The first objective of GIG UP is to contribute at empowerment of young people who only expreinced precarious work forms or that never worked before, by offering a program that reinforce and favour the development of transversal competences needed in the fast-changing world, encompassing: critical thinking and creativity, adaptability and an entrepreneurial mind-set. Also, GIG UP aims to prepare the GIG UP program (micro-courses package, skills assessment tools) to use gig economy as an activator for employability skills, entrepreneurial and organizational skills in young adults about to enter the labour market.
A transnational project is needed because a joint approach might be more effective to tackle common social issues related to youth unemployment, under- unemployment or NEETs, united with the growing interest provided by the GIG ECONOMY. The number of people taking part in gig economy work has doubled in the last three years, with young people the most likely to be working this way, according to new research. Data show in fact that one in three of those on zero-hour contracts and in the gig economy are young people. Today, nearly 40% of employed people in the European Union are in atypical employment (not working under a full-time, open-ended contract) or self-employed. The ‘gig economy’ is a new and still little known phenomenon that is reflected in the exponential growth of online platforms. Online platforms are used as one of the tools for managing work in various sectors across Europe and beyond.