Youth unemployment has been a problem in Europe for a long time, but it took a particularly bad development with the economic crisis following the credit crunch of 2008.Even though economic observers claim economic recovery for large parts of Europe, the unemployment rates of young people are still double as high as those of the general population standing in November 2019 at 6,3% (EU28, total) respectively at 14,3 (EU28, youth). These leaves more than 3.200.000 young people without employment in the EU28. In Bosnia-Hercegovina and Montenegro, the unemployment rate of young people stands at 46% (BiH) and 26% (MNE) respectively in 2018.This being said, it is evident that youth employment is of high societal relevance and manifest one of the key challenges for young people. The EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027 also highlights the importance of youth employment by formulating with the 7th European Youth Goal “Quality Employment for All” a separate goal on youth employment.In this context, civil society organisations play a crucial role to support the integration of young people into the labour market by using various educational and informational support measures. Accordong to the research “What Works in Soft Skills Development for Youth Employment?” (Youth Employment Funders Group, 2017) two aspects are key here:- Build coherence around Soft Skills (including a focussing on core skills while taking a holistic view)- Catalyse essential partnerships (including creating education and training partnerships with businesses, and developing linkages between CSOs, businesses and educational institutions)Accordingly, the 22-months project “YEES – Building local capacities for Youth Employability and Entrepreneurial Skills” aims to build sustainable capacities for youth employability and entrepreneurial skill development in BiH and MNE for local youth stakeholders by pursuing the following objectives:- To increase the competences of youth workers to foster young peoples` employment opportunities through educational and informational programmes including on entrepreneurship education- To strengthen cross-sectoral cooperation between CSOs, municipal youth structures and the private sector for raising youth employability and entrepreneurial soft skill development among young people- To enhance the availability and accessibility of educational resources and lifelong learning opportunities on youth employability and entrepreneurial soft skill developmentIn essence, the project intends to contribute to- fostering cooperation and exchanges in the field of youth between Programme Countries and Partner Countries from the Western Balkans- improving the quality and recognition of youth work and non-formal learning in the Western Balkans and enhance synergies and cooperation with the labour market and public sector- fostering the development, testing and launching of educational and informational programmes of non-formal learning on youth employability
1.Increase the competences of youth workers to foster youth employment opportunities through educational and informational programmes including on entrepreneurship education2.Strengthen cross-sectoral cooperation between CSOs, municipal youth structures and the private sector for raising youth employability and entrepreneurial soft skill development 3.Enhance the availability and accessibility of educational resources and lifelong learning opportunities on youth employability and soft skills
The project tackled youth unemployment and the lack of opportunities in WBs. 50 stakeholders and around 300 young people were involved in the activities. Their knowledge, skills and competencies, and employment opportunities increased by creating new local, international and intersectoral networks and a new vision for new opportunities. One online platform to foster the effects of the network, containing the created educational materials, was designed and made accessible to all stakeholders.
<< Background >> The project tackled youth unemployment and the lack of opportunities in WBs. 50 stakeholders and around 300 young people were involved in the activities. Their knowledge, skills and competencies, and employment opportunities increased by creating new local, international and intersectoral networks and a new vision for new opportunities. One online platform to foster the effects of the network, containing the created educational materials, was designed and made accessible to all stakeholders. << Objectives >> 1.Increase the competences of youth workers to foster youth employment opportunities through educational and informational programmes including on entrepreneurship education2.Strengthen cross-sectoral cooperation between CSOs, municipal youth structures and the private sector for raising youth employability and entrepreneurial soft skill development 3.Enhance the availability and accessibility of educational resources and lifelong learning opportunities on youth employability and soft skills << Implementation >> The implemented activities were organised in three activity clusters, with each cluster responding to one of the project objectives:- AC1 Competence Development Programme (O1): seminar, study visit, ToT- AC2 Strengthening cross-sectoral cooperation for youth employability (O2): stakeholder meetings, workshops, piloting- AC3 Accessibility of educational resources (O3): research, creation of education materials, web community building, PBA, workshops, conference << Results >> - Enhanced competences of municipal and CSO youth workers- 6 cross-sectoral partnerships between representatives of CSOs, municipal youth structures and the private sector- accessible entrepreneurship education and youth employability program- 300 young people with improved entrepreneurial competences and increased their employability- A web community for practitioners on youth employability- Transnational links to CSOs and municipal youth departments from the 5 involved partner countries