Make the Most of It"- Employment Journey Path4Youth

Project Title
"Make the Most of It"- Employment Journey Path4Youth

1. Background and Rationale
Young people facing socio economic disadvantages often encounter significant barriers in their transition from education to employment. These challenges are particularly visible among NEET youth, but they also affect young people who are still in education and will soon enter the labour market without adequate preparation, confidence, or access to professional networks.
This project targets disadvantaged young people aged 18–25, including NEET youth and students in vocational education, higher education, or final year schooling who are at risk of exclusion from quality employment opportunities. Many of these young people experience low self confidence, limited self awareness, insufficient career planning skills, and a lack of direct contact with employers and decision makers.
The project responds directly to these needs by combining youth participation, empowerment, and employability preparation within the framework of Erasmus+ KA152 Youth Participation Activities.

2. Overall Aim
The overall aim of the project is to empower disadvantaged young people to actively participate in their transition to employment by strengthening their self confidence, self value, career awareness, and employability skills, while enabling them to engage with local stakeholders and employers in a meaningful and participatory way.
A key component of the project is the creation of a Virtual Job Center, designed and co managed by young people, which will function as a digital bridge between youth and the labour market.

3. Specific Objectives
• To strengthen young people’s self confidence, self esteem, and self awareness
• To support young people in identifying their skills, interests, and career aspirations
• To develop practical career planning and goal setting competences
• To equip participants with professional CV preparation skills aligned with labour market expectations
• To improve digital competences related to job applications and personal presentation
• To provide young people with hands on experience of job interviews through virtual (simulated) employer meetings
• To enable young people to create and share youth led digital learning content for their peers

4. Methodology and Programme Structure
The project is designed as a 5 day participatory learning programme, based on non formal education methods, experiential learning, peer learning, and youth led activities. Young people are involved not only as participants but also as co creators of the process and its outputs.
From a methodological perspective, the programme integrates recognised non formal and psychosocial learning approaches such as the Johari Window self awareness model, a strengths based approach, narrative identity and storytelling techniques, values clarification exercises, and guided reflective practice. These methods are combined with experiential learning cycles (Kolb), peer learning and peer feedback, and structured safe space and trust building techniques. The methodology is strictly non therapeutic and aims to strengthen self confidence, self efficacy, self expression, and active participation, while supporting young people in articulating their skills, aspirations, and career goals in a constructive and empowering way.

Day 1 – Self Awareness and Self Value
• Trust building and safe space activities
• Self confidence and self esteem workshops
• Strengths, values, and skills mapping
• Personal storytelling and self expression exercises
Day 2 – Career Awareness and Future Planning
• Introduction to labour market realities and career pathways
• Career exploration and decision making workshops
• Personal career road map development
• Group reflection and peer feedback
Day 3 – Professional CV Preparation and Digital Skills
• What makes an effective CV from an employer’s perspective
• CV structure, language, and common mistakes
• Step by step CV creation using digital tools
• Personal profile and competence description exercises
Day 4 – Virtual Job Center & Job Interview Simulation
• Preparation for job interviews: communication, attitude, and body language
• Typical interview questions and response strategies
• Virtual job interview simulations with real employers and representatives from local business organisations
• Introduction and hands on use of the Virtual Job Center (access to CV templates, interview preparation tools, employer sessions and career guidance resources)
• Individual and group feedback sessions
Day 5 – Participation, Dissemination, and Youth Led Production
• Reflection on learning outcomes and personal progress
• Creation of educational videos and podcast recordings by participants
• Development of content for the project website
• Youth led messages and recommendations for peers

5. Youth Participation and “Youth 4 Youth” Principle
Young people play an active role in all phases of the project. They contribute to the design of activities, participate in decision making processes, and lead the creation of digital outputs. Adults and experts act as facilitators and mentors, ensuring a supportive and empowering environment.
The project promotes a clear “youth for youth” approach, positioning young participants as content creators, peer educators, and ambassadors.

6. Expected Outputs
• A youth designed and youth managed Virtual Job Center serving as an online hub for career preparation, job readiness resources, and employer interaction
• Increased self confidence and self awareness among participants
• Individual career plans and professionally prepared CVs
• Practical experience in job interviews through virtual simulations
• Youth created digital outputs, including:
o Educational videos
o Podcast episodes
o Project website and online resource platform

7. Expected Impact
Short Term Impact
• Improved employability readiness of disadvantaged young people
• Increased motivation, confidence, and clarity regarding career goals
Medium Term Impact
• More effective and informed participation in job application processes
• Stronger links between young people and local employers and stakeholders
Long Term Impact
• Enhanced inclusion of disadvantaged youth in employment and democratic life
• Sustainable peer learning resources supporting future young people
8. Relevance to Erasmus+ KA152 Priorities
The project directly contributes to Erasmus+ priorities by:
• Promoting inclusion and diversity
• Supporting youth participation in social and economic life
• Empowering young people through active involvement and non formal learning
The project is fully aligned with the objectives of Erasmus+ Youth Participation Activities (KA152).