On the basis of simple model calculations, we estimate the consequences of the COVID-19 shutdown on youth unemployment in the European Union for the year 2020. According to our estimations, youth unemployment will increase from 2.8 to 4.8 million. The youth unemployment rate will increase to 26%, and the number of young people not in education, employment and training (NEET) will increase from 4.7 to 6.7 million.
The 2007-2008 financial crisis already left youth shouldering a significant share of the social and economic consequences as the number of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET) rose to 18% and the number of unemployed young people increased by 20%, leaving one in eight young people (aged 18-25) in poverty (OECD, 2019[7]).
According to a recent survey, nearly half of Americans are anxious about contracting COVID-19, and four in 10 Americans are worried about getting seriously ill or dying from it. Businesses are shutting their doors, markets are falling and we may be headed toward a global recession. Studies show that spending just 45 minutes on an art project can relieve stress, strengthen critical thinking skills and improve and sustain memory.
But, lately, a growing number of people are getting even more creative with their coping methods: They’re making art. Photography, music, painting and drawing are keeping people busy and distracted from the stresses of COVID-19.
Needs:
We need to move beyond the idea of NEETs. Improving the way we manage the transition from education to work would be a key part of a strategy aimed at addressing the root causes of disengagement and the art education can have a important role to engage the NEET in the education and new work placements.
Taking into consideration that when it comes to NEET population, the parameter of low self-esteem functions in multiple levels, as at the same time it constitutes both the reason for becoming NEET, but also the effect of becoming NEET, this particular work aims at the enhancement of the basic pillars of self-empowerment of NEET population through alternative methods, primarily interwoven with Performing Arts. Specifically, the project is addressed to staff, youth workers, social workers and educators who specialize on the didactic methods to support and empower NEEt through art, with the aim those to be endowed with innovative tools and modernized methods of operating towards their target groups, thus achieving an increased ability in addressing the needs of NEET population.
The main idea is to share good practice that the organizations/entities do as methodology, tools in artistic areas that can help, support and empower the NEET to be integrated in the society and to create a training course for youth workers using arts and creativity as an organizational tools for the inclusion of NEET in society in time of COVID.
During the project, TMP and Short Staff Training we will work in 5 areas:
1.CIRCUS Tools (Circus La Bulle, Good practice)
2.Video and photography (EDUCATOR, Good practice)
3.Board Games (Amics de la Fonteta, Good practice)
4.Outdoor Art activities (Teatro Metaphora, Good practice)
5.Music (Avrasya Genclik Gelisim Dernegi, Good practice)
Target groups:
-Youth workers, educators, artists
-NEET
Results:
-A good practice guide of the 5 areas worker in the partners organization about workshops, arts and creativity as an organizational tools for the inclusion of NEET in society that will be
-A mapping of the needs of NEET youth and the relationship of inclusion. the basis for the Short Term Staff Training of youth workers.
-4 Transnational meetings in which workers from the organizations will participate in order to share their knowledge, experiences and research for the development of the guide and discuss the contents, activities and tools to be facilitated during the leadership Short Term Staff Training.
-An International Short Term Staff Training for youth educators, artists of the organizations on methodology, tools in artistic areas that can help, support and empower the NEET for integrated in the society.
-Awareness campaign.
Web of the project: https://tools2activateneet.eu
EDUCATOR SPOLEK 