The project
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing labour market vulnerabilities and disengagement among young people, leaving further behind those youngsters that have been struggling to manage their transition from education to the labour market. After reaching the lowest point for a decade in 2019, the pandemic brought the number of youth neither in Employment nor Education or Training in the EU up to 13.7% in 2020.
Social distancing, restrictions, and isolation have profoundly affected the engagement, connection, and empowerment actions sought by the EU Youth Strategy, bringing young NEETs further out of the main channels through which human and social capital can be accumulated, like education and work.
Innovative interventions to foster Young NEETs’ personal and social development are essential to build resilience and equip youth with the skills to positively challenge themselves in a world that constantly changes its rules, and therefore reach the ambitious target of a 9%-NEETs rate by 2030, set by the EC in the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. Personal, social and learning to learn competencies can play a decisive role in preparing young NEETs to develop the right skills for a changing world of work. In this context, the “InKEY” project aims to offer young NEETs new motivating and stimulating programs to acquire the key competence stressed in the LifeComp Framework by developing engaging digital tools that embed game dynamics, mechanics, and components, and online communities of practice.
The project pursues the following objectives:
General Objectives
[1]To enhance the employability of Young NEETs;
[2]To increase the quality and effectiveness of the empowerment actions of the organizations and professionals working with young NEETs.
[1]To develop tailored learning programs to enhance young NEETs’ engagement and motivation in learning;
[2]To increase the key competencies of young NEETs, to let them unleash their dynamic potential, self-regulate their emotions and behaviors, cope with complexity, be thriving individuals, responsible social agents, and reflective lifelong learners;
[3]To equip youth leaders, youth workers and trainers with knowledge, skills and innovative tools to empower young NEETs.

Project Results
-
WP1
-
WP2
-
WP3/R1
-
WP4/R2
-
WP5/R3
-
WP6/R4
Target group
- Youth Leaders
- Youth Workers
- Trainers
- Young NEETs
- Organizations working with young NEETs
- Youth organizations
- Employment and social services
- Community groups
- Education and training entities
- Non-governmental organisations
- Relevant community gatekeepers