Problem addressed

The application of the innovative practice aims to find solutions to problems in the areas of the labor market and social inclusion of NEETs by transferring a social innovation and developing a new solution (model). Suggestions and advice are given on how to avoid risks and barriers when working with young people under 29 who fall into the NEET group. 

Innovative solution

The goals of the project meet the needs of the target groups (inactive youth from 15 to 29 years of age) to increase their social status, their knowledge and skills for active inclusion in the labor market and those of the partners to build partnership and cooperation skills for solving general employment problems of the most vulnerable groups on the labor market, namely young people from 15 to 29 years of age.
Working panels have been developed:
Panel 1 "The paths in our life" - includes 10 meetings lasting 4 hours and aims to help the mentors to help the young people themselves to define the path of their life.
Panel 2 "Learning through play" - has a duration of 10 meetings of 4 hours each, and the aim is to apply developed game techniques to increase the self-awareness and feelings of young people from the group of NEETs for active inclusion and active participation.
Panel 3 "Assessment, Inspiration and Dissemination" - The aim is to gather experience-based information about the causes negatively affecting the lives of young boys and to create methods, together with their help, to increase their independence in the real work environment they will find themselves in.
Within the framework of the developed social innovation "New models for mentoring through the transfer of intelligence between generations", 3 tools for individual and group mentoring of NEETs were created, which were successfully tested on 20 inactive youth up to 29 years old. The tools are as follows:
- Individual digital mentoring via the Facebook and Discord platforms
- Interest groups: Photography, Cooking and Art activities
- Clubhouses
A total of 32 individuals participated in the testing, some of whom expressed a willingness to participate in more than 1 of the new instruments.

This study case intends to scale up or transfer its activities to similar organisations in other countries, by applying the developed manuals and established good practices. They are as follows:

• Мethodology for transfer of social innovation MATTI; 
• Guide to working with the target group; 

• New innovation INNO_MENTOR, including 3 tools for individual and group mentoring of NEETs:

  - Individual digital mentoring via the Facebook and Discord platforms
  - Interest groups: Photography, Cooking and Art activities
  - Clubhouses

Key results and benefits

New tools create a supportive environment for young people to participate fully in public life, achieving their full potential. The foundations are laid for the long-term overcoming of the challenges facing young people who are not working and not engaged in learning and training. One of the main problems of the representatives of the NEETs society, caused by the lack of support from the circle of people surrounding them and distrust in themselves, has been overcome. Subsequently, they are not afraid to show themselves to the public and reveal what skills they possess.
Observations prove the statement that when inactive youth are supported, they reveal their potential in various spheres – digital world, art activities, photography, cooking, clubhouses. The lack of qualifications among this community very often leads to the large number of unemployed or inactive persons among them, depressing them to never get out of this status. However, their support was able to contribute to reaching the inner world of each of the young people.
Based on the considered innovation, it can be concluded that innovation is the most powerful tool for improving any kind of processes, including and quality processes – innovation is such an innovation that improves quality and reduces costs (and price), i.e. increases competitiveness. NGO "Peonies", as a beneficiary of the current project, is aware that to increase the scale of the impact of social innovation, a different way of thinking is required, as well as a different way of financing.
The main conclusions that can be drawn from testing the innovation are:
- Innovation is something new that has not been done before in the country;
- Digital mentoring is a current topic and tool that is increasingly attracting the attention of institutions such as the Directorate of the Regional Employment Service, the Directorate of the Labor Bureau, Social Services;
- Clubhouses reveal hidden potentials of young people, including those with disabilities, to contribute to their realization on the labor market in the future;
- Interest groups contribute to attracting the target groups to specific activities, obtaining new theoretical and practical knowledge and their professional development in this field;
- Reward indicator for the number of persons involved in testing the innovation;
- Unceasing desire on the part of the youth to continue the activities between them and their mentors even after the end of the project.

Potential for mainstreaming

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flu4QEZZ4EQ&ab_channel=%D0%A4%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F%D0%90%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B5