focus on youth employment

7/27/2019 Focus on Youth Employment

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Youth in Action

Programme

Focus on:

Youth Employment

YOUTH IN ACTION PROGRAMME

European

good practice

projects



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Luxembourg: Publications Offi ce of the European Union, 2012

ISBN: 978-92-79-21215-4

doi:10.2766 /17980

Cover image: © Phovoir; page 75: © image100 Ltd.

© European Union, 2012

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uction is authorised

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rovid

ed

the source is acknowled

ged.

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ocus on:

Youth mployment

YO I IO O

European

good practice

projects



ndroulla assiliouCommissioner for Education, Culture,Multilingualism and Youth



3

Giving better employment chances toall of urope’s young people

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5

able of contents

tar gazing — looking towards future employment 6

riven by passion for images 8

3 Young deaf people managing in society 1

obs for youth in the suburbs 12

5 niversity students on the way to citizenship 14

6 7MSLEȩNCMNJCȩBGQAMTCPȩFMUȩRFCWȩA?LȩGLȐSCLACȩRFCGPȩMULȩDSRSPCȩ 16

nderstanding global realities from the other side of the tlantic 18

8 rojecto ayonnaise — blending urban culture and youth entrepreneurship 2

9 Open your mind — get on track 22 etting prepared for the world of work 24

ll inclusive — a path to new possibilities 26

esting abilities and creativity 28

3 howing young people how they can beat unemployment 3

eue Horizonte — empowering uropean youth towards job entry 32

5 hape arts: rticulate — young disabled people and employment 34

6 tcetera — guiding young people towards employment 36

earning through bonding in a new environment 38

8 earning to help others 4

9 How to work and study in urope 42

Investigating business start-ups 44

0CȐCARGMLȩDMPȩ?ARGMLȩȩRMU?PBQȩWMSRFȩCKNJMWKCLR 46

olstice — young people put on their own events 48

3 Volunteering in urope — spreading the word on renewable energy 5

urbo golf — playing for a place in the world of work 52

5 ime to change — combating unemployment and discrimination 54

6 *C?PLGLEȩFMUȩRMȩFCJNȩWMSLEȩNCMNJCȩȏLBȩRFCGPȩNJ?ACȩGLȩQMAGCRW 56

ry it yourself — young women discover their talents 58

8 resh thinking to counter unemployment 6

9 orking out how to get into work 62

3 very part counts! — moving from school to work 64

3 ‘I don’t have a job but I am working on it’ —

training for youth workers to combat unemployment

66

3 ump start — giving young people a new sense of motivation 68

33 (n)employment — is this an opportunity

3 ridges to work — stronger links between employment and youth 235 ransitions to employment for young people in rural and urban south ales 4

36 ead the way — the sky is the only limit 6



60C@SGJBGLEȧ?ȧACLRSPWMJBȧȏQFGLEȧ@M?R in a Cornishfishing village provided a new sense of achievementand confidence for three young men from Austria whohad difficult employment histories and disadvantaged

backgrounds. Tey spent up to a year in 2011 living inthe community in Cawsand, Cornwall, with supportfrom a youth worker and local people, including a traditional fisherman and boatbuilder. As well aslearning technical skills in woodwork and improving their command of English, they also acquired a sense of teamwork by working together in an environment thatat first they did not know.

Te project was run by the Rückenwind strategy, which specialises in strengthening the competencesof young people with difficulties in the job market. It works with young people who have been unemployed

Star gazingLooking towards future employment



7~ȧ'ȧJC?PLRȧQMȧKSAFȧpatience — and I wasvery self-conscious, butnow I feel good about

myself I really cameMSRȧMDȧKWȧQFCJJȧ?LBȧF?TCȧQMKCRFGLEȧRMȧRCJJȧmy friends about’

for lengthy periods, or who have educational or healthdifficulties. Rückenwind projects always take place witha strong anchorage to the local community, and witha local project coordinator as an intermediary to social

workers, unemployment offices and other advisory organisations.

An initial interview process explores each young person’s interests and skills in relation to possible fieldsof employment, and young people are then assigned toa local project (mostly non-profit making) to developtheir strengths through concrete work experience.Participation in a Youth Exchange or a EuropeanVoluntary Service extends the experience to anothercountry.

Te process helps develop the long-term motivationof participants, who frequently find work after theirinvolvement, go back to school or participate in otherprojects.

Te project was hosted by Point Europe, a UK training

and education charity, in collaboration with Cubic(Cultur and Bildung im Context) from Austria, whichaims to help young people integrate into society and the world of work through international projects.

ȧ#SPMNC?Lȧ4MJSLR?PWȧ1CPTGACȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧnational agency in ustriaroject carried out by ubic (ultur und ildung im ontext), ustria;oint uropa,



8ȧEPMSNȧMDȧDMSPȧWMSLEȧ$PCLAFȧNCMNJC from theurban community of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines wasdetermined to get into film-making, and received a grant to develop a series of seven short films targeted at

young people in school and youth centres. Te topicscovered — AIDS, substance abuse, civic responsibility,disability and how to get involved in society and socialissues — were chosen to show other young people thatEurope is an aggregate of values as well as of countries.Te aim of the simple stories with improvised dialogues was to stimulate debate and reflection among young people about issues that concerned them. In contrast

to many more classic information campaigns for young people, the films were deliberately iconoclastic inapproach, so as to deliver a message in a way that young people would be ready to listen and respond to. Tefilms were shown on the local V channel, and eachfilm presentation was accompanied by an exhibitionand subsequent discussion. Te project providedemployment for a troupe of young actors, and since

then the project leader, Djinn Carrénard, has gone onto make many more short films.

He has now directed his first feature-length film, Je veux voir Donoma, using some of the same actors as in theshort films funded by the initial project. Te film hasreceived wide media attention, including on the cover

riven by passion for images



9~ȧ2FGQȧNPMHCARȧR?SEFRȧKCȧto organise myself,to be independentand to bring a team

RMECRFCPȧDMPȧJMLERCPKȧcooperation’

ȧ7MSRFȧ'LGRG?RGTCȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧnational agency in rance.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@WȧQQMAG?RGMLȧ"G?NFȧ?Rȧ$P?LAC

page of Cahiers du Cinema , and has been shown infestivals in Canada, Germany, Korea and the UK.

Te project, which ran for a year in 2005–06, gave

the group and the project leader new opportunitiesfor developing their own skills and talents, and foracquiring entrepreneurial skills. Te release of the new film is being backed by donations solicited via an onlinepromotional platform and by a tour of the regions of France.



102FGQȧ7MSRFȧ#VAF?LECȧFCJNCBȧWMSLEȧBC?DȧNCMNJC to cope in society, and to tackle questions of socialinclusion and disability. Teir engagement in theproject allowed them to see how much they were

capable of. Tey learnt even more about their capacitiesfrom analysing the outcomes of the activities, bothpositive and negative, paying attention to how toovercome deficiencies.

Te project examined, from the point of view of young deaf people, the realities of educational optionsand issues of employment and unemployment,social security, and technical aids in Estonia and inother countries. It also gave a taste of the traditionalculture of the countries involved. Trough team-building activities and workshops fully exploiting visual communication, the participants learnt aboutpossibilities in lifelong learning, work, and socialbenefits and assistance.

Young deaf people managing in society

3



11‘ Organisations foryoung deaf people canFCJNȧ?QQSPCȧ?ȧ@CRRCPȧDSRSPCȧRFPMSEFȧAMLR?ARQȧ

UGRFȧMRFCPȧ#SPMNC?Lȧcountries, openingRFCȧU?WȧDMPȧWMSRFȧCVAF?LECQȧRP?GLGLEȧopportunities andBGȎCPCLRȧAMSPQCQ

Te key challenge was to boost the employmentopportunities and choices for people with impairedhearing, and to overcome the stereotypes of the past,such as the assumption that all deaf men should be

carpenters and deaf women dressmakers.

Te Estonian participants played an important partin choosing the themes of the project, setting goals,planning the programme, allocating responsibilitiesand preparing discussions. Tis required dealing withthe challenge of contacts with sponsors, transportcompanies and local governments. Te visiting participants prepared their evening activities andparts of their workshops. Everyone learnt to use theinternational sign language more fluently. Participantssaid that they were empowered by the project, and feltmore courageous and open to new opportunities. Andfrom the sense of initiative and entrepreneurship thatdeveloped, a further Youth Exchange project took placea year later in Poland.

Te project ran for eight days in July/August 2008 onthe Estonian island of Saaremaa. It was carried out by organisations for young deaf people in Estonia andLithuania and for deaf people in Latvia and Poland, andinvolved 42 young people from all four countries.

ȧ7MSRFȧ#VAF?LECȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧnational agency in stoniaroject carried out by Ü esti urtide oorte Organisatsioon, stonia;*?RTG?Lȧ7MSRFȧPE?LGQ?RGMLȧMDȧRFCȧ"C?Dȧ*ȧ*?RTG?ȧ?SLMȧSPķGHȧ H?SLGKMȧMPE?LGX?AGH?ȧ*GRFS?LG?ȧ.MJGQFȧQQMAG?RGMLȧMDȧRFCȧ"C?Dȧ.MJ?LB



127MSLEȧNCMNJCȧGLȧRFCȧQS@SP@QȧMDȧQJM fromdifferent cultures and with different native languages,benefited from the JobbX project, which offered free job application courses and a drop-in service where

young people could get feedback and learn about theirrights, duties and responsibilities as an employee. It alsooffered counselling in entrepreneurship and developing projects. It deliberately provided services in the young people’s local environment, because many of them haveobligations or hesitations that make it difficult for themto get to the centre of town.

Tis project consisted of six courses. Using non-formaltechniques, dialogue and peer-to-peer counselling,project initiators provided guidance to 63 young people, mostly upper secondary school pupils, ondeveloping a good CV, making job applications andhandling job interviews. Te focus was on identifying

Jobs for youth in the suburbs



13~ȧM@@ȧFCJNCBȧKCȧQCCȧKWQCJDȧBGȎCPCLRJWȧ?LBȧR?SEFRȧKCȧRMȧ@CJGCTCȧGLȧmyself I was motivated

RMȧ?NNJWȧDMPȧUMPȧEGTGLEȧme a completely new?NNPM?AFȧRMȧKWȧMULȧfuture’

positive skills, competences and relevant experience, as well as on language and computer skills, and using theInternet in the job application process.

Te project was initiated and conducted by JobbX tutors, all of whom are themselves young, and mostly also from a multicultural background and with a command of other languages. For young people stilllearning Norwegian, this was an important assetto create understanding. One of the key objectives was to empower the young participants, by making them understand the value and strengths of being multicultural. Participants also shared their experiencesof discrimination and prejudice and discussed citizens’and human rights and civic duties. Tey emergedfeeling more confident about applying for work, andmany of them got jobs after the course. Te localcommunity also became aware of the project.

