The Regional Academy for Increasing the Employability of NEET Youth, coordinated by Forum MNE in partnership with the Youth Work Center from Novi Sad, the Youth Office of Novi Pazar, and the Civic Youth Initiative from Rožaje, provides a new opportunity for young people who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET population) – through an innovative model of cross-border training.
The project started in February 2024 and lasts two years, with the goal of improving the employability of young people aged 18 to 30 from the rural parts of the cross-border region. The initiative focuses on overcoming obstacles to youth employment through a unique approach that combines the development of soft skills, digital competencies, and entrepreneurial spirit. The European Union is co-financing the project with 203,891.54 EUR, while the total value of the project is 239,900.63 EUR.
As part of the project, a comprehensive study on youth employability was conducted, involving 200 respondents, including young people, employers, and institutions. The results indicated a clear lack of practical digital skills, entrepreneurial thinking, and self-confidence among young people.
In response, the Regional Training Academy was established with the support of experts in digital marketing, youth work, and local business from Serbia and Montenegro. Together, they developed a specialized seven-month training program tailored to the needs of the regional labor market.
Through fieldwork, info sessions, and a social media campaign that reached over 120,000 young people, the project team managed to attract nearly 100 applications, from which about 50 participants (mostly women) were selected to participate in the program.
The first workshop on soft skills was held in Rožaje, focusing on interpersonal and professional skills: communication, leadership, empathy, time management, and business presentation. At the same time, digital training in Berane and Novi Pazar is entering its final phase. Training topics include social media marketing, SEO, email campaigns, content creation, and the use of tools like ChatGPT. Young people are provided with practical knowledge sought by local employers, especially micro and small businesses. This training not only fills the digital gap but also builds self-confidence and enables young people for self-employment or entry-level positions in promising sectors.
In the next period, Showcase days will be organized to connect young people with employers, professional internships for 10 selected participants, as well as a Regional Camp focusing on startup skills and starting one’s own business. This project represents an important step towards creating a stronger, more skilled, and competitive workforce in the cross-border region.
Source: https://cbcsrb-mne.org/