Supporting the socio-economic integration of youth leaving child protection systems by developing their skills and capacities through more inclusive leaving care policies in the Danube region

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B Danube

Date of latest update: 2026-04-29

Description

Description (EN):

The countries in the Danube region still face many challenges in terms of social inclusion, equal opportunities and improving the quality of life, especially in terms of people from vulnerable or marginalized groups. Such a category is represented by young people leaving the special child protection system, a series of common challenges being identified in this sense. Among the problems underlying the difficult situation in which this social category finds itself in the countries of the Danube region, is the one related to education, considering two perspectives: on the one hand, insufficient training or the lack of effective training, and on the other hand, the incompatibility between education and the needs of the labour market. Associated with the lack of motivation and low self-esteem among young people coming from the child protection system, this problem results in the lack of skills and qualifications needed to find a job, which ultimately leads to unemployment. All these aspects create financial difficulties for young people who come out of the care system, in most of the countries in the Danube region problems have been reported regarding housing, access to the healthcare system and low quality of their lives. Therefore, the common challenges in the Danube region countries presented above will be jointly addressed in the project. The project aims to improve leave care policies in the Danube region and develop an educational program for young people leaving the special child protection system that includes the development of personal skills required to be integrated in the labour market, including mentoring programs and opportunities to support employability. Social integration measures will include pilot activities to insert vulnerable young people into training programs, internships and specialized support for independent living. Therefore, the expected change the project will make to the current situation refers to increasing the employment chances of young people leaving the care system – and at the same time, the general improvement of their quality of life, by developing the necessary skills and creating opportunities in this regard. The main outputs the project will produce are: Joint Pilot testing of Skills4Life Innovative Training Programme dedicated to young people leaving special child protection system; Co-designed Skills4Life Innovative Training Programme dedicated to young people leaving special child protection system, tested and validated; Pilot testing of Skills4Life Innovative Mentoring and Counseling Model for Youth; Jointly developed, tested Skills4Life Innovative Mentoring and Counseling Model for Vulnerable Youth Integration; Danube Skills4Life Strategy for disadvantaged youth; Danube Skills4Life Action plan for Strategy implementation; Pilot actions on youth integration to labour market; Jointly developed, tested S4L Support Methodology for successful and effective implementation of youth integration policies, based on the pilot actions implementation; Skills4Life Youth Empowerment Network for the Danube region. Among those who will benefit from these outputs are: young people coming from the institutionalized system; organisations that work with young people; education/training centers; companies in the project implementation areas; local, regional and national public authorities; society in general. The project builds consistent mechanisms that provide direct support for young people who no longer benefit from institutional care, such as: access to free training, counselling and mentoring services; connections to public authorities that can provide guidance and support; connections to potential employers. The field addressed in the project presents a series of particularities specific to the country of each partner. Similarly, know-how differs from one state to another, and cooperation exponentially increases the volume of available information, as well as the way of working with the target groups. Transnational cooperation is necessary to address the identified challenges as it enables shared learning, capacity building, coordinated action on cross-border challenges, policy alignment and harmonization, as well as networking and collaboration between stakeholders. By this approach, the project partners, target groups, project area, and DRP area can gain access to a wider range of resources, expertise, and opportunities, leading to more effective and sustainable outcomes. The project's approach goes beyond existing practice by offering a comprehensive and tailored support system for young people leaving the special child protection system. Through innovative training programs, personalized mentoring and coaching, practical pilot actions, and collaborative networking opportunities, the project aims to empower young people with the skills, resources, and support they need to successfully transition to independent adulthood and integration into the labour market.

