inVISIBLE Generation Training Course 01-08 August, Bucharest

Between 01 and 08 August #COSI implemented the inVISIBLE Generaration Training Course, where 24 youth workers from Poland, Lithuania, Netherlands, Cyprus, Italy, Spain and Portugal met to debate the issue of #NEET across Europe and gain relevant competences and practical tools in order to improve their empowerment process on the local/national level. The project was founded by the #Erasmusplus program of the European Union. Project context: EU is facing technological, cultural, social and other changes. Its citizens have never faced such a fast growth, with a parallel rising demand for transformation and adjustment. Hence, the launch of a competitive, dynamic economy and a healthy social environment became a fundamental EU issue, especially towards youth. ‘Young people have been disproportionately impacted by economic and social difficulties and – with one in five young people at risk of poverty and social exclusion – they are now the most vulnerable age group. According to EU 2020 and other EU web portals, the range of early school leavers in the EU is 15%, whilst the unemployment rate among EU youth is more than 20%, which is twice as much as the unemployment rate of all age groups together. Currently in EU there are 12% of young people aged 15-24 in NEET situations; yet, those numbers increase up to 19,7% for the young people aged 25-29, showing a structural problem for the entire EU, which is endlessly creating and maintaining a lost and invisible generation. The situation of NEETs in some EU member states is even more dramatic reaching 33,5% in Italy or 36,2% in Greece (for 25 to 29). With a young generation at risk of poverty (under 18 – 26,9% and young people – 31,2%), EU is missing the opportunity to use its most valuable resource! Without proficient intervention, assistance and guidance from competent YW and equipped NGOs, they rarely find chance for a better life, whereas specific features of the target group demand precise approaches and tools for motivation and activation. In response to the issue and the needs analysis, our project aimed to develop 24 YWs competences in addressing NEETs’ obstacles and empower them with essential tools for providing NEETs with a competitive entrance to the labor market or Education, thus achieving vital competences which are in line with the basic EU guidelines, strategies and policies in the field of youth. We follow the ET 2020 strategy by promoting cooperation in the field of Education and training, especially among partner NGOs. We support the realization of the principle of lifelong learning and strengthening of youth mobility. Our target group are YW dealing with NEET, but the indirect beneficiaries of our project will be NEETs themselves. Thus, by equipping YWs with the necessary Edu tools and competences to analyse the reality of youth, whilst simultaneously empowering youth in their communities to convert their potentials into opportunities, they will support NEET to make the first step, either for employment, Edu/training or entrepreneurship. Objectives: 1. Equip 24 youth workers from 8 countries involved in ‘NEET youth work’ during 8 days TC with specific field competencies in order to improve their empowerment and support process aimed at the local beneficiaries; 2. Develop during 8 days TC 24 youth workers set of tools in terms of motivational techniques, innovative labor market approach methods which will be upon used on the local NEET beneficiaries (eg. Video CV); 3. Improve the knowledge of 24 youth workers and capacity of 8 different EU NGOs regarding results and specific approaches, good-practices and successful strategies used in the NEETs intervention process and promote partnerships for future projects by creating a sustainable network among the participant NGOs; 4. Promote E+ program and further opportunities among the partners and NEET Coalition. The trans-nationality of the project follows the objectives of the renewed framework for EU cooperation in the youth field (2010- 18) for the implementation of the principles for lifelong learning and mobility, while exploiting different experiences around EU. Regarding EU priorities within national and youth field context, we focus on social inclusion of NEET youth by tackling methods and tools for answering labor market obstacles, promoting skills and diversity of disadvantaged youth related with the job market opportunities.

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