OPPORTUNEETIES

USER GUIDE
FOR

NEET’S
PROJECTS
 OPPORTUNEETIES

TABLE OF CONTENTS
OpportuNEETies is a KA2 Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership project that aims to increase the quality and INTRODUCTION 3
relevance of learning opportunities by creating common skills between four European partners. We would
like to develop hosting places for youngsters with fewer opportunities in each partner country. Indeed, for I - BEFORE MOBILITY 6
many years, we have noticed a shortfall in the mobility projects for NEETS. There are few adapted projects
for these youngsters (not enough accessibility in the programme activities, long timelines and not enough
shared stakes between sending partners and hosting youngsters). 1. Design a project based on real needs of NEETs 7
2. Collaborate with the right…partner 9
In this context, this project seeks to analyze professional positions and contextual realities, to exchange
know-hows and analyse blockages in order to find how youth workers can fit youngster’s qualifications into 3. Make NEETs main actors of their project 10
their expectations and needs. We would like to impulse a professional dynamic which would be in phase 4. Organize an APV 11
with each partner context. Our goal is to enhance the European cooperation by creating hosting projects
for youngsters (in formal and non-formal education), in the identification of the various support process 5. Prepare the NEETs before their mobility projects 11
steps, particularly in social entrepreneurship possibilities. 6. Plan a great learning experience for your youngsters 13
Time of the project: 28 month, from September 2016 to December 2018.
Project timeline includes transnational times alternation:
II - DURING MOBILITY 16
– 4 copiloting meetings with 3 to 4 participants per country
– 4 practice exchanges and training seminars: 4 participants per country 1 - Recommendations for implementing youth exchanges 17
Total of participants: 116 (within 4 from ethnic’s minorities or specific communities) • Mobility projects have different phases 17
Each organization has the responsibility in its own area of the implementation and animation of a semi- • Prepare a warm welcome! 18
nar-training, in which each of them are specialists:
• Visit the accommodation/the environment of the project and get togheter 18
– WERKstattSCHULE, in Germany: “Continuity between formal and non-formal education: qualifica tion • Help participants to discover who is who 19
programme for youth workers or teachers to strengthen the pedagogical competencies • Discover the fears, hopes & expectations of the participants 20
– YOUNET, in Italy: Social Entrepreneurship and NEETs
– MUNDUS, in Spain: learning mobility and VET in the NEET experience
• Present the project & program details 21
– i-PEICC, in France: Involvement and participation of NEET • Define common rules 21
• Discuss learning objectives 21
This project has as a basis the self-training logic. Each participant holds an expertise, and the competence is
made by the synergies everyone’s expertise. Each participant is at the same time trained (by its peers) and • Organize team-building activities 22
trainer (to its peers). Each method used during the exchanges and trainings, will require active participation • Prepare carefully the activities 25
from the participants. • Keep time for feedback & reflection 27
The alternation between transnational copiloting meetings and seminar-trainings should enhance the • Organize a final presentation 29
project appropriation by all participants (from referents to animators), and by partners and local authorities
associated in each place. 2 - Recommendations for implementing EVS/ESC projects 30
• Appoint one mentor and one tutor 30
Attending results:
• Define suitable tasks and project 30
– Each production collected during seminars-trainings – pedagogical material, experience testimonies and • Help the volunteer to overcome the language barrier 31
group analysis, resources, frame of informal and learning times animation – will be made available on a
digital platform, which will serve as an intranet for participants in its private form and as an open resources • Work on the youthpass! 31
place in its public one. • Help volunteers to face challenging situations 32
– A public and private partners awareness of the necessity of decompartmentalization for better coherence
of NEET’s inclusion disposals.

Project should allow behavioral changes in the youth workers practices, in organization in which they are
working and, in fine, in NEET’s support. At the end of the project, we evaluate to the number of 40 the new
hosting projects for NEETS which will be created, which means 10 by country.
PROJECT NUMBER: 2016-2-FR02-KA205-012028
1
OPPORTUNEETIES OPPORTUNEETIES

INTRODUCTION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The term NEET is used to describe young people not in employment, education or trai-
ning. 
III - AFTER MOBILITY 34 The concept has been widely used as an indicator to inform youth-oriented policies on em-
ployability, education, training and also social inclusion in the 28 EU Member States since
34 2010. 
1. Talk about “after mobility” before the mobility and during it!
NEETs were specifically referred to for the first time in European policy discussions in the
2. Make an appointment with the youngster just after the mobility! 35
Europe 2020 flagship initiative ‘Youth on the move’. The age category covered by the term
3. Evaluate the project with the hosting organization! 35
was 15–24 and was later broadened to include those aged 15–29. The concept is now cen-
4. Evaluate the project with the youngster 36 trally embedded in the policy discourse at EU level. In 2018 in EU, 14.2% of the population
5. Work on the youthpass:reflection on the competencies developed during mobility 37 aged 15–29 are NEETs. 
6. Orientation/guidance: help the participant to move forward! 38 The latest study on the diversity of NEETs provides a new categorization into seven sub-
7. Value and disseminate the results of the project! 38 groups in order to better understand the composition of this group of young people.
8. Create/find a network of former EVS volunteers! 39 The aim is to better assist policymakers in understanding who the NEETs are and to assist
9. Teach entrepreneurship / initiative / Erasmus for young entrepreneurs 39 the design of adequate support measures to meet a wide variety of needs. Each of these
groups is made up of a mix of vulnerable and non-vulnerable young people who are not
accumulating human capital through formal channels, whether voluntarily or involuntarily.

Source : https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/topic/NEETs

2 3
OPPORTUNEETIES
Mobility projects can be one of the good ways to work with NEETs as they lead to expe-
riences, which can have great number of benefits for them. Thanks to the cultural exchange
present in mobility projects, these opportunities often lead to a process of self-discovery,
which can give new perspectives and broaden horizons, ultimately helping NEETs to over-
come their disorientation, lack of motivation and proactivity.
Mobility projects can also help them to build their self-esteem and improve their langua-
ge skills, which is often one of the deterrents together with economic barriers and lack of
information about these types of opportunities to prevent them to take part to a formative
period abroad.
Ultimately, mobility projects are experiences that not only can improve your chances of fin-
ding the right job by bringing an added value to your Curriculum Vitae, but can also have a
long-term effect in terms of involvement and motivation to take active part in the com-
munity, creating dynamic effects also at local level.
In the broad category of mobility projects, you can find different experiences, which may
suit your NEETs depending on their needs and specificities.
As introductory step in the world of mobilities, you could opt for a Youth Exchange. It is a
soft way to get young people out of the comfort zone: for a short period (around one-two
weeks), the NEET lives an experience abroad in which he/she is accompanied by peers and
a group leader, who act as point of reference. Because of the company of people from the
same country, the language barrier is not very high. Still, it is a very intercultural experience
with a program organized in details.
Group EVS/ESC/Large Scale EVS projects last around 2 weeks and involve groups from
different nationalities working in support of an event. You can organize this mobility if you
would like to offer to your NEETs an opportunity to develop more specific and transferable
competences.
For a more individual experience in the short period, you could opt for a Short Term EVS/
ESC (between 2 weeks and 2 months). The hosting organizations generally have less requi-
rements for short-term projects and accept more easily youngsters facing difficulties. Mo-
reover, the Erasmus+ program and the European Solidarity Corps provide individual rein-
forced mentorship in projects for youngsters with fewer opportunities.
For a deeper experience, you could offer opportunities for Long Term EVS/ESC, which last
from 3 to 12 months and is a totalizing experience from the point of view of cultural im-
mersion. In this type of mobilities, language courses are provided and eventually certified.
Finally, for more vocational experiences, you can take advantage of Youth Guarantee
internships, which are projects aimed at the inclusion of young people in the job-market
thanks to competence building and development paths.
4 5
OPPORTUNEETIES
Step by step ...
Intercultural mobility projects targeting the NEETs have special demands on the implemen-
ting organization. Not only educational difficulties should be considered, but also difficult
psychological settings and a variety of stress factors need to be emphasized. Any lack of
foreign language skills is not in the foreground here, but also plays a role. Even for non-NE-
ETs, it is quite normal to feel insecure in a foreign, intercultural context.
A relationship based on trust is the basis for the cooperation with those participants. If it is
sustainable, it enables constructive interaction with each other, even in difficult situations
and within this short project period. Obstacles often arise from personal negative experien-
ces with institutional settings (such as sanctions), mental stress and unexplained expecta-
tions.
Promoting the experience of self-efficacy is central. If the participants can perceive them-
selves as socially competent, basic prerequisites for a successful intercultural encounter
have been created. Lack of experience of self-efficacy and difficulties in social interaction
are a key issue for many of these participants.
Obstacles are often negative experiences, the fear of failure, social anxiety and excessive
demands.
In the projects (in groups, as well as an individual setting) it is necessary to provide a clear
everyday structure. Many participants have a lack of structure, which has been solidified for
years, which can only be remedied step by step. Especially important for the individual de-
velopment of motivation is the identification and experience of personal competences and
potentials. The design of the programs should therefore have a very strong non-for-
mal and active, realistic and practical framework.
In an intercultural mobility, people from different countries and cultures meet. Both simila-
rities and differences become clear and tangible. Almost automatically, people have to deal
with attitudes and values, lived behaviors and different perspectives.
A well and carefully prepared program implementation with different methods and
a comprehensive evaluation facilitate the start for the participants. The selection
and preparation of the methods must be very thorough and necessarily include a
structured evaluation phase, so that the participants can draw conclusions from the
experiences made and learn. In order for them to get involved, an environment must
be created in which they can feel comfortable and build trust.
Many participants of this target group have often an insufficiently aware of their own
potential and competencies, as they have received little positive feedback in the past.
Working together in a creative, practical way, in addition to a project that creates ad-
ded value for other people, leads to recognition and a positive self and group expe-
rience.
OPPORTUNEETIES
I - BEFORE MOBILITY
“Plans are worthless. Planning is essential.” ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower
We all agree that working with the young people before the mobility is a key step for suc-
cess. This is especially important when working with NEETS. Due to their characteristics,
regardless of the geographical differences, a reinforced preparation has to be planned in
detail.
Practical and logistical aspects are not the only elements to consider when preparing the
mobility. There are several key points involved in the preparation of a NEET starting a suc-
cessful learning journey. Here we present you a few ideas that might help you in the pro-
cess of planning a good ‘preparation’ before a mobility. But remember each person and
project are different and there is no ‘one fits all’ solutions!! Know the young people you are
working with!
Practice makes perfect, so the best thing to start with if you are at the begging of your
journey into youth work is to start with a youth exchange. Either you can organize it your-
self or you can be involved as a partner. After you get more experienced, you can also con-
tinue by implementing EVS/ESC projects.
It does not matter if you have never been yourself a participant into a project of this kind.
Sometimes it is even better because like this you have a fresh view on how to implement it.
Working in mobility projects has never been easy, especially if NEET youth are involved, but
the impact of a well-implemented project is priceless. This is why the preparation phase is
essential to ensure the success of a project.
In this chapter, you are going to discover specific aspects about:
•    How to create, coordinate and implement a mobility project dedicated to NEET young
people.
•    Dos and don’ts when you get involved as a partner in a mobility project for NEET youn-
gsters.
•    How to motivate NEETs to take part in mobility projects.
•    How can NEET youth become the main actors of the mobility projects and not passive
participants?
•    How to prepare NEETs for taking part in a mobility project?
•    Plan the learning experience for NEET in order to make the results of the mobility su-
stainable on a long term.
•    Tools you can use in the process of planning a mobility project for NEET.
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OPPORTUNEETIES
1. Design a project based on real needs of NEETs    
“Let’s do a project! This idea so cool! For sure youngsters will like it and learn so much from
it.” ~ Group of young people who went away from their city to university 5 years ago and
they think they still know everything about the community, which they visit only for Christ-
mas.
When designing a project, you are not creating and implementing a mobility project for the
sake of creating a mobility project. A project is created based on real needs that the project
intents to solve.
• Work closely with social workers or other local stakeholders who specifically
know the background of NEETs collective.
• Set up local objectives to work through the mobility project based on a need
analysis at a local level.
Develop your own long-term strategy of work with local stakeholders involved in wor-
king with NEETs or youth at risk of becoming a NEET. Create the strategy and write it down!
Do not just leave the idea floating in the air thinking that you know with whom to talk and
what to talk about. To have a good communication strategy you really need to know your
local community and how to deal with the stakeholders. It might be cases where the rela-
tion can be built in informal ways or stakeholders whom are reachable only through very
formal communication means. It is good to start by making a list of the stakeholders, the
contact persons, how they can help you, how to maintain communication with them. Next
step is to apply Public Relations strategies to build stronger relations with the stakeholders:
send holiday greetings, be present at the events, do a lot of network inside your local com-
munity... Keep in mind offline and online communication.
Know your NEETs by being always in contact with them.
You can start by making visits where they are, be present at the youth events and talk to
them. You can also start by organizing small events where you invite them and thus you
have the chance to build a close relation with them. You can also use research instruments,
but take care how you apply them. Do not make things too formal, firstly in most of the ca-
ses you will not master tools of research and interpretation (unless you contact a company
that is specialized in this). Adapt research tools and ‘drees them’ up into something intere-
sting for your youth. How would you adapt the focus group method to your youth? Think
about the location, the environment, design your own focus group in such a way you will
get the info you need without making youngsters feel like they are lab rats.
Working in partnerships allows organizations to increase, reach and improve the quality of
the work provided for NEETs. By building a trustworthy relationship with local institutions
and organizations, you are able to get more accurate information about the background of
the young person or group you will work with, and have a better inside on their needs.
OPPORTUNEETIES OPPORTUNEETIES

If you send a youngster to an already approved project, like an EVS/ESC project : make 2. Partner with the right… partner
sure that this project fit in with his/her profil, his/her learning objectives, his/her wi-
shes… Prepare a list of questions you will ask to the youngsters who want to take part in “Do you want to… be my partner for good and for bad until the end of the project will do
a mobility project. For example: Why do you want to take part in a mobility project? What us part?” ~ Youth NGO very experienced in organizing projects and who has sent more
would you like to learn? How long would you like to live abroad? Did you already leave than 10000 youth to that they recruited through social media to international mobilities.  
your family for a long time? Are you a shy person? Is it okay for you to be the only volunte-
er of the organization or do you prefer to be in an organization hosting many volunteers? In fact: NO! A partnership should not end when the project ends. Being a partner does not
Do you want to live in a big city or in a village? Do you mind sharing your room with other mean that you just send some youngsters to a project!
volunteers?
•     If you are the one designing a mobility project, it is very important that you
Sometimes, youngsters choose the project according to the place where it will happen. choose the right partners for your project. The partners should also work with
NEET youth. Just as you, they should know the needs of their young people and
they should be able to communicate these needs with you. The project is created
by a collaboration of the partners.  
Make them re- •     If you are partner in a mobility project or wish to be partner in one, make
alize that the sure you send your NEETs to the right project. Do not sign a partnership man-
activities are date just because the project looks interesting. Ask how your NEETs needs are
more important being addressed in the project. Do not be just a passive partner, but a collabora-
than the pla- tor in the project design.
ce. EVS/ESC is
a full-time job,
if you don’t like If you are at the very beginning, you can use online tools
the activity you to search for partners. The most famous one is: OTLAS  ht-
will be involved tps://www.salto-youth.net/tools/otlas-partner-finding/
in, your project There are also several other online places to search for
won’t be a suc- international partners (especially on social media). You
cess. can also use recommendations from partners you alrea-
dy have. These tools work also if you wish to be found as
partner for others people project.

Plan for a mobility project while considering it as part of a bigger picture: give a sense of Go to a training or a PBA : meet the partners directly is
higher purpose and continuity to achieve through the mobilities. always useful.

If needed, help the youngsters to prepare their applications: write CV and cover letter in
English can be a huge obstacle for NEETs.
Check your partners: Once you have found possible partners, it is good to test them. Check
their website and social media to find out as many things as possible about them. Your
main aim is to find out if they really work with NEET youth and they are aware of NEETs
needs in their community. You can also prepare a questionnaire with specific questions
related to your project.

Checking applies also the other way around: check the organizations that asks your part-
nership. What kind of projects do they do?

8 9
OPPORTUNEETIES
Try to find out from other people information about the organization you wish to collabo-
rate with. An irresponsible partner can cause major problems in implementation of a mobi-
lity project. Ask other NGOs you know if they worked with them.
A good way to predict their working style is too see how fast they answer your emails. Are
they sending you the required documents in the last moment? Are they able to communi-
cate in a professional way?  Is there a way they can prove you they are really working with
NEETs in their community?
When collaborating for a project, take care to ask all the details of the project you are get-
ting involved in.
When you found your partner, sign a partnership agreement : the role, rights and responsi-
bilities of each one has to be clearly defined.
3. Make NEETs main actors of the projects
“Hey you, youngster, here is a project we have prepared for you and now we are sure it to-
tally fits your needs even if we never asked you what you need. Now you only need to get
involved” ~ NOBODY (we hope)
As we were telling you, a project starts by making a needs analysis. This is how you also
start involving youth in a project designed for them with their help and why not, designed
BY THEM (with your support).
A youth exchange project is prepared by the partner organization together with the youn-
gsters. Young people have to be involved in all the phases of the mobility project and
supported by youth organizations.
Youngsters have to be involved in the design of the project. They are designing the mobili-
ty activities together. In this way, you show them you value their opinion and increase their
self-esteem. Youngsters are also the ones who should facilitate the sessions during a youth
exchange. In this way, they develop much more competences. Well, you will think now that
they do not know how to facilitate. This is how young people learn and grow. Of course,
not every young person would like to be involved in the facilitation, but for sure, everyone
will find a role in the team. Some youngsters can be in charge of preparing the materials,
others of energizers, others with taking notes of the sessions to improve. Your goal is to
support youngsters and help them to reach their learning and development objectives.   sources to purchase the tickets. This is why we were telling you to know your youngsters at
In the Volunteering Projects, encourage youngsters to develop their own small projects.
Support them to put in practice their ideas. It can be anything. It is important to allow the
youngster to use their skills so at the end they can have the satisfaction of something they
have created.
10
OPPORTUNEETIES
4. Advance Planning Visit:
If possible, try to have a budget for an APV.
5. Prepare the NEETs before their mobility project.
“Expect the best, plan for the worst and prepare to be surprised.” ~ Denis Waitley
To ensure young people make the most of their mobility experience, we need to prevent
any unwanted difficulties that might arise during the trip. When all the details of the depar-
ture are set and young people do not waste energy with the little things, create the perfect
conditions to maximize the learning experience during the mobility.
- Infopack:
The hosting organization has to prepare a clear infopack with the following details: descrip-
tion of the activities, planning, environment of the project, objectives of the project, accom-
modation, food, pocket money, advices for the travel, travel budget, contact person… Be as
clear as possible, to avoid misunderstandings.
When preparing the infopack, put yourself in the shoes of the young person reading the
info pack before you create it. If you are the sending organization you could as well take
the time to translate the info pack and have a meeting to discuss every point of it with the
youngsters. Often, young people do not read in detail the info pack or simply skip some
details (details for example related to the accommodation, weather, local currency, agenda
etc.)
You can also organize an online meeting (through Skype for example) to allow the parti-
cipant to talk directly to the facilitator or the project or the future tutor of the volunteer. It
really helps the participant to feel more comfortable and to be less scared.
- Travel:
If you are sending a group of youngsters to a mobility abroad you need to help them to
plan their travel. Keeping in mind that they are NEETs, check that they have financial re-
the beginning of this chapter. Some youngsters might just refuse the opportunity to parti-
cipate because they cannot advance the amounts for their tickets.
In general, the travel costs for Youth Exchanges and EVS/ESC mobilities are reimbursed only
after youngsters purchased the tickets. In the case of NEETs with financial difficulties, the
sending organization or coordinating should advance the amounts.
An insurance that covers the risks related to the participation in the mobility in Youth
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OPPORTUNEETIES OPPORTUNEETIES

Exchange is recommended, but the program does not cover the costs. This is why the orga- You can use mobile apps to compare the prices of the flights/bus/trains and to check fli-
nization should have the resources to provide it for the youngsters. ghts delays. If you buy their tickets, you need to make sure participants are responsible to
catch the flight and/or not give up. An agreement between the two parts should be signed
You can also ask the NEETs for a deposit check as a guarantee, before to buy the tickets for before the tickets are purchased.
them.
Collaborate with companies or including travel companies that can advance the money for
- Logistics: the tickets if your organization does not have enough financial resources.
Make a checklist for the luggage, print it and give it to each youngster so they can follow it
Help young people to prepare everything! while packing.
Help them with the luggage – create a hand Use interactive language learning methods for the language workshops.
out with the essentials needed that they
should put in the luggage. Do not forget to Plan workshops where the youngsters can meet previous participants in projects and share
include the documents they need to take (ID experiences. This is a good way to start the intercultural preparation. You could also use
card, passport,VISA, European Health Insu- simulations and small role plays in which you make youngsters act in small plays that simu-
rance Card…). Make sure young people know late possible situations that they can meet in the country they will have their mobility.
how to arrive (in time) at the departure point.
If long stops or layover are included, plan this Risk assessment matrix: create a matrix with possible risks related to the participation in the
carefully! mobility and plans to minimize these risks/ backup plans in case these risks do happen.  
Online communication: young people love their mobiles, we all know that. It will be very
useful to create a group (like a Whatsapp group) where participants could communicate
- Linguistic: and share information, especially when it comes to the preparation period.

The language should not be an impediment for any youngster to take part in a mobili-
ty project of any kind. In special cases, money for a translator can be asked as under the
Exceptional Costs budgetary category for youth exchanges. You can organize several work-
shops of language before the mobility to help the young people with the language prepa-
ration.
In case of a group activity (youth exchange, group EVS/ESC…): organize a pre-departure
meeting and do team-building activities.
Other tool that can be used during the preparation: letter to myself. Ask the participant to
write a letter to the future him/her. He/she should describe his/her hopes, wishes, objecti-
ves… “Who do you want to be when you will come back?”

- Intercultural preparation: 6. Plan a great learning experience for the youngsters

Make sure you avoid any cultural shock by providing
an intercultural preparation to the youngsters. ” We don’t need to plan anything in terms of learning, it is non-formal education” – Said no
youth worker never…

- Activity Agreement:
Ask the participant to sign an activity agreement. You can even include him/her in the wri-
ting of the agreement. This AA should include: right and responsibilities of the participant,
the sending and the hosting organization, description of the activities, information about
the accomodation, tutoring, language courses, etc.
Planning the learning experience before a mobility project is essential regardless of the fact
non-formal education is used and essential in both types of projects: Youth Exchange or
Volunteering Project.
Due to the characteristics of the non-formal education, planning the learning experience
can make the difference for NEETs.
Set individual sessions with each youngster before the mobility. During these sessions, you
should discuss the personal learning & development objectives and plan them carefully
with the young person. Keep in mind that the ultimate goal is to help the person step out
from the category of NEETs after the mobility.

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OPPORTUNEETIES OPPORTUNEETIES

The experience has shown us that many times goals set at the begging of a mobility often
ACTION PLAN tend to be forgotten by young people a short while after they get to the mobility. This is

Step 1: Guide the young person to identify his/her goals (personal development
goals, learning goals, any other specific goals related to the mobility he/she will
participate in).
Step 2: Help the young person to describe his/her goals in order to get a clear pi-
cture of everything he/she wants to achieve.
Step 3: Ask the young person to write down the action steps needed to take to
accomplish the goals. Together with the young person take each goal, write down,
and list the action steps needed for the accomplishment. At this point, you can get
creative and design different handouts that youngsters can use and that will faci-
litate the process of understanding and following a strategy to accomplish their
goals.
even more challenging when we talk about a Youth Exchange. The time can pass so fast,
the youngsters are so amazed with the new place they discover and their new friends that
they might forget their learning goals. This is why during the meetings where you plan the
goals with the young person, you should open the discussion about this. Help the young
person to set a time and a way during each day to follow the progress of his/her goals. The
leader of the youth exchange should be in charge of it and create the necessary space for it
daily (during the reflection time that is normally planned in each youth exchange).
For a volunteering project, make sure the person has a tutor at the spot who is aware of the
goals set and guides the youth to achieve them.
Try to know the young person and help him/her to understand where are the points whe-
re he/she needs to work. Use your counselling abilities to help him/her to set the right
objectives for his/her development. Some youngsters might be shy and very little self-awa-
re of their weak points. This is where your youth worker skills are crucial.

