Youth Information Centers fit to NEET

Start: 01-07-2017 - End: 31-12-2018

Project Reference: 2017-1-MK01-KA205-035354

EU Grant: 47710 EUR

Young people in Europe have been hit particularly hard by the recession with regard to their employment prospects. According to the latest Eurostat figures, in December 2016, 4.219 million young persons (under 25) were unemployed in the EU-28, of whom 2.957 million were in the euro area.

The traditional indicators for labor market participation are frequently criticized for their limited relevance to young people. The fact is that basic unemployment and employment statistics do not accurately capture the situation of young people because many are students and hence are classified as being out of the labor force.

Youth unemployment and underemployment in Macedonia represent a major cost to the country in economic, political and societal terms. One in every two young persons in the national labour force is unemployed. The high youth unemployment rate – among the highest in the world – means a loss of investment in education and training, a reduced tax base and higher social costs. At the same time, long periods of unemployment in the early stages of life affect the job prospects across the working-life span of young people. Furthermore, the high level of unemployment among young people can be a source of social instability. According to Eurostat, Young people neither in employment nor in education and training aged 15-29, total unemployment rate in Macedonia for 2015 is 32.5%, compared to Croatia 20.1%, Poland 14.6% and EU28 14.8%. As a result, political attention has increasingly been focused on boosting the employment of young people in FYR Macedonia through a combination of employment, education and social assistance policies.

The project "Youth Information Centers fit to NEET" will bring together partners from Macedonia, Croatia and Poland that will work on innovative approach in identifying role model for youth information to fit to the needs of people in NEET situation. Learning of the experiences of different European countries will be crucial in delivering the innovative outputs of this project. The overall aim of the project is to: Increase quality of youth work in addressing needs of NEETs in Europe. Through the project partners will strive to achieve the specific objective of the project to: Introduce innovative tailored youth information approach for active inclusion of NEETs in the society.

The innovative approach will further encourage and support high quality guidance including career information, information on rights at work, employment and education prospects, free movement possibilities and more comprehensive advice and support for all young people, especially for those at risk of getting into a NEET situation.

Another innovative aspect offered through this project is utilizing ITC technologies in disseminating methodology for working with youth in NEET situation, for youth workers in Europe, therefore contributing towards increasing the quality of the youth work. In order tho achieve this the project will develop and implement a methodology for ToT webinar, thus offering opportunity to youth workers from all around Europe to join the training and increase their knowledge and skills in working with NEETs and especially in the field of youth information and career guidance.

Since the project includes partner organizations of three programme countries Macedonia, Luxembourg and Poland, the first impact will be in these countries, and in particular at a regional level, where the partners are more present and develop their work.

Desired impact at local level is to have: More active young people and incisive development process of new approaches, to strengthen the capacity of youth information workers and to improve access to information for youth in NEET situation through piloting new innovative and individually tailored approach of youth information in Macedonia, Croatia and Poland. At regional level project will impact on identified and addressed needs of young people in NEET situation for their active involvement in the society. At national level the project will impact on improved collaboration and communication between young people, youth workers and informative representatives of national institutions working in the field of youth in NEET situation; Practical implementation of new innovative tools in youth information services fit to the needs of NEETs and Decreasing the rate of youth unemployment. At European level Improved access to information for youth in NEET situation through piloting new innovative and individually tailored approach of youth information in Europe; Youth workers in Europe are equipped with knowledge and skills, through specific methodology for youth information and high quality guidance including career information and Decreased rate of youth in NEET situation in Europe will be the longterm impact of this project.