Te project ran for seven months in 2009–10 in Oslo,Norway. It was carried out by Antirasistisk Senter, theNorwegian centre against racism.

ȧ7MSRFȧ'LGRG?RGTCȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧnational agency in orway.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@WȧLRGP?QGQRGQȧ1CLRCPȧMPU?W



142FCȧNPMHCARȧNPMKNRCB more than 100 urkishuniversity students to reflect on what their future asEU citizens meant. It focused on the employment andlabour market issues that are crucial for the plans of

young people. Trough the prism of EU integration, itexplored career development, labour market structureand educational issues linked to employment.

Participants came from across urkey and representeddifferent ethnic groups and academic disciplinesranging from engineering to social sciences. Interactiveseminars from academics, businessmen and governmentofficials were complemented by workshops andevents that promoted social networking, and gave theopportunity to learn about the cultural diversity of urkey.

University students on the way to Ucitizenship

5



15~ȧ2FCPCȧU?QȧEMMBȧcommunication amongRFCȧN?PRGAGN?LRQȧ?LBȧ?ȧAMMNCP?RGTCȧLCRUMPGLEȧ

?RKMQNFCPCȧ1CLGMPȧpoliticians came toR?JȧRMȧSQȧNCPQML?JJWȧand answered all ourquestions’

Te programme provided information about the EUand its programmes, and about how it approachesemployment issues, in a way that the students hadnot previously had access to. Tey were able to discuss

these issues together and with experts, enhancing their debating and negotiating skills. A database of university students was created to continue circulating information. One-to-one meetings with professionalsalso helped students to structure their career plans bothin the EU and in urkey.

Te results of the project, as measured subsequently, were that participants continued updating andenhancing their CVs, seeking renewed contacts withprofessionals, and investigating the possibilities of EUyouth programmes.

Te project took place over three days in October 2010in Ankara, urkey. It was carried out by the Ankara centre for ideas and research in collaboration with urk elekom, the urkish central bank and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and with the 18 universities of urkey.

ȧWMSRFȧQCKGL?PȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧ?ECLAWȧGLȧ2SPCW.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@WȧL?P?ȧ"ňňLACȧTȧP?RGPK?ȧ+CPCXŉȧ"CPLC¹ŉȧ2SPCW



16n initiative by a group of young people froma small town in Poland’s Bieszczady mountains gaverise to this project. Te participants came fromdisadvantaged groups facing social and economic

obstacles, all the more of a problem in an area asremote as this, where there are few opportunities foryoung people.

Te project showed young people ways they couldinfluence their own future, and helped themrecognise more clearly their own advantages anddisadvantages in their personal and professional lives.Meetings with employers, businessmen and workersin local companies, as well as with students, gave theparticipants some insights into the world of work,running a company and fields of study. Tey had thesupport of professional trainers, who encouraged themto make plans and take decisions on what type of work they wanted to find out about and what companiesshould be visited. Possibilities for working in other EUMember States were discussed, as well as the stereotypes

that participants may face while working abroad.

Participants improved their skills in writing a jobapplication and dealing with stress during interviews.Tey also learnt about job-market trends in Polandand the EU. Te final part of the project was a youthenterprise fair, which the participants organised and where they presented what they had learnt to young

Young people discover how they canFKȏRBK@BQEBFOLTKCRQROB



17~ȧ'ȧJC?PLRȧRMȧR?Cȧdecisions and also toUMPȧGLȧ?ȧRC?KȧUGRFȧ?JJȧRFCȧAMKNPMKGQCQȧRF?Rȧ

requires too’

people in the region. Tis gave the organisers a senseof entrepreneurship and some specific skills, as well asexperience of working in a group. Tey overcame many of the barriers they faced both personally and in terms

of finding their place in the world of training and work.

Te project ran for six months in 2010, and was carriedout by the Bieszczady education and developmentassociation, which fosters scout movements andorganises volunteering and educational activities. Fouryoung people from Lesko formed the core group, andyoungsters from Lesko and the surrounding villagesbenefited from the outputs.

ȧ7MSRFȧ'LGRG?RGTCȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧagency in oland.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@Wȧ1RMU?PXWQXCLGCȧ#BS?AH?ȧGȧ0MXUŁHȧ.MJ?LB



18 3-year old Italian volunteer spent a year in2009–10 working in an Argentinean non-governmentalorganisation (NGO) focused on environmentalprotection and the sustainable use of marine resources.

She developed networks with related organisations andsupported educational activities with young peopleusing non-formal learning methods.

Te volunteer took part in meetings in schools toraise awareness of biodiversity, marine ecosystems,fisheries and marine pollution. She also ran workshopsand events where young people could learn aboutthe environment through practical experience, suchas simulating the marine food chain and the impactof human activities on the ecosystem balance, orrecognising different fish species. Tese includedoutdoor activities that built connections between young people and the environment, taught them how toobserve natural phenomena and subsequently collectand compare data, and offered guidance on appropriatebehaviour. In addition, she participated in a sustainable

development campaign using multimedia tools, leafletsand games. She was also involved in developing an

Understanding global realities from theother side of the tlantic

7



19‘ I gained a real view of K?LWȧRFGLEQȧRF?Rȧ'ȧF?Bȧpreviously just studiedRFCMPCRGA?JJWȧ?LBȧ

started to see some of RFCȧEJM@?JȧGKNJGA?RGMLQȧtoo’

educational network among schools in Mar del Plata and Buenos Aires and in creating teaching material.

Te volunteer improved her Spanish-speaking skills

and learnt about local customs and traditions, as wellas about Argentina and its culture. In return, sheshared her experiences about young people’s lives inItaly and Europe with students at local schools. Shebecame so well integrated in the community that shefelt at home there. Back in Italy, she told other young people about her experience, and distributed a CD shehad helped to make about sustainable fishing and themarine environment. Te cooperation with the hosting organisation proved so successful that the volunteerreturned to Argentina to take up a job with it.

Te project was hosted by the NGO CeDePesca (the centre for defending national fisheries) in Mardel Plata, Argentina, an organisation working forsocially, economically and ecologically sustainablefishing activities by contributing to Argentinean andEU policies and law, and by supporting small-scalefishermen and educational activities.

ȧ#SPMNC?Lȧ4MJSLR?PWȧ1CPTGACȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ#BSA?RGMLȧudiovisual and ulture xecutive gency in russelsroject carried out by eeesca, rgentina; ssociazione nergyormazione, Italy



20TCPȧRFCȧAMSPQCȧMDȧ?ȧWC?P this project developedan open house in an old movie theatre in Kortrijk,Belgium, to host creative and innovative socioculturalactivities as part of the new dynamics of the city. It

was run by a collective of youngsters to make young people aware of their place in Europe and in the world.Kortrijk has a very diverse population and is part of the European Grouping of erritorial Cooperation(EGC) Lille-ournai-Kortrijk that crosses languageand country borders. Accessible events — exhibitions, workshops, intercultural evenings, cooking in thestreet, street games and themed performances — were

organised in the theatre and across the city to bring people together and involve them.

Te group managed to build a network of cooperation with many different organisations in the city. Itsubsequently evolved into a professional NGO, andreceived recognition and a grant from the Flemishgovernment for experimental youth work. One of theparticipants has since opened an eco-friendly bar that

has become a popular meeting place for youngstersfrom the city.

Projecto ayonnaiseBlending urban culture and youth

entrepreneurship

8



21

~ȧ*GDCȧGQȧ?ȧȏLCȧQCSCLACȧMDȧAMGLAGBCLACQȧNCMNJCȧUFMȧAPMQQȧWMSPȧN?RFȧQRP?LECȧCTCLRQȧȧ.PMHCARMȧ+?WMLL?GQCȧR?CQȧWMSȧMLȧ?Lȧ?BTCLRSPCȧRFPMSEFȧRFGLEQȧWMSȧRFMSEFRȧWMSȧLCUȧ@SRȧ?PCȧQCCGLEȧ

RFPMSEFȧLCUȧCWCQ

ȧ7MSRFȧ'LGRG?RGTCȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ$JCKGQFQNC?GLEȧcommunity of elgiumroject carried out by proayobe vzw, elgium

Te project took place over 18 months in 2009–10and was organised by proMayo.be, a training serviceestablished in Kortrijk by 14 youngsters withcreative and innovative ideas specialised in personal

and creativity development, and socioculturalentrepreneurship.



22ourteen young people from the UK and Sweden, allsuffering from social exclusion and many of them withexperience of homelessness, acquired an understanding of how two European countries work with young

people. Tis widened their horizons and increased theiraspirations, confidence and skills.

Prior to the exchange, they had all been involvedin planning and research on youth services and the job market, and their interests had influenced theprogramme. During a week in Helsingborg they took

pen your mindGet on track

9



23~ȧ2FCȧQCKGL?PȧE?TCȧSQȧRFCȧAF?LACȧRMȧP?GQCȧRFCȧquestions we wanted,?LBȧRMȧQCCȧUFCPCȧUCȧ

UCPCȧQGKGJ?Pȧ?LBȧUFCPCȧUCȧUCPCȧBGȎCPCLRȧDPMKȧWMSLEȧNCMNJCȧGLȧMRFCPȧAMSLRPGCQȧȧ'RȧF?Qȧ@CCLȧan amazing experience?LBȧGRȧF?QȧK?BCȧKCȧPC?JGQCȧRF?Rȧ'ȧA?LȧBMȧQMȧKSAFȧKMPCȧRF?Lȧ'ȧCTCPȧ

imagined’

part in team-building exercises, workshops to raisetheir self-esteem and cultural activities. Te activities were adjusted to suit the youngsters’ own personalitiesand backgrounds, to ensure that they felt comfortable

with the tasks they were set and were able to succeed.Te activities repeatedly presented them with questionsand answers about how the EU works, national andEuropean contexts of employment, what the EU can dofor young people, and how they themselves could play a part as active citizens in society in general. A seminaron coping with unemployment gave participants thechance to raise questions, to compare experiences in

different countries and to develop ideas for futurecooperation.

o help them understand how representative democracy works, they had the opportunity to take part in a debateon these issues in the city hall’s debating chamber, where they engaged actively and were able to expresstheir opinions by pressing voting buttons. Tey gaineda greater sense of involvement in the society they belong

to, and a new awareness that career opportunities existthat are attractive and attainable.

Te project ran for two weeks in mid-2011, hostedby Navigatorcentrum Helsingborg in Sweden, a municipal organisation which specialises in helping school drop-outs with trainee programmes, supportfor special needs, and study and vocational guidance.Coaches remained in contact with the Youth Exchange

participants after the project finished, helping them insubsequent steps towards education or work.

