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ONE STEP AHEAD

Seminar - One Step Ahead, Ostersund (Sweden)
Next 12th of October OSA partners will meet up to present results of the study to interested regions: the meeting will take place at 11h20 after the Earlall General Assembly at the Regional archives in Östersund, Förelasningsrum, in Jamtland (Sweden). The seminar will discuss youth policies in the EU and how youth policies are implemented in various regions around Europe.
Interested regional governments can get in contact with Earlall for the invitation and the programme of the event.
 

INTERVIEW TO...

....Mr Carlo Crespo, Vice-Minister for Vocational Training and Lifelong Learning, Basque Country

1.    Why has the Basque Country decided to participate in the OSA project? What is the value-added of the project?
The Basque government's strategic objectives include:
-    Reducing the percentage of young people who leave school early.
-    Reducing the percentage of young people who are unemployed.

Reducing the rate of students who leave school early to below 10% by the year 2010 has been one of the points of reference established by the Council of Europe in 2002 to control the progress of European education and training systems.
In the Basque Country, the percentage of students who left school early between the years 2000 and 2010 has fallen from 14.7% to 12.6%.

For its part, the situation of the 16-29 population on the employment market during the decade of 2001-2010 can be seen through the evolution of the activity and unemployment rates. The activity rate for young people between the ages of 16 and 29 years has fallen gradually over the decade from 62.1% in 2001 to 54.5% in 2010. For the same age range, the unemployment rate stood at 19.6% in 2001 and followed a downward trend until the year 2007, when it reached 5.7%. The rate then started to rise and reached 18.4% in 2010.

In this context, the Basque government's participation in the OSA project stemmed from the consideration that it could be an excellent opportunity to compare and learn more about the policies and measures for young people that are applied in other member regions of EARLALL and that could be adapted to and implemented in our region. It also made it possible to learn more about the Open Method of Coordination on a regional scale.
The project's value-added is linked to the strengthening of interregional cooperation in the search for efficient policies that contribute to achieving the strategic objectives set in Europe and as part of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020), as well as in the region. It also involves improving the transfer of policies that have been shown to be efficient between regional governments.

2.    Is there any particular area on which the Basque Country has focused its policy action for youth?
As already mentioned, one of the Basque government's priority policies consists of arbitrating measures designed to reduce unemployment among the 16-30 population and attract young people who left school early back to training.
One of our priority measures at the present time is improving professional training. We are trying (and succeeding) to attract more young people to professional training and to recover the concept for young people who left school early.
Accordingly, we have made the professional training offer more flexible by means of a modular approach and online training so that young people who are interested can receive training in a way that is compatible with their work or other activities.
And, in collaboration with business and trade union organisations, we have also launched HEZIBI, an alternating professional training programme in which students between the ages of 16 and 30  complete part of their training at a company which they maintain a labour relationship (paid work) supervised by the educational establishment.

3.    The theme of this newsletter is social aspects of traingin and employment measures; could you mention one measure implemented in the Basque Country that has had a positive effect?
One of the measures that help reduce the number of early school leavers is the Initial Professional Qualification Programmes. These programmes are designed to provide young people between the ages of 16 and 18 who do not have the basic skills of Compulsory Secondary Education (and who have therefore not obtained basic qualifications) with basic professional training that leads to quality employment and the opportunity of continuing studies in official education, thus contributing to their social inclusion.
These programmes are implemented over two academic years. Each year has a duration of 1050 hours. The second-year involves non-labour in-company training, referred to as the Work Centre Training module, and has a duration of between 280 and 350 hours. The weekly duration of this module can be anything up to 35 hours. This module can be completed at the end of the second year or during said year or while alternating between the non-labour practicum and training periods.


SOCIAL ASPECTS OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT MEASURES

Youth Engagement and Employment - Wales
In Wales, data since 1999 suggests that for 16 to18 year olds who are not engaged in education, employment or training (NEET) it is less likely that economic circumstances are a key factor than is the case for 19 to 24 year olds. Figures for 16 to 18 year olds have been consistent at around 10 per cent to 12 per cent reflecting underlying structural issues which persist through all economic conditions.
Reducing the number of young people who are, or are at risk of, becoming NEET remains a stubborn challenge and key priority for the Welsh Government. The damage that is caused for the prospects of young people who are NEET, as well as for their own children, is well understood, as is the cost to the overall public purse.
The Welsh Government is reviewing and rationalising its overall approach to supporting those young people who are NEET, looking to refocus resources on the most successful interventions. We have also brought together our internal resources to tackle the proportion of young people who are NEET. Critically, there will be an increasing focus on preventative measures, in addition to the learning, training and employment opportunities available for individuals who have already become NEET.
The 2011-2015 Youth Engagement and Employment Action Plan will set out some of the key measures that are being implemented to prevent young people from disengaging from learning and help support them with entry to the labour market.
These include:
a) Jobs Growth Wales, apprenticeship programmes and the recently introduced Traineeships Programme.
b) The review of post-16 basic skills activity.
c) Strengthening data and information to help track young people who are NEET.
d) Preventative measures for those young people who are at risk of disengaging.
The Jobs Growth Wales programme was launched in April 2012 and is designed to create 4,000 job opportunities, each year, for 16 to 24 year olds living in Wales.
Jobs Growth Wales will provide 4,000 unemployed young people aged 16 to 24 with a job opportunity for a six month period. Participants will be paid at, or above, the National Minimum Wage for a minimum of 25 hours per week.
The programme will cater for those that are ready for work but have had difficulty securing employment. It will also provide a more supportive environment, for those who need it, to help them progress into sustainable employment. It will provide the work experience valued so highly by employers that so many young people, of differing skills and abilities, find the most significant barrier to securing that first step into employment.
http://wales.gov.uk/about/programmeforgov/
Wales