Step 4: Design a personalized ‘learning journal’. It is important to keep in mind

when working with NEETs that you need to make the learning process much diffe-
rent than they perceive it in the formal education system. By a personalized ‘lear-
ning journal’, we understand a tool that helps the youngster to follow his/her lear-
ning goals. It can be a digital tool, a game that you invent or any other thing that
will maintain his/her interest and enthusiasm.

Step 5: Agree with the youngster methods to measure his/her progress and second
plans to apply when things do not go as initially planned.

Step 6: For longer mobilities (such as volunteering projects) decide milestones

and specific time intervals to check the progress. You should be in contact with the
mentor/coach that the young person will have during the mobility. By this, you will
make sure that your planning made before the mobility will not be forgotten the
moment the young person steps out of the plane or loses the notebook where he/
she wrote down their goals… this leads us to..

Step 7: Make a back-up plan: Be super flexible, adapt and consider all possible
things that could go wrong after planning the goals. You could sum up the go-
als and send them to the young person by a Whatsapp message or by email. You
could have an online session with the youth and the mentor he/she have there.

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OPPORTUNEETIES OPPORTUNEETIES

II - DURING MOBILITY
Projects with young people who are exposed to a variety of stress factors and resistances in
their current life need a special learning environment and a flexible and well-accompanied
program framework as well as an intensive and authentic accompaniment, especially in an
intercultural context.
Important factors are the accompanying persons, communication and a balanced ratio
between the program items and individual experience and learning spaces. Resistances
and fears are important points for the learning process and should get the space to appe-
ar and to overcome. Our experience showed up that a regular/everyday frame of actions,
reflections should be respected and followed up, to give small steps of learning effects
the chance to see the light. Even when you think that there is nothing really important to
reflect, you would be surprised how tiring small things can be when they come up later on.
1. RECCOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING YOUTH EXCHANGES:
YE are short term mobilities (for example one or two weeks), where two (or more) groups
of young people from different countries work, live and learn together in a common space.
Most of the time a special issue or topic was chosen in advance and is focussed during the
exchange. No matter what issue has been chosen, intercultural aspects are in any case extra
topics you will have to deal with.
A - Mobility projects have different phases :
Every youth exchange goes through certain phases. They should be accompanied attenti-
vely by the educators/facilitators.

As an example, we chose two different kinds of mobility projects and their design options 1.  Orientation: means getting to know the other participants. Individual characteristics
for this target group. The youth exchange and the European volunteering activities. We and social skills play a central role here. Conflicts are unlikely in the phase, as each parti-
would like to share our experience and ideas and give you an insight of how a successful cipant endeavors to be accepted by the group. This phase can be accompanied and sup-
and long lasting intercultural mobility experience can be organized.   ported by the educators with different tools. The fun factor should not be underestimated
here. He lays a good foundation for the rest.
You will know more about :
2.  Formation of groups: gradually smaller
• specificities and needs of the NEETs participants in intercultural mobilities    teams emerge, who organize themselves
• the communication design of intercultural mobilities        informally, form hierarchies, etc. At this sta-
• feedback and reflexion    ge, there is a danger that national teams or
• (flexible) program design and realisation “stronger / weaker” teams are formed. This
• the role of group leader as a facilitator of learning processes for NEETS phase is of particular importance and requi-
• different forms of non-formal learning (tools) and the corresponding realization fields res a high level of communication and em-
    pathy from the educators. Here should be
So you can manage : more, rather than too few offers are made.
Often the first conflicts occur on the 3rd or
• the challenges of the NEETS in each mobility     4th day. If this is planned in the program
• communication techniques and tools for each activity part to involve participants and design, for example by a cool program day,
partners actively in the project a first problem can be avoided.
• settings and reflecting methods to each individual project phases and using them flexi-
ble to each situation of the project / in every realisation phase of the project 3.  Group culture: if the positions are clarified
• the use of the methodological toolbox (flexible, adapted on the situation) during the and the working climate is good, common goals
program and working methods emerge. It forms, like every
    other group (for example in companies) a kind
And finally you can of group culture. Facilitators have, like a leader, a
    controlling function to make the working atmo-
• implement a target group-specific project / storyboard for intercultural mobilities sphere and learning processes positive and profi-
• design the program in such a way that formal and non-formal phases alternate and table for everyone.
lead to an optimal learning outcome.
• use feedback and reflection phases effective to support the learning effects

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OPPORTUNEETIES
4.  Farewell: every exchange comes to an end. The farewell phase also has a special role.
You will be surprised to see how much positive experience comes to light, even in suppo-
sedly difficult exchanges. The merging of the joint work results, the visibility of one’s own
work, also falls into this phase. Feedback and reflections with vivid methods and sufficient
time to consciously perceive the end of the project are advisable here.
B - Prepare a warm welcome! Arriving is leaving.
No matter where the groups come from and how far they have traveled, they have always
gone on a journey into the unknown, they left home (for a while)...
Habits and familiarity are left behind and thus the security of moving and orienting freely
and authentically. On the other hand, curiosity, attention and excitement grow. All  good
conditions for learning! The arrival of a group is a central element for a good start. Elemen-
tary needs such as shelter and food, information and orientation in the area now play a
major role and should be a top priority at this time.
People need a certain time to find their way around a new situation. They need to feel
comfortable in their new environment before they can get involved in the exchange. Consi-
der this and create a good framework. Make for a pleasant atmosphere on arrival and make
it easier to arrive!
Pick up the group wherever they arrive (airport, railway station, bus station, etc.). Help them
with luggage and stuff they brought with them. Tell them where you are going now and
what you plan to do for the next hours, but be short and clear. At this moment it is always
good to have a native speaker from their country/ies with you or to count on the youth
leaders,  as the english language is not spoken by everybody.
If your activity takes place in a city : provide maps to the participants.
C - Visit the accommodation/the environment of the project and get together
Prepare in advance the distribution of the participants in the rooms. Take care of
mixing  nationalities. Name badges can be attached to the doors or a room allocation plan
can be prepared. That gives orientation and security.
If the rooms are scattered and the luggage is stowed away, a shared tour of the property
can be helpful for everyone. It gives orientation and a good feeling.
If the accommodation and the project site are not in the same house, the visit of the
project site should be structured and prepared in the same way. Imagine that you can not
find a toilet in a big house or have to make your way through office space that makes you
insecure and has nothing to do with adventure.
Depending on how long the journey was, a short break should be planned. It does not
18
OPPORTUNEETIES
have to take hours, but everyone should have time to discover his/her room or take a
shower. If there is a group room in the accommodation or the project location, the get
together can be mentioned at the end of the visit (meeting of all participants). Don’t forget
to tell the time and room.
If the accommodation and project location are together in one place, it is beneficial to set
up a kind of central meeting or information point. This can be used as a contact point in
all cases. (Multilingual) Information material can be placed here. If it is a room, flipcharts
can be hung with the program or empty charts (for later filling in). Essential auxiliary mate-
rials for the project period can be stored or handed over there. There can also be a central
counter, which is in turn occupied by different group members. So everyone gets closer to
each other, gets the necessary information and takes on a small active role.
Make sure to check how participants can get from the accomodation to the project and
organize tickets, cars, busses e.g. beforehand if needed.
D - Help participants to discover who is who
At the beginning, most participants prefer to stay in national groups. You speak the same
language, you know each other. In order to promote cooperation and break the ice, the
participants should get to know each others. There should be enough time and space for
this. It is not easy for everyone to remember many new names and to approach the other
with curiosity.
There are a variety of methods, exercises and games that can be used for getting to know
each other, here some examples:
 
