Supporting Economic Participation of Excluded Youth

This Re-Granting project aimed at encouraging the economic integration of vulnerable youth in Armenia, Georgia and Moldova.The project’s “Employment Labs” focused on personal development and employability skills.

National Youth Council of Moldova conducted this Re-granting project on youth exclusion from March to October 2019 together with Armenian Progressive Youth and Youth Alliance AISI from Georgia.“Entrepreneurial Labs” focused on the process of how to generate innovative ideas, business and marketing planning, as well as financial planning and access to funding. At the end of the project, the final conference on innovative and inclusive employability and entrepreneurship initiatives was organised in Yerevan.

In Armenia, because of the project eight out of 20 participants of the Employment Lab found a job and six of them restarted their education. Out of six participants of the Entrepreneurial Lab, three are in process of launching their own business. In Georgia, two out of six participants of the Entrepreneurial Lab launched business and other two applied for government start-up grant and are awaiting answer. Six out of 20 participants of the Employment Lab found a job. In Moldova, a strong partnership was established with the National Employment Agency and its local branches. Twelve participants of Employment Lab found a job and five participants restarted their education. Three participants from the Entrepreneurial Lab started their own business and three applied for government start-up grant, awaiting answer.

The development of employability competence and entrepreneurial skills among vulnerable populations has a long-term potential to contribute to the development of the local communities and help to reverse the brain drain of young people who cannot find economic opportunities in Eastern Partnership countries, namely in the regions.