Informal education and learning, exchange and volunteering have never been important in terms of employability during the global financial crisis. Recent studies showed five out of the six of the most valuable skills in the labor market are aligned with the competences one can obtain while simply aiming for the youth programmes and opportunities arising out of them.
By Danica Vlacic
The basis of the programmes had been communicated by the European youth organisations and designed and put into practice by decision makers in EU institutions. Youth unemployment remains the biggest issue. Half of the Croatian youth (up to the age of 29) is unemployed, and the sunrise of the next enlargement round is not looking so bright.
“Because of the crises of the few years back, the whole mentality shifted and we are forced now to think about employability,” said Peter Matjasic, President of the European Youth Forum, a platform for 99 different youth organizations across Europe.
“This is very difficult for our sector ‘cause we don’t do things because we want to get a job. We don’t go to youth exchanges, we don’t study because we want to get a job necessarily. What you want is to study because you are interested in the knowledge that you gain and you go to youth exchanges because you believe in something.”
Nevertheless, Matjasic added, through the youth programmes participants gain competences that makes them more competitive in the job market. But youth organisations are craving for the investment and empowerment, like its conveniently put in the center of EU strategy for youth.
Pascal Lejeune, engaged with youth policy at DG Education and Culture, reminded listeners that the budget will stay the same in the future.
“In our sector, the key is subsidiarity. With participation in youth exchange we are reaching so many people indirectly. We think about what can be done to promote participation; much more is worth impact and how many we are reaching, and this is where money is not crucial. More important is dissemination and having multiplying effect,” he said, addressing the participants of the conference, adding that youth should feel as if they are ambassadors.
While Matjasic expects “business as usual” in terms of cooperation of youth NGOs with the addition of the Croatian perspective on the processes, Lejeune is more positive. “Croatia will energize EU”.
“Beyond difficulties of strategy and crises, you are entering something which is the most positive legacy of 20th century. We need to maintain this project vivid and preserve it for the next generation.”
And so it will be the focus of the Croatian government now leading its people to the European family of 28. But youth won’t be forgotten as well, claims Sandra Petrovic Jakovina, future MEP, in the margins of the “Croatia in the EU” conference. A young person herself, she is hoping for more youth engagement in implementing EU projects, which could be a solution for job creation. The expanded Erasmus program opportunity and the path of informal education and exchanges for obtaining skills will now be appreciated in the labor market.
In some cases the opportunities already exist but not all are making the best out of it. Jelena Stankovic, AEGEE Belgrade, encounters Serbian youth not encouraged enough to change the future. This is where lessons should be learnt, she says. Will Croatian youth explore the possibilities of increased EU funds? How Croatia will cope with the challenges is yet to be seen.