ȧ7MSRFȧ#VAF?LECȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧnational agency in weden.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@Wȧ?TGE?RMPACLRPSKȧRTCAJGLEQLĴKLBCLQȧDńPT?JRLGLEȧ&CJQGLE@MPEQȧQR?Bȧ1UCBCLȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧ'LBCNCLBCLACȧorum,



242FGQȧRP?GLGLEȧAMSPQCȧFCJNCB 16 young jobseekers inEstonia prepare for the world of work. It increased theirawareness on youth employment, the labour market,and how to look for a job and start a business. Trough

non-formal learning, it guided them in assessing theirown capacities and in career planning, and it createdlinks with employers. Participants interviewed and job-shadowed specialists in a field that interested them,including office work, construction and jewellery art,and compiled their own CVs on video.

Te aim of requiring participants to conduct aninterview was to enable them to understand theactivities, roles and responsibilities of a person fromtheir chosen field. Tey had to establish the contactsand prepare the questions, and then to preparea written summary of the interview when it was

Getting prepared for the world of work



25~ȧ2FCȧHM@ȧQF?BMUGLEȧCVNCPGCLACȧAMLȏPKCBȧKWȧBCQGPCȧRMȧUMPȧGLȧRF?Rȧ?PC?ȧȧ?LBȧ?JQMȧ

K?BCȧKCȧPC?JGQCȧRF?Rȧit is up to me to createRFCȧMNNMPRSLGRGCQȧDMPȧmyself to get a job’

completed. On the last day of the training session, allthe participants had an opportunity to give feedback onthe programme, and all of them said it was ‘interesting’and had ‘broadened their horizons 100 %’. Many of

the participants subsequently found work, and othersare continuing the cooperation with specialists they job-shadowed, looking for opportunities to work asvolunteers abroad with support from the EU Youthin Action programme, or planning to continue theireducation or start a business. As such, all of them areentering the market in their own way.

Te organisers also learnt from the experience, anddeveloped their own awareness of the impact of youth work and non-formal learning on youth employability and opportunities for success on the job market. Te16 participants were selected from more than 150applicants.

Te project ran for eight days between February and April 2010 in allinn. It was organised by the Estoniannational agency for the Youth in Action programme,and public and private partners included the CV centre,the Unemployment Insurance Fund and the JohannesMihkelson Centre.

ȧRP?GLGLEȧAMSPQCȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧagency in stonia



262FCȧNPMHCARȧU?QȧBCQGELCBȧDMPȧWMSLEȧNCMNJC withfew vocational qualifications, limited opportunities andexperience of unemployment. Te main objective wasto boost their employability. Each participant carried

out a four-week assignment as a volunteer in anothercountry, in the field of youth work. Some workedin summer camps, others in assisting in afternoonactivities for children, and others in youth workshopsfor unemployed youngsters, on activities such as carrepairs.

ll inclusive A path to new possibilities



27‘ uropean oluntaryervice gave me agreat opportunity toCVNCPGCLACȧBGȎCPCLRȧ

AMSLRPGCQȧUFGJCȧBMGLEȧQMKCRFGLEȧUMPRFUFGJCȧMPGLEȧUGRFȧBGQ?@JCBȧ?LBȧWMSLEȧGBQȧ'ȧJC?PLRȧQMKCȧRFGLEQȧ?@MSRȧmyself too’

Each assignment was customised to the interests,skills and aims of each volunteer, with the tasksgeared to the needs of the host organisation. Tere was also a European dimension to the tasks, for

instance introducing games and stories from differentcountries served as a platform for explaining aboutthe EU. All the hosting organisations were flexible,and focused not just on the service supplied butalso — indeed more — on the individual learning.

Te encouragement to improve their skills andcompetences also widened volunteers’ understanding of possibilities open to them at European level. Giving them a view of their future in a broader perspectiveimproved their self-esteem and strengthenedtheir sense of participation and responsibility for their own actions. wo Finnish participantshosted in Estonia were subsequently motivatedto start studies, in youth work and in nursing.

Te project ran from June to December 2011 inartu, Estonia, in Lahti, Finland, and in Begunjena Gorensjska, Slovenia, and involved eightyoung people from the three countries.

ȧ#SPMNC?Lȧ4MJSLR?PWȧ1CPTGACȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧnational agency in inland.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@Wȧ%ȧĪńSJJȧ#QRMLG?ȧ*?FBCLȧ?SNSLEGLȧnuorisopalvelut, inland; Zavod anipura, lovenia



28even young people who had studied together in andaround Milan devised an innovative Internet-based quizthat could help other young people on the brink of the job market to better understand Europe. Te content

and the presentation are easily accessible and attractivefor young people (http://www.panweb.eu/bttf).

Te game retraces the past and examines the present, with a close look at the values of equality and freedomin the multicultural environment of Milan. In a playful way, it poses questions that provoke reflection on socialand political issues, such as democracy, human rights,participation in society and sustainable development. Itis interactive, allowing information to be drawn fromthe web to help find the answers.

esting abilities and creativity

http://www.panweb.eu/bttf

http://www.panweb.eu/bttf



29~ȧCȧBGQASQQCBȧFMUȧ#SPMNCȧAMSJBȧBC?JȧUGRFȧRFCȧAPGQGQȧ?LBȧRFCȧPMJCȧof young people in

building urope’

Its creators aimed at acquiring and spreading awarenessabout the environment in which they live, and at testing their own abilities and creativity. In structuring thegame, the participants upgraded their computer skills

and, in compiling the questions, they also widenedtheir historical and geographical knowledge and culturalawareness.

Te project ran for almost a year in 2010–11 and otheryoung people became involved. Tey were supported by an experienced coach and the YARD (youth action forrights development) association. At the same time, thegame acted as a showcase for the skills of its creators.Te game was their idea, born out of a determinationto combine innovation with art and to look for new artistic languages. Tey won support from the EU Youth in Action programme to develop and upgradeit to a European level. Teir work increased their senseof initiative and entrepreneurship, and developed theirpowers of expression.

At the end of the project they presented the game at theBrera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan, and the game isnow being distributed in schools.

ȧ7MSRFȧ'LGRG?RGTCȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧagency in Italy.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@WȧGLDMPK?JȧEPMSNȧ?AȧRFPSȧRFCȧDSRSPCȧ'R?JW



30!SPGMQGRWȧ?KMLEȧ.MJGQFȧQRSBCLRQ about employmentpossibilities in other EU Member States led to aninvitation to young people from Lithuania, Slovenia and urkey to examine and discuss the impact

of unemployment on students. With input fromexperts, they spent a week in a remote forest locationexchanging ideas and experiences about coping withunemployment, what support is available and whatopportunities the EU offers in terms of mobility. At the same time, the project promoted a sense of entrepreneurship among young people, with workshopson how to set up and develop a company, and with

the practical challenge at the end of the seminar of promoting some imaginary products to people in thestreets in the centre of Cracow.

Showing young people how they can beatunemployment

3



31~ȧCȧF?BȧRMȧNP?ARGACȧAMKKSLGA?RGLEȧUGRFȧMRFCPȧNCMNJCȧUGRFȧBGȎCPCLRȧJ?LES?ECQȧ?LBȧ

DPMKȧBGȎCPCLRȧASJRSPCQȧ?LBȧRF?RȧE?TCȧSQȧ?ȧAF?LACȧRMȧSLBCPQR?LBȧMRFCPȧL?RGML?JGRGCQȧ2FCȧUMPQFMNQȧUCPCȧPC?JJWȧAPC?RGTCȧFCJNGLEȧSQȧJMMȧat jobs — and at ourown talents — in a new

way’

Trough working as international teams on businessplans, participants acquired new interpersonal andpresentational skills and ways of looking at businesschallenges. Tey also improved their language skills as

they communicated in English. Tey developed a senseof solidarity and tolerance, and a better understanding of young people in other countries. Te projectpromoted European cooperation in the youth field,and helped the young people involved to see their roleas active members of society both locally and at theEuropean level.

Te project ran for 10 days in October 2010, in Ojców and Cracow in Poland. It involved 20 Lithuanian,Polish, Slovenian and urkish young people and washosted by Paneuropa, a Polish association of studentsof economics that runs international exchange projectslinked to the job market.

ȧ7MSRFȧ#VAF?LECȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧagency in oland.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@Wȧ2ȧ1ȧ*GRFS?LG?ȧPE?LGX?AH?ȧ1RSBCLA?ȧ.?LCSPMN?ȧ.MJ?LBȧTCX?ȧĒRSBCLRQGFȧJS@MTȧ1JMTCLGHCȧ1JMTCLG?ȧ#SPMȧ1R?Pȧ2SPCW



322FGQȧNPMHCARȧGLTMJTCBȧQMKCȧȧWMSRFȧUMPCPQ from Austria, France, Germany, Poland and Sweden in a one- week seminar that covered young people’s transitionfrom school to work, and the evolving requirements

and skills in career planning. Te participants sharedtheir experiences and methods, and learnt more aboutapproaches in other countries to volunteering andmobilising young people. Trough a series of meetings with experts, discussion groups, visits to local youthprojects and specific training sessions, the participantsdeveloped a position paper which they presented topoliticians in the course of a panel discussion.

In particular, they brought a new European perspectiveto the issues of career planning and development, with specific attention to the possibilities of mobility.Teir position paper tackled head-on the challenge of

Neue HorizonteEmpowering European youth towards

job entry



33~ȧ2FCPCȧGQȧ?ȧEPC?RȧLCCBȧfor regular training?LBȧCVAF?LECQȧ@CRUCCLȧWMSRFȧUMPCPQȧDPMKȧ

BGȎCPCLRȧAMSLRPGCQ

building a new integrated approach for youth topicsat European level, in the face of the wide variety of national approaches and different educational systems,methods and resources.

It concluded that the aim was not just to make young people ‘fit for work’, but to support and strengthenthem so they are able to make choices, and even tochange the situation of the labour market themselves. A regular exchange among social workers from differentcountries was considered as absolutely vital.

Te project took place in mid-2011 in Berlin, and

was hosted by the youth training centre in Berlin,Konradshöhe, which initiated a mentor programmefor the transition of pupils from school to training or professional support and looked for expertisein empowering young people in other Europeancountries.

ȧRP?GLGLEȧAMSPQCȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧ?ECLAWȧGLȧ%CPK?LW.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@WȧKRȧBCPȧ2GPMJCPȧ*?LBCQPCEGCPSLEȧ$?AF@CPCGAFȧSECLBȧustria; ission locale intercommunale des bords de arne, rance; verdiSECLB@GJBSLEQQRĴRRCȧCPJGLMLP?BQFńFCȧC4ȧ%CPK?LWȧ!GRWȧMDȧ?PQ?Uȧ.MJ?LBȧlassmorfar för borner i verige, weden



347MSLEȧNCMNJCȧUGRFȧJC?PLGLEȧBGQ?@GJGRGCQ had anunprecedented opportunity in this project to expresstheir aspirations for support in seeking employment.o help them overcome the barriers they usually face in

communication, a conference with policymakers anddecision-makers was held, conducted largely throughforum theatre, for which they devised their own scriptsbased on their own experiences so they could articulatetheir wishes through performance.

Te project also provided them with information onpolicy and planning so that they could gain a betterunderstanding of existing services. In addition, theapproach gave the young people new insights into work-related decision-making processes and a new role in influencing the design of the services that affectthem.

Young people were provided with an attractive,accessible approach to handling the practical aspects of the transition from school to the workplace, and they were given control over exploring, in their own way,many of the sensitive issues concerning independenceand decision-making. Te project helped counter thetendency for young people with learning disabilities todrop out of education, employment or training. Tey were able to use interactive media to voice their ideasand thoughts, assisted by a group of young journalists who themselves had learning disabilities. Te journalistscreated a record of the event using web-based media,

blogging, video and live interviews.

Shape arts: rticulate UYoung disabled people and

employment

5



35~ȧ2FCWȧJC?PLRȧQMȧKSAFȧNPMTGLEȧRMȧRFCKQCJTCQȧ?LBȧRMȧMRFCPQȧRF?RȧRFCWȧare capable of doing so

K?LWȧKMPCȧRFGLEQȧ?LBȧ?ASGPGLEȧAMLȏBCLACȧRMȧK?CȧNCMNJCȧJGQRCLȧRMȧRFCK

Te youth and employment experts who participatedalso benefited by widening their knowledge of disability and equality issues, and learning good practice andpolicy for employing disabled people. Teir future work

with this group of people will be better informed andmore responsive, as they accommodate special needsinto service delivery and policymaking.

Te three-day project ran in June 2010, at Sadler’s Wells Teatre, London. It brought 15 young peopletogether with experts in the fields of youth-led training,employment support and post-education servicedelivery. Participants came from London, Liverpool andManchester.

ȧWMSRFȧQCKGL?PȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧ?ECLAWȧGLȧRFCȧ.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@Wȧ1F?NCȧ



36tcetera was targeted at youngsters without work,a diploma, or any idea of what they wanted to do afterschool or in their future working life. It encouragedthem to be creative in running their own projects.

Te simple concept was to offer young people advicerelated to their employment aspirations, or practicalassistance in setting up projects with a social, cultural,professional, sporting or tourism dimension. Soanyone wanting to organise a football tournamentbut not being sure about how to do it could turn tohttp://www.etcetera.lu for help on everything frommaking contacts to publicity and event planning. After providing extensive initial support, the advisersgradually withdrew from the project, in line with thegrowing confidence of the participants.

tceteraGuiding young people towards

employment

http://www.etcetera.lu/

http://www.etcetera.lu/



37~ȧ2FCȧNPMHCARȧF?QȧLMRȧMLJWȧF?Bȧ?ȧNMQGRGTCȧGKN?ARȧMLȧRFCȧWMSLEȧNCMNJCȧGRȧ?RRP?ARCBȧ@SRȧGRȧF?Qȧ

?JQMȧGLȐSCLACBȧMSPȧMULȧTGCUQȧMDȧRFCȧUMPJBȧ'Lȧfact, most of us decidedRMȧUMPȧGLȧRFCȧQMAG?Jȧdomain’

Etcetera also provided job information and orientationfor youngsters without work or qualifications. Itencouraged them to look at media interviews withpeople from different professions to learn more

about what was involved in different jobs and whatqualifications would be needed to embark on differentcareers. Participants also conducted interviewsthemselves with people who shared the same passion fortheir jobs, on subjects of their choice.

Te Etcetera group created a space where young peoplecould develop confidence about taking on challenges.It also launched a microfinance scheme to supportyoung people’s own projects, such as a fashion show with second-hand clothes that involved some 40young people as models, cameramen, photographersand designers. Te organisers themselves were eightyoungsters with fewer opportunities from Wasserbillig,Luxembourg. Te projects ran for five months in 2010,and the group eventually evolved into a new NGO tomaintain its work.

ȧ7MSRFȧ'LGRG?RGTCȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧagency in uxembourg.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@Wȧ+SQCJ1?SCPȧ+CBG?RFĸGȧ*SVCK@MSPE



38n unemployed 6-year-old lovenian graduate in political science identified an organisation anddefined a project where she could use her capacities forgetting results from team work, and at the same time

develop her own skills and knowledge. She covered herown expenses for an advanced planning visit to prepareher project.

Trough non-formal learning methods, she promotedthe local activities of the host organisation via its website as well as by designing and distributing information and by making presentations in schoolsand at public events. She established closer links withlocal authorities, partner organisations, university andhigh school students, and youth clubs. Te volunteeralso organised and coordinated local volunteers and

earning through bonding in a newenvironment

7



39~ȧ2FCȧKMQRȧGKNMPR?LRȧRFGLEȧGQȧRMȧAJC?PJWȧBCȏLCȧneeds and expectations#?AFȧTMJSLRCCPȧKSQRȧ

CCNȧGLȧKGLBȧRF?RȧRFCȧQSAACQQȧMDȧRFCȧNPMHCARȧGQȧ@?QCBȧMLȧRFCGPȧMULȧinitiative’

international youth exchanges, providing support totraining sessions and seminars, and documenting theorganisation’s activities in images and writing. Shealso brought an international dimension to the host

organisation’s work and strengthened its internationalnetwork.

As a result, she acquired a new awareness of Europeanmobility and identity, increased her own managementcapacities at international level, developed new skills in working with disadvantaged young people, became anactively involved citizen at a local level, and learnt aboutliving in an intercultural environment. She also learntFrench and improved her English and Italian. Above all,the volunteer boosted her own confidence and enhancedher sense of initiative and entrepreneurship. By sharing her experience with young Slovenes, she motivatedthem to take a more European view of their lives and toexplore European opportunities. She declined an offerof employment from her host organisation, and insteadset up a youth organisation in Slovenia.

Te project took place over 12 months from early 2010 to early 2011. It was hosted in Metz, France,by ogether, a voluntary organisation active in cross-European cooperation and mutual learning throughnetworking among civic organisations with a youthfocus.

ȧ#SPMNC?Lȧ4MJSLR?PWȧ1CPTGACȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧnational agency in lovenia.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@Wȧ2MECRFCPȧ$P?LACȧ?TMBȧȧ?TMBȧĒMҨCJMĒCȧmladine, lovenia



402FGQȧNPMHCARȧRP?GLCBȧȧWMSLEȧNCMNJC fromdisadvantaged backgrounds, some of them from theRoma minority, as volunteers in disaster assistance andspecial first-aid service. Its use of non-formal techniques

helped the participants to realise their value in society and take pride in using their leisure time to help others.

Te young people involved were living in care andmany had social problems: some were orphans, somehad learning difficulties. Tey had previously had littleopportunity to take part in professional activities or inmeaningful leisure pursuits. Te project organisers took them on visits to learn the theoretical background andto become involved in practical activities, including environmental protection, ambulance services, first-aidor crime prevention.

Tey were encouraged to develop their sense of initiative and to use it in making decisions abouttheir own lives. Subsequently, six participants becamepermanent volunteers for the organisation —

earning to help others

8



41~ȧCQGBCQȧR?GLEȧN?PRȧGLȧmeaningful activities?LBȧPCACGTGLEȧQNCAGȏAȧRP?GLGLEȧRFCȧWMSLEȧ

NCMNJCȧCLHMWCBȧRFCȧfeeling of being partof society’

demonstrating how they had found a new goal andmotivation in their lives. Most stayed in close contact with the organisation, with some of them becoming involved in subsequent projects to help more young

people develop skills.

Te project ran for eight months from July 2010 and was organised by the Concorde Sopron special searching and exploratory ambulance foundation, a volunteerteam of disaster assistance and recovery professionals who support ambulances, the fire service and the policein the city of Sopron, Hungary.

ȧ7MSRFȧ'LGRG?RGTCȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧagency in ungary.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@WȧRFCȧ!MLAMPBCȧ1MNPMLGȧ1NCAGıJGQȧCPCQŃȧĸQȧ$CJBCPļRŃȧ+CLRŃAQMNMPRȧJ?NļRTıLWȧ&SLE?PW



42"SPGLEȧMLCȧUCCȧȧWMSLEȧNCMNJC from theNetherlands and Spain explored and discusseddifferences between unemployment in these twocountries, and how young people make use of

the possibilities and opportunities for study andemployment as they search for jobs. Teir participationin an international project allowed them to gain a broader perspective and explore what the EU canoffer young people in terms of work and study. Tere were meetings with employer associations and localemployment agencies, local businesses and the city council. Job interview simulations and role-play helped

participants reflect on their fears and expectationsabout their future careers. Workshops also explored

How to work and study in urope

9



43~ȧCȧF?BȧRFCȧMNNMPRSLGRWȧRMȧK?CȧLCUȧAMLR?ARQȧand to improve our#LEJGQFȧ?LBȧRFCȧNPMHCARȧ

FCJNCBȧMNCLȧMSPȧKGLBQȧand develop ourcapacities to appreciateMRFCPȧASJRSPCQ

traditional crafts such as working in leather, ceramicsand decoration. In addition, young people were able todevelop their skills in other languages.

Te participants all gained a clearer sense of whatthey wanted to do with their future and how to planeffectively to make it happen. Te project promotedyouth participation, giving the participants greaterself-confidence and a new awareness of differentcultures. After the project, one participant returnedto abandoned studies, one found work in the localmunicipality, another with mobile phones and one as a gatherer of shellfish.

Tis 10-day project arose from the initiative of many of the young people involved. It took place in mid-2010,run by the youth department of the city hall of Pilas,Spain, with Welzijn Midden-Drenthe, the Netherlands,sending 11 young people.

ȧ7MSRFȧ#VAF?LECȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧnational agency in pain.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@WȧCJXGHLȧ+GBBCL"PCLRFCȧRFCȧCRFCPJ?LBQȧWSLR?KGCLRMȧBCȧ.GJ?Qȧȧ"CJCE?AGŁLȧBCȧSTCLRSBȧ1N?GL



442FGQȧNPMHCARȧNPMTGBCBȧN?PRGAGN?LRQ with skillsto solve the challenges presented by real-lifeentrepreneurship. Going beyond merely allowing young people to meet and talk with successful businessmen,

the project provided training and shared experience with entrepreneurship learning tools — what they are and how to use them. Te participants used casestudies, role-play and theatre to develop an attentiveand professional approach to business. Tey comparedand analysed entrepreneurship methods from their owncountries, and prepared methodological guidelines formoderators to create custom-designed low-cost business

simulations. Lithuanian businessmen, coaches andstudent leaders were involved throughout as advisers.

