Problem addressed

The project has tackled the widespread social and economic exclusion of NEETs (young people not in education, employment or training) in Italy’s Campania Region. The area suffers a combination of early high school leaving, low educational outcomes, and persistent youth unemployment—conditions that leave many young people without the skills, support, or confidence to access training or work.

Many NEETs face serious challenges: educational systems often fail to engage them meaningfully or provide the competencies required by today’s labour market. At the same time, material poverty, limited access to services, and a lack of motivation have deepened their sense of isolation and hopelessness. This is especially troubling given the strong demand for skilled labour in sectors like tourism and hospitality, which are central to Campania’s post-pandemic economic recovery. 

With the Neapolitan food culture as a global reference point, and hospitality booming beyond seasonal peaks, employers are now seeking professionals with updated international skills—from foreign language abilities to culinary techniques and customer service excellence. However, these demands often go unmet due to the gap in training and preparedness among the local workforce.

Innovative solution

The project has tackled these urgent challenges by offering vulnerable NEETs a structured, empowering pathway back into active life. Through tailored guidance, hands-on training, and a meaningful transnational mobility experience, the initiative not only has developed market-relevant skills but has also restored self-confidence, motivation, and hope.

 One of the project’s most innovative aspects has been the integration of the ALMA scheme into existing professional training pathways, such as those for chefs, pizza or pastry makers. This approach was complemented by additional support measures, including psychological counseling and career orientation services. These combined elements were designed to maximize the already highly positive impact of these training courses on employability and make them truly effective for the NEET target group. Furthermore, the  project has promoted effective social dialogue by actively involving FIPE (the Italian Federation of Public Establishments) that contributed by identifying key skills needed in the sector, supporting the matching between training and real labour market demands, and facilitating connections between participants and local employers—enhancing job opportunities after the mobility experience had come to an end.

In designing Mind The Gap, the partnership drew on a range of European and national initiatives that have shaped the response to the NEET phenomenon. Key among these are the Youth Guarantee, widely implemented in Campania since 2014, which highlighted both the potential and the limitations of mainstream activation programmes, and the Youth Employment Initiative, which underscored the need for targeted actions in high-unemployment regions. The ESF, particularly through the 2014–2020 Regional Operational Programme in Campania, provided valuable insights into structuring integrated, multi-level interventions for youth inclusion.

Formamentis also built on its direct experience coordinating projects, such as the Erasmus+ UP-SCALE project (2020-1-IT01-KA102-008164), which supported transnational mobility for disadvantaged learners—those with disabilities, economic hardship, or special educational needs—offering tailored training and coaching for active labour market transitions.

Finally, the project is grounded in the ALMA (Aim–Learn–Master–Achieve) initiative—first launched in Germany and expanded across Europe via networks like TLN Mobility. Mind the Gap builds on this model to pilot ALMA-type operations in Campania, combining personalised support with cross-border work-based learning to foster the social and professional reintegration of the most vulnerable NEETs.

Key results and benefits

The project is now approaching its conclusion and has already demonstrated positive outcomes. As shown in pre-departure questionnaires and focus groups, all participants from the three training paths (kitchen, bakery, and pizza making) were highly motivated—eager to gain practical kitchen experience, improve their employability, and grow personally through an international internship.

Despite their enthusiasm, students also reported some concerns. Common fears included language barriers, the pressure of meeting expectations, and the possibility of being assigned only marginal tasks. However, the post-mobility focus groups and feedback received so far have revealed overwhelmingly positive results.

In particular, 100% of the participants in the kitchen path reported feeling fully integrated into their kitchen teams, taking on real responsibilities, and acquiring new culinary techniques. Beyond the technical skills, they also experienced substantial personal growth—developing teamwork, communication, stress management, and adaptability, particularly within multicultural environments. Initial obstacles were successfully overcome through observation, collaboration, and proactive learning.

While data collection is still ongoing for the participants from the bakery and pizza making paths, it is worth mentioning that after returning from their international experience, participants from all paths took part in mock job interviews held at our facility. In addition to these sessions, they also received targeted input on how to build a strong and effective CV, tailored to the expectations of the hospitality sector. These activities aimed to prepare them for real-world interviews with local patisseries, pizzerias, and hotels. As a result, all participants were offered the opportunity to interview with companies in the local hospitality sector, highlighting the project’s strong impact on employability and its meaningful engagement with the local job market.

The internship experience also had a transformative effect on participants’ self-perception and career outlook. Many reported increased self-confidence, clearer professional goals, and a newfound openness to pursuing international job opportunities. Among the most notable outcomes, 44% of participants have already secured employment contracts following their mobility experience, significantly exceeding initial expectations. This result reflects not only the success of the project’s design but also the participants’ capacity to convert training into real employment opportunities.

Potential for mainstreaming

The Mind The Gap project has strong potential for mainstreaming within regional and national strategies targeting NEETs and youth employability. By aligning with the ALMA initiative and demonstrating a successful, replicable model of personalised support, transnational mobility, and skills development, the project provides a concrete framework that can be scaled or adopted by public authorities, training providers, and employment services. Its integration of ECVET tools, structured evaluation, and partnership with both local and EU stakeholders ensures that the methodology is both credible and transferable. Additionally, by addressing critical labour market needs—particularly in the tourism and catering sector, which is a regional employment driver—the project positions itself as a relevant policy tool to respond to socio-economic challenges. Finally, the project's outcomes, including its final Handbook of Best Practices and policy recommendations, are designed to inform and influence the regional ESF+ programming, enhancing its potential to become part of long-term active inclusion strategies for NEETs at both local and European levels.