Project purpose and goals
The Nordic report Young People of the Periphery (Unge på Kanten) presents results from the Nordic Programme on Globalization Initiative – Health and Welfare that was initiated in 2009. The unemployment among young people in the Nordic countries is much higher than the average unemployment. Especially alarming is the growing group of young people which neither study nor work. Among 10 percent of the young people between 15-24 years are at risk to live their lives in the periphery. The actual statistic information about unemployment in the Nordic countries can be found in the report “Unga i arbete i Norden”.
There are now 5 million unemployed young people under the age of 25 in the EU. The situation in the Russian Federation is similar – 27% of young people under 25 years do not have job.
In order to achieve the purpose an aim is to involve business community from Nordic, Baltic countries and Northwest Russia to engage in solving the problems of youth unemployment.
Specific objectives include:
- Increasing competence in combating youth unemployment and applying new solutions in the border regions of Northwest Russia, the Nordic and Baltic countries.
- Creating a platform uniting authorities, labor market, educational institutions, researchers, companies and youth organizations from the Nordic countries, Baltic countries and Northwest Russia.
- Exchanging and distributing the best regional and local practices for combating youth unemployment and increasing youth employment in the Baltic Sea and Barents border regions in such topics as youth unemployment among social risk groups; creation of new employments. sustainable entrepreneurship; free movement of employees in cross-border regions; education; cooperation of public agencies and cross-border statistics.
Project target groups
- Local, regional and national authorities
- Youth organizations
- Cross-border institutions
- Trade unions, associations of employers, social partners
- Educational and business sectors
Partners
The project is mainly limited to the cross-border regions of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and Norway and Northwest regions of Leningrad, Pskov, Murmansk, Republic of Karelia and Kaliningrad of the Russian Federation. The project will be coordinated and administrated by the project lead partner – Nordic Council of Ministers Information Office in St. Petersburg. The main partner and co-administrator of the project – Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Lithuania will coordinate the work of project partners from the Baltic countries and partly Nordic countries.
- NCM Information Office in St. Petersburg
- NCM Office in Lithuania
- Directorate for Democratic institutions, Department of Local and Regional Democracy and Good Governance, Council of Europe
- Secretariat of Association of European Border Regions AEBR) / Task Force of External Borders of AEBR
- City of Århus, Denmark
- Hedmark County, Norway
- Bothnian Arc, Finland
- Varmland county, Sweden
- Sønderjylland-Schleswig Cross Border Region, Denmark
- Administration of Vyborg district of Leningrad oblast, Russia
- Government of St. Petersburg, Committee for Labour market/City student labour of exchange and training Center, Russia
- Regional Development Agency, Kaliningrad region, Russia
- International Institute of Business Education, Murmansk region, Russia
- Education Development Fund of the Republic of Karelia, Russia
- Chamber of Commerce of Marijampolė Region, Lithuania
- Valga County Vocational Training Centre, Estonia
- Tartu University, Estonia
- Euroregion “Country of Lakes”, Latvia
Key events and activities
- April, 2014 – October, 2015: TWG work, thematic seminars in NW Russia, Baltic and Nordic countries
- April, 2014 – October, 2015: Experts work – Creation of a platform uniting authorities, labour market, educational institutions, researchers, companies and youth organizations from the Nordic countries, Baltic countries and Northwest Russia
- May, 2014 – June, 2015: Thematic seminars and ComUnYouth forum
- April, 2014 – October, 2015: Cooperation with commercial companies
- June, 2014 – May, 2015: Study visits to the Nordic countries and Northwest Russia
- March, 2014 – October, 2015: Management of the project – Coordination group work
- April, 2014 – December, 2015: Information dissemination
- October, 2015 – November, 2015: Evaluation and audit. Reporting
