On 23rd of January 2020 in Cáceres (Spain) the presentation of the RAISE Youth Project was organized for the Stakeholders and NEETs of Extremadura Region. FUNDECYT-PCTEX used this opportunity to organise a local outreach event in order to inform, motivate and engage its target audience: NEETs who are 18 to 29 years old, mainly rural while not excluding urban, giving special consideration to inactive women and Roma.
During the event the attendees were divided in two FOCUS GROUPS. The first group consisted of 12 Stakeholders from various institutions who are working directly with NEETs on daily basis and the latter group was composed of 16 young NEETs. This concept was introduced in order to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and information with the final aim of guaranteeing further contribution of all relevant stakeholders to the development of the RAISE Project model.
After completing visual exercises both focus groups came up with interesting conclusions.
In the Stakeholders Focus Group all agreed how there is a need to create regular common spaces/forums where opinions and experiences can be exchanged, and where future collaboration opportunities can be generated. The participating stakeholders agreed on the importance of offering various training alternatives and also about a need to change the way contemporary NEETs are approached. Modern NEETS are people who are far more visual and less oriented to reading which was a medium of older generations therefore it is our main task to find new ways of reaching out to them if we want to achieve tangible results. The stakeholders also pointed out how it is necessary to improve the contact with enterprises and change the ways of promoting traditional jobs.
In the NEETs Focus Group the majority agreed that the barriers that currently prevent them from getting a job are, above all, the lack of training & experience and not having a driving licence. All participants agreed that to overcome these obstacles they will have to be trained, have confidence and do internships that will help them to gain that first relevant professional experience which is so much demanded by today’s employers. NEETs who were present showed interest in more information regarding ways to find a job or how to become entrepreneurs. They also showed interest in attending longer, relevant and job oriented courses which would result in an employment opportunity in the near future.
