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Erasmus+ project - Youth in transition - supporting NEETs´

progression towards vocational maturity

The Erasmus+ project “Youth in Transition” focused on improving the framework of the most endangered
subgroup of NEETs on their individual pathway to a self-sustaining life. The project was executed as a trans-
national collaboration with partners from Iceland, Denmark, Germany and Slovenia. This article outlines
the project and displays the value of transnational cooperation in finding solutions to national challenges.

Supportive methods and concrete tools for the pro-
fessionals
The unifying goal for all project partners was their need
to improve the transitions for the NEET groups. As
spearheads in each of their countries, all the partners
struggled to improve local practice. Local and national
capacity building was needed as a supportive frame-
Photo: Redd, work, and mutual inspiration, critical dialogues and
Unsplash research studies were central in this work.

Introduction Results
NEETS, which refer to persons who are “Not in Edu- During the span of the project, seven intellectual outputs
cation, Employment or Training”, are a group of young were elaborated, ranging from a method for identifying
people characterised by a complexity of personal and vocational maturity, to having a consistent contact per-
social difficulties, often caused by psychological diagno- son known as a ‘scout’ to facilitate the NEETs´ individual
ses, socially disadvantaged backgrounds, abuse, drugs, development pathways.
crime or other burdens. These young persons are at risk
of becoming social outsiders with a very limited possibil- The intellectual outputs form a coherent concept, con-
ity of achieving a self-sustaining life and career. taining findings from empirical data and desk research,
as well as models, methods and tools emerging out of
The competence and educational needs of society and practice-based work with NEETs and professionals in
the labour market are changing rapidly. Globalisation, Denmark, Iceland, and Slovenia. The learning outputs of
automation, and new technologies exert increasing pres- the entire project have been co-created by all national
sure on the labour force and pose sincere challenges partners.
to NEETs as they are subjected to the same challenges
of the future society and labour market as other youths. The intellectual outputs also formed the basis for a varie-
NEETs’ obstacles are common denominators in many ty of policy briefs that can be implemented on both local
European countries, 11.7 % of the 15-29-year-olds in and national levels. The policy briefs also take into con-
the EU were NEETs in 2019 (Eurostat). sideration the differences in national laws, policies and
practices, as they were written by guidance counsellors
Youth in Transition working with NEETs and within the “Youth in transition”

In the framework of the Erasmus+ KA2 project “Youth project.
in transition” (YIT), Oct. 2018 – March 2021, organisa-
tions in Denmark, Iceland and Slovenia, with research Read more about the project, the seven
support from The University of Hamburg, have been intellectual outcomes and the policy briefs here:
working to create:
https://youth-it.cool/
Common approaches in education and guidance
across the national, local ecosystems of the social,
employment and educational sectors Christoffer Kjær, Euroguidance Denmark

Euroguidance Insight Magazine Issue 2/2022