''In Land We Trust" training course on youth employability

European Ways NGO (Germany) and Youth and Community Action Club NGO (Armenia)together with its partners initiates “In Land We Trust" training course which addresses the Long-term unemployment in rural areas which is one of the main concerns of policymakers. Apart from its financial and social effects on personal life, it negatively affects social cohesion and, ultimately, may hinder economic growth. Clearly, the lack of availability of jobs in Europe is part of the problem, but it is far from the whole story. Stepping into the labor market young people are discouraged by the high rate of competition, and they are disadvantaged by their lack of proven working experience. Yet, despite this availability of labor, employers are dissatisfied with applicants’ skills, and often the vacancies stay open as employers cannot find the needed profile. So why is it that young people are not getting the skills that employers need? One reason is the failure of employers, education providers, and young people to understand one another needs. Through the activities we will follow the Kolb cycle, i.e. experiencing – observing and reflecting – giving theoretical background – linking with reality and develop participants’ skills, attitudes, and knowledge in different areas, connected to the rural development. The workshops will be tailored to meet participants’ learning needs and will combine theoretical input with interactive exercises and tools for youth empowerment. "In land we trust" is designed and structured in a way that gives participants the freedom to express themselves, to share their experience and skills, to learn as much as possible in terms of the main topics and to acquire new skills beneficial for their youth work. The whole project is mainly practice oriented and is a platform for generating and developing new ideas for rural development. On the one hand, the course workshops will equip participants with some practical skills, for example, the workshop on best practices and failures. "In land we trust" will be based on non-formal education methodology and techniques. To our main methods belong: open space, experiential learning, practical workshops, working in small groups and in plenary, open discussions, debates, simulations, role plays, etc. Particular attention will be paid to such elements as interaction, cooperation rather than competition, holistic approach, intercultural learning, using participants’ experiences and taking in account the group dynamics and group needs. OBJECTIVES - To find out the possible solutions of unemployment problem at personal, organisational and community levels by monitoring the real situations in different countries - To improve abilities of youth workers, activists and young people from rural areas to increase their chances to get employed or make their own projects - To give the tools and techniques on how to reach a low unemployment rates in rural areas - To challenge young people to face unemployment reasons and related problems for understanding the lack of knowledge or experience and start to develop them - To empower young people with the means of non-formal education - To identify the real needs of youth workers working with rural youth and to assess their capacities. - To understand the real needs of the rural job market and to discover the way to meet those needs - To motivate youth workers to take part in social changes aiming at increasing youth employability by exploring their leadership potential - To create new projects designed to lower the unemployment rates and keep youth to develop their rural homeland. - To write a handbook with best practices and failures about rural developments. The training is open for youth workers and youth leaders. There is no age limit, but we expect to have a group of 18-30y.o. The training will take place in Gyulagarak, Armenia on December 1-9th (travel days included)