The third work package (WP3) is coordinated by Gemma Scalise (UNIMIB) and is dedicated to the qualitative case studies analysis of Milan and Amsterdam. Two UNIMIB post-docs will carry out a case study and fieldwork per city, and the post-doc working on Amsterdam will be supported by the EUI post-doc. The WP aims to analyzing in depth the stock, flow and buffer policies implemented in the last decade in the two cities to reduce overlapping disadvantages of the three investigates social groups (i.e., lifelong learning and activation policies, matching services, digital skills provision, care and work-life balance policies, minimum-income benefits).

To this end, a plurality of qualitative tools will be adopted:

(1) on desk policy documents analysis (e.g. regional and municipal policy programmes, measures, schemes and regulations) collected both on line on official website and on site during the fieldwork in Milan and Amsterdam;

(2) process tracing and semi-structured interviews (at least 30 in each city) and

(3) focus groups (at least 3 per city) with key informants (e.g. local policy-makers, trade unions and employers’ organization local representative, employment center staff, disability organization members, employment center staff) carried out in Milan and Amsterdam.

Interviews and focus groups will be conducted in Italian in Milan and in English or in Dutch in Amsterdam, depending on linguistic skills of interviewees. In case of interviews/focus groups in Dutch, the support of a local translator is envisaged. Four
main deliverables will be produced: two working papers on the SI city governance of Milan and Amsterdam and a comparative report on the three investigated groups. WP coordinators and post-docs will also discuss the preliminary results of the WP2 and WP3 with the advisory board and will start to establish a network with social, press and mass media actors to ommunicate to stakeholders and the general public CITILab’s research progress and preliminary results.