Actual Achievements (EN):

During the first semester, the Skills4Life project successfully moved from planning to structured implementation, establishing a strong and coherent foundation for all upcoming pilot and policy actions. Semester 1 was crucial for building the governance, partnerships, tools, and shared understanding required for effective impact in later stages. A robust management and coordination framework was established from the outset. The Lead Partner, South Muntenia Regional Development Agency, ensured smooth cooperation through regular online meetings, clear procedures, and shared working tools. Key management and communication documents (Management Handbook, Communication Strategy, Quality Assurance Handbook, KPI monitoring tools for activities & deliverables and financial monitoring tool) were jointly developed and agreed upon, enabling transparent coordination across all countries. The Kick-off Meeting and Launch Conference held in Pitești (June 2025), together with Steering Committee meetings and study visits, ensured a collaborative tone for the project and strengthened mutual trust within the consortium. The event gathered 80 participants from all partner countries and benefit from the presence of the Romanian National Agency of the Danube Region Programme and online of the Project Officer of the project. The event had interactive sessions and panel discussions with specialists working with vulnerable youth. Also, in the event were present a few young persons who were raised in orphanages and now they have become young adults who study medicine, journalism or are part of the military, who spoke about the support they received from the social workers in the child protection system. In the event, several Romanian NGOs were present as well and have presented their initiatives in supporting youth that are leaving care. They have expressed their support and willingness to collaborate with more centres to support youth personal development and their socio-economic integration in the South Muntenia Region in Romania. One of the most important achievements of Semester 1 was the establishment of national and regional stakeholder groups in all partner countries. More than 500 stakeholders from public authorities, universities, NGOs, social services, employment agencies, and the business sector were contacted, with over 150 actively engaged in the emerging Skills4Life network. In the first semester, project partners organized the first regional stakeholder group meeting focusing on young people leaving the child protection system. These meetings generated valuable insights, providing a structured space for dialogue on the challenges faced by-stakeholders collaboration on youth support after leaving care (NGOs, child protection system workers, public authorities, schools, etc) and ensured that the project is grounded in real needs and practical experience. Partners jointly developed and validated a comprehensive needs assessment framework, including 3 surveys for care leavers, professionals, and employers. These tools were translated and adapted to national contexts, ensuring comparability while respecting local realities. This common evidence base is a key result of Semester 1 and will directly influence the design of training program, pilot actions, and policy recommendations. The partnership delivered several strategic and practical documents that will guide implementation in the next phases, including: - Methodological guidance for seminars and study visits - A common template for identifying and documenting best practices - Memorandum of Understanding and Code of Conduct for the Danube Youth Empowerment Network These deliverables ensure consistency, quality, and transferability across countries, while allowing flexibility for local adaptation. Communication and visibility The project achieved strong visibility through coordinated communication activities, including the project website, a newsletter, social media presence, printed materials, and local events. The added value of cooperation lies in the project’s ability to combine diverse national experiences into a shared approach to youth inclusion. By working together, partners moved beyond isolated solutions and began shaping a common transnational framework that is evidence-based, inclusive, and scalable. In semester 1, Skills4Life project has established effective management and cooperation structures, built a strong, multi country stakeholder network, delivered key methodological and strategic outputs and created a solid evidence base or future pilots and policy work. These achievements provide a strong foundation for the next phases, where pilot actions, training programmes, and policy-oriented solutions will be implemented with the active involvement of stakeholders across the Danube Region.

Project outputs: Joint Pilot testing of Training programme dedicated to youth leaving the special child protection system(EN)
Danube Skills4Life Training programme dedicated to youth leaving the special child protection system, tested and improved for validation(EN)
Jointly Pilot testing of Danube Skills4Life Innovative Platform for Youth leaving the special child protection system(EN)
Danube Skills4Life Innovative Platform for Youth leaving the special child protection system, tested and validated (EN)
Pilot testing of Skills4Life Innovative Mentoring and Counselling Model for Youth leaving the special child protection system(EN)
Jointly developed, tested Skills4Life Innovative Mentoring and Counselling Model for Youth leaving the special child protection system(EN)
Danube Skills4Life Strategy for disadvantaged youth(EN)
Danube Skills4Life Action plans for strategy implementation(EN)
Pilot actions on youth integration to labour market (EN)
Jointly developed, tested S4L Support Methodology for successful and effective implementation of youth integration policies, based on the pilot actions implementation - 1(EN)
Danube Empowerment Network for vulnerable Youth(EN)
Joint implementation of the Skills4Life project(EN)

