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Description
"Lost Millenials" project strives to contribute to the successful integration of 25+ NEETs into the labour market or education and training by increasing knowledge on the effects of employment initiatives. 25+ NEETs are a usually neglected group of Millennials, who started their working life shortly after the economic crisis of 2008, perceiving uncertainty and lack of security for work and wellbeing. We focus on three types of activities:
- Capacity-building, with a transnational network of researchers and experts to share know-how and best practices;
- Research, with evaluations of governmental and community-based initiatives targeting 25+ NEETs;
- Stakeholder engagement, with various activities and events to engage experts, evaluators, NEETs and policy-makers and increase the relevance of project results for policy and practice.
In the first year of the project, partners carry out background research on the situation of 25+ NEETs, explore the relevant policy context and map the already existing initiatives and evaluation practices. The first comparative report of the project is expected to be published in July 2022. The capacity-building activities have also started with the first online event of the project which brought together over 60 researchers and experts in the fields of employment policy, youth (un)employment and impact evaluations from across Europe.
We aim to provide a comparative perspective on 25+ NEETs, the policy context and the labour market initiatives which will be evaluated by project partners. The project is implemented in 9 beneficiary countries with the support of 4 expertise partners, which enhances the transnational relevance of the research that has and will be carried out throughout the project’s lifetime.
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Summary of project results
The Lost Millennials project aimed to address the challenges faced by young people aged 25 to 29 who are not in employment, education or training (25+ NEETs). These individuals face significant obstacles to entering the labour market and become marginalised.
The project targeted researchers, experts in youth employment and labour market inclusion, as well as policymakers and evaluators.
A transnational research network was established with key activities that include producing research reports, organizing capacity-building and knowledge exchange events and engaging policymakers. First, the project team created and explored common ground for the analysis of trends and policies impacting 25+ NEETs across Europe (among many factors, the effect of the COVID-19). Another phase aimed at mapping initiatives for NEETs and their evaluation practices across beneficiary countries. As a next step, key employment initiatives addressing 25+ NEETs were evaluated in each beneficiary country, generating policy recommendations. Finally, the engagement of policy makers and practitioners was facilitated to ensure the outreach and dissemination of knowledge while building on enhanced cooperation among the research/evaluation community and policy/practitioners.
The project also built a knowledge community through exchange events (online panel discussions and live events) and internal trainings focused on evaluation methods and impact assessment to boost the consortium''s capacity and engage stakeholders in youth employment fields. A large closing, policy-oriented conference was held in Brussels, attracting international attention to the topic.
The project has produced significant knowledge, serving academia, practitioners and policy-making alike. By focusing on the often-overlooked demographic of 25+ NEETs, the project delved into their unique challenges, effectively addressing their needs. Capacity building was a key aspect, both within the partnership and extending beyond it to researcher community as well as professionals implementing initiatives addressing 25+ NEETs. Through strong cooperation, the network of researchers was created, fostering collaboration in the realm of youth unemployment and evaluation. The cooperation among PPs - although a less visible result - it is crucial as it forms a solid foundation for future endeavors, with some collaborations already underway. Importantly, the project highlighted the significance of evaluating employment initiatives, engaging stakeholders through various activities. This has led to an expansion of the evaluation base, contributing to a more robust evaluation culture in Europe. Through the many stakeholder engagement and the policy briefs, attitudes of stakeholders towards the benefits and usefulness of evaluations were sensitized, marking the initial steps towards evidence- (and evaluation-)based policymaking. Moreover, the project didn''t just generate research results; it also provided tangible outputs, primarily through events involving target stakeholders, ensuring practical impact alongside academic insights.
It increased knowledge about the effects of employment initiatives, enhancing the capacity of stakeholders to conduct impact studies, and improving the quality of labour market interventions.
The project has already shown significant impact, including enhanced understanding among stakeholders of effective strategies for youth integration. This support better-designed policies and programs that are more responsive to the needs of young people facing employment barriers. By focusing on 25+ NEETs, the Lost Millennials project not only addressed immediate needs but also contributed to broader societal changes that will benefit future generations.
Summary of bilateral results
This collaboration facilitated a fruitful exchange of knowledge and ideas, crucial for both sides, and fostered mutual understanding and capacity building among the beneficiary country partners. As donor countries have developed social systems and policies regarding the challenges connected to NEETs, beneficiary partners were able to learn about and understand those polices and evaluation techniques. The embeddedness of donor partners into the local and national policy ecosystem and stakeholder networks were also orienting for project partners to look into. In a wider perspective, the project partners are now better connected to the research and evaluation networks of the EU, and have a fast trek to reach out to colleagues regarding any professional issues. Importantly, the connections go beyond the consortium - policy representatives and stakeholders from different countries, regions have met each other and learnt from each others'' experiences and conduct. In the future, there are many bilateral and multilateral cooperation plans. Joint publications based on the Lost Millenials project may as well emerge after the closure of the project, as certain academic research phases are built on each other. The connections at both institutional and expert levels faciliate the access to more joint conference presentation and publication opportunities as well, aiding the dissemination of knowledge on NEET policy evaluations. Partners are also looking into possible future projects, in a larger groupings of the partners as well on the bilateral level. Important future potential is in the deeper evaluation of specific thematic issues relevant for the donor countries and some beneficiaries - such as sub-groups of NEETs and the policies responding to those challenges. Finally, the practice and expertise of the donor countries is worth studying in terms of stakeholder and policy engagement and also civil society participation in the policy process.