The shoe pile
Everyone takes off a shoe and throws it on a pile in the middle. Each person now takes a
shoe (but not his own) and tries to find the person to whom the shoe fits. You exchange
the name.
What you need?
You need enough space, a nice floor to sit and the group should wear shoes.
Throw a ball
(in very large groups, form several circles and then merge them at the end)
Everyone is in a circle. Someone throws a ball to a participant. This one says his name.
Then the ball is thrown further.
When everyone has said their name, the throwing participant will first say the name of the
one who is to catch the ball. At the end of several participants successively all names are
said in turn. Who does not know the name may ask.
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OPPORTUNEETIES
What you need
You need enough space and a ball
Gallery Presentation
All participants sit in a circle. In the middle of the circle, photographs, small objects or po-
stcards are laid out. Each participant chooses an object / picture / card and takes it from
the middle. There are groups of 3 or 4 people formed. The groups get 20 minutes to learn
how the others are called and why he / she has selected the object / photo. Pantomime
or any other form of narration is welcome. Each introduces a group member in front of
everyone.
What you need
You need different objects, cards or pictures with random motifs or motifs that can be-
long to the subject of the project minimum the amount of the people, better a bit more
to give the group members a bigger choice. A watch to stop the time would be good as
well.
E - Discover the fears, hopes & expectations of the participants
You’ve well planned the programme, you´ve chosen the methods carefully, logistics and
materials are perfect, you feel well prepared and then comes the disenchantment . The
group isn’t really working, the motivation is missing, ….what has happened?
Presumably the expectations don’t match. In order to prevent this from happening, you
have to take your time and space to clarify expectations, fears and apprehensions and in-
quire everyone’s
personal motivation.
There are also methods to solve this situation :
 
• FOUR CORNER METHOD
The “four corner method” is easy to put in action and serves as a good barometer of opi-
nion. In this method, every corner of a room is assigned to a particular question. Questions
are for example written on a flipchart in several languages, a visualization also makes it
possible. The participants go to one of these four corners and write or paint their answers
to the respective flipchart. Questions could be: What would I like to take home after the
exchange? What should not happen? Why I’m here? What can I do best? Etc...
• SOCIOGGRAM
A sociogram is a visual depiction of the relationships among the group. You can use it
to clarify the background and expectations of each participant. You need an open spa-
ce for this method. Define a line through the room, creating a chart with 0% at the
one end and 100% at the other. Ask the participants a question related to their expe-
rience regarding the topic of your project, e.g. “how much experience do you have
in handcraft?” and ask them to position themselves on the scale. Let them have a
20
OPPORTUNEETIES
look around. Let each participant now tell the group more about their background
and ad the question “what would you like to learn? what would you like to improve?”
Using this methods you may know beforehand who has no experience so far and might
perhaps be a little bit frightened or who is already an expert and might be in danger of
being bored. You can, of course do multiple rounds if needed.
F - Present the project & program details
To present the project it is helpful to be at the place, where the project is happening. Pre-
sent the youngsters the place and show them the whole area for a better orientation.
The project can be presented in a powerpoint presentation or nicely written on a flip chart
including pictures or drawings belonging to the subject of the project. It makes it much
more attractive and visualised. Give the participants an overview about the whole program
at the end of the powerpoint presentation on an extra sheet in a structured form or on a
flipchart. Each day should be explained and roughly clarified. The participants should have
knowledge about the structure of the day and the different phases, like breakfast, dinner,
lunch, the working time and when there is time for leisure.
G - Define common rules
It is a very important point to define the common rules for NEETS. Define the rules to-
gether with the participants. Rules like how to deal for example with the timetable, alcohol
and tobacco should be clear for everybody. When your work includes certain tools or se-
curity aspects, make sure every participant knows them at any time. Also rules belonging
the group interaction or house rules could be important to define. If they don’t respect
the rules, talk to them one to one or better in the whole group about the disrespect and
the reasons for it and try to find a solution together with them to change it. If there is a
need for resolutions, which can occur, make sure they are defined before you start with the
project. Maybe mention them to the participants, but definitely define them together with
the group leaders and partners.
H - Discuss learning objectives
Each participant should have thought about his/her learning objectives with his/her sen-
ding organization. However, it can be interesting for the participants to express these lear-
ning objectives and to share them with the group. It can, for example, give them new ideas
of objectives, realize that their objectives are maybe hard to reach or too easy. For you, as a
facilitator, it will also be really helpful to know the learning objectives of each one.
Related to the project, there is a various amount of learning objectives. How to define
them? Grab learning objectives that are close to the participants. The participants should
21
OPPORTUNEETIES
have a positive impact during and at the end of the project. Do not overexert them, try to
find balanced learning objectives which are optimally customized to each participant. Try to
give them, if they can take it, special responsibilities to strengthen their involvement.
Remember: small steps are better than big and easier to achieve. Learning objectives can
be found on different levels: for example social skills, learning new things about themsel-
ves, increasing their self-awareness and getting new skills on the working level.
I - Organize team building activities
The next step would be to form your group into a team - this part is important not only for
an exchange project, where most people don´t know each other but also for groups that
are already together for some time.
For team building activities you can give little tasks to the group which have to be solved
in different teams – starting in little teams and growing, till the last tasks are for the whole
group to solve.
This helps the participants to enlarge the group of people they work with step-by-step,
which makes it easier for them to build trust and grow their confidence. Especially for NE-
ETs, which often have a history of failure and failed trust, it is important to have little, sol-
vable tasks.
The main goal should always be fun & the active participation of all members of a team. If
the group fails in one task, it is important to analyse the problems, find solutions together
and try them out until it works - the satisfaction will be even greater in the end.
22
OPPORTUNEETIES
After the teambuilding part (or after each game / task) there should be time to briefly
discuss the process that took place, with questions like “how did we solve the problem?”,
“how did we come up with the solution?”, “who took the lead?”, “was everyone involved in
the solution?”, “what helped us as a team?”, etc.
Build a Tower
The group is divided in teams of 3-4 participants. They have to build a tower out of paper
and other materials (e.g. cardboard, straws, pegs, toothpicks, etc). As tools they get scis-
sors, glue and or sticky tape. In the end every group will present their tower.
This activity can be done in different levels of competition – you should decide what suits
you and the group best.
1. Competitive:
Every team gets the same amount of materials. They get 5 min. for planning and 25 min.
for building the tower. The complete tower has to stand free and for its own at least for 30
sec. The highest tower wins.
2. Creative:
Every team gets the same amount of materials. They get 5 min. for planning and 25 min.
for building the tower. The complete tower has to stand free and for its own. Every team
presents their tower and tells the story of their tower. No winner.
3. Intercultural:
Every group gets a picture of a famous sight (of one of the participant countries, e.g. Eiffel
Tower, Tower Bridge, Akropolis, Brandenburger Tor, etc.). They get 5 min. for planning and
25 min. for building the sight. In the end all teams present their building and the others
guess which sight it represents.
What you need
scissors, glue and sticky tape, paper, cardboard, straws, pegs, toothpicks, tape measure
Cork battle
The group is divided in teams of 5-7 participants. Every team gets a cork (or something
similar). Mark a line on the floor with tape as the starting line.
Every team has to try to put the cork as far out behind the starting line as they can.
Following rules apply:
- no one of the team is allowed to touch the space beyond the starting line with any part
of his body
- for a try to count, the cork has to stand (so throwing will not work)
23
OPPORTUNEETIES OPPORTUNEETIES

- no extra tools are allowed Layout a tarp on the ground and have all team members stand on it. The smaller is the
tarp the more challenging is  the exercise! While standing on top of a completely open
Every team gets 5 min. to practice. Then there are 3 rounds with one try for each team. tarp, the group must create a plan to get everyone on the opposite side of the tarp wi-
On every try that counts the place of the cork is marked with a piece of tape. The furthest thout anyone stepping off. The size of the tarp should be defined by the number of indivi-
try wins. duals in the group. If someone steps off the tarp or touches the ground, the group has to
what you need: start again.
Tape, one cork (little tan, cap of a big marker) per team, tape measure
what you need
Get over the rope a tarp (so big, that the whole group can stand on it)
Fix a rope between two trees (or chairs if inside). It should be a bit higher than waist hei-
ght. The whole group is on one side of the rope. The task is to get the whole group on
the other side without touching the rope once. If someone touches the rope, the group
has to start again. J - Prepare carefully the activities ! ACTIONS (workshops, etc.) - input for the
Difficult version participants / working groups (intercultural)
In order to make the task a bit harder you could add other rules. E.g. no one is allowed
Everyday should start in a plenum and important things should be discussed first. Give a
to talk or the group always has to stay connected (stay connected to at least one other
timetable and set goals for the day. Check if any problems occurred that have to be solved
member of the team)
before to start the work.
what you need The group leaders should prepare all the materials, tools and safety equipment for the first
a rope, line or barrier tape; two chairs or trees day and give their team an introduction. On the following days it is advisable to involve
           the participant in the preparation of the workplace in order to raise their involvement. Set
The human knot achievable goals for each day and give enough time and space for try & error.
Get the group to form a circle. Tell them to put their right hand up in the air, and then At the end of the day a second plenum should take place to discuss the progress and give
grab the hand of someone across the circle from them. Then repeat this with the left an outlook on what is next to come.
hand, ensuring they grab a different persons hand. Check to make sure that everyone is
holding the hands of two different people and they are not holding hands with someone
either side of them. That they must now try to untangle themselves to form a circle wi-
thout breaking the chain of hands.
Get participants to take their time in order to limit injuries. Ask the group not to tug or
pull on each other and spot participants as they pass over other participants. Monitor
throughout the challenge and stop them if you need to. If the chain of hands is broken at
any point, they must then start over again.

