Youth in transition – European project
Moeve contributes with vocational and methodological expertise to the European KA2 project ´Youth in transition´, 2018 – 2021. The project belongs to the portfolio of activities, initiated and carrying out in partnership with UU DANMARK: UngeVærk.
About Youth in transition
Youth in transition (YIT) aims to improve the scaffolding of the most endangered sub-group of the NEETs on their pathways. These “young people on the edge” are characterized by a complexity of personal and social difficulties, caused by psychological diagnoses, socially disadvantaged backgrounds, abuse, drugs, crime or other burdens.
Usually less apparent, the same youths also have strengths, dreams and experiences that can become strong drivers for them. In YIT, experts and practitioners will work with a resource-oriented and appreciative approach, promoting these potentials. Methods such as mastering strategies, building relationships and motivational orientations will be applied in the framework of career guidance. YIT will basically work from a youth perspective, concurrently trying to align this perspective with the conditions of the educational, social and employment system.
This approach, these methods and tools will be piloted in Denmark, Iceland and Slovenia, quality assured by the German research partner. Thus, the aim is for a population of 280 young people to succeed in entering VET, with indicators for completion of their educational programs.
Context
“Young people in transition” are challenged in many societies, when straying on their way from upper primary school to youth education. At the same time, these youths are needed desperately in the aging European societies, and the trades are calling out loudly for skilled workers.
For one group in particular, the figures are worrying: youths of 15–29 years who are neither in education nor in sustainable employment, the so-called NEETs. NEETs represent a share of 18.3 % in the EU in 2016 (Eurostat 2017).
In times where inequality in European societies is increasing, the focus on NEETs is even more urgent. Youths risk becoming social outsiders with extremely limited chances of achieving a self-sustaining life. As research shows, transitions are the most sensitive phases on their pathways: such as starting an educational program, coming of age or losing a relationship.
Activities and expected outputs
YIT will create 7 outputs, to be implemented during the project. The development will take place cross-nationally, with implementation in local consortia. These consortia consist of professionals from youth counselling, employment centres, social workers, other experts and volunteers.
The outputs
- Analysis of the needs of the NEETs and the needs of the professionals (IO1)
- Assessment method to identify vocational maturity of youths as an interactive online tool (IO2)
- Piloting of the assessment tool for vocational maturity in Iceland, Slovenia and Denmark (IO3)
- Competence profile for ´scouts´: personal contact persons with a coordinating, organising and guiding role (IO4)
- Training unit for the professionals: supportive methods for their work with NEETs; conducted in Iceland, Slovenia and Denmark (IO5)
- ´Individual development pathways´ of NEETs, facilitated by the scouts and their local cross-professional teams (IO6)
- Political recommendations, referring to the political context, reform work and legislation in the four partner countries and in Europe (IO7)
Moeve´s role
Moeve contributes to all these “intellectual outputs” and especially in lead partner roles to the analysis (IO1) and to the development of the assessment tool for vocational maturity (IO2).
For interim results, see project site youth-it.cool.
