This new Real Economy episode explores the situation of the roughly 8 million young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEETs) and what the EU is doing to help them. 

The episode features Hatice and Jasmin from Recklinghausen, Germany, who participated in a work experience abroad with the help of the EU's ALMA (Aim, Learn, Master, Achieve) initiative.  

"I made many new Italian friends and got to know a new language. I liked working there in a hotel and learned many things at my work. Now I feel more free, more confident”, said Hatice, a 20-year-old girl who spent two months in Vercelli, Italy, to focus on her prospects.  

Jasmin who went to Greece two years ago and worked in a hotel restaurant says: "I have become more open and have more courage now to change. After this experience, I applied for a design course at a vocational college with a focus on media and communication and was accepted. I start in the autumn." 

Andrea Moraru, the project manager for RE-INIT - the NGO coordinating the programme in Recklinghausen - explains that ALMA participants receive mentoring for four months after they return. The results speak for themselves: "In the last group more than 50 per cent found work, or were accepted into an educational or training programme," she says. 

Prof Mark Levels of Maastricht University suggests that investing in education systems, in-demand skills, and the most vulnerable young people can help decrease the number of NEETs and assist them towards a brighter future. 

Watch the full episode now and feel free to share the word on social media!