Fostering sustainable cross-border cooperation for a more effective support of youth career guidance

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A Romania-Hungary

Date of latest update: 2025-09-24

Description

Description (EN):

Satu Mare and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg, as a cross-border region, face shared challenges related to demographic trends, depopulation, and an underskilled youth workforce. High unemployment and a lack of collaboration between education and the economy contribute to young people leaving for better opportunities elsewhere. To tackle these challenges, the project aims to create a more supportive cross-border environment for youth career development, emphasizing early intervention. It targets middle and high school students, offering career guidance as a foundation for future employment and economic growth. Research by AGES and OVE revealed a shift from unemployment to inactivity among young people, particularly the NEET category. Factors like knowledge, diplomas, and professional experience are highly valued in Satu Mare, while relationships are prioritized in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg. These factors can be nurtured through cross-border collaboration among relevant stakeholders and communities. AGES' 2022-2023 study on career guidance for high school students in Satu Mare found that many students seek career information outside of school, emphasizing the need for a more structured and efficient approach. The overall objective of the project is to foster sustainable cross-border and cross-sectoral collaboration among educational institutions, companies, NGOs, and institutions in the target counties in order to enhance career orientation support for middle and high school students. The project promotes a sense of unity and collaboration between the two cross-border communities, encouraging stakeholders to work together towards common goals. This change will strengthen ties, mutual trust and support between the communities of the two regions. The project establishes cross-border connections between various stakeholders involved in career guidance, including counselors, teachers, NGOs, and students. At least 80 members of the target groups will participate in cross-border actions, the capacity of 8 schools, 4 NGOs, and 12 companies will be developed for a more comprehensive approach to career guidance. Joint strategic thinking and cross-border cooperation will be promoted, with 72 participants in joint actions across borders. The outputs will be reached through joint activities such conference, experience exchanges, work meeting sessions and co-creation seminars. A joint Strategy of the project partners will be developed, in order to maintain and support the initiated cross-border collaboration of the target groups, stakeholders of the career guidance process of students. The results of the project, the Strategy will be shared through the improved and updated bilingual Laboro.ro platform. It will represent an online surface for the target groups to share and exchange information, to continuously inform the middle and high school students, the final beneficiaries of the project, in order to support and improve the career guidance process in the region. The establishment of cross-border connections empowers counselors, teachers, NGOs, and students, allowing them to collaborate, share experiences, and gain insights into common career guidance challenges, ultimately improving the quality of career advice and support provided to students. All the knowledge, new ideas and experiences gained through the project will improve their activity in this sense, as well as their cross-border, cross-sector collaboration initiated, due to which their activities could be more efficient thanks to the wider information resources. Promotion of joint strategic thinking and cross-border cooperation will foster a culture of collaboration among all stakeholders. This collaborative approach leads to sustainable solutions and improved services for youth. On a long term, local communities may also benefit from reduced youth unemployment and enhanced economic and social development. The project fosters cross-border collaboration, involving multiple stakeholders from different sectors, which is a pioneering step in aligning the efforts of various entities to tackle common problems on both sides of the border. The findings of a previously conducted research highlighted the shift from unemployment to inactivity as a more significant concern, emphasizing the need for proactive intervention. This forward-thinking approach differentiates our project from earlier efforts that primarily focused on traditional unemployment issues. Today's youth often seek career information outside of school, and our project adapts to this reality. Our project updates and improves the existing Laboro.ro platform, making it a resource for career guidance. This improvement ensures that students have access to up-to-date information relevant to their career choices, getting information from local relevant stakeholders.

Actual Achievements (EN):

During the first implementation period, the UNITY project progressed as planned, with all scheduled activities successfully carried out in close collaboration between the three project partners on both sides of the Romanian-Hungarian border. The implementation addressed both the project’s specific objectives and its communication goals, with all events organized in a transnational format and involving stakeholders from both countries. Key achievements include the launching press conference organized by AGES Association, attended by 25 participants, including institutional leaders and media representatives from Romania and Hungary. The event generated over 10 media articles, ensuring strong visibility for the project. CJRAE Satu Mare organized a cross-border conference attended by 110 participants, including teachers, school counsellors, representatives of the Ministry of Education, NGOs, and companies. The event provided a comprehensive overview of current challenges in career orientation and promoted dialogue through panels and workshops, setting the stage for joint efforts and knowledge exchange. OVE coordinated two successful two-day cross-border exchanges. The first (A.1.3) involved 30 Romanian and Hungarian school counsellors and teachers, who shared good practices and initiated collaboration to address common issues in student career guidance. The second (A.1.4) brought together 30 students from Romanian and Hungarian middle and high (vocational) schools, who took part in interactive activities, company visits, and cultural exchanges. Students highlighted the benefits of peer interaction and teamwork, while teachers/counselors emphasized the value of cross-cultural learning. The period also marked the start of the information campaign planning and the organization of local meeting sessions. The main added value of the cooperation lies in the initiation of cross-border networks, shared expertise, and a joint approach to improving career guidance, making a tangible impact on students, counselors/teachers, and institutions in the region.