Thematic information

Health and social services Labour market and employment Social inclusion and equal opportunities

Priority: (VI-B_D_3) Priority 3 - A more social Danube Region

Priority specific objective: RSO4.2. Improving equal access to inclusive and quality services in education, training and lifelong learning through developing accessible infrastructure, including by fostering resilience for distance and on-line education and training

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO4 A more social and inclusive Europe implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights

Type of intervention: 151 Support for adult education (excluding infrastructure)

Partners (12)

Lead Partner: Agenția pentru Dezvoltare Regională Sud Muntenia

Partner’s ID if not PIC: FN 401151d

Department: International Affaires and Project Department

Address: Munteniei Street, 910164 Calarasi, Romania

Department address: Munteniei Street, 910164 Calarasi, Romania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Other

Website: https://www.adrmuntenia.ro

Total budget: EUR 209 800.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 167 840.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 41 960.00

Österreichische Jungarbeiterbewegung

Name: Österreichische Jungarbeiterbewegung

Department: European Projects

Partner’s ID if not PIC: ATU: 36821800

Address: Mittelgasse, 1060 Vienna, Austria

Department address: Hermi-Hirsch-Weg, 1120 Vienna, Austria

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Other

Website: http://www.oejab.at

Total budget: EUR 197 413.15

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 157 930.52

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 39 482.63

Югозападен университет „Неофит Рилски“

Name: Югозападен университет „Неофит Рилски“

Department: Sociology department

Partner’s ID if not PIC: BG000017149

Address: Nikola Parapunov , 2634 Barakovo, Bulgaria

Department address: NA, NA NA, Bulgaria

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.swu.bg

Total budget: EUR 169 600.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 135 680.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 33 920.00

Contractors:

Name: "ДИ ЕМ АЙ ДИВЕЛОПМЪНТ" ЕООД
VAT registration or tax identification number: 201557566

Zenička razvojna agencija ZEDA d.o.o.

Name: Zenička razvojna agencija ZEDA d.o.o.

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 218419860000

Address: Zmaja od Bosne bb, 72000 Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Business support organisation

Website: https://zeda.ba

Total budget: EUR 124 600.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 99 680.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 24 920.00

Edukativni centar za obuke u profesionalnim i radnim veštinama

Name: Edukativni centar za obuke u profesionalnim i radnim veštinama

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 106727437

Address: Industrijska , 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Other

Website: https://www.centar.edu.rs/

Total budget: EUR 89 440.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 71 552.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 17 888.00

Callidus – ustanova za obrazovanje odraslih

Name: Callidus – ustanova za obrazovanje odraslih

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 51744209467

Address: Vukasoviceva , 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Legal status: private

Organisation type: SME

Website (not verified): https://edu.ustanovacallidus.hr/en/

Total budget: EUR 185 977.64

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 148 782.11

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 37 195.53

Advanced Technology Systems

Name: Advanced Technology Systems

Department: ATS Research

Partner’s ID if not PIC: RO2649587

Address: Tineretului , 130029 Târgoviște, Romania

Department address: Tineretului , 130029 Târgoviște, Romania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: SME

Website: http://ats.com.ro

Total budget: EUR 176 800.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 141 440.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 35 360.00

Univerza v Mariboru

Name: Univerza v Mariboru

Partner’s ID if not PIC: SI71674705

Address: Slomškov trg, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.um.si

Total budget: EUR 184 572.80

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 147 658.24

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 36 914.56

Contractors:

Name: Fundacija PRIZMA
VAT registration or tax identification number: SI22709495

Львівське бюро євроінтеграції

Name: Львівське бюро євроінтеграції

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 32181700

Address: Rynok square, 79008 Lviv, Ukraine

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website (not verified): https://city-adm.lviv.ua/lmr/utilities/lkp-lvivske-biuro-ievrointehratsii

Total budget: EUR 138 200.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 110 560.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 27 640.00

ipcenter.at GmbH

Name: ipcenter.at GmbH

Department: Educational Offers

Partner’s ID if not PIC: ATU66862068

Address: Schönbrunner Straße, 1120 Vienna, Austria

Department address: NA, NA NA, Austria

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Education/training centre and school

Website: http://www.ipcenter.at

Total budget: EUR 230 779.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 184 623.20

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 46 155.80

Evropská rozvojová agentura s.r.o.

Name: Evropská rozvojová agentura s.r.o.

Partner’s ID if not PIC: CZ28441907

Address: Na Čihadle , 16000 Prague, Czech Republic

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Other

Website: http://www.euda.eu

Total budget: EUR 166 100.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 132 880.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 33 220.00

Asociația Oamenilor de Afaceri Argeș

Name: Asociația Oamenilor de Afaceri Argeș

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 16024499

Address: Victoriei, 110016 Pitești, Romania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Business support organisation

Website: http://www.aoaarges.ro

Total budget: EUR 110 728.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 88 582.40

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 22 145.60

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Austrian Young Workers Movement

Supporting the socio-economic integration of youth leaving child protection systems by developing their skills and capacities through more inclusive leaving care policies in the Danube region

Partners and Projects info

South-West University "Neofit Rilski"

Supporting the socio-economic integration of youth leaving child protection systems by developing their skills and capacities through more inclusive leaving care policies in the Danube region

Partners and Projects info

Zenica Development Agency ZEDA Ltd.

Supporting the socio-economic integration of youth leaving child protection systems by developing their skills and capacities through more inclusive leaving care policies in the Danube region

Partners and Projects info

Educational Training Centre for professional and working skills

Supporting the socio-economic integration of youth leaving child protection systems by developing their skills and capacities through more inclusive leaving care policies in the Danube region

Partners and Projects info

Callidus institution for adult education

Supporting the socio-economic integration of youth leaving child protection systems by developing their skills and capacities through more inclusive leaving care policies in the Danube region

Partners and Projects info

Advanced Technology Systems

Supporting the socio-economic integration of youth leaving child protection systems by developing their skills and capacities through more inclusive leaving care policies in the Danube region

Partners and Projects info

University of Maribor

Supporting the socio-economic integration of youth leaving child protection systems by developing their skills and capacities through more inclusive leaving care policies in the Danube region

Partners and Projects info

Lviv Bureau of European Integration

Supporting the socio-economic integration of youth leaving child protection systems by developing their skills and capacities through more inclusive leaving care policies in the Danube region

Partners and Projects info

ipcenter.at

Supporting the socio-economic integration of youth leaving child protection systems by developing their skills and capacities through more inclusive leaving care policies in the Danube region

Partners and Projects info

European Development Agency

Supporting the socio-economic integration of youth leaving child protection systems by developing their skills and capacities through more inclusive leaving care policies in the Danube region

Partners and Projects info

The Argeș County Businessmen Association

Supporting the socio-economic integration of youth leaving child protection systems by developing their skills and capacities through more inclusive leaving care policies in the Danube region

Partners and Projects info

AGENȚIA PENTRU DEZVOLTARE REGIONALĂ SUD MUNTENIA

Supporting the socio-economic integration of youth leaving child protection systems by developing their skills and capacities through more inclusive leaving care policies in the Danube region

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Supporting the socio-economic integration of youth leaving child protection systems by developing their skills and capacities through more inclusive leaving care policies in the Danube region