Te project offered examples of managing firms indifferent market environments, incorporating socialresponsibility factors and the importance of humanresource management. It also gave participants a

nvestigating business start-ups



45~ȧ2FCȧ?GKȧGQȧRMȧGLQNGPCȧyoung people tocreate a positive andsustainable future’

valuable experience of working as a team — moreoveran international team — in which each had to adapt tothe needs of the group.

Te project ran for a week in mid-2011 in Vilnius,Lithuania, and involved 25 students interested inbusiness topics from the Czech Republic, Germany,Estonia, Lithuania and Poland. It was hosted by Profat, which implements projects for young people to equipthem with knowledge and skills necessary to understandand manage the processes and factors that sustainLithuania’s economy.

ȧRP?GLGLEȧAMSPQCȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧ?ECLAWȧGLȧ*GRFS?LG?ȧ.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@Wȧ"WL?K?ȧ!XCAFȧ0CNS@JGAȧ0MR?P?ARȧ!JS@ȧMDȧ?AM@QȧLGTCPQGRWȧPCKCLȧ%CPK?LWȧMMPRCňFCLBSQȧSTCLRSQȧ#QRMLG?ȧ.PMD?Rȧ*GRFS?LG?ȧLGTCPQGRWȧMDȧ'LRCPL?RGML?Jȧ2CAFLMJMEWȧ?LBȧ+?L?ECKCLRȧGLȧzeszow, oland



46QȧN?PRȧMDȧRFCȧQRPSARSPCBȧBG?JMESC on youthemployment across the EU, this project allowed young people in Portugal to have input into the preparationsfor the European Youth Conference, which took place

under the Hungarian EU presidency in March 2011.In five regional meetings and one national event, 300people from different socioeconomic and culturalbackgrounds and geographical origins became involved.Tey explored priorities and measures to be developedat EU level, discussed them with decision-makers andexperts, and devised mechanisms that could put theminto effect.

Te focus throughout was on non-formal methods,ensuring a participatory approach. Te tangible outputs were a CD reporting engagement of youth and youthorganisations in the structured dialogue, and a simpleand visually attractive guide to young people’s rightsand duties in employment, and the opportunities

/BȏB@QFLKCLO>@QFLKTowards youth employment



47~ȧ7MSLEȧNCMNJCȧF?BȧRFCȧMNNMPRSLGRWȧRMȧR?Cȧpart in a consultationprocess at uropean

JCTCJȧ?LBȧCVCPAGQCȧRFCGPȧAGRGXCLQFGNȧRFPMSEFȧBC@?RCȧPCȐCARGMLȧ?LBȧRFCȧQC?PAFȧDMPȧQMJSRGMLQȧRMȧWMSRFȧunemployment’

‘ oming from a remote

region, I was gladRMȧF?TCȧRFCȧAF?LACȧRMȧCVAF?LECȧGBC?QȧUGRFȧMRFCPȧWMSLEȧNCMNJCȧDPMKȧBGȎCPCLRȧ@?AEPMSLBQȧ?@MSRȧnational and uropeanissues’

~ȧ7MSLEȧNCMNJCȧF?TCȧQCCLȧDMPȧRFCȧȏPQRȧRGKCȧȧRFPMSEFȧRFCGPȧGLTMJTCKCLRȧGLȧRFCȧstructured dialogueNPMACQQȧȧRF?RȧRFCWȧAMSJBȧ@CȧN?PRȧMDȧRFCȧsolution, not just part

MDȧRFCȧNPM@JCK

offered by the EU. It also created a mailing list of participants and a regularly updated website on thestructured dialogue process.

Te project took place over three months in early 2011 in Madeira and the Azores, and the north, centreand Alentejo/Algarve regions of Portugal, and wasorganised by the Portuguese youth council. Othersinvolved included the Secretary of State for Youth andSport, and the Portuguese youth institute. Te Youth in Action national agency, the employment institute andthe national association of young entrepreneurs werepart of the national working group of the structureddialogue.

ȧWMSRFȧQCKGL?PȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧ?ECLAWȧin ortugal.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@Wȧ!MLQCJFMȧ?AGML?JȧBCȧSTCLRSBCȧ.MPRSE?J



48TCPȧQCTCLȧKMLRFQȧ?ȧAMPCȧRC?K of four young Irishpeople prepared and managed a four-day arts eventthat brought together 100 artists, provided short-termtraining opportunities for 50 volunteers and interns,

and drew audiences of more than 1 300. It focusedon events attractive to young people with no closeengagement with the arts world, and on providing a friendly low-cost environment conducive to dialogueand networking. Teatre, dance, music, visual art andfilm-making were all represented, and performances ranfrom 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day.

Te project was part of the Cork Midsummer Festival,and was initially driven by canvassing young Cork artists, but it expanded to take in experience fromyoung people’s festivals elsewhere. Tose involved camefrom mixed backgrounds — isolated rural areas andvarying economic circumstances, educational levels,religions and sexual orientations — and from eightdifferent countries. It also introduced the public tomany emerging Irish artists.

SolsticeYoung people put on their own events



49~ȧ#TCLȧ?ȓCPȧWMSTCȧBMLCȧWMSPȧQFMUȧeveryone carries onJGTGLEȧRMECRFCPȧGLȧRF?Rȧ

AMKKSLGRWȧ?RKMQNFCPCȧand meeting newpeople involved inBGȎCPCLRȧ?QNCARQȧMDȧRFC?RPCȧ?PRȧ?LBȧKSQGA

~ȧ'RQȧJGCȧECRRGLEȧ?ȧ

PCQC?PAFȧEP?LRȧ2FCȧ?KMSLRȧMDȧUMPȧ'ȧF?TCȧQCCLȧF?Qȧ@CCLȧNFCLMKCL?Jȧ?LBȧWMSȧLMUȧRF?RȧMLACȧWMSȧF?TCȧ?@QMP@CBȧ?JJȧRF?Rȧit will come out in yourMULȧUMP

Project participants were involved in programming,producing, marketing, budgeting and delivering events, thereby developing skills that made themmore employable. Te project also promoted new

work opportunities for young Irish artists, acting asa springboard to other festivals (Solstice artists havesince presented work at the Galway Teatre Festival,the Dublin Fringe Festival and the Edinburgh FringeFestival), and furthering their careers.

Solstice ran from February to August in 2011, andinvolved young people from Austria, Finland, France,Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK.

ȧ7MSRFȧ'LGRG?RGTCȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧagency in Ireland.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@Wȧ!MPȧ+GBQSKKCPȧ$CQRGT?Jȧ'PCJ?LB



50ȧWC?PMJBȧ$PCLAFȧEP?BS?RCȧin electricalengineering spent a year in Ireland on a EuropeanVoluntary Service project, where he organisedawareness campaigns on renewable energy.

He worked on carbon footprint and energy feasibility studies, and created displays for public buildingson renewable energy in the framework of Europeanprogrammes. He learnt how to write grant applicationsand to convince partners. Te volunteer set up a localnetwork and displayed a new entrepreneurial spirit.On his return to France, he created a websitehttp://www.solaire-coop.fr and a cooperative company — sponsored by the ipperary Energy Agency — toadvise collectives on installing solar roofs. He has sinceprovided services for homes for disabled people, forsports centres and for the community managing thenational park of Vexin.

olunteering in uropeSpreading the word on renewable

energy

3

http://www.solaire-coop.fr/

http://www.solaire-coop.fr/



51~ȧ2FCȧCVNCPGCLACȧMDȧuropean oluntaryervice completed myLMUJCBECȧ?LBȧCVRCLBCBȧ

KWȧNPMDCQQGML?JȧLCRUMPȧgiving me an opportunityto set up my own@SQGLCQQȧGLȧRFCȧȏCJBȧMDȧPCLCU?@JCȧCLCPEWȧ2FGQȧGQȧ?ȧAF?LACȧRMȧ@MMQRȧWMSPȧprofessional experienceand to open yourself up

RMȧRFGLEQȧ?@MSRȧ#SPMNCȧRF?RȧWMSȧLCTCPȧBPC?KRȧMD

Te project took place for one year in 2008–09 inCounty ipperary, Ireland. Te hosting organisation was the ipperary Energy Agency, which supportssustainable energy through energy efficiency, energy

management, renewable energy and sustainabletransport. It operates locally and through its links with the European Federation of Regional Energy andEnvironment Agencies. Te volunteer had worked onenvironmental issues before taking part in the project,and was keenly aware of the energy crisis. He wantedto work on the development of renewable energies,especially photovoltaic.

ȧ#SPMNC?Lȧ4MJSLR?PWȧ1CPTGACȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧnational agency in ranceroject carried out by entre d’Information et de ocumentationCSLCQQCȧ$P?LACȧ2GNNCP?PWȧ#LCPEWȧECLAWȧ'PCJ?LB



52o combat unemployment and social exclusionamong young people, this project gave help inovercoming psychological barriers and in improving self-esteem through workshops combined with a variant

of traditional golf. Nineteen unemployed young peoplefrom Białystok, Poland, took part in an innovativecombination of sports and non-formal learning. Tey were given a chance to develop the discipline requiredby a sport more commonly associated with people whoare wealthy and successful.

Tese two forms of non-formal educationcomplemented each other well. Te golf elementhelped break down barriers and show that, just asanyone can become proficient in golf, anyone canalso — if they really want to — find work. Teproject developed a new assertiveness and capacity forcommunication among the participants.

At the same time, they explored communication,presentation, motivation and methods of looking for a job, with a focus on the local labour market.By working in a group, participants learnt aboutteamwork and how to better deal with stress in job-seeking situations. As part of the project, they metlocal businessmen and selected professionals to help

urbo golf Playing for a place in the world of

work



53~ȧ2FCȧJ?@MSPȧK?PCRȧGQȧLMRȧRMMȧGLBȧRMȧWMSLEȧNCMNJCȧJMMGLEȧDMPȧUMPȧand repeated rejection

can damage anyone’sself-esteem eingGLTMJTCBȧGLȧRFGQȧNPMHCARȧFCJNCBȧKCȧPCE?GLȧ?ȧNMQGRGTCȧ?NNPM?AF

them become better informed about expectations andneeds — both their own and those of employers. Teparticipants developed skills appropriate for the labourmarket, gained clearer ideas about writing a CV and

widened their social networks. Te project had a strong impact on the local community, prompting interestfrom businessmen and the media.

