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Description
The project aims at developing an innovative model to evaluate and develop the competencies of minimum 300 NEETs aged between 24 and 29 years old from different vulnerable groups (low-skilled, at risk of poverty, migrants, people with mental and physical disabilities, and Roma people), and supporting them through the Work Integration Social Enterprise (WISE) and Local Stakeholder Committees (LSC) models in accessing apprenticeship and learning on the job stages, based on a transnational partnership. The beneficiaries our project benefit from a 6-month program of learning through experience through apprenticeship stages in social enterprises and internship stages in private entities, receiving a certificate that highlights competencies which they developed or obtained by learning on the job.
Among the project’s outputs, the following can be mentioned: training of 15 WISE experts, training of 25 LSCs to support the employability of the NEETs, an online platform to facilitate the socio-professional inclusion of the young people, but also several resources that are already available online: Innovation Book, Apprenticeship Book, Work-based Training Book.
SEPAL Coalition is another output of the project, aiming at improving partners’ capacity to assist NEETs’ integration on the labor market through preparing a common action plan of intervention at EU level. A final international conference will be organised, where the project results will be communicated.
We also managed to organise a series of online events “Let’s NEET Together”, inviting all the projects funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants’ Fund for Youth Employment, which turned into a European movement, during which the other projects had the opportunity to exchange best practices, sharing their innovative solutions, tools, models or methods they use, and, last but not least, their success stories.
Summary of project results
The SEPAL project was initiated to address the pressing challenge of youth unemployment, particularly among NEETs aged 18 to 29, across Romania, Spain, Greece, Lithuania, and Poland. These young individuals faced significant barriers to entering the labor market, including lack of skills, limited access to employment opportunities, and social exclusion.
Throughout the project, various activities were implemented to provide individualized supported employment services to over 600 NEETs. The SEPAL WISE model guided the approach, which included initial evaluation and diagnosis, apprenticeship and on-the-job learning within Supported Employment Services (SES), internships, coaching, mentoring within regular firms, and job mediation and employment. Additionally, the project involved training 30 coaches and mentors, engaging with 5 WISE experts, and collaborating with more than 45 local stakeholders.
The importance of the project lay in its ability to address a critical social issue, empower young individuals facing unemployment, and contribute to sustainable development. By equipping NEETs with skills and facilitating their transition into the labor market, the project not only improved their individual well-being but also strengthened the social fabric and economic resilience of communities. Moreover, the project''s emphasis on collaboration and capacity-building ensured its long-term impact, paving the way for continued support for NEETs and sustainable socio-economic development.
The main results of the project were significant. More than 600 NEETs received support, enhancing their skills and accessing employment opportunities. The project fostered partnerships between different stakeholders, including social service providers, labor offices, NGOs, education centers, and businesses. As a result, the situation improved for the end beneficiaries, with increased employment rates and improved socio-economic integration.