Project acronym: Skills4Life

Project ID: DRP0300869

Project start date: 2025-04-01

Project end date: 2028-03-31

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

IQ IMMA - Innovation and qualification - involved, motivated, mobilized, engaged (EN) | In 2023, the Argeș Business People's Association implemented the European project IQ IMMA - Innovation and qualification - involved, motivated, mobilized, engaged. Within this project, we had a target group of 251 unemployed people, who benefited from professional training services for one of the jobs of cook, waiter, waitress, as well as information, counseling and mediation services on the labor market.
At the same time, together with the General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection, we annually organize the Career Day event for young people in the system. In this event, we bring together young people from the institutionalized system, counselors and entrepreneurs.
(EN), INCLUDEME - Inclusive Digital Environments to Enable High-Quality Education for Disadvantaged and Disabled Learners (EN) | INCLUDEME - Inclusive Digital Environments to Enable High-Quality Education for Disadvantaged and Disabled Learners, coordinated by ATS, funded by European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), enables disabled and disadvantaged learners to improve the quality of their lives through the provision of customizable digital learning environments available in both formal and informal settings; Invest in the teaching staff skills; Support communities to be more inclusive, by increasing awareness and equipping the relevant stakeholders with the knowledge, methodologies and tools needed to address social exclusion and equality issues.
DT4S - Design Thinking for Sustainability Education, where ATS ws a technical partner. It developed design thinking skills of students. It aims to build problem solving skills, collaboration ability, and capacity to integrate knowledge among secondary students aged 12-16 for preparing them to actively engage in sustainable development and business practices. The project will motivate them to introduce design thinking principles in problem solving, such as ideation, brainstorming, designing action plans, evaluation, and synthesis of knowledge innovative.
(EN), iNnovaNet - Innovative technologies for stronger businesses and i
mproved business environment (EN) | iNnovaNet - Innovative technologies for stronger businesses and improved business environment, Lead partner - ZEDA, funded by IPA Interreg CBC HR-BA-ME 2014-2020.
This project was based on the knowledge transfer principles, supported by cross border mobility activities, training capacity and capability in CNC machining, mechatronics and robotics. Equipped innovative centers for training and education in partner countries, established network of educational and partner institutions and developed virtual educational web platform, trained staff of 3 BSO organizations. Made NP for trainings;
5 training cycles were organized for 252 young people. Renovated part of the ZEDA Agency building with 35 new office premises for SMEs.
(EN), SKOraK – A partnership for new jobs, as a project partner and creator of application,
EU - EU Support to Local Employment Partnerships Phase II (LEP II) – implemented by ILO. (EN) | - iSKOraK – A partnership for new jobs, as a project partner and creator of application,
EU - EU Support to Local Employment Partnerships Phase II (LEP II) – implemented by ILO.
Overall goal was increasing the number of employees in the area of LEP and improvement living standard of final beneficiaries. SO1. An increased number of young, professionally trained people from hard-to-employ categories who will respond to the needs of the labor market in the LEP 2 area.
(EN), Support to Deinstitutionalization of Residential Care for Children in Serbia project (EN) | Support to Deinstitutionalization of Residential Care for Children in Serbia project ( 2017 - present) Implementing Agency: Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy of the Republic of Serbia (MLEVVSP), in collaboration with UNICEF and other local partners. (EN), The Spilnota small group house was established in Lviv, Ukraine in December 2023. It is an unique example of small group houses in Ukraine as unlike other facilities in Ukraine, its target group is teenagers from 16 to 23 years old. The project was created with the support of the Ridni Charitable Foundation and the Department of Children's Services of Lviv City Council. This is a unique center that aims to provide comprehensive support and development for young people and help break the cycle of orphanhood by preparing teenagers for independent living. Young people (boys and girls) from boarding schools and teenagers from families in difficult life circumstances affected by the war, aged 16 and older, are living and studing there. It accommodate 20 adolescents (10 boys and 10 girls), aged 16 to 23, from institutional and family-based care, including IDPs and those who have entered Lviv's higher education institutions (in case they have a full-time education).
The concept of the space is to create a safe place for the comprehensive development of young people for their prosperous future.
The goal of Spilnota is to prepare teenagers for independent living, create an environment for developing their skills and talents, learning about themselves and the world, forming a community of active and successful youth and laying a solid foundation for a moral and social position. (EN) | The small group house itself is divided into several areas:
- the residential space serves as the personal residences of community members.
