Description
The project addresses two central needs of young people with special needs: the need for counselling and career guidance; the need to develop basic skills needed in the labour market inclusion of young people finish compulsory education. The main objective of the project is to improve the socio-professional and educational integration, the access to labour market and knowledge on labour market for youngsters in high school coming from vulnerable environments. To achieve that objective will be developed a set of instruments of educational counselling and career orientation for 100 high school students at risk and 100 parents/tutors of the students. Also, through the project, 100 representatives of Youth Foundation (FPT) and the County Department for Youth and Sports will be trained in working with youth in risk.
Summary of project results
The project was based on the need of young people graduating compulsory education to benefit from vocational guidance and development of competences needed for integration on the labour market. 89,7% of highschool pupils consider this type of services as important for their future. At the same time, the opportunities to benefit from these services are limited, as in Mehedinți County there were not enough NGOs providing these activities, while schools concentrate on academic teaching, leaving counselling at the own initiative of lead teachers. School psycho-educational cabinets focus on crisis situations, less on vocational aspects and are under-staffed anyway. The project aimed to develop and implement a set of measures to improve the social inclusion and educational-vocational integration of youth at risk from Mehedinți County. A number of 209 young people, out of which 38 Roma, coming from families with a precarious economic condition, with parents working abroad, have benefitted from counselling and development of competencies on topics such as communication, team work, leadership, decision making, conflict mediation and other key competencies required on the labour market. 30 of these youth have been trained as “peer supporters”, contributing to promotion among the other youth of an assertive attitude against discrimination and in favour of inclusive culture. A number of 126 parents, out of which 13 Roma, have participated in workshops for identification of personal and vocational development needs of their own children, as well as in common workshops parents-children. A total of 127 specialists from public institutions and NGOS – county departments for youth, youth foundations – from Mehedinți, Timiș, Vâlcea, Dâmbovița, București, Olt Counties have attended information and best practice transfer seminars regarding the counselling of youth and their parents. The project contributed to the development and implementation in a public-private partnership of a counselling methodology for young people and their parents, that facilitates social inclusion and vocational integration.
Summary of bilateral results