what you need

an open space, big enough to form a circle with the whole group

Tarp flip or “Magic Carpet”

Make sure to organize a practical experience for your NEETs, in which Non-Formal Edu-
cation methods are used as best practice for activities ; in this way, they will live a multi-
sensory experience which will have a deeper impact.

24 25
OPPORTUNEETIES
Promote responsibility and encourage NEETs to actively take part in the activities.
To create a team and to build trust between participants it is important to have one com-
mon goal and actions that lead to this goal.
A handcraft project (e.g.planning & building an outside furniture in a youth club) can provi-
de this goal and has several benefits for the participants and their learning experience:
• non-formal handcraft projects provide experiences in practical learning
• Participants will learn about the techniques and tools required in the relevant work
fields and can choose according to their preferences
• short learning cycles for participants help to create new knowledge by connecting
present skills with new skills
• working on one common goal helps to create teamspirit
• making a lasting structure that can later be used by other people gives a feeling of
community and proudness
• by working with their hands participants can really “grasp” the experience, which will
have a much bigger impact on them
• Participants experience themselves as active, able and competent, which help them
build their confidence
• the positive feedback and the honouring of the result by others makes them proud
All these benefits apply to all participants, but specially for NEETs. Neets often have a low
or non-existing self-efficacy - all the points above help them in changing this perception of
themselves.
Groups could be (adjust to your own project and goals):
- stonemasonry
- woodcarving
- carpentry
- concrete moulding
- mosaic
- wall decoration
Additional groups could include:
- cooking (providing food for the rest of the team)
- documentation of the project with different media
you need professionals in each and every work field. They need to know their craft and
must be able to teach participants the skills they need and to show them how to proper-
ly use the tools and the materials. If these professionals are not within your organisation,
try to find help in your area. You also can involve older professionals, who are not working
anymore but still want to share their experience and knowledge.
26
OPPORTUNEETIES
Make sure you have enough space and material for everyone.
According to your project make sure you have all the materials needed, so that the work
can continue till the end of the project. Try to get local partners involved in the projects to
provide you with materials.
You may use materials such as red and yellow sandstone, robinia and Douglas fir, concrete,
mosaic, euro-pallets, paint and others.
Make sure you have enough tools for all the work and the participants. Make sure all the
tools work properly and are save. Organize a place for your tools where you can store and
lock them. You need all the safety equipment that is necessary. Every participant should
have his own ear protection and dust masks, safety glasses and gloves can be shared.
In the project the participants decide in which group they want to work. The group leaders
take their team and discuss the work, introduce them to the materials and show them how
to use the tools required in the work field.
Ideal would be a workshop where you have all the tools and materials and enough spa-
ce. If this is not possible, make sure that every group has enough space to work save and
without disturbing the others. Make sure there is shelter from sun & rain. There should be
enough facilities and a place for the whole group to meet. Also a place for the participants
to spend their brakes and for eating should be available.
K - Keep time for feedback & reflection (adjustments) - (participants & leader)
This part takes place in the last, the farewell phase, of the project. In the end, time is often
running and maybe you can’t finish everything that you have planned - so make sure to
still take enough time for the feedback & reflection, because it is a vital & important part of
the learning process. For the participants this is more important than pushing the work to
the limit till it is finished and everybody is exhausted and wants to go home.
For NEETs it could be often difficult to express themselves, but different, low-threshold fe-
edback methods can help them. To give and receive positive feedback is often unknown to
these participants, but will help them with building self awareness and self confidence.
Provide your NEETs with self-reflecting tools to explore their emotions; pay attention to
provide the group with a group-leader, who should not act solely as participant, but also
mentor the group members.
You can use a variety of reflexion methods depending on the type of group we work with:
27
OPPORTUNEETIES OPPORTUNEETIES

Four Corner Method
As described earlier.
Question could include. “what was your favourite part of the workshop?”, “What was the
most important outcome for you?”, “What would you change next time?”, etc.
What you need
paper, tape, pens
Mumble groups
Form one big circle. Form groups of 4 participants. Let them reflect one the workshop for
10 min. and get back to the circle. Every group shares their thoughts.
Timelines
Ask participants to draw a timeline in the middle of a piece of paper, listing the key poin-
ts of the day/activity e.g. workshop titles, events. Then ask participants to draw a line
reflecting what they thought of the activity – above the line for positive, below the line for
negative. It should be wavy, as they may have enjoyed some things more than others. Par-
ticipants should be encouraged to add additional feedback and key points.
This could be done individually or you make one big timeline, write down the key points
of the workshop, and everyone draws on the same piece of paper.
what you need:
paper, pens
These don’t need to be task focused, but can include reflection on the outcome of an
activity e.g. we worked well together.
Human target evaluation
Ask the group to form a circle. Ask participants to make a comment on the workshop like
“I liked the energizers!” – everybody who wants to say something, steps in the middle of
the circle and gives his statement. All the other place themselves according how much
they agree with the statement – the most being closest to the middle, the least being
furthest away.
You can divide the evaluation in different rounds e.g. “what did you like”, “what will you
take with you?”, “What would you wish for the next time?”. If you have critical questions,
make sure to end on a positive note.
It should be voluntary, so not everybody has to say something.
Generally, you should always think about which method of the evaluation fits to your
group, according to the e.g. group chemistry / dynamics.
It is good to have different options of evaluations prepared. This is helpful if, for example,
you planned a “three questions evaluation” but some participants have language problems
or are not comfortable to speak in front of a group. In order to not make them feel even
more uncomfortable you should switch then to a different method like the four corner
method, mumble group method or the human target evaluation.

Three questions L - Organize a final presentation

Form a circle. One after the other, every participant answers three questions. could be
helpful to write the questions on a flipchart (the group shouldn’t be too big, otherwise it
would take to long).
How did you experience yourself in the workshop?
How did you experience the group in the workshop?
How did you experience the group leader in the workshop?
what you need:
paper, marker, flipchart
In order to honor the work & effort everybody put in the project you should organize some
kind of celebration at the end. If you build something e.g. for a youth club there can be an
opening ceremony with members of the organisation, the council, the press, etc.
At last you should prepare a document (=Youthpass) for each participant, a degree descri-
bing their work and personal qualities they brought to the project or developed within the
work. Celebrate the handover so everyone gets the time and honoring they deserve.
You should prepare certificate for each participant and invite partners and supporters of
the project. If possible try to invite the press to increase the impact of the project.

Target evaluation

Draw a dart board on to flipchart paper. Divide into sections (different activities, accom-
modation, field trips, food, etc.).
Ask participants to score activities, the best being closest to the bullseye, the worst being
furthest away.

