By implementing the WeNEETlabs project, we aimed to address social exclusion and unemployment among young NEETs, particularly women, by developing key competencies such as entrepreneurship and digital literacy within social entrepreneurship. Our goal was to enhance the employability of young European women aged 18-30 by creating a learning environment that helped them develop essential skills, including entrepreneurial, digital, and interpersonal abilities, through game-based online tools. We sought to upskill NEET women, engaging them in education and training, and empowering them with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to enter the job market. The project also focused on increasing the capacity of youth workers to deliver innovative, digitalized social entrepreneurship education, especially in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 era. Additionally, we aimed to strengthen support for NEET women by connecting them with social entrepreneurs for mentoring and networking, while fostering greater engagement between NEET youth and employers in the social entrepreneurship sector. Ultimately, we sought to stimulate cross-sector collaboration and improve youth employability in the field.
We applied for this project due to growing concerns about the increasing number of NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) youth, especially young women, a trend exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eurostat data from 2020 shows a significant gender gap in NEET rates, with 21.5% of young women in the EU aged 20-34 being NEETs, compared to just 7.7% of young men. NEET rates for women range from 10% in Sweden to 35% in Italy, highlighting a pressing issue. In response, the WeNEETlabs consortium aims to equip young NEET women with essential skills for the 21st-century labor market, focusing on entrepreneurship and digitalization. We seek to reduce skills gaps and enhance employability by connecting women with social entrepreneurs across the EU, fostering networks between job seekers and employers. Additionally, the project will train youth workers and educators to better engage with NEET women, helping them develop the skills needed for successful careers. Through this approach, we aim to address both immediate challenges and structural barriers to employment for young women.