Erasmus+ EU-funded programme on youth inclusion

The National Federation of Past Pupils and Friends of Don Bosco organised the first part of the Erasmus+ EU-funded project on Youth Inclusion: Education, Employment and Empowerment during a weekend seminar at the Salesian Oratory in Sliema. Young past pupils from Palermo and Milan in Italy, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Malta met last February to build a strategic partnership and cooperate together to learn more about how to promote youth inclusion through education, employment, and empowerment by reaching out to the young poor among the poorest youth.

The young people from five different European countries had the opportunity to share with each other their experiences of working with young people in need and especially those who are poor. They also shared how they are reaching out to these young people in need and how more services can be created by involving more young people.

The young people discussed various forms of poverty that young people are suffering from in Europe. There is no doubt that the economic crisis has left its mark and youth in Europe were badly hit. The effects are still being felt with high unemployment, rising poverty rates and with a significant share of vulnerable youth achieving low attainment grades and/or dropping out of education or training.

The wellness and wellbeing of young people has also been affected badly. Youth work and youth organisations cannot ignore this reality when reaching out and engaging young people. Informal and non-formal education in youth work can be a proactive response to address the issues which are contributing to poverty, unemployment, low education attainment, deprived wellbeing and poor health.

The project will now continue in every country in preparation for a second meeting that will be held in February. A national conference will also be organised where a structured dialogue will be held to explore the theme of youth poverty and how to address this situation.