28 29
OPPORTUNEETIES
2 - RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVS/ESC PROJECTS
A - Appoint one tutor and one mentor
 
Voluntary service should be organised on the same bases as a youth exchange and there-
fore the steps should be the same: define a comfort zone with the volunteer, get to know
the volunteer through individual interviews, define realistic learning objectives and  have
regular reflexion sessions about the project and its evolution. Always remember it can be
the first time for the NEETs abroad.
One of the difference between a Youth Exchange and EVS/European Solidarity Corps (ESC)
is that volunteers often do not have people such as a team leader from their own country
or people with who he/she can share his/her feeling about this experience in his/her native
language. So it is strongly advised for the tutor to connect the youngster with a tutor/men-
tor who can guide the NEETs in the community they have interest for.
From the beginning on, it should be offered a reliable, steady support from a mentor who
is the main contact person for a volunteer in the beginning. Possible matters in the first
days of an ESC can be exploring the new city and surroundings, the accommodation, help
with the authorities, get to know the working place, learning the language and more. The
mentor should help the volunteer to integrate in the new living and working place and
connect him to his/her new colleagues. The mentor also has to make sure that the volunte-
er finds his/her place at work and has fulfilling tasks and a regularly daily structure. If this is
not happening the tutor should initiate a dialogue between the volunteer and the working
colleagues.
The main difference between Youth Exchange and ESC will be in the goal of the mobility
project. The volunteer will look for being useful for the society and in his/her new commu-
nity. Therefore the project, his/her tasks should be adapted to the NEET´s.
We should make a clear difference between mentor and tutor here
B -  Define suitable tasks and project during the ESC
The tasks that the ESC volunteers would undertake in your hosting project should be adju-
sted to young people’s abilities. The tasks can always be readapted during the project
according the evolution of the youth’s mobility.
Be flexible!
Some of the young people planned their ESC for a long time and prepared themselves by
starting to learn a new language or getting into the subject of their future hosting organi-
zation. Some others didn’t prepare at all, they took the decision in a short period of time
and just want to leave their countries doesn’t matter where and what for.
30
OPPORTUNEETIES
A hosting organisation in fact needs to be prepared for both kind of volunteers and first of
all guarantee a stable period of time in which the young people can count on support and
have a function. This can take the pressure off and activate new processes for the volunte-
er.  Young people with fewer opportunities should not be underestimated by default just
because they are facing certain challenges. Sometimes they simply need more specific gui-
dance and support to fully utilize their abilities.
What is important then, is the fact that the task the volunteer will take part have do be
adapted to its capacities. During the whole project it can evaluate and change according
the needs of the hosting organisation, but mainly according to the abilities or new ideas of
the volunteer.  Keep in mind that the learning objectives of the volunteers can evolve du-
ring its volunteering project.
Some NEET´s might have the courage to work independently from the beginning on but
the majority of young people who come out of a difficult occupational situation will be in-
secure and need some time to act independently and spontaneously. It is very important to
encourage the volunteer from the beginning on and reinforce his/her self-confidence and
positive attitude. This will be his/her base for the future and increase his/her chances on
the labour market.
C - Help the volunteer to overcome the language barrier!
A very important tool to give the volunteers self-confidence can be the language acquisi-
tion. Therefore it is very important to support him/her with learning the new language. It
would be important to increase the financial support for language classes during the ESC,
to make sure the volunteer can visit regular language classes during the first three months.
This would also guarantee a certain quality enhancement for the ESC in general.
Through learning the new language and improving it the volunteer will be able to reach the
next level and intensify the feeling of being part of something. The mentor still has to sup-
port the volunteer on a regular base, but he/she will be more and more able to organize
his/ her work and private life. It is important now to encourage the volunteer to document
what he/she is performing and create something lasting about his ESC.
D - Youthpass, an evaluation tool for the NEET’s and the tutor
The introduction of the Youthpass should happen at an early point. With the increasing
self-confidence the volunteer should also be encouraged to develop own ideas or projects
during the ESC. The Youthpass is a process of self-reflection for identification of own lear-
ning of the volunteer.
Furthermore learning to be self-reliant is a key competence for young NEET´s and will
help them to face the future and to find work. However, he/she also needs practical skills
and expertise in his working field. During the ESC a volunteer should learn how to acquire
expert knowledge and how to use it. To find his/her own talents is also very important and
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will show the volunteer possible work or further training options.
To be able to find his/her talents a reliable contact person in the working-team is necessary.
This person should preferably have a educational trainer background and empathy for the
volunteer. They should meet on a regular base to discuss and reflect the working situation
and to give feedbacks from both sides. The mentor also should be involved in this process.
During the last quarter of the ESC the evaluation of the whole project will be more impor-
tant. A good documentation of the work will help to make the most of the situation. Apart
from that a look at the time after the ESC is also essential, because this period can be very
sobering for the volunteers and they run the risk to be thrown for a loop. Will they return
to be NEET´s or will they be able to find work, studies or apprenticeship? Workshops or
seminars dealing with practical orientation and job application training should be offered
to the volunteer.
It can also be helpful to create a space where young people can connect and exchange
their experiences and learn from each other. Sharing knowledge is important and needs to
be initiated by the hosting organisation. And in fact the volunteers also need to be encou-
raged to write applications and create backup plans.
E - Help the volunteer to face challenging situations!
Situation n°2 :
The volunteer complains that he doesn’t have enough work to do or feel useless.
Realistic solution: This is the moment the tutor and volunteer should analyse together the
learning objectives of the volunteer. It can be the time to update the Youthpass and see
how the volunteer can achieve some new goals. Also, encourage the volunteer to identify
other areas of work.
Conclusion:
A successful ESC is depending highly on the motivation and personal attitude a young
NEET brings into the project. Therefore the hosting organisation needs to provide not only
a good workplace, but also a high quality personal support for the volunteer consisting in a
mentor and a contact person from the working team (preferable with a educational trainer
background) and language classes. A good surrounding of the ESC will help the volunteer
to develop freely and keep the motivation through the entire ESC. Furthermore it is neces-
sary to give the volunteers the tools and strategies they will need after the ESC to avoid a
failure. Therefore it is necessary to offer workshops and seminars about practical orienta-
tion during the ESC.

Regardless of how well was the volunteer prepared before the project, there should be no For young NEETs it can also be helpful to connect and exchange with other young people
doubt that the hosting organization is the first frontline in dealing with challenges during who face similar situations and they should be encouraged to take measures to organise
the ESC project. Having a carefully planned process of preparation and setting a solid sup- their life after the ESC. To guarantee all that and implement the measures mentioned above
porting structure in place will certainly prevent certain challenges from happening, but the hosting organisations need to invest more staff and time.
will never provide a carefree ESC project. And the reason for that is very simple – each ESC
project involves significant number of individuals who have different (or even contrasting)
views of life, systems of values, working styles and ways of communicating and conflict
resolution.
Imagine spending ten days vacations with a group of friends – how many potential con-
flicts can you imagine? Extend that to a longer duration, add the cultural differences and
keep in mind the various personal challenges that volunteers can bring with them, and you
will understand the huge potential for difficult situations.

Situation n°1 :

It can happen that your volunteer is homesick and want to come back to his/her home.
Realistic solution:  Explain the volunteer is normal to have this feelings, everyone going
outside its comfort zone, experiment the cultural choc. Encourage the volunteer to stay
through identifying the issues leading to them wanting to come home. Support them to
set short term goals which can help the volunteer to overcome the challenge.

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III - AFTER MOBILITY
Mobility experience does not end the day of travel back home. A crucial part of the sending
organization’s work starts after the mobility of the participant. We have to remind here one
of the main objective of the Erasmus+ program: raise responsible adults who are contribu-
ting to their communities, are active citizens and are able to find their place in society.
The EVS project makes sense when the volunteers starts to use his/her new competences
after EVS. As a youth worker sending youngsters - and especially NEETs - abroad, you have
an important role to play after mobility experience in order to increase its impact on the
youngster, but also on the community and on your organization.
After reading this part, you can:
- make sure that the NEET knows what he/she learnt and how he/she can use it
- provide support to the volunteer to reintegrate him/herself into his/her home community
- give the volunteer the opportunity to exchange and share experiences and learning
outcomes
- encourage the involvement of the volunteer in dissemination and exploitation of results
- provide guidance regarding further involvement, education, training or employment op-
portunities
Step by step : if you want to have a successful « after mobility », here are the steps you
should follow :
1 - Talk about “after mobility” before the mobility and during it!
“Post-Erasmus depression” is not a myth. Coming back home after a mobility experience
can be complicated for many youngsters. Participants sometimes have really difficult rein-
tegration problems. Generally, youngsters realize that they changed but that nothing chan-
ged at home. They might feel disconnected from their families and friends.
Nobody around understands what you have been through, nobody can imagine the life
you had there and it is hard to find people who to talk to.
As a youth worker working in the sending organization, you have to remind the volunteer
to think about his/her “after mobility life” while he/she is still in mobility.
The tutor in the hosting organization has also a role to play by including a “after mobility”
point in the discussions he has with the volunteers.
Recommendation : If you have never read any article referring to reverse cultural shock, it’s
time to do it ;)
 
