“Delving into Southern Innovative Practices” Youth@Work Forum

The European Year of Skills 2023 gives a fresh impetus to lifelong learning through support to innovation. In the framework of this Year, stakeholders are encouraged to organize activities that either enhance or provide the right skills to people for quality jobs and, at the same time, assist SMEs to address skills shortages in the EU. 

Every year, the Youth@Work Partnership organizes various knowledge-sharing, capacity-building and networking activities, which enhance the role of youth work in the youth employability and entrepreneurship ecosystem. At the same time, taking into consideration the role of youth workers play towards this direction, as well as the need for the development of common educational policies in the Southern countries, as discussed during the Outreach of South Youth Workers (OSYW) - South Youth Workers Forum, the proposed Youth@Work Forum will delve into a number of Southern Innovative Practices and will showcase those that can be a source of inspiration for others to follow.

AIM AND SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

The main aim of the proposed Forum is to provide a platform for participants to learn and explore innovative initiatives and practices that enhance and develop the skills and the competences of young people.

This Forum will be a unique opportunity to share knowledge and experiences which contribute towards increased opportunities for employability, entrepreneurship and social inclusion.  

Specific objectives:

• To raise awareness of national and European projects and practices targeting the capacity building of young people towards employability, entrepreneurship and social inclusion;  
• To explore the local reality of youth work practices in Cyprus; 
• To present existing or planned initiatives and programmes on how youth employability, and entrepreneurship as tools for social inclusion are promoted at a local level, by local authorities i.e. municipalities, (social) enterprises…;
• To provide a platform for networking and exchange of good practices;
• To explore how Erasmus+ and ESC programmes can support future collaboration projects on the Forum’s topics.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

• Create a publication with relevant practices presenting Southern youth work in the fields of youth employability, entrepreneurship and skills development; 
• Create inspiration, synergies and foster networking among participants with the aim of generating innovative projects in the framework of the European youth programmes; 
• Create a network of individuals and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds that share the same interest on the topics of the Forum; 
• Youth@Work Partnership on youth employability and entrepreneurship of Erasmus+ National Agencies.

This event is part of the Youth@Work Partnership, alongside other projects tackling youth employability and entrepreneurship, organized by the 14 member Erasmus+ National Agencies and SALTO-YOUTH Resource Centres. You can learn more about Youth@Work at www.youthatworkpartnership.org and @YouthatWorkPartnership.

DAILY PROGRAMME

Day 1: 5/6/2023

• Informal Welcoming
• Getting to know each other

Day 2: 6/6/2023 - Youth Entrepreneurship & Innovation

• Panel 1: Innovative Youth Entrepreneurship 
• Break-out workshops (3) on developing different set of skills related to youth entrepreneurship
• Panel 2: The role of Youth Work in the development of Youth Entrepreneurship 

Day 3: 7/6/2023 - Youth Employability

• Panel 3: Opportunities to foster youth employability
• Panel 4: Youth work in the development of soft skills
• Open Space where participants can explore self proposed topics or present specific projects 

Day 4: 8/6/2023 -  Youth Work in Practice “Development of new partnerships/projects”

• Panel 5: New trends and challenges of youth work to foster youth employability and youth entrepreneurship (looking at AI, skills mismatch, digital transformation, inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities in the labour market, role of youth work promoting equality in the job market, etc.)
• Thematic Networking & Projects Labs
• Field Visits
• Closing