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, through initiatives aligned with Vision 2030, has made strides in transforming development efforts and empowering various community groups. Social Empowerment Forums have emerged as one of the most effective tools for enabling social security beneficiaries to become self-reliant and actively engage in the labor market. These forums emphasize the importance of skill development and help beneficiaries access job opportunities suitable for their qualifications, contributing to improved quality of life and sustainable development.
HRSD aims, through Social Empowerment Forums across the Kingdom, to achieve several objectives. These include empowering beneficiaries psychologically, socially, and economically by offering training opportunities, skill development, and personal consultations. These resources support beneficiaries' rehabilitation and enable them to effectively enter the labor market and attain self-sufficiency. The regional forums provide diverse training programs focused on developing skills in various areas such as interview techniques, career guidance, and leadership. Additionally, they promote entrepreneurship, encouraging beneficiaries to start their own projects with the necessary support and guidance. HRSD also works to foster partnerships and cooperation between the public, private, and non-profit sectors, which enhances the availability of resources and opportunities for beneficiaries.
HRSD has surpassed its target for the National Transformation Program's goal indicator, "Empowering citizens from the social services system," reaching 32% by the end of 2023, exceeding the 2025 target of 30%. This progress has helped raise the efficiency of financial aid distribution to those eligible for support. The Social Security Beneficiaries Empowerment Program has achieved notable success, empowering over 110,556 beneficiaries across various tracks in 2023, surpassing the target of 102,135 beneficiaries in all regions of the Kingdom. Social empowerment, a key program of HRSD, operates through three main tracks: training and rehabilitation, entrepreneurial and productive projects, and employment.