The common challenges faced by the countries involved in the PATHS project are rooted in the lack of opportunities for informed career choices and the lack of services that are widely available (including for children of disadvantaged, rural areas and parents with low educational attainment). Young people wishing to enter secondary and higher education currently only attend ad hoc, limited informa
tion-sharing career awareness sessions and events provided by educational institutions, which increases the risk of drop-out, both in secondary and higher, vocational and adult education. In addition, disadvantaged rural areas are characterised by the outward migration of young people and those with higher education, the ageing of the resident population and the depopulation of the countryside. This situation not only negatively impacted the well-being and living standards of young people (especially NEETs) but also posed threats to the social and economic sustainability of these areas. A solution is therefore needed to help them (at local level) to stay in the area and to make informed, self-aware career choices. The general objective of the project is to develop accessible, inclusive, high quality services at the municipal level, strengthening LLL and the retention capacity of rural areas, by developing and expanding the existing institutional and professional capacities. The primary target groups:
o Young people (12-18) living in rural areas who would have access to career guidance presentations, information materials and online information only in an institutional framework, on a case-by-case basis, without a holistic approach. In many cases, this means an educational institution far from their place of residence, in the context of classroom lessons. The socio-economic status of the family does not allow them to access a market-based service at their own expense. Young people participate in the "I own the path!" camp and in LPs. o Mentors who, as counsellors, trainers, coaches, teachers, parents, social workers, psychologists, etc., take part in mentor training and are then qualified to run the municipal LPSS, and as professionals from SMEs and large companies, take on the task of hosting young people for work placements, supervising their work and evaluating their performance. As a result of the project, a LPSS will be established at the municipal level, independent of the education and training institutions, which will provide young people living in rural areas with full access to innovative, self-awareness-based career guidance services in their localities, thus improving their labour market situation. Following an individual development process, these young people test their knowledge and skills in a workplace environment. The result is a jointly developed solution that will be tested by the partners (HU, SK, RO, BA, CZ, HR) in a LP project with 2 components. The planned actions will help to prepare both mentors and young people participating in the PATHS programme for the LP. All actions will be accompanied by monitoring and social impact measurement tools. A and SI do not benefit from most of the common challenges, but are rather good practice countries that ensure the professional quality of the project. They are also involved in joint development and implementation. The long-term sustainability of the solution will be ensured by:
- The 2 comp. of the model tested in the LPs, jointly developed by the PPs, will remain operational in the LP municipalities, with the commitment of mentors beyond the project period.
- Development and establishment of the Strategy, AP and Network of the DR LPSS, with a continuous exchange of knowledge and experience, also after the project closure;
- Policy recommendation in the field of LL support: integrating the mentor training programme into the portfolio of the institutions concerned and into the legislative environment.
- In the framework of the DR LPSS Network, the following will continue to operate after the closure of the project: Career Guidance Expert, Coordination and Methodology Team (CG ECMT, national level), Intersectoral Working Groups (IWG, national level) as Sectoral Learning Dialogues (SLDs). A priority focus area for the DR Strategy in 2024 is the creation of a more attractive and liveable settlement environment for young people, counteracting the brain drain, building on the resources of local community spaces. This common challenge requires a common solution, which the PATHS project model is an appropriate response to. The social innovation elements of the project are based on linking the settlement environment and career orientation, expanding the range of services available at the place of residence, generating and maintaining cross-sectoral cooperation, compensating for the lack of capacity and resources in the education and training institutions and in the settlements.