- the library provides a space for intellectual development, where scholarship holders engage in various directions of work and create projects that have local impact.
- the co-working space functions as a venue for meetings, presentations, and public events involving stakeholders and the general public.
- the sports hall is utilized to support the physical development of scholarship holders.
The formation program includes various trainings and education. It was created with the assistance of experts from various fields who work with children: psychologists, psychotherapists, and church representatives. Experts from the Institute of Leadership and the Ukrainian Catholic University were also involved.
The goals of Spilnota are the follows:
- To prepare teenagers for independent living.
- To foster a community of active and successful youth.
- To create an environment for the development of their own skills, talents, self-understanding, and understanding of the world.
- To establish a strong foundation of moral and civic values among the residents of Spilnota.
The formation program focuses on the following main areas:
- Educational environment: Providing opportunities for comprehensive development through the proposed curriculum, which is integrated into the lifestyle of Spilnota residents.
- Personal development: Encouraging self-discovery and self-acceptance, enabling individuals to better understand themselves and their talents for further growth.
- Community building: Creating a network of proactive and morally driven young individuals who actively contribute to society. (EN), Danube4SEEcosystem (D4SEE) project (Danube Region Programme 2021-2027, 1st call) is currently under implementation and it is addressing S.O 3.1: Accessible, inclusive and effective labour markets. The main objective of the project is to jointly develop inspiring policies for social enterprises by involving local public authorities into the social enterprises supporting ecosystem in order to enhance inclusive employment in the Danube region while supporting the sustainable operation of social enterprises as interpreted on the basis of a broad definition, in order to strengthen their employment role at the settlement and regional level. The project also focuses on jointly developing public policies that support cities/regions to systematically sustain the functioning and development of social enterprises in their territory, with a focus on those SEs that involve vulnerable groups in the labour market. (EN) | South Muntenia Regional Development Agency is LP of the D4SEE project. SMRDA will oversee all project activities implementation and will be able to enhance D4SEE’s impact and create a more
comprehensive support system for the young people leaving the special child protection system
or for those that are left out of the system, empowering them with employment
prospects and entrepreneurial and social skills, with the perception of being supported, engaged and included not only on the labor market but also on the community. Through the Transnational Knowledge Transfer Workshops and through Danube Social Economy Network developed under D4SEE, Skills4Life project aims to leverage the findings and expertise of
research to improve its strategies on how to capitalize best practices in inclusive education policy and policy reform. Synergies will also be created by incorporating findings of the policy dialogues organized under D4SEE project in the Danube Skills4Life Strategy Development, in order to highlight the focus of both projects towards improving existing and future policies in the DR that will support both SEs and the involvement of disadvantaged people in the labor market and community.
(EN), BackOnTrack project (Danube Region Programme 2021-2027, 1st call) is currently under implementation and it is aiming at fostering the (re)integration of young NEETs (Not in Employment, Education, or Training) in rural areas back into education, training, and the labor market. Recognizing the challenges faced by NEETs in rural communities, the project focuses on enhancing their basic skills, resilience, and virtual mobility to empower them for sustainable employment and personal growth.
Back on Track project is focusing on engaging and integrating inactive, marginalized young people. The project aims to understand their needs, offer personalized support, enhance skills, and improve mental well-being.
(EN) | South Muntenia Regional Development Agency is coordinator of the activity “Improving quality of life and mental readiness of rural NEETs by expanding their self-management and resilience competences”. SMRDA’s responsibility is to develop a self-management and mental well-being curriculum and to deliver interactive self-management workshops using a combination of group discussions, role plays, experienced guest speakers, case studies in order to enable rural NEETs to motivate themselves, to reduce stress and to develop their problem-solving skills. Thus, the knowledge and experience gained through these activities will contribute in Skills4Life project, easing the development of the mentoring and training session addressed to the target group, identifying the kind of support and approach that is the most suitable, offering pathways for development and career options. The synergy would also be in terms of supporting the young person leaving child care protection system with a smooth transition to labor market, considering the context created already through the BackOnTrack network of stakeholders and their inputs on this matter. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 1 984 010.59