Te project ran for six months in 2010 in Białystok,Poland, initiated by the association Creative Podlasie, which was set up by local students who wanted to dosomething to benefit the local community.

ȧ7MSRFȧ'LGRG?RGTCȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧagency in olandroject carried out by towarzyszenie reatywne odlasie, oland



542FGQȧNPMHCARȧQCRȧMSRȧRMȧNPMKMRC the employmentof young immigrants, and to prevent racist exclusionand isolation of groups and the compensating tendency for the formation of gangs. Fifty-two young people

from Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the UK, mainly unemployed men of immigrant backgrounds or on theverge of exclusion, were involved in the project.

It took the form of a residential workshop in Helsinki,featuring debates, role-play and other exercises todevelop the participants’ job-searching techniquesand skills through peer support. In preparation, theparticipants had conducted preliminary investigationson employment in their home countries so they couldcompare their situations, not just on unemploymentbut also on factors linked to it, including racism,exclusion, discrimination and gang culture. During the course, they visited places related to the themes of the project, such as apprenticeship and unemploymentoffices, and were invited to a dinner discussion by theUK ambassador.

ime to changeCombating unemployment and

discrimination

5



55~ȧ2FGQȧNPMHCARȧF?QȧLMRȧPCKMTCBȧWMSRFȧunemployment andracism from urope

or from youngNCMNJCQȧJGTCQȧ@SRȧRFCȧN?PRGAGN?LRQȧLMUȧF?TCȧ?ȧmore positive attitude inRFCȧD?ACȧMDȧ@MRFȧMDȧRFCQCȧNFCLMKCL?ȧ?LBȧRFCWȧSLBCPQR?LBȧ@CRRCPȧFMUȧRMȧBC?JȧUGRFȧBGȎCPCLRȧ

AF?JJCLECQȧGLȧJGDC

~ȧ'ȧSLBCPQRMMBȧRF?RȧȏLBGLEȧ?ȧHM@ȧGQȧ?ȧQCPGMSQȧ@SQGLCQQȧ?LBȧ'ȧF?TCȧRMȧR?CȧGRȧQCPGMSQJW

Te young people improved their job-search techniquesand interview and presentation skills, and deepenedtheir understanding of the challenges for immigrantsin seeking employment in Europe. Tey also developed

ideas about arguing against discrimination and racism.Tey presented unemployment offices with a list of thechallenges, and circulated information about supportstructures to youth centres and to mosques.

Te project ran for one week in July in 2010 in Helsinkiand was hosted by Kanava nuoriso ry, Finland. Projectpartners were organisations working mainly with young people of Somali background.

ȧ7MSRFȧ#VAF?LECȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧagency in inland.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@Wȧ1MK?JGQȧSLEBMKQȧMEȧSBTGJGLEQȧLCRT?CPȧ"CLK?Pȧ?L?T?ȧLSMPGQMȧPWȧ$GLJ?LBȧ1MK?JG?ȧMAFȧ1TCPGECȧTĴLQ?NQDńPCLGLEȧ1UCBCLȧJFGHP?ȧ1MK?JGȧ!MKKSLGRWȧQQMAG?RGMLȧ



562FGQȧNPMHCARȧRP?GLCBȧWMSRFȧJC?BCPQ from eightcountries in working with young people facing unemployment, marginalisation and social exclusion. Itguided them in techniques to stimulate entrepreneurial

skills among youth, and to interest unemployedyoungsters in seeking qualifications, employment andinvolvement in society.

In an intercultural environment, and throughinteractive sessions and role-play, the participantsdeveloped their capacity for analysis and criticalthinking, and acquired new perspectives, informationand skills on the principles of non-formal learning.Tey encountered concepts such as an expectationhorizon and explored entrepreneurial skills. Te projectalso stimulated them to use their spirit of initiative andcreative thinking in seeking to improve young people’s job prospects on the job market. Te activities alsofocused on participants’ development and awareness of the European dimension of their work.

)B>OKFKDELTQLEBIMVLRKDMBLMIBȎKAtheir place in society



57~ȧȓCPȧRFGQȧRP?GLGLEȧUCȧwere determined toGLȐSCLACȧMSPȧL?RGML?Jȧ?SRFMPGRGCQȧRMȧFCJNȧ

unemployed youngpeople and youngentrepreneurs’

Trough a non-formal approach, discussionsaddressed entrepreneurship and business strategies,social inclusion, youth unemployment in Europe,vocational qualifications, the socioeconomic situation

in participants’ countries and the challenges of engaging unemployed young people so they participate actively in society. On the basis of this project, further cross-border cooperation has developed to reduce youthunemployment and support local communities.

wenty-two people from Azerbaijan, Greece, Italy,Moldova, Romania, Serbia, urkey and Ukrainetook part in the 10-day training, which took place inmid-2010, and was hosted by Kasta Morrely in Iasi,Romania, a human rights organisation that promotesskills central to the development of a democraticsociety.

ȧRP?GLGLEȧAMSPQCȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧ?ECLAWȧGLȧ0MK?LG?ȧ.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@Wȧ#SPM"#+1ȧXCP@?GH?Lȧ7MSRFLCRȧ&CJJ?Qȧ%PCCACȧRFCȧKSLGAGN?JGRWȧMDȧPMJMȧ'R?JWȧRFCȧ!CLRPCȧ#41ȧ?LBȧKLCQRWȧ'LRCPL?RGML?Jȧ+MJBMT?ȧ?QR?ȧ+MPPCJWGȧ0MK?LG?ȧRFCȧ?QQMAG?RGMLȧMDȧWMSLEȧ0MK?LG?LQȧDPMKȧ?Q?P?@G?ȧ?LBȧSAMTGL?ȧ0MK?LG?ȧRFCȧACLRPCȧDMPȧWMSRFȧUMPȧGLȧMTGȧ1?Bȧ1CP@G?ȧRFCȧ2SD?ȧWMSRFȧAJS@ȧMDȧL?P?ȧ2SPCWȧRFCȧ'LQRGRSRCȧMDȧP?GLG?Lȧ1RSBGCQȧ*TGTȧP?GLC



58omputer programming or music production are not things that many girls have the opportunity to try. Te freiTräume project gave them a chance. A group of young women from different creative and

technical backgrounds created a series of non-formal workshops on making radio shows and animated films,designing and programming a computer robot, creating a magazine, becoming a professional DJ, and song writing.

Six young women managed a team offering 18 different workshops, as well as vocational counselling andorientation. Te workshops were promoted in schools,youth centres and youth networks in and aroundSalzburg. In doing so, the project team improved theirown project management skills and encountered new ranges of contacts.

ry it yourself Young women discover their talents

7



59~ȧ2FCȧUMPQFMNȧU?Qȧgreat and we all learnta lot veryone couldQ?WȧUF?RȧRFCWȧRFMSEFRȧ

?LBȧ@PGLEȧGLȧRFCGPȧMULȧideas’

More than 200 girls and young women around Salzburg benefited, and the encouragement they received helpedthem to gain self-confidence as well as to discover new talents and skills. Tey could then approach their future

professional careers from new perspectives.

freiTräume still exists. Many of the participantsremained in contact with the project team via Facebook,witter or mailing lists. Te website remains online,offering workshops to anyone who is interested.

Te project ran for 18 months in 2009–10, and workshops and camps for girls were organised in

Salzburg city and Zell am See in Austria.

ȧ7MSRFȧ'LGRG?RGTCȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧnational agency in ustriaroject carried out by informal group ry it yourself, ustria



60wo uropean oluntary ervice volunteers fromGermany and Spain spent 10 months in Depaul’sresidential projects for people with addiction problems,encouraging the people living there to develop new

skills and interests. Te fact that the volunteerscame from different cultures brought fresh thinking,motivated and boosted self-esteem among the peoplethey were working with, and contributed to the harmminimisation approach of the hostel. Activities rangedfrom cookery classes to developing skills in writing a CV. Te volunteers were encouraged to document theirexperiences in writing and with photographs, and to

share these stories.

resh thinking to counter unemployment

8



61~ȧ#TCPWMLCȧ@CLCȏRQȧUGRFȧTMJSLRCCPQȧDPMKȧMRFCPȧAMSLRPGCQȧE?GLGLEȧCVNCPGCLACȧQGJJQȧ?LBȧ

LCUȧGLQGEFRQȧGLRMȧBGȎCPCLRȧU?WQȧMDȧJGTGLEȧUFGJCȧ"CN?SJȧIreland and its service-SQCPQȧNPMȏRȧDPMKȧRFCȧvolunteers’ energy andCLRFSQG?QKȧ?LBȧJC?PLȧ?@MSRȧMRFCPȧASJRSPCQ

‘ y settling into aforeign country, copingUGRFȧNPM@JCKQȧGLȧ#LEJGQFȧ?LBȧUMPGLEȧin a new environment,I became more andKMPCȧQCJDAMLȏBCLRȧ?LBȧindependent’

Tis project took place in mid 2010–11 in Belfast, where Depaul manages two hostels that providehousing and support to families that are homelessdue to unemployment, unplanned pregnancies,

domestic violence or family break-ups. Volunteershad an opportunity to experience the full range of Depaul progammes, which also include easy-to-accessfree training for young unemployed people fromdisadvantaged areas.

ȧ#SPMNC?Lȧ4MJSLR?PWȧ1CPTGACȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧ?ECLAWȧGLȧRFCȧ.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@Wȧ#VNCPGKCLRȧC4ȧ%CPK?LWȧQMAG?AGŁLȧN?P?ȧCJȧ$MKCLRMȧBCJȧ#KNJCMȧBCȧJMQȧŁTCLCQȧBCȧ!?QRGJJ?*?ȧ+?LAF?ȧ$#+ȧ!*+ȧ1N?GLȧRFCȧ"CN?SJȧ2PSQRȧMPRFCPLȧ'PCJ?LBȧ



622MȧMTCPAMKCȧRFCȧBGȑASJRGCQ of engaging young people in discussions about employment and thelabour market, this project adopted a learn-as-you-play approach. It created a highly accessible online

game through which young people could learn in a structured, but non-formal, way. Te game enticesyoung people to take part through stories they caneasily relate to about four very different peopleencountering difficulties in the labour market. Tegame takes 15 minutes to play, and participants areasked to select from a range of options what happensto the characters and how they should react. In this

way, participants learn more about employment andunemployment, and gain greater awareness of theobstacles and opportunities that they are likely to comeacross themselves.

It raises questions — and provides answers — abouthow far work is a right or a duty, about career pathsand about where help can be obtained. A backgroundpack of advice dispels some of the myths about the

world of work, helping youngsters cope better with thereality of the job market and its challenges.

