ESF-SI-2023-SKILLS-01-0073
Revealing the hidden resources: supported employment for NEETs with support needs
The project aims to tackle unemployment among 18-29 year old NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training) by implementing a transformative supported employment model from the Netherlands (SWOM) in Lithuania and Finland, with a focus on coaching and mentoring. The target beneficiaries are people with physical and/or mental disabilities, those at risk of poverty, those with low qualifications and skills, migrants and others facing barriers to employment. Key outputs will include the SWOM model methodology, available online, and a White Paper on Supported Employment – recommendations for policy makers on how to make supported employment more widely available. Dissemination efforts will include a final international conference in Lithuania to share project results and lessons learned, with the aim of inspiring further action on inclusive employment practices. Through collaborative efforts and innovative approaches, the project aims to empower NEETs, promote social inclusion, implement the successful SWOM model in Lithuania and Finland and bring about positive changes in the labour market landscape by establishing two fully self-sustaining supported employment centres in LT and FI under the supervision of SWOM.
Expected results:
- A total of 200 NEETs will be informed about the project, 80 NEETs will receive coaching, and 30 young people will be successfully placed in employment.
- In addition, at least 10 experts will be trained in the SWOM methodology.
- The project will conduct 30 transformative evaluation interviews to assess its impact, as well as collect 15 testimonials from participants and stakeholders to communicate the impact to a wider audience.
Funding: 374,454.00 Eur
Social innovation scale-up
The Tailor-Made Studying and Working Model of SWOM represents a scaled social innovation centered around individualized coaching and mentoring, employer engagement with tailored job matching, and supported employment for individuals facing barriers to the labor market. This comprehensive approach, initially developed and implemented by SWOM in the Netherlands, focuses on empowering individuals with disabilities, diverse backgrounds, or complex circumstances to achieve sustainable employment and social inclusion through personalized support, practical skills development, and the creation of inclusive workplaces.