According to statistics (Eurostat, 2022), the second highest NEET rates were recorded in Italy (19.40%), for both men and women, at 17.7% and 20.5 % respectively, which is the highest rate in Europe among men.
Sicily has an even higher unemployment rate compared to other regions in Italy (37.5 percent of people aged 15 to 29), compared to an EU average of 11.7% (Eurostat, 2022), making it really difficult for NEETs to enter into the labour market. NEETs in Italy, more specifically in Sicily, which required more comprehensive approach to create sustainable employment opportunities including personalised support to overcome their unique challenges based on in-depth analysis of their specific characteristics and needs.
ALMA
ALMA – Aim, Learn, Master, Achieve – is an ESF+ initiative within the “Social Innovation+ call”. It aims to support young people not in employment, education or training (the so-called NEETs, “Not in Employment, Education or Training”). The program promotes the social empowerment of disadvantaged youth by helping them integrate into society, improve their skills, knowledge, and experience and boost their self-confidence. The goal is to help disadvantaged youth integrate into society by accessing employment or training courses through educational and vocational experiences abroad and ultimately find their way into the labour market.