Te project targeted youngsters who are unemployed, working in interim jobs or are likely to drop out of school. Te game was offered in public places, such asthe Ghent festival or employment fairs, and has so farreached 300 youngsters. It helped them think aboutchoices that would be best for them, and also offered

Working out how to get into work

9



63~CȧU?LRCBȧRFCȧTMGACȧof young people to beFC?PBȧGLȧBGQASQQGLEȧ jobs and urope, so

UCȧJMMCBȧDMPȧ?ȧDPCQFȧ?NNPM?AFȧRMȧCLE?EGLEȧRFCK

them ways to make their voices heard by policymakersthrough an interactive debate with specialists andpoliticians in the Flemish region. One of the youngsters who started up the project, with a Master’s in history,

was himself unemployed, but subsequently got a job asa project coordinator in an organisation that works onunemployment topics.

Te project was carried out by an informal groupof four young people from Flanders, Belgium, inpartnership with youth organisations, including KAJ,Minderhedenforum, Vlaamse Jeugdraad, ACV, ABVV and Victoria Deluxe.

ȧ7MSRFȧ'LGRG?RGTCȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧ?ECLAWȧGLȧRFCȧ$JCKGQFQNC?GLEȧAMKKSLGRWȧMDȧCJEGSKroject carried out by informal group atan ertogen, elgium



64MRȧCTCPWMLCȧ@CAMKCQȧ?ȧP?ȓQK?L a herbalist,a rescuer, a magician or a bodyguard. But precisely because these are professions not typically linked toclassic education systems, they were at the centre of

a project aimed at helping young people with feweropportunities to make a successful transition betweenschool and the world of work.

Te participants were a group of young people, many of them on the verge of becoming drop-outs becauseof social and economic obstacles, learning difficulties,family violence or their refugee backgrounds. Teproject gave them the encouragement to look for ideasand inspiration for their future professional lives, anddemonstrated to them that they can be creative ingenerating work for themselves. Stove-making was

very part counts!Moving from school to work



65‘ Young people facingNPM@JCKQȧ?RȧQAFMMJȧ?LBȧ?RȧFMKCȧE?GLCBȧQCJDAMLȏBCLACȧ?LBȧ@MMQRCBȧ

RFCGPȧAF?LACQȧMDȧȏLBGLEȧa job’

presented during a two-day action where the young people invited local citizens to participate in building anoutdoor fireplace, which they decorated with a mosaicrelating a story of friendship, intercultural dialogue and

creativity.

Te young people watched professionals at work,interviewed them and tried out those jobs forthemselves. Troughout the project, the participantsconstantly reviewed and discussed what they had doneand seen, and took part in planning each day’s activities.Tey enhanced their practical skills in, for instance,making travel and administrative arrangements,organising food supplies and taking measurements.Tey also improved their abilities to communicate intheir own and in foreign languages through writing letters to sponsors and donors, and creating an Englishdictionary for easier communication among themselves.Te result was that they became more employable andmore confident in their own abilities, with better socialand civic competencies, and greater abilities to establish

good relations and manage conflicts.

Te Youth Exchange project took place near Maribor,Slovenia, during a fortnight in late 2010, and involved26 young people from Germany, Slovenia andSpain. It was organised by Youth Aid Centre, a non-governmental organisation based in Slovenia in the fieldof rights and the personal and social development of young people.

ȧ7MSRFȧ#VAF?LECȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧnational agency in lovenia.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@WȧCRXUCPȧ1NGCJSJRSPȧ.PCLXJ?SCPȧCPEȧC4ȧȧ1.ȧMJJCȧȧ%CPK?LWȧ"PSĒRTMȧ!CLRCPȧX?ȧNMKMŖȧKJ?BGKȧȧNMBPSēLGA?ȧ+?PG@MPȧ1JMTCLG?ȧQMAG?AGŁLȧQR?PEGȧ%GX?PRCȧ#J?PRC?ȧ1N?GL



667MSRFȧUMPCPQȧDPMKȧ?APMQQȧ#SPMNC spent a week together exchanging experience and ideas abouttackling youth unemployment and advising young people about opportunities under EU programmes.

As part of the project, participants conductedresearch into the factors governing employment.Tey concluded that while they could not themselvesinfluence many broader issues, such as the economiccontext, they could argue for facilities to help young people develop skills and for a boost to non-formaleducational possibilities, support mechanisms forunemployed young people and the fight againstdiscrimination.

One of the central conclusions was that it isimportant to look at the context in understanding the characteristics of unemployment among youthin different countries. Tis was the key to tackling unemployment as a social phenomenon among youthand to finding ways to overcome it — such as using the Youth in Action programme as a tool. Participants

‘ don’t have a job but am working on it’Training for youth workers to combat

unemployment

3



67~ȧ"SPGLEȧRFCȧAMSPQCȧI found out aboutK?LWȧU?WQȧ@WȧUFGAFȧMRFCPȧAMSLRPGCQȧȏEFRȧ

unemployment amongyoung people, and'ȧJC?PLRȧKCRFMBQȧRMȧFCJNȧRFCKȧRMȧFCJNȧRFCKQCJTCQ

also derived benefit from living and working in aninternational group, cooperating on common objectives,using English more freely and confidently both in work and personal contexts, and learning to learn through

new methods. Further ideas on international projectshave been launched.

Tis training course was organised by the Portuguese Youth in Action national agency and the SALOInclusion resource centre in Guimarães, Portugal, inmid-2009 and brought together 26 people from 16countries: Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France,Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Poland,Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.Most of the organisations involved work on inclusionin the field of employment.

ȧRP?GLGLEȧAMSPQCȧMPE?LGQCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧnational agency in ortugal and O Inclusionesource entre



68even unemployed young people acquired a new understanding of looking for a job during a three-week European Voluntary Service project at a vocationalschool in rural Estonia. Tey learnt some — literally

— concrete skills in laying a new floor, under thesupervision of qualified educators. Coming from Italy,Latvia, Lithuania Spain, Sweden and the UK, andmixing with unemployed young people from Estonia who also became involved, they overcame languagebarriers and came into contact with other cultures.

On the personal level, the project also proved to themthat they can have an effect on the world around themand that they have the power to make constructivechanges. Tese were all youngsters with feweropportunities, and half of them had related social or

Jump startGiving young people a new sense

of motivation

3



69~ȧCȧUMPȧMLȧBCTCJMNGLEȧRFCȧAMKNCRCLACQȧMDȧWMSLEȧNCMNJCȧUGRFȧemployability problems,

RMȧGLAPC?QCȧRFCGPȧparticipation in society?LBȧMLȧRFCȧJ?@MSPȧK?PCR

health problems. Trough living and working together,and sharing their cultures, they developed their socialskills and capacities to work in a team, and widenedtheir horizons. Te project’s non-formal learning

approach, focusing on the individual situation andneeds of each participant, helped boost their confidenceand self-motivation, and made them more employable.Trough this project, they developed a new desireto plan for their future and to identify objectives forthemselves.

Ultimately, there was a positive impact on localcommunities too. When they returned home,the youngsters displayed an interest in activeparticipation in society: some got jobs, others wentback to school, and some became involved in otherreintegration programmes and international youthprojects. Presentations they made about their projectraised awareness of Europe and of Youth in Actionopportunities among local young people. Te schoolbenefited from a new floor, too. In addition, for some

of the school’s staff and organisers in the small Estonianvillage where the project took place, this was a novelteaching method and their first experience of dealing with youngsters from different parts of Europe.

Tis short-term European Voluntary Service projectran for one month in 2010 at Kehtna Economy andechnology School in Estonia.

ȧ#SPMNC?Lȧ4MJSLR?PWȧ1CPTGACȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧnational agency in stoniaroject carried out by ubic (ultur und ildung im ontext), ustria;CFRL?ȧ+?H?LBSQȧH?ȧ2CFLMJMMEG?MMJȧ#QRMLG?ȧ!MLRGLSMSQȧARGMLȧ#QRMLG?ȧQF?LE?ȧ$GLJ?LBȧ!#1'#ȧLJSQȧ!CLRPMȧ1RSBGȧCBȧ'LGXG?RGTCȧ#SPMNCMȧLJSQȧ'R?JWȧBSJRȧ#BSA?RGMLȧ!CLRPCȧ!CQGQȧ*?RTG?ȧ?SLGKMȧK?GLSȧ?ECLRSP?ȧ*GRFS?LG?ȧ$'ȧQMAG?AGŁLȧN?P?ȧJ?ȧ$MPK?AGŁLȧWȧARGTGB?BCQȧ'LRCPASJRSP?JCQȧN?P?ȧJ?ȧSTCLRSBȧ1N?GLȧ%ńRC@MPEQȧQR?Bȧ

*GLLĸQR?BCLLEBMKQCLFCRCLȧ1UCBCLȧ.MGLRȧ#SPMN?ȧ



702FGQȧNPMHCARȧU?QȧBCQGELCBȧDMPȧWMSLEȧNCMNJC currently unemployed and willing to learn in order toget a job. A group of 80 young students from the city of Kaunas and the Kaunas region in Lithuania started

the project to introduce young people — particularly those suffering from health problems or otherdisadvantages — to the local labour market.

In a first phase, local businessmen took part inseminars, assisted in simulating job interviews andoffered inputs to an analysis of the labour market.Tey also provided guidance on writing motivationletters and compiling CVs, showing participantshow to continuously rewrite in order to improvethe documents and to sharpen the young people’sown critical and analytical capacities. Tere wasalso extensive role-play and simulations of businesssituations and negotiations. Participants met successful

(UnemploymentIs this an opportunity?

33



71~ȧ2FGQȧNPMHCARȧKMRGT?RCBȧWMSLEȧNCMNJCȧUFMȧF?BȧJGRRJCȧAMLȏBCLACȧ'RȧE?TCȧRFCKȧRFCȧAMLȏBCLACȧ

RMȧ?NNPM?AFȧRFCȧHM@ȧK?PCRȧUGRFȧ?ȧLCUȧsense of purpose’

businessmen and potential employers, learnt bestpractices, and gained a sense of how they might plantheir own careers.

More than half of the participants subsequently put what they had learnt into practice. Participants were motivated by hearing successful stories frombusinessmen, who encouraged them to look for jobsor to start their own businesses. From the contactsestablished with the business sector, nine participantsfound a job and 47 kept in touch with the organisersasking for help on various topics. Tree participantsbecame members of the initiative group and are still working in non-profit organisations. Some participantsmade a movie to share their experiences and theresults of the project. Te people running the projectdeveloped their skills in lecturing and in projectmanagement.

Te project ran for six months in 2010 and was carriedout by an informal group of four students from Kaunas,Lithuania.

