SOCIALNEET_From civil society organizations to social entrepreneurship. Combating youth unemployment and addressing the needs of NEETs

Project facts

Lead project partner:
Institute of Social Economy Studies(GR)
Project Number:
RF-YOUTH-0023
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€1,673,721
Final project cost:
€1,788,397
Beneficiary partners:
Craftsmen Association of Terni(IT)
Institute of Industrial and Business Education & Training(GR)
Janusz Korczak Pedagogical University in Warsaw(PL)
Municipality of Mataro(ES)
Polytechnic Institute of Bragança(PT)
Rezekne Academy of Technologies(LV)
University of Primorska(SI)
Expertise partners:
European Network of Cities and Regions for the Social Economy(BE)

More information

Description

The main challenge that the project addresses is the reintegration of young people (NEETs) into the labor market – our core objective the establishment of social innovative business solutions and the finding of employment in social enterprises by young unemployed people aged between 18-29 and 25-29 years old in particular. The NEETs will be trained and gain work-based experience in one or more social economy and civil society organisations.

Expected results constitute the rise of employability of NEETS from vulnerable groups of society in five main sectors such as culture and tourism industry, health care, agriculture, IT and open source software and alternative energy sources. We also aim to build an expert transnational cooperation network in 7 EU countries, to increase skills acquisition of former NEETs.

The transnational added value of our project is secured by its geographical span in 7 countries and the involvement of an expertise partner with substantial experience in social economy and entrepreneurship.

The project results will be measured through a monitoring and evaluation system established in all participating organisations and the establishment of quantitative and qualitative indicators. The methods used, the tools and the structures established within the project will be replicable and able to be funded within other European funding and national programs, ensuring in this way the sustainability of projects outcomes and outputs.

Summary of project results

The project addressed the need of promoting entrepreneurship education, training, coaching & consultation in deprived, unemployed and unmotivated youth people. SOCIALNEET tried to form a coalition of social forces in order to create new:

  • work opportunities in the 3rd sector
  • social enterprises
  • cooperatives
  • policies and methodologies

Each partner organized complementary activities the main of which were:

  • Awareness activities towards NEETS, civil society/central/local government organizations
  • Establishment of Meeting Points
  • Advisory & Consulting Services
  • Online training Courses
  • Work based training courses
  • Capacity building workshops

Project’s activities, products & services were important because they:

  • actually helped participating NEETs and CSOs
  • created added value
  • left useful material for capitalization
  • created a model to be followed in the framework of future initiatives

The goal of those activities was to:

  • raise awareness & motivate NEETs to participate in the activities,
  • raise & strengthen of public awareness regarding the objectives&activities of the project,
  • motivate & influence the specific target groups&audiences of the project,
  • increase public awareness & visibility about the contribution of the Donor countries, the EEA Grants&the Fund for Youth Employment,
  • generate awareness & interest to social economy of civil society organizations as well as public organizations & institutions.

Project’s results were of qualitative & quantitative value, with ocal/regional networks & coalitions formed. End beneficiaries had the opportunity for upskilling, getting in contact with a new labor market, finding or creating a job & learning to function in a collaborative environment. In general, despite some difficulties which partners faced such as COVID-19, SOCIALNEET project achieved its primary quantitative goals, increased transnational cooperation on labour market issues of the 3rd sector & created new employment opportunities to social economy & civil society organizations.

Information on the projects funded by the EEA and Norway Grants is provided by the Programme and Fund Operators in the Beneficiary States, who are responsible for the completeness and accuracy of this information.