Prodigy: partners share strategies and best practice for engaging and supporting NEETs
How can we reach young people who are not in education, training or employment? What strategies enable us to build relationships of trust and provide them with ongoing support in developing their skills and entering the labour market? These are the key themes of the international webinar Engaging NEETs: Practical Guidelines for Outreach, Engagement and Retention, which took place online last Friday, 6 November, as part of the European project PRODIGY – PROmoting Digital and Green Skills for Youth. The event brought together experience and expertise gained in Italy, Greece and Bulgaria – the three countries involved in the project – to share methodologies, tools and practical guidance for identifying young NEETs, actively engaging them and sustaining their participation over time.
Funded under ESF+ Social Innovation+, PRODIGY supports 240 young people in developing digital, green and professional skills through personalised training programmes, individual guidance and collaboration with the world of work.
The value of local networks
During the webinar, the Fondazione Mondo Digitale shared the results and experiences gained in the regions of Palermo and Reggio Calabria, through contributions from Annaleda Mazzucato, Francesca Lisi and Giulia Melissari.
At the heart of the presentations was the value of the networks built during the project and strengthened through the regional meetings held in October. In both cities, the participation of young people, businesses, universities, employment services and third-sector organisations facilitated a discussion on the difficulties in accessing training and career opportunities and on possible responses to local needs. The experiences in Palermo and Reggio Calabria confirmed the importance of an approach based on active listening, personalised pathways and the direct involvement of local stakeholders. The relationships forged now represent a resource to be consolidated, in order to ensure the continuity of dialogue and develop new shared projects.
From experiences to practical guidance
The international webinar provided an opportunity to explore outreach strategies – that is, ways of reaching young people who are hardest to engage – and the tools to encourage their ongoing participation in educational and vocational pathways.
Particular attention was paid to building trust, personalised support and collaboration between organisations. Through theoretical and practical contributions, case studies and discussion sessions, participants were able to compare different approaches and reflect on how to adapt the experiences gained in the three countries to the needs of their respective regions. This approach recognises that young people play an active role in shaping their own pathways and considers collaboration between institutions, businesses and social organisations to be essential for making inclusion initiatives more effective.
A new meeting for Palermo and Reggio Calabria on 26 November
The discussion continues on Wednesday 26 November at 11.30 am with a new online session dedicated to the regions of Palermo and Reggio Calabria. The meeting is open to young people, youth organisations, third-sector organisations, training and guidance centres, businesses, business networks and start-ups interested in sharing their experiences and the lessons learnt during PRODIGY.
It will be an opportunity to explore the best practices tested, pool the needs identified locally and identify new opportunities for collaboration. The aim is to build on the relationships already established and gather proposals to develop initiatives capable of meeting the needs of young people and the local business community.
To take part
- When: 26 November 2026, 11.30 am
- Where: online
- Registration: fill in the registration form
- Information: Annaleda Mazzucato
The PRODIGY project is carried out by an international partnership led by Fondazione L’Albero della Vita ETS, together with Fondazione Mondo Digitale ETS, Adecco Italia spa, Roma Tre University, ActionAid Hellas and Partners Bulgaria Foundation.