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 1 587 208.47

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

Co-financing sources:

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

Stakeholder group network for youth leaving the special child protection system - LP
Stakeholder group meetings for youth inclusion to labour market
Development of assessment instrument of the actual need and challenges of target group - IP Center
Assessment of the actual need and challenges of target group – all PPs
Joint report on the survey on the youth needs and challenges – EUDA
Country Reports of youth inclusion policies - all PPs
Joint Report of youth inclusion policies in the Danube region - EUDA
Policy recommendations - EUDA
Training programme curricula for youth employment - EDI
Development of counselling and empowering session and career guidance sessions - OJAB
Role Models Group of Youth with Successful Story on Leaving Care - AOA AG
Train the trainer workshops -IPC
Skills4Life Innovative platform - ATS
Skills4Life Innovative platform Guidelines and Use Cases - ATS
Skills4Life platform transferability models
Blended learning training sessions
Mentoring and coaching sessions
Counselling and empowering session for vulnerable youth
Report on Innovative Youth Training Programme - AOA AG
Methodological Guidance for organizing the Seminar & Study Visits - ATS
Seminars & Study visits in AT, CZ, SI
Report on Seminars & Study visits organized
National Knowledge Transfer Workshops in partner countries
Develop a Joint report on National KTW organized - ATS
Handbook on PLD preparation, focusing on vulnerable youth - ZEDA
Policy Learning Dialogues in RS, HR and AT
Report on 3 Policy Learning Dialogues organized
Summary recommendations report on PLDs for Danube Skills4Life Strategy Improvement - ZEDA
Template for best practice collection - SWU
Best practices in each partner country – minimum 3/ country
Jointly developed BP compendium for supporting policy change and Strategy Development - SWU
Methodological guidance on Strategy development - EDI
Danube Skills4Life Strategy development - Key actions - EDI
Guidelines for Action Plan development - UM
Action plans for Danube Skills4Life Strategy implementation - UM
Handbook for Local Action Plan development – LBEI
Local Action Plans for piloting countries – all PPs
Development of methodology for LAP implementation – Callidus
Pilot Actions on vulnerable youth integration in Romania – AOA AG
Pilot Actions on vulnerable youth integration in Austria – IPC
Pilot Actions on vulnerable youth integration in Bulgaria – SWU
Pilot Actions on vulnerable youth integration in Croatia – Callidus
Pilot Actions on vulnerable youth integration in the Czeck Republic – EUDA
Pilot Actions on vulnerable youth integration in the Slovenia –UM
Pilot Actions on vulnerable youth integration in the Bosnia and Herzegovina –ZEDA
Pilot Actions on vulnerable youth integration in the Serbia - EDI
Pilot Actions on vulnerable youth integration in the Ukraine –LBEI
Joint report on pilot actions implemented – Callidus
Guidance on Job Fairs organization - SWU
Job Fairs in S4L countries - all PPs
Report on Job Fairs in S4L countries - SWU
Development of Memorandum of Understanding for the Danube Youth Empowerment Network - IPC
Code of Conduct for the Danube Youth Empowerment Network - IPC
D.3.4.3 Report on the S4L Network Peer Review Meetings - IP Center

