The meeting was moderated by psychiatrist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hristo Hinkov – project expert. Representatives from different business sectors- services, medicine, manufacturing, human resource managers, representatives of‘Confederation Syndicate European TradeUnion joinedthe meeting.
The main problems highlighted by the employers during the focus group werethe following:
- There is a confusion in the professional identity among young people;
- There is uncertainty about the quality of education they received and desire for self-assertion is missing;
- They would not hire young people with mental health problems because they are not informed and trained how to deal with them in a work environment.
Employers’ attitudes and their resistance to hiring the NEET`s target group as employees underpin the development of a methodology to support young people, which includes all sides of interestin the process – young people themselves, their relatives and the employers. The project’s research activities make possible theintroduction ofan evidence-based employment program.
