Lavoro sociale tra Social Investment e New Public Management. Il caso degli Operatori del Mercato del Lavoro in Veneto

Active Labour Market policies are a pillar of the Social Investment (SI) strategy. The article aims at analysing the transformations of social work following the introduc- tion of PALs in a context where ideas, organization and practices inspired by New Public Management (NPM) – quasi-markets, planning and performance measure- ment – influence users’ activation, capacitation and empowerment. The analysis of the Labour Market Service Workers’ experience in the Veneto region suggests that the SI strategy adapted itself and reinforces NPM efficiency-driven ideas. The SI NPM perspectives therefore converge into a trust in the market as a regulation mech- anism and contribute to the precariousness and pressure in terms of values, time, money and professional development.