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Description
Carinthia region is a lagging region characterised by lower level of development compared to Slovenia''s average, declining population and faster ageing of the population. Young people are leaving the region due to lack of suitable jobs, insecure (precarious) employment, poorer quality of life and low accessibility of services compared to urban centers and neighboring cross-border regions. The project aims to establish a support environment network for young people in the Carinthia region. The network provides newly designed services (info points or job stations, virtual youth incubator of Carinthia, model of active participation of young people) and upgraded services (active young people - skills for life and career) which help establish conditions for a quality life in the region with the goal of reducing brain drain or securing better future for young people in the region. The overarching goal follows the Development Strategy of Slovenia 2030 which focuses on the quality of life. From an individual''s point of view, the latter reflects in having a good job and good education opportunities as well as opportunities to be creative, the possibility to lead a dignified, safe and active life, and the possibility to participate in democratic decision-making and co-management of society. The main project result is the increase of support to young people and contribution to better education and better social environment through equal accessibility of ICT services for young people in the Carinthia region to achieve a greater number of young people who are active and have access to a quality support environment.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to address several key challenges faced by the Carinthian development region. The first and most important challenge was reducing the region''s developmental lag compared to the average development level of Slovenia and achieving faster convergence with the development level of neighboring border regions and EU regions. The region is dealing with a decline in population, faster aging of the population, and the emigration of young people due to a lack of suitable jobs, housing, and quality of life. One of the key challenges was, therefore, to create conditions that would attract young people back to the region and provide them with a dignified and quality life. The region also faces the challenge of reducing inequality and ensuring a dignified and quality life for everyone, where projects like KOR-NET and social activation services for the inclusion of disadvantaged groups in society provide the way forward.
The project focused on retaining young people in the Carinthia region and reducing brain drain with the aim of creating a high-quality living environment that encourages young people to return to Carinthia after their education or even move to the region. The project''s activities primarily involved establishing a supportive environment for youth, where, in addition to new 13 workstations for young people throughout the region, the project fostered intensive collaboration with local organizations and improved communication about youth support activities through the Virtual Youth Incubator Carinthia web portal (https://kor-net.si/), social media, and media contributions. Throughout the project, we enhanced youth involvement in democratic processes by connecting with local decision-makers, particularly through the publication of the "Model of Active Youth Participation," which allows young people to influence decision-making in municipalities and shape their own future. During the project implentation, 26 educational and support events, workshops, training sessions for mentoring young people were organised, such as youth camp, Active Youth programme - Skills for life and career. 1604 young people were included in different activities and 27 staff trained to work with/support young people.
The primary beneficiaries of the KOR-NET project were young people from the Carinthia region, especially those from vulnerable groups, as well as youth sector professionals. The main achievements include the establishment of a supportive environment for youth, primarily through the creation of 13 workstations for young people across the region, providing them with technical and informational support. Additionally, the project established the Virtual Youth Incubator of Koroška – an online platform that offers young people access to up-to-date and relevant content and information, primarily aimed at them (and those working with or for young people). During the project, intensive collaboration with local organizations was established, and communication about the activities of the youth support environment improved through the Virtual Youth Incubator website, social media, and media coverage. Young people were actively involved in the preparation and publication of the Model of Active Youth Participation – reaching around 10% of all youth in Carinthia region. This increased youth participation in democratic processes by giving them a greater influence on decisions made by key stakeholders, who are supported by this publication in improving the state of the youth sector in Carinthia. Within the numerous educational and support activities and events, young people developed soft skills and entrepreneurial competencies.
Summary of bilateral results
The Norwegian project partner Bjerkaker Learning Lab (BLL) is active in the field of lifelong learning and has experience with projects related to active citizenship and vulnerable youth. BLL''s role in the KOR-NET project significantly contributed to the understanding and knowledge of the youth and NGO sectors in Norway, which are considerably more advanced compared to Slovenia. The presence of the Norwegian project partner was crucial as it brought additional expertise, experience, and resources that greatly contributed to the project''s success. The Norwegian project partner facilitated the exchange of best practices, which helped to enhance the planned activities. Another important element was their support in preparing the "Model of Active Youth Participation" publication, where they highlighted numerous examples of good practices and shared them with the wider public. BLL also contributed to staff training through lectures, especially for mentors, helping to ensure the project''s sustainability and long-term effectiveness. Additionally, the Norwegian project partner increased the international visibility of the project, opening up opportunities for future collaboration and knowledge exchange.Further bilateral cooperation is not precisely planned, but it is likely that the connections between the Slovenian project partners and the Norwegian project partner will be maintained. They are leaving the possibilities for further collaboration open in case of securing another project funded by the EEA or Norway Grants.