L.O.W.E: LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE WORK AND EMPLOYABILITY

Young people are recognized as one of the most vulnerable parts of society. This is especially true in the current economic crisis in many European countries. The EU Youth Strategy said: "The social exclusion and poverty of young people and the transmission of such problems between generations should be prevented and mutual solidarity between society and young people strengthened. Equal opportunities for all should be promoted and all forms of discrimination combated. "
Worring is the increase of NEET phenomenoa. The term is used to describe young people who are not engaged in any form of employment, education or training. Young people with low levels of education are three times more likely to be NEET than those with tertiary education. The risk is higher than 70% is for young people from a migration, problems of disability or health. In 2011, about 14 million young people aged under 30 were within the NEET, however, rates vary widely from about 5.5% of 15-24 years of age in the Netherlands to 22.7% in Italy. The crisis has aggravated these situation.

The economic cost of NEETs is estimated at over € 150 billion, or 1.2% of GDP. Some countries, such as Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia and Poland are paying 2% or more of their GDP.
The project partners are aware of this situation want to bring a change in their reality to prevent the phenomenon of NEET in its territory, involving young people in their own territory in an exchange that allows them to navigate the world of education and work, learn about opportunities training, employment and entrepreneurship that Europe offers, broaden their horizons by coming into contact with a multi-cultural environment in which they are the key player, convinced that these stimuli can give young people those first tools to design their own future.

This is why they decided to bring together 30 young people in Florence from 9 countries to address these issues. Participants will gather in Florence between 21 and 28 August 2016.

Overall objective of the project is to prevent the entry of young people in the NEET group. To achieve this it seems necessary to achieve some specific objectives including some mentioned by Erasmus +:
- Improve the level of key skills, with particular regard to their relevance to the labor market;
- Promote the emergence and introduce the European lifelong learning area and the dissemination of good practices;
- Informing young people and support them in the practices for access to opportunities for young people promoted by the European Union, in particular Erasmus +;
- Improve the 'employability and better career prospects;
- Increase the sense of initiative and entrepreneurship;
- Increasing the 'self-empowerment and self-esteem;
- Improve language skills (English);
- Increase intercultural awareness;
- Encouraging a more active participation in society;
- Increasing the motivation to take part in future education (formal / non-formal) or mobility periods abroad.

The project has created a series of activities based on non-formal which will enable participants to acquire the specific skills described by the project. Non-formal education will assimilate new skills, multicultural environment and work on their skills and their professional and personal goals will stimulate their enthusiasm to be channeled towards the development of their projects. The following topics will be treated daily:
1-Presentation, prior knowledge and expectations
2-multiculturalism
3-vocational training
4-entrepreneurship and self initiative
5-opportunities in Europe and Erasmus + for young people in the work and training fields
6-curriculum and interviews
7-digital tools
8-evaluation, impact and results.
The parties involved therefore, will not absorb the information as mere spectators rather be involved as part of the changes and activity, as the protagonist of the development of the course, through personal initiative and creativity. They will work in a variety of workshops, dynamic activities, and attend presentations by experts on some of the topics discussed.
Specifically, we believe that the project will produce at local and regional level:
- Increase of the 'self-esteem of young people
- Increased participation in projects within Erasmus +
- Increase the employability of young people
- Increase in entrepreneurial initiatives
-increase of young people undergoing training courses
- Increase young people participating in EVS
- Increased promotion of multiculturalism
In the long term the project can make a contribution to the reduction of NEET locally.