Non-Formal Education Helps Employability of Young People

On 26 October 2012, the European Youth Forum, in cooperation with the University of Bath and GHK Consulting, presented the study “The impact of Non‐Formal Education in Youth Organisations on Young people’s Employability” in Brussels.

Long-lasting and frequent engagement and participation in youth organisations brings high soft-skills development. Amongst the six skills mostly demanded by employers, five are also among those developed through involvement in youth organisations: such as communication, team work, decision-making, organisational skills and self-confidence. For young people who participated in non-formal education activities abroad, this includes also higher development of language, intercultural and leadership skills.

Experience in youth organisation and the skills this develops are valued by employers especially when young people have no – or very little – formal working experience, thus making the work of youth organisation an important contribution to the transition of young people from education to the labour market. The participation in youth organisation is particularly valuable in developing social capital (network and connections) and in creating new vocation paths, especially for young people that are unemployed and not in education or training, early school leavers and young migrants.

“This research – says Peter Matjašič, President of the European Youth Forum – provides the long awaited evidence of the need for more political and financial investment in youth organisations to ensure that they can deliver quality Non-Formal Education, to more young people, thus providing more needed skills to more young people and ensuring a better access to the labour market”.

Download the full report here or read it below:

Comments: