What is the problem?
One of the major after-effects of the economic crisis still being felt across the EU is unemployment, particularly with regards to young people. Youth unemployment levels in the EU are still exceptionally high, and according to Eurostat (the EU’s statistical service), as of February 2014, the seasonally adjusted rate of youth unemployment across the 28 EU Member states (EU28) stood at 22.9%, which is more than double the overall unemployment rate of 10.6%. When you look at this figure in relation to that of the 2007 EU28 youth unemployment rate (12.1%), it becomes evident how big this issue is.With 14 million young people out-of-work, these unemployed and often disengaged young Europeans (aged 15-29), are costing member states a total of €153bn (£124bn). It is important to note however, that youth unemployment isn’t only affecting one particular branch of society. The youth unemployment crisis has affected graduates and non-graduates alike, and has been unbiased in relation to the level of skill an individual possesses. In addition, some young people that fall into these groups have been disproportionally impacted by the youth unemployment crisis, including those from some ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities, young parents and those coming from the care system.
Aims of The Project
Aim 1: To understand current issues facing young adults (between 16 - 30 years). This includes their needs in training, education and accessing the labour market through “Needs Analysis” in all partner countries: UK, Germany, France, Italy and Slovakia.
Aim 2: Transfer UK developed "Youth Enterprise Accelerator" modules and approaches to partner countries, whilst making them more relevant and applicable. This includes tutoring entrepreneurship trainers and piloting the YEA Modules with young adults in each of the partner countries (including fostering learning outcomes).
Aim 3: To share our experiences and highlight Best Practice approaches for working with young adults in entrepreneurship, as well as to provide access to the project's outcomes through accreditation and mainstreaming.
