Carlos Carpio participated in the Training Course “The NEET Challenge” organized by PROJUVEN in Torremolinos, Spain
Hello Carlos! Can you give us your opinion about the project “The NEET Challenge“?
It was my first project of this type and I did not know very well what I was going to find, but the experience has been unsurpassed. The organization was perfect, we started with activities that helped us to get to know each other, break the ice, and then we started introducing ourselves and starting to learn more about the project topics. The activities have been very well planned and directed. A relaxed and positive environment was created from the beginning. The trainers were very well prepared always keeping the attention high with group activities and energizers, which increase people energy, creativity and motivation.
According to you, what support works best for young people at risk of becoming NEET?
I believe that it is necessary to take even more incisive decisions than those taken in the past in order to fight youth unemployment, giving young people the possibility to get out of this condition. In order to be effective, statistics should be taken into consideration. For example, in Italy programs should take into consideration the difference between North and South and between male and female. In Italy there are some initiatives, but I believe that a reform of the employment centers is necessary, so they can start taking into consideration the young people exposed to the issue of becoming NEET and try to prevent such situations. I believe that more information is needed about this phenomenon, so it can help NEET be aware and, from the other hand, train people who can help them go out from this situation. In this regard, projects like “The NEET Challenge” are necessary not only to inform young people, but also to train them in order to reduce the NEET phenomenon.
What is the most important thing you have learned during the training? How do you plan to share and use your knowledge?
Before the training I had never heard of the problem that NEETs have, despite the fact that it is such an important topic. Every young person who is added to the category of those who do not study and do not work marks a collective defeat, a loss of human capital.
After the training when I came back in Italy I had meetings with different friends and talked with them about what I learned during the training week and I was surprised that some of them recognized themselves as NEETs. This one more time confirmed to me that this is a problem that cannot be underestimated. Now when I realize it, I will try to be more constructive and try to find possible solutions, knowing that even from these small initiatives we can all start a change.
