Dealing with 175 NEETs in Italy

In Italy, the number of young people who are neither studying nor working is significantly higher than the European average. The project implemented by AVSI in Napoli, Catania, and Palermo has sought to help 175 boys and girls break free from this impasse and find new hope.

Da un tirocinio del progetto "Oltre la Pandemia". Foto di Francesco Pistilli

In Italy, 19% of young people aged between 16 and 34 belongs into the "NEET" category, an English term that refers to those who are neither studying, working, nor actively seeking employment (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). This figure is substantially higher than the European average, which stands at 11.7%.

The pandemic has exacerbated this phenomenon, promoting isolation and increasing the dropout rate among younger individuals.

Breaking free from stagnation

The project "Beyond the Pandemic," supported by the Fondo di Beneficenza ed opere di carattere sociale e culturale di Intesa Sanpaolo e da Fondazione CON IL SUD, has been implemented by the AVSI Foundation in collaboration with other local organizations in the cities of Napoli, Palermo, and Catania to tackle the NEET problem and help young people to transform their lives.

Maria Pia, Matilde, Francesco, and Luigi are some of the 175 young people involved in the initiative. Through the project, they have been placed in training internships and courses in digital literacy and vocational training to enhance their job prospects and facilitate their entry into the workforce. Maria Pia has learned how to make gloves, Matilde has found work in a play center, while Francesco and Luigi are now involved in the restaurant sector.

Da un tirocinio del progetto "Oltre la Pandemia". Foto di Francesco Pistilli
Maria Pia Barbato, 24 years old, from Ottaviano. During the pandemic, she stopped working and studying. She has always loved fashion, and with the Oltre La Pandemia project, she managed to join a renowned local leather glove company in Somma Vesuviana, where she currently works and hopes to be hired. Photo by Francesco Pistilli.

Not just works

These internship experiences have helped them not only to find a job but also to feel better and discover more self-confidence in themselves and in their future.

"Working hard shows results. Now I really see a future".

Maria Pia, one of the girls involved in the project

On Corriere della Sera and Con_Magazine the articles of the project.

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