Projekte

Kurzbeschreibung:

Projektziel

The overall objective of the regional programme is to contribute to youth employability and the creation of concrete job opportunities for youth in South-East Europe, thereby contributing to the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 1 (No Poverty), 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality) and 8 (Decent work and economic growth).

Programme Outcomes are

(1) Vulnerable young women and men have increased their employability through professional orientation, quality career guidance, first work experience and entrepreneurship practice; and

(2) Employers in the Balkan Region show increased preparedness and willingness to integrate young vulnerable workforce into their companies.

Erwartete Ergebnisse

The expected results of the project are:

(1) 4250 young vulnerable People (50% female) have received professional orientation and quality career guidance and are aware of their potential.

(2) Young vulnerable people are enrolled in / have completed soft skills and vocational training (50 % female).

(3) Young vulnerable people received business counselling / incubation and have started their own sustainable (social) business (50 % by female).

(4) Established linkage between young motivated workforce (pool of young women and men) and potential employers and other Stakeholders.

(5) Created support structure for employers and their needs.

(6) Awareness is raised towards a positive image on youth through knowledge transfer, exchange of good practice and networking with important stakeholders.

Zielgruppe

Target group:

• 4250 vulnerable young women and men in the age between 15 and 30 years (50% female; 8% minorities; 1% persons with disabilities), among them (long-term) unemployed, social welfare beneficiaries, persons not in employment, education or training (NEETs), persons with multiple disadvantages, etc.

• 200 local companies receiving well prepared young interns.

• 14 Guidance counsellors (GCs) who receive extra qualification for working with vulnerable young people and companies and for career guidance.

• Local labour market stakeholders and national Employment Services (NES), who will be involved in national and regional capacity building and networking.

Target countries and regions: Albania (Lezha, Kurbin), Bosnia-Herzegovina (Banja Luka, Mostar), Kosovo (Prizren, Gjakovë, Vitia, Kllokot), Serbia (Aleksinac, Ruma, Zrenjanin).

Maßnahmen

Activities include based on the result areas:

• Orientation of staff on legal framework for youth employment (linking with labour offices and other important stakeholder); Awareness raising and mobilising youth/potential beneficiaries; Strengthening cooperation with schools; Counselling and accompaniment of young people by guidance counsellors (GC).

• Training for soft skills (selection, curricula development, accompaniment, organisation of regular trainings); Training for vocational skills (selection of training providers based on beneficiaries’ needs / preferences, accompaniment through GCs).

• Talent scouting – incubator; Tender for social enterprises.

• Matching potential businesses and social enterprises with potential candidates (case by case); Placement of interns in businesses and social enterprises (signature of MoUs, accompaniment).

• Awareness raising among businesses and social enterprises on internship; Development of internship guidelines; Orientation / information sessions with mentors in businesses and social enterprises.

• National and regional networking; Promote the opportunities and results of the programme (link with other ongoing initiatives).

Hintergrundinformation

The programme will be implemented against the background of a high rate of unemployment of young vulnerable women and men in the targeted regions in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Serbia, whereas at the same time companies are in need for qualified workers. In schools, no system of vocational orientation is being offered; pupils leave schools with a skills gap. Young people do not have opportunities to collect short term working experience as there is no internship system and they are missing contacts and networks to find a job or to create their own start-up