ȧ7MSRFȧ'LGRG?RGTCȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧ?ECLAWȧGLȧ*GRFS?LG?.PMHCARȧA?PPGCBȧMSRȧ@WȧGLDMPK?JȧEPMSNȧ'LGAG?RWTGLĺȧH?SLȧQRSBCLRȧEPSNĺȧ*GRFS?LG?



72PGBECQȧRMȧMP was a conference that built networksamong people working on youth employment andentrepreneurship, strengthening links betweenemployment and the youth sector so as to improve

young people’s chances on the labour market.

It provided employers, employment services, jobcoaches, youth workers, project managers andpolicymakers with an overview of funding and supportprogrammes. It also demonstrated employment projectsfor young people, showcased good employment andentrepreneurship practices, and offered feedback onhow projects can be best adapted to evolving needs.

Te three-day conference featured a mixture of keynote speeches, workshops, visits to local projects

ridges to workStronger links between employment and

youth



73~ȧCȧLCCBȧ?ȧAF?LECȧMDȧmentalities e need tobuild bridges betweenyoung people and

employers, but we alsoneed to build bridgesbetween generations’

~7MSȧF?TCȧRMȧEGTCȧWMSLEȧpeople responsibilities?LBȧ?TMGBȧRFGLGLEȧ|Fȧ

@SRȧRFCWȧBMLRȧLMUȧCLMSEF}

and interactive discussions. In parallel, a youth seminar was held, involving 23 young people who were facing diffi culties finding a job and who were engaged inemployment or entrepreneurship projects. Te young

people’s views were shared with the other participantsas a reality check on suggestions, programmes andinitiatives under discussion. Tey asked for recognitionof their skills, for a more realistic and adjustededucation system, and for real opportunities that allow them to fully enter an ever-more competitive jobsmarket.

Te participants brainstormed on how they couldhave a positive impact on combating youth joblessnessand promoting entrepreneurship across Europe. Tey designed concrete action plans to improve chances foryoung people on the labour market, and committedthemselves to cooperation projects, exchanges of information, new campaigns, future contacts, localinitiatives, mobility projects and new ways of working.Most participants reported that they had made plans for

new employment or entrepreneurship projects in lightof the conference.

Te conference took place from 18 to 21 October 2011in Antwerp, Belgium, and featured 150 stakeholders,including 23 young jobseekers involved in employmentor entrepreneurship projects.

ȧQCKGL?PȧMPE?LGQCBȧ@Wȧ1*2ȧ'LAJSQGMLȧCJEGSKȧGLȧAMMNCP?RGMLȧUGRFȧO raining and ooperation (ermany), O ultural iversityȧ?LBȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧ?ECLAGCQȧGLȧRFCȧ$JCKGQFQNC?GLEȧAMKKSLGRWȧMDȧCJEGSKȧ%CPK?LWȧ"CLK?Pȧ!PM?RG?ȧ&SLE?PWȧ*GCAFRCLQRCGLȧ*SVCK@MSPEȧRFCȧCRFCPJ?LBQȧ1JMTCLG?ȧ1N?GLȧ?LBȧRFCȧ



74 group of young people ran a project that they devised themselves, exploring how the difficulties they encountered in moving from school to employmentmight play into youth policies and attitudes. Tey

shared their experiences — good and bad — withone another, with other young people and withpolicymakers, in a bid to gain a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges at local and atEuropean levels.

Tey looked beyond their own experience of unemployment and examined ways of escaping fromit. Some had grown up in local authority care, all hadfew formal qualifications or learnt skills, and camefrom backgrounds with limited social and economicopportunities in cities or rural areas.

Te project developed a sense of ambition through a blend of meetings, workshops using artwork, imagery,music and film from across Europe, and onlineresources and interactive tools. Each member of thegroup made an individual contribution to the project:some were involved in the practical organisationand administration, others led discussions on youthunemployment and some made presentationson European culture. In addition, everyone wasresponsible for engaging other local young people andfor making representations to policymakers, including councillors and members of the National Assembly for Wales and the European Parliament.

ransitions to employment for youngpeople in rural and urban

south Wales

35



75‘ Our initiative cancontribute to building a#SPMNCȧRF?RȧT?JSCQȧ?LBȧQSNNMPRQȧGRQȧWMSRF

Participants learnt about networking skills, the idea of job creation, deciding on what to do in life andreturning to education.

Tey also developed a workshop for youth groups,practitioners and policymakers to identify key factorsin transitions from education to employment andto discuss the contribution of individual actions andattitudes as well as access to support services. Betterunderstanding was achieved by presenting real-lifeexperiences, rather than just theories and statistics —and from the perspective of young people, rather thanthrough the policy context.

Te project, supported by a coach, involved an informalgroup of six people from Cardiff, Wales (UK). It ran forfour months in late 2010 and early 2011.

ȧ7MSRFȧ'LGRG?RGTCȧNPMHCARȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧ?ECLAWȧGLȧRFCȧroject carried out by informal group an utler,



762FGQȧQCKGL?PȧU?QȧAPC?RCBȧto equip young peoplein Europe with skills and knowledge to improve theirchances in the world of work, and particularly toencourage them to start their own companies. Serbia

was chosen as the location so that participants couldexplore the possibilities for implementing their businessplans in its less developed areas suffering from long-term unemployment.

All 30 participants — students from 15 differentcountries — had already received some career adviceand were interested in further guidance. Te seminarcovered aspects of establishing a business, including writing, developing and finalising a business plan,EU funding opportunities, and leadership training.Te working language was English, which they had to

ead the wayThe sky is the only limit

3



~ȧ2FGQȧ?JJMUCBȧKCȧRMȧ?NNPM?AFȧRFCȧ@SQGLCQQȧUMPJBȧUFGJCȧCLHMWGLEȧRFCȧASJRSP?JȧKGVȧMDȧpeople from all overurope — and buildingLCUȧPCJ?RGMLQFGNQȧRFPMSEFMSRȧRFCȧ

continent’

master to present their business cases. Te internationalnature of the seminar allowed participants’ conceptsto be assessed from different viewpoints. Discussions with business executives from Serbia and expertson EU programmes alerted the participants to new possibilities and to how the EU framework can helpthem overcome challenges in their field. Te broaderopportunities of European politics and wider challenges

of sustainable development, poverty and green energy were also covered. In addition, everyone involved in theseminar learnt more about needs at the level of localcommunities and about how to help those with feweropportunities.

Te project ran for 10 days in March 2011. It wascarried out by the Slovenian branch of a Europeanassociation of electrical engineering students that

promotes international contacts. It was hosted by the IAESE Local Committee Belgrade, the Serbianmember. Other countries involved were Bosnia andHerzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Montenegro,Poland, Romania, Spain and urkey.

ȧRP?GLGLEȧAMSPQCȧDSLBCBȧ@WȧRFCȧ7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧL?RGML?Jȧ?ECLAWȧGLȧ1JMTCLG?roject carried out by tudent nion of niversity of ast arajevo,osnia and erzegovina; arajevo, osnia and erzegovina;QRSBCLRȧMPE?LGQ?RGMLȧ?RȧRFCȧ$?ASJRWȧMDȧ#JCARPGA?Jȧ#LEGLCCPGLEȧ?LBȧ!MKNSRGLEȧ!PM?RG?ȧ'###ȧ1RSBCLRȧP?LAFȧ+?ACBMLG?ȧRFCȧDMPKCPȧ7SEMQJ?Tȧ0CNS@JGAȧMDȧ+?ACBMLG?ȧ$?AFQAF?ȓȧ#JCRPMRCAFLGȧSLBȧ'LDMPK?RGMLQRCAFLGȧ2ȧ+ňLAFCLȧ%CPK?LWȧ'###ȧ2ȧ1RSBCLRȧP?LAFȧ%PCCACȧ+?EW?Pȧ4GJJ?KMQKȧĸPLȧƆȧĸQȧ'LDMPK?RGSQF?JJE?RŁȧ

#EWCQňJCRCȧ&SLE?PWȧ#TPMNQMȧSBPSēCLHCȧQRSBCL?R?ȧCJCRPMRCFLGCȧrna ora, ontenegro; O lub, oland; ucuresti,omania; lectrical ngineering tudents’ uropean ssociation##12#!ȧ'#12#ȧ*MA?Jȧ!MKKGRRCCȧCJEP?BCȧ1CP@G?ȧBPSēCLHCȧĒRSBCLRMTȧCJCRPMRCFLGCȧGLȧP?ŖSL?JLGĒRT?ȧ1JMTCLG?ȧ"PSĒRTMȧĒRSBCLRMTȧ$#0'ȧ1JMTCLG?ȧ#SPGCJCAȧ1N?GLȧ'###ȧ+#2ȧ1RSBCLRȧP?LAFȧ2SPCW



78

Youth in ction

7MSRFȧGLȧARGMLȧGQȧRFCȧ#SPMNC?LȧLGMLȧNPMEP?KKC for all young people aged 15 to 28 (or in some cases 13 to 30). It enables more than150 000 young people and youth workers every year to exercise non-formal learning mobility across the EU and in 140 countries beyond by

getting involved in educational activities outside schools. With a budgetof EUR 885 million for the period 2007–13, the programme helps young people to develop skills and fosters their active participation in society. Itpromotes in particular the inclusion of young people facing obstacles intheir lives.

o achieve its objectives, the programme funds a wide variety of activitiesthrough five actions. Te activities include exchanges, initiatives,democracy projects and a voluntary service. It also supports youth

workers and youth organisations through training and networking, andpromotes European cooperation in the youth field.



Programme Actions

ACTION 1: Youth for Europe

Encourages young people’s active citizenship,participation and entrepreneurship by supporting exchanges, initiatives and democracy projects.

ACTION 2: European Voluntary erviceFosters young people’s sense of solidarity andtolerance by voluntary activities abroad carried outfor the benefit of local communities.

ACTION 3: Youth in the orld

Promotes mutual understanding through exchangesand partnerships among young people and youthorganisations across the world.

ACTION 4: Youth upport ystems

Helps youth workers and youth organisationsimprove the quality of their work.

ACTION 5: #SPMNC?LȧAMMNCP?RGMLȧGLȧRFCȧWMSRFȧȏCJB

Supports youth policy cooperation at European level,and facilitates dialogue between young people andpolicymakers.

Youth in ction: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/index_en.htm

more than

527 000 participants:

390 000young people and

137 000

youth workers;

30 100projects

were selected to

receive grants out of

61 000applications submitted;

20 000project promoters a

year: non-governmental

organisations, informal

groups of young people,municipalities.

Youth in Action

2007—10

http://ec.europa.eu/youth/index_en.htm




Youth in Action: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/index_en.htm

N C - 3 1

-1 1 -2 7 5 -E N - C



focus on youth employment

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