The goal of the project was to comprehensively educate young people to increase competences and soft skills related to the labor market and prepare them for an efficient and confident entry into the labor market in the future, while at the same time developing their psychological resilience, sense of satisfaction and mental health for an active contribution to society. The aim of the project was to address both technical and psychological aspects of entering the labor market. By implementing the project, we wanted to achieve several positive benefits for the young participants: • Developing their skills for successful participation in the new labor market after the COVID-19 pandemic and opening up new opportunities in terms of access to knowledge and necessary skills. • Acquiring skills for emotional self-regulation, psychological resilience, coping with potential mental health problems. • Strengthening of interpersonal competences for assertive communication, dealing with conflicts and leadership capacities. • Building competences for green employment and strengthening the recognition of environmental problems and how the choice of profession affects our contribution to society in the long term.
In our work with young people during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed reduced positive affect and reduced motivation. Also, the labor market has changed rapidly; for the first time, young people faced the integrated coordination of online and live content. In the rapidly changing labor market many changes (e.g. rapid digitization, mental health problems) were highlighted. We wanted to implement a project that, through the development of competencies and soft skills, prepares young people for the labor market while at the same time developes their psychological flexibility. Indirectly, young people can actively contribute to the social environment. The needs addressed were: - The need for soft-skills competences related to the changed labor market after the epidemic (e.g. digital competences) - The need to increase satisfaction and mental health among youth through the development of self-regulatory skills. - The need for a broader view of the labor market and personal development (green jobs, systems thinking). The project did not only adress the technical aspects of employment, but also crucially emphasized the psychological and interpersonal aspects of employment.