NEET UP!: Empowering Youth Workers for NEET Inclusion-Seminar

About the Seminar
Across Europe, a significant number of young people are not in employment, education or training (NEET). They often face multiple and interconnected barriers unemployment, limited access to education and training, geographical isolation, socio-economic difficulties, discrimination, migration and displacement, limited digital skills, low motivation and reduced access to opportunities.
Youth workers and organisations play a key role in reaching these young people, rebuilding trust, identifying their potential and creating pathways towards education, employment and active participation. Working effectively with NEET youth, however, requires inclusive approaches, strong outreach strategies, practical tools and cross-sector cooperation.
NEET UP! is an 8-day international seminar bringing together youth workers and professionals from different European countries to explore the realities of NEET youth, exchange experiences and good practices, and discuss practical approaches to outreach, inclusion, participation and empowerment.
The seminar focuses strongly on peer learning, exchange of practices, expert input, discussion and co-creation. Participants contribute their own professional experiences and organisational practices while learning from different European realities.
Main Objectives
The seminar aims to:
• Deepen participants’ understanding of the realities, needs and challenges faced by NEET young people.
• Explore effective outreach and engagement strategies for reaching young people with fewer opportunities.
• Exchange good practices, tools, methodologies and experiences from different national and organisational contexts.
• Explore approaches to social inclusion, employability and school-to-work transitions, including career guidance and skills recognition.
• Strengthen inclusive, culturally sensitive and digitally aware youth work for young women, migrants, refugees, displaced youth, minorities and rural youth — including motivation, trust-building and safe spaces.
• Strengthen European networks and develop practical follow-up actions that participants can transfer to their organisations and communities.
Main Seminar Themes
• Understanding NEET realities in Europe who are NEET young people, and which individual, social and structural barriers do they face?
• Reaching the unreachable outreach and engagement strategies for young people who do not usually take part in youth programmes.
• Inclusion & diversity young people facing multiple barriers: rural youth, migrants, refugees, minorities, young women and those in socio-economic difficulty.
• From education to employment skills recognition, career guidance, vocational education and school-to-work transitions.
• Digital inclusion using digital tools to support learning, employability and participation while addressing digital inequalities.
• Motivation, trust & psychosocial support building trust, creating safe spaces and strengthening resilience within the boundaries of youth work.
• Good practice exchange partners and participants present methods, projects, challenges and successful practices from their countries.
• From European exchange to local action jointly developing recommendations and follow-up ideas to implement locally.
 
Methodology
The seminar is based on the principles of non-formal education and active participation. It combines: expert inputs and guest presentations; panel and round-table discussions; World Café and Fishbowl sessions; case studies; peer-to-peer exchange; good-practice and country-reality presentations; group work and reflection; networking; and co-creation sessions.
Participants do not only receive information — they actively contribute their own experiences, practices and perspectives throughout the seminar.
Target Group
We are looking for:
• Youth workers and youth leaders;
• NGO staff and representatives;
• Social workers and representatives of social services;
• Young researchers working on youth inclusion and NEET-related topics;
• Project managers working with disadvantaged or NEET young people;
• Representatives of local authorities / social services;
• Professionals involved in youth employability, inclusion and participation.
Participants with different levels of experience are welcome. Priority is given to people currently working with NEET or disadvantaged young people, or with strong motivation to develop activities in this field.

Expected Results
Through the seminar, participants are expected to:
• Gain a deeper understanding of NEET realities across Europe and discover different European approaches;
• Strengthen their ability to reach, engage and support disadvantaged young people;
• Gain practical ideas and tools for inclusion, participation and employability;
• Establish new European professional networks and identify transferable practices;
• Contribute to shared recommendations and develop ideas for local follow-up and future European cooperation.
Funding & Practicalities
The seminar is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme. In line with Erasmus+ rules:
• Travel costs are reimbursed up to the Erasmus+ distance-band limits; green travel is encouraged and supported.
• Accommodation and meals during the activity are arranged and covered by the host organisation.

What We Expect from Partner Organisations
Partner organisations are expected to actively contribute to the preparation and implementation of the seminar by:
• Selecting suitable, motivated youth workers / professionals matching the target group;
• Sharing good practices and a short country-reality presentation from their national context;
• Supporting dissemination and follow-up activities after the mobility;
• Communicating reliably during the preparation phase.
Interested in Becoming a Partner?
We are looking for motivated European organisations with experience or strong interest in: NEET youth, social inclusion, youth work, employability, career guidance, disadvantaged and rural youth, migrants and refugees, digital inclusion and active participation.
To join, please send us:
• A short introduction to your organisation and your experience related to the topic;
• Your motivation to take part in the project;
• Your organisation’s valid OID number;
• A signed Partner Information Form / mandate (template will be provided).

Application form: https://forms.gle/euqUBccFrcPxkKLR6