Adult engagement and apprenticeships - Wales
Maintaining high employment rates is vital to raising living standards, tackling inequality and poverty, and improving general well-being. Employment rates in Wales have lagged behind those of the UK average, but there has been clear progress made in narrowing that gap since the start of devolution in 1999. Recent increases in the number of 19 to 24 year olds who are NEET would suggest that the economic climate is having an impact on the underlying figures for that cohort.
Some of the key measures that will be implemented to prevent people from disengaging from learning and help support them with entry to the labour market are:
a) Jobs Growth Wales.
b) The Pathways to Apprenticeship Programme.
c) Steps to Employment.
d) Young Recruits Programme.
In Wales, our integrated apprenticeship system allows us to balance the supply of highly skilled apprentices with the demands of local employers and the future needs of the economy. This includes financial support for employers who are willing to recruit additional apprentices. The Young Recruits Programme offers employers £50 per week, per apprentice, for 52 weeks. During 2011-2012, we have almost doubled our target of 1,000 places and approved 1,995 direct employer applications. The apprenticeship framework success rate has shown steady improvement over the last four years, with an 82% success rate for Apprenticeships for 2010/11, reflecting a number of factors, particularly the introduction of challenging performance thresholds for work-based learning providers.
The Steps to Employment Programme was implemented in Wales on 1 August 2011 and is aimed at unemployed adults aged 18 or over. The programme offers two defined options:
• Work Focused Training - this aims to allow learners to confirm an occupational focus, undertake vocationally focused training, address barriers to learning and gain the breadth and flexibility of skills required to enter employment, or further learning.
• Route-ways to Work - this option links ‘job ready’ participants with recruiting employers or equips individuals to meet a specific local labour market need through bespoke training for up to eight weeks duration.
http://wales.gov.uk/about/programmeforgov/
Wales

New Initiative „Good and Save work“ launched in Baden-Württemberg
A new initiative shall help disadvantaged people in Baden-Württemberg access the labour market. “Good and save work” is the name of the new concept that was launched in January 2012 by the new Government of the German Bundesland Baden-Württemberg.
Main target groups of the programme are people with specific difficulties, e.g. single parents, people with a migration background, young people without a graduation and people who haven’t been in education or employment for a long period of time.
In the framework of projects financed by the “Good and save work” initiative job seekers get different types of support, among others guidance as well as coaching in order to identify talents and interests of job seekers and help while applying for training and save jobs. Assistance during the first months of a new job is also part of many “Good and save work” projects and regarded as an important factor of success. The support shall ensure that people who got access to training and new jobs don’t give up or lose their job again shortly after they have started to work – which is often the case at the moment.
The “Good and save work” programme is coordinated by Baden-Württemberg’s Ministry of Social Affairs and co-financed by the European Social Fund.
Baden-Württemberg

 

CALENDAR OF VISITS

In the framework of this project, institutional study visits are organised depending on the regional priorities. Interested Regions not involved in the project would be welcome if they wish to join the planned visits.

September 2012, 25-27 visit to Styria; Topics: Youth regional policies addressed to 16‐32 youngsters; Measures for accessing the labour market and remaining in it; Structured models of training - employment alternance; Dual system implemented in Styria
October 2012, 10 visit to Jamtland; Topics: e-learning measures
December 2012 visit to Wales; Topics: NEETs Welsh strategy, Quality system in the apprenticeship, Measures for supporting adults in entering education and training programmes, The Welsh Baccalaureate.

For any additional information and to participate to the visits, please contact the Project Coordinator: Mrs Francesca.Torlone@meliusitaly.eu


WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE EU

Recommendations to increase level of literacy in Europe
As foreseen on Youth on the Move, the high level experts group on literacy was created in 2010 as part of ET 2020 - BENCHMARK: “The proportion of 15-year-olds with insufficient abilities in reading, mathematics and science should be less than 15%”.
On the 6th of September, the EU high level group of experts on literacy has presented recommendations on how to tackle low literacy levels in Europe.
Executive summary
Main recommendations:
1.    Create a more literate environment
2.    Raise the level of literacy teaching and provide more reading support
3.    Increase participation and inclusion
Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on the validation of non-formal and informal learning
Through this recommendation, the Commission is urging Member States to establish national systems for the validation of non-formal and informal learning by 2015. This would allow citizens to obtain a full or partial qualification on the basis of skills and competences acquired outside formal education. Only Finland, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands currently have comprehensive systems in place for validation of non-formal and informal learning. http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/doc/informal/proposal2012_en.pdf

Youth guarantees
Call for Proposals VP/2012/012 - Preparatory action "Youth Guarantee" – Supporting partnerships for activation measures targeting young people through projects in the context of Youth Guarantee schemes at national, regional or local level
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=630&langId=en&callId=362&furtherCalls=yes



OSA consortium wants to express its own gratitude to Karl-Heinz Dullmaier for his professional and valuable contribution to the OSA success. His total committment, his serious and valuable support, his enthusiastic and unique assistance have accompained each step so far and allowed distinguished results.

Karl-Heinz has gone but he will never be forgotten.
OSA consortium
CONTACTS
For any question or information regarding this newsletter, please contact Earlall Business Manager, Miss Flavia Buiarelli at earlall@earlall.eu  
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. 
Copyright © 2012 EARLALL, All rights reserved.
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