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OPPORTUNEETIES
2 - Make an appointment with the youngster just after the mobility!
As soon as the project is over, the sending organisation has to be again in touch with the
volunteer. It is important to catch the energy youngsters return with and to build on it. It is
one of the main responsibility of the sending organization.
If you wait too much, you will maybe never see the volunteer again!
At the same time, remind the participant to fill in the final report on Mobility Tool (if the
participant has a poor level of English, he will probably need help to do it).
3 - Evaluate the project with the hosting organization!
You need to have quickly feedbacks from the hosting organization to successfully help the
youngster after his/her mobility.
What is a feedback?
When someone gives another person information about his or her impressions, thoughts
and feelings related to a concrete action.
What you will ask to your partner?
- How was the volunteer’s attitude?
- What was he/she good at?
- How did he/she behaved in a team?
- How was his/her social life?
This feedback will give you an overview on how the project went and which were the most
positive and negative aspects.Then, a more complete evaluation….
Make a global evaluation of the project with the hosting organization.
-> you can use the final report as a support.
What you will evaluate :
·         How is the overall satisfaction?
·         Were the objectives reached? Why?
·         How was the communication between partners?
·         How was the project managed?
·         Which problems did you meet? How did you overcome them?
·         What are the impacts of the project?
·         How was the participant selected, prepared and monitored?
·         How was managed the reinforced mentorship (for people with fewer opportunities
if it was used)?
You can use oral evaluation but we would suggest you to make also a written evaluation
and to create a questionnaire that you will use for each mobility you will coordinate.
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4 -  Evaluate the project with the youngster : with fewer opportunities to express themselves and pictures can help a lot. You can ask
them to choose a picture representing their everyday mobility life and to explain why they
It is up to the coordinating organisation to evaluate the EVS project with the participant - choose it, or ask them to choose a picture representing their relationship with their mentor.
but the sending organisation should always do it too.
5 - Work on the youthpass : reflection on the competencies developed
What you will evaluate: during mobility
- Activities/tasks While creating their Youthpass certificate together with a support person, project partici-
- Accommodation (+ food allowance) pants are given the possibility to describe what they have done in their project and which
- Integration in the team competences they have acquired. Thus, Youthpass supports the reflection upon the per-
- Relationships with other volunteers sonal non-formal learning process and outcomes. It supports active European citizenship
- Social life of young people by describing the benefit of their project. Youth workers supporting the
- Learning outcomes participant have to make sure the participant is aware of this added value.
- Tutoring / Relationship with the tutor / frequency of meetings
- Satisfaction The youthpass is divided into 8 key-competences and has to be filled in by the participant,
with the help of his/her tutor. When the youthpass was conscientiously filled in, it is a won-
The most important is to find out if the set goals and aims of the project have been fulfil- derful tool, which has to be used by the sending organization when the participant comes
led, how this process was organised and to find out the reasons why something did not back to his/her home country.
work.
Take time to list again the competencies acquired and to talk about them.
- Were the expectations of the youngsters fulfilled? How satisfied is he/her with the
project? How does he/she feel now? - How did the participant develop this competence or another?
Give the participant your feedbacks and the one you received from the hosting organiza-
tion. - At which point are these competences acquired?

Remember that feedbacks have to be constructive and helpful.
(It might be helpful to agree on common rules before the first feedback session).
How to give feedback:
• The goal of feedback is acknowledgement and/or improvement (not: getting rid of fru-
stration)
• Talk about your own impressions, thoughts and feelings
• Talk about specific actions and behavior (not about personality)
• Talk in private (not in front of the whole team)
• Give suggestions for improvement, encourage the other person to try something new or
to do something in a different way
• Give positive feedback as well
• Ask the other person for his or her point of view
Tools : you can use some of the tools presented in the 2nd part of this booklet : letter to
myself, diary…
Don’t hesitate also to use pictures (ex : Dixit games). It’s sometimes difficult for youngsters
- Can the participant develop them more?
- How?
- Which are the competences the participant wanted to develop but could not?
- Are there some competences the participant was not expecting to develop?
- Did the participant forget some competences on his/her youthpass?
- And the main point: how can the participant reuse the knowledge and skills acquired du-
ring his/her mobility and in which framework?
Make sure the participant is able to explain orally what he/she learnt and which skills he/
she developed during his/her mobility. It will help him/her a lot when he/she will attend an
interview or apply for a training.
This process might take time : if needed, you will have to meet the youngster 3 or 4 times.

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6 - Orientation/guidance: help the participant to move forward!
You have to motivate the youngster to further steps, to exploit gained knowledge and skills
as much as possible. Discuss with the participant his/her new objectives and help him/her
to create an action plan.
- Engagement:
It is important to offer the possibility to the youngster to continue to be an active citizen.
The sending organization can, for example, offer a possibility to the participant to become
its member and to participate in its local activities. The sending organization should also be
able to provide a list of organizations looking for volunteers in the region (local partners,
various networks…).
- Inform:
Inform the participant about other mobility projects he/she could take part in: youth
exchanges, short-term / long-term EVS, trainings, woofing, au pair, helpX, volunteering pro-
grams… Possibilities are limitless!
- Job/training:
Offer information and strategies to use the knowledge and skills acquired during the EVS
process in a professional way. According to the wishes and the new objectives of the youn-
gster, inform him/her about the people he/she should contact: social workers, guidance
counselor, local partners, institutions…
If the youngster wants to try to find a job abroad, inform him/her about « My first EURES
job » or the possibilities offered by Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programs.
7 - Value and disseminate the results of the project!
Encourage the participant to value his/her experience and to share it. Give importance to
this mobility experience. It will help the youngster to realize his/her involvement was mea-
ningful and it will help him/her to feel pleased of the results and proud of him/herself.
- Give participants a platform to share their experience: the website of your organization,
social networks, a blog, creation of an exhibition, speech on the radio, articles in newspa-
pers… If needed, you can help the participants by sharing with them different ways of sha-
ring their testimonies, by providing them examples or by helping them to write in a nice
way.
- Offer possibilities for further involvement to participants of mobility projects into your
activities of promotion of volunteering and European programs among youth. You can for
example organize meetings between former and future volunteers or ask former partici-
pants of mobility projects to testify during meetings in schools, various events…
- Tools: living library. The living/human library method aims to replace books by people.
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OPPORTUNEETIES
Participants are invited to choose a book they want to read and they finally meet a real
person, who will talk about his/her own story. Using oral testimonies instead of written
ones help to increase their impact. People will generally much more remember the story of
somebody they met, than a random story they read on a paper. This methodology can be
used with former and future participants of mobility projects.
8 - Create/find a network of former EVS volunteers!
Inform the EVS volunteer about „Evaluation Meeting of ex-EVS volunteers“ and motivate
EVS volunteer to participate in.
Provide the volunteer with opportunities to share his or her experience with other volunte-
ers that went through a similar experience.
Recommend different ways to describe and speak about the personal EVS experience, con-
front and compare it with others’ through Facebook groups for former volunteers
If you host volunteers, you can offer the former volunteer to become a mentor. Former vo-
lunteers can also be good group leaders in youth exchanges.
Encourage the youngster to stay in an intercultural environment : if you live in a student
city, you can for sure find organizations of Erasmus students! You can also find internatio-
nal people in registering on Couchsurfing, trying language exchanges/tandems, DuoLingo
events…!
9 - Teach entrepreneurship /  initiative / Erasmus for young entrepreneurs
Train yourself in teaching entrepreneurship.
Use concrete learning activities and didactic games to support young people to develop
entrepreneurial mindsets and assertive attitudes.
Last recommendation : don’t forget that your projects won’t always be as successful as
you want them to be. It’s okay.
“The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute
an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commis-
sion cannot be held responsi­ble for any use which may be made of the information contained
therein.”
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