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EUStrategyDanubeRegion The project contributes to the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region PA09 “People and Skills” because one of the main objectives of the project aims to improve leaving care policies in the Danube region and develop an educational program for youth leaving the special child protection system that include development of personal skills required to be integrated in the labour market, including mentoring programs. Within the project, the Danube Skills4Life Strategy for disadvantaged youth be developed, with the aim of stimulating the cooperation of the competent institutions in order to increase measures regarding inclusive education, the coherence of educational policies and governance models for people who leave the special child protection system. Therefore, the project directly addresses the concrete issues identified by the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region: Action 1 Intensify Cooperation in Labour Market Policies – especially by encouraging market orientation of educational offers (avoiding skills mis-matches); Action 3 regarding Integration of Vulnerable Groups into the Labor Market and Action 5 Quality and efficiency of education and training systems – trainings created in order to improve the integration into the labor market will be adapted to the needs of the target group, considered a disadvantaged group, keeping an important focus on the qualitative aspect of education. Also, an innovative initiative within the project that will transversally address the problems tackled by European Union Strategy for the Danube Region is organizing of the job fair with matching and pairing sessions for SMEs and young people - one-on-one meeting (private personal meeting with the SME representative and the candidate discussing specific skills and job description).
Viktor Nedovic, Coordinator of EUSDR PA 7, Knowledge Society has signed a letter of support and agreed to support it by attending project events and disseminate the project results.
EuropeanGreenDeal The project contributes to the European Green Deal’s effort to protect the citizens and workers most vulnerable to the transition, providing access to trainings, internships and jobs in all economic sectors by developing counselling and mentoring programs in order to acquire/develop skills to match the current requirements of the labour market (digital skills, business skills - for young marginalized people who would like to become entrepreneurs; basic skills - CV development, job search, how to prepare for an interview, etc.). especially for vulnerable groups – young people leaving the special child protection system. Moreover, the project aligns with the initiative of the European Green Plan, to develop a just transition mechanism, in order not to leave anyone behind, thus paying special attention to vulnerable groups. All its activities achieve their objectives in the most efficient and least burdensome way, consistent with the green oath of "do no harm" and also with the principles of durability and sustainability.
TerritorialAgenda2030 The project actively contributes to one of the main objectives of the Territorial Agenda 2030 - to increase the well-being of citizens and their quality of life by reducing disparities – paying more attention to the diversity of places in Europe, along with their development potential and challenges – through the transnational approach which aims precisely to reduce these disparities by participating in know-how activities and information exchange (seminars, study visits, policy learning dialogues and so on). The project aims to develop joint policies and action plans to support the integration in the society and the labour market of disadvantaged young people coming from care systems in the Danube region, supporting these young people to develop the personal skills necessary to be integrated into the labour market, thus contributing to increasing equal opportunities for citizens, as well as reducing inequalities and improving the integration of people from vulnerable groups. Working towards sustainable territorial cohesion and limiting inequalities between people and places require joint efforts, both from local public authorities and from different groups of society. Therefore, the project reflects this aspect of the strategy very well as the emphasis is on supporting the long-term connection and collaboration of youth guidance and protection organizations, national and public authorities, BSOs for inclusive education, harmonization of educational policies and governance models for people leaving special child protection system to improve their employment opportunities and, consequently, their lives in general.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, 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 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:
RCR 079 - Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations, Measurement unit:

Programme Result Indicator:

ISI - Organisations with increased institutional capacity due to their participation in cooperation activities across the borders, Measurement unit: No. of organisations

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-B Danube

Latest month of project-partner-call data publication

2026-04

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

138 / 139 (99.28%)

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

1 431 / 1 431 (100%)

Notes on the data

Potential discrepancies with some project budgets, are being verified.

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Supporting the socio-economic integration of youth leaving child protection systems by developing their skills and capacities through more inclusive leaving care policies in the Danube region

Description

Thematic information

Partners (12)

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Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

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

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