Project outputs: Organizations cooperating across the border (EN)
140 participation at cross-border joint events(EN)
Participations in joint actions across borders(EN)
Strategy jointly developed(EN)

Thematic information

Demographic change and immigration Labour market and employment Education and training

Priority: (VI-A_RO-HU_P3) A more sustainable, community-based and effective cross-border cooperation

Priority specific objective: ISO6.3. Build up mutual trust, in particular by encouraging people-to-people actions (strands A, D and, where appropriate, strand B)

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO6 (ISO1) A better cooperation governance

Type of intervention: 171 Enhancing cooperation with partners both within and outside the Member State

Partners (3)

Lead Partner: Asociatia AGES

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 937481139

Partner’s ID if not PIC: N/A | 27252204 | CIF (EN)

Address: Gheorghe Barițiu, 440135 Satu Mare, Romania

Department address: Gh. Baritiu, 440135 Satu Mare, Romania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.ages.ro

Total budget: EUR 83 412.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 66 729.60

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 16 682.40

Contractors:

Name: Tresten Consulting SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: 37919730
Name: Asertiv Expert SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: 43040866
Name: IDEA STUDIO SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: RO13225277
Name: REDNOR INVEST S.R.L.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 24842340
Name: TRESTEN CONSULTING SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: 37919730
Name: NET MEDIA CONCEPT SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: 28016430
Name: HIGH TECHNOLOGIES SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: RO645236

Centrul Județean de Resurse și Asistență Educațională Satu Mare

Name: Centrul Județean de Resurse și Asistență Educațională Satu Mare

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 914166704

Partner’s ID if not PIC: N/A | 21300167 | Tax registration code (EN)

Address: 1 Decembrie 1918 , 440010 Satu Mare, Romania

Department address: 1 Decembrie 1918 , 440010 Satu Mare, Romania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Education/training centre and school

Website: https://www.cjraesm.ro/

Total budget: EUR 49 203.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 39 362.40

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 9 840.60

Contractors:

Name: SC INFOCENTER SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: RO 7559248
Name: SC NO PARDON SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: RO 11359116
Name: INDEX EVENTS SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: RO38322801
Name: COLOUR WORLDS SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: RO640212
Name: AUTO REFLEX SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: RO6851464

Ötlet a Vidékért Egyesület

Name: Ötlet a Vidékért Egyesület

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 883527508

Partner’s ID if not PIC: N/A | 18810086-1-15 | Tax Number (EN)

Address: Petőfi utca, 4821 Ópályi, Hungary

Department address: Petőfi utca, 4821 Ópályi, Hungary

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.otletavidekert.hu

Total budget: EUR 66 150.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 52 920.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 13 230.00

Contractors:

Name: Optimum Reklám Kft.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 14134537-2-15

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

County Center of Educational Resource and Assistance Satu Mare

Fostering sustainable cross-border cooperation for a more effective support of youth career guidance

Partners and Projects info

Idea for the Region Association

Fostering sustainable cross-border cooperation for a more effective support of youth career guidance

Partners and Projects info

Asociaţia AGES

Fostering sustainable cross-border cooperation for a more effective support of youth career guidance

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Fostering sustainable cross-border cooperation for a more effective support of youth career guidance

Project acronym: UNITY

Project ID: ROHU00041

Project start date: 2024-12-30

Project end date: 2025-12-29

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

”Helping the Employment of Youth in Satu Mare and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg counties” – ROHU385 prepared and implemented by AGES and OVE (EN) | The ROHU385 project aimed to integrate young people aged between 17-35 years into the labor market, especially young people from disadvantaged areas. Through the implementation of the project and the effective work with more than 1000 young people from the two cross-border counties, it was concluded that they end up in difficult situations regarding integration on the labor market, due to the lack of preparation for finding, respectively accessing jobs, or due to the mismatch of skills with those required by the employer. These aspects can be remedied with adequate professional counseling that they receive on time, in the formal system, still in the school banks. Thus, the present project will be in synergy with the previous ROHU one, completing it, in order to obtain more effective results in the initiatives of heling the youth in their integration in the transnational labor market and implicitly the economic development of the cross-border region. (EN), “CO-LABOUR. Cooperation between Nyírbátor and Carei for improving employment and promoting development based on endogenous potential”, implemented by the Local Government of Nyírbátor in partnership with the Municipality of Carei, under the RO-HU Interreg Programme. (EN) | The mentioned project has as specific objective the increased employment within the eligible area (Carei and Nyirbator), two localities that are part of the present project target area. Its thematic objective was promoting sustainable and quality employment and supporting labour mobility. The present UNITY project is in synergy with CO-LABOUR, as it fosters collaborative relationships between the cross-border stakeholders of the labour market, in order to improve the career orientation of the youth on a long term that implicitly contributes to a sustainable and quality employment and labour mobility between the 2 cross-border counties.
(EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 198 765.00

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 159 012.00

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 80.00%

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, EUR 159 012.00. Co-financing rate, 80.00%.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

At least 4 Mass-media articles (printed, online).
Report on the conference
2 Reports on the experience exchanges
2 Reports on the meetings
One common report on the RO-HU campaign
Reports on meetings
One Report on the seminar
Report on the needs assessment
The prepared cross-border Cooperation Strategy
The new sections of the improved laboro.ro platform
Mass media appearances

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

TerritorialAgenda2030 The present project through its activities contributes to Territorial AGENDA 2030, to the Goals 4 “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” and Goal 8 “Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”. The project aim is to improve the career orientation support for the middle and high (vocational) school students in the cross-border area, by increasing the trust and collaboration initiatives between the labor market stakeholders. In the long term, the final beneficiaries of the project will be the students, young people, who by improving the process of supporting career guidance, will have increased chances to choose the right profession and obtain the desired job, having the possibility of mobility and access to jobs from the cross-border area. Due to the launched cross-border and cross-sectorial (schools-companies) collaboration of the career guidance stakeholders, the future generation of work force will have the possibilities to get an image of a wider labor market, becoming aware of their possibilities, with wider horizons in terms of searching and accessing for job offers and in the same time the chances of getting closer the youth skills of those required by the employers will be higher. Thus, the project will contribute to the following goals of AGENDA 2030: 4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship; and 8.5 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
EUStrategyDanubeRegion The project considers the Danube Strategy’ provisions, mainly from the perspective of the need for better education, employment and prosperity of all citizens of the Region. The project tackles issues approached by the Strategy, targeting investment in people, prioritizing knowledge and inclusion.
The project contributes to the objectives of the EUSDR Priority Area 9 „Investing in People and Skills“ that is focusing on policies and actions in the fields of education and training, labor market and marginalized communities. The activities of the project contributes to the Action 1 “Labour Market and Social Policies” of the EUSDR Priority Area 9, that says: By intensifying the cooperation between labour market stakeholders’ reforms will be enhanced. The focus will be on active labour market policies, common peer learning/peer counselling in the Danube Region, skills mismatch, labour market information systems, vocational re-education and re-training, dual education as a measure of active labour market policies, transition from school to work. The project fosters the collaboration between the labor market stakeholders of the two target counties, in order to ensure a more effective career guidance of the students and to reduce the existing skills mismatch between those provided by the young job seekers and those needed by the employers. All the activities undertaken by the project are aimed at increasing the trust between these stakeholders, at encouraging their collaboration in order to support and make the entire transition process from school to work of the young generation easier and more efficient. Stimulating the building up of a mutual trust between the cross-border stakeholders, the area of the labor market accessible to young people is widened, thus increasing their integration possibilities as workforce.
Other
This project through its objectives and activities that involve the cross-border stakeholders of the labor market, contributes to the recommendation of the EC, regarding the recovery of economy and labour market following Covid-19 crisis (including by mapping labour market exchanges, reinforcing labour active measures and ensuring a closer relevance of education and vocational training to skills required in the cross-border labour market, promoting high value-added clusters and cross-border value chains, as well as supporting the recovery of tourism and culture as drivers for the socio-economic development of the PA, hardly affected by the Covid-19 crisis). COVID 19 has greatly affected the labor market and implicitly the employment of young people. One of the conclusions of the extensive research study and Strategy developed through the ROHU 385 project, HEY! during and after the COVID 19 period, it was for the planning and organization of further initiatives to take into account the reactions of young people and the observations of employment counselors in order to replicate the support at the level of other groups with similar needs, or to further develop new ways of support, with the aim of entering and/or maintaining the labor market, especially in the new context affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The present project is in line with the Strategy developed by AGES and OVE within the previous ROHU project, as well as with the CE recommendations regarding the recovery of economy and labor market following Covid-19 crisis
Other The project through its activities contributes to the Satu Mare County’s Strategy 2021-2030, Direction of action 4.3: Consolidation of a dynamic and attractive education, adapted to the requirements of the labor market, a vector of intelligent development, Action 4.3.3. Harmonization of educational services with the development needs of students and with the requirements of the labor market, due to the fact that career orientation should be educational services provided by the education institutions in collaboration with the other stakeholders (NGOs, companies). The present project fosters these collaborations of which aim is to create the frame of efficient career guidance of middle and high school students.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 081 - Participations in joint actions across borders, Measurement unit:
RCO 083 - Strategies and action plans jointly developed, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 084 - Organisations cooperating across borders after project completion, Measurement unit:
RCR 085 - Participations in joint actions across borders after project completion, Measurement unit:
RCR 079 - Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations, Measurement unit:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSDR

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A Romania-Hungary

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2025-09-24

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

84 / 84 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

223 / 223 (100%)

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Fostering sustainable cross-border cooperation for a more effective support of youth career guidance

Description

Thematic information

Partners (3)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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