The Regional Funds Online Magazine - Issue 40 by REGIONAL FUNDS ONLINE MAGAZINE

ISSN 2704-6540

ISSN 2784-9465

Regional Funds Online Magazine

N. 40

OCTOBER 2023

Regional Funds Online Magazine

Contents 3

Director’s Editorial

The Road from Warsaw: Signposts for the Future

The "Youth Employment Monitor" platform

The Youth Role in the Era of Blue and Green Economy - BLUE-GREENWAY Capitalisation Event

#OurStories - Working together for a stronger Europe

How passion turned into an innovative business - learn about Sara's story

Nice mentions from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Budapest ! about our Project COMPETENCE – Capacity Building of Employees of Municipalities for Better Provision of Public Services

The unforgettable achievements of the students from the Department of Design at the Creative Center Ruse

Techcentre Training

Theme of the issue

Challenges of the Current Reality on the Road to Climate Neutrality

Anticipated Changes in Daily Life in 2024 and Future Challenges

CARDET reflection on upcoming changes on education, sustainability and inclusivity

The analysis of AEII Spain, on upcoming changes into specific sectors and the future challenges to be aware of

AAEII Spain top priorities to ensure well-being, promote economic growth, and protect the environment

Changes and challenges for 2024?

Skills mismatch amongst the youth: some consequences and policy actions

Stepping into the shoes of a politician and make a diﬀerence in the lives of millions… YES! recommendations

Navigating the Challenges and Opportunities of 2024

Empowering Romania's Rural Youth NEETs for a Brighter Future

Charting the path forward: Navigating 2024's shifting landscape

Addressing Challenges and Opportunities in 2024

Empowering NEETs: Transforming Challenges into Triumphs

Awareness of European NEETs in the coming years

Navigating 2024: Future Challenges and Priorities in Agricultural Policy

Challenges & Opportunities: Lessons learned by the StayOn partners !1

Regional Funds Online Magazine 51

The BLUE-GREENWAY Project: An Examination of its Societal Implications in 2024

From the Projects

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT/INNOVATION WITH RESPECT FOR TRADITIONS - Solid taste knowledge of cider and wine is the key to success

The Final Regional Conference in Prague concluded the CCS4CEE project

Geothermal events in Hungary and Slovakia

AI and NEET’s education: Opportunities and Challenges

Cowork4YOUTH keeps spreading the word!

Bridging the Divide: Understanding Youth Unemployment in distant areas of Lithuania

Winding Roads: Metaphors in NEETs' Employment Journeys

A more inclusive, active and creative world! 3rd StayOn Knowledge transfer workshop took place in Poland.

Community Walking Week Between Thinking and Doing there is a Way to Go!

Events Agenda

Final event of the project Uncorking WINE & CIDER typicality

Policy Forum - Anti-Corruption, Democratic Resilience and Economic Security

SEPAL Final Conference

Contributors & Credits

Regional Funds Online Magazine

Director’s Editorial Dear Family, I started to think about this editorial when coming back from Warsaw, where we organised our 2023 Annual Seminar. First, thanks to all the participants: it was gratifying to see you so united and interested in the topics proposed. It was clear and obvious how much we can really talk about a Family today. In our first meetings, already few years ago, the Projects - despite the common challenges - didn't know each other as deeply as I understood a few weeks ago. I have seen and felt your interaction, the desire to exchange and the interest in discussing and - perhaps - join together in diﬀerent activities to amplify the achievement of a goal and the consequent eﬀects. It's as if it was a gift for us, and this means that we have really built a great group and, above all, we have really contributed to a common cause, joining together the Fund for Youth Employment and the Fund for Regional Cooperation. So, again, thank you very much and I invite you all to read Tom’s contribution, our Master of Ceremony, his ‘Signposts for the Future’.

And also thanks a lot to these “magic” colleagues that took on board all my provided hints, organising cluster and non-cluster activities, simply networking synergies events!, thank you a lot: we also have a WhatsApp group now! !3

Regional Funds Online Magazine Talking about future, I am experiencing some strange sensations. Indeed, I am participating in various ceremonies and events, some of which are moments representing the end of some Projects, and this sometimes makes me a little melancholy. But it is equally important, every time, to realise what has been done. Each conference, even if it is a closing one, reading the titles of the sessions or the contributions of the various experts, is really a confirmation of your great and constant commitment. For every flight I take to reach you (I'm sorry I can't always be at each of your events), I know that I will return with some ‘extra added value’, that my baggage will be enriched of. For example, I just came back from Athens, were I participated to the BLUE-GREENWAY Capitalisation Event - The Youth Role in the Era of Blue and Green Economy, hosted by EPLO. Another excellent project with impressive results as we could hear. Let’s see if, in the next months, we will be able to read into our Mag some interviews about the Interreg Volunteer Youth Initiative. Lat but not least, considering the next edition of 15th of December, we will be waiting and, in case, welcome, any inputs coming from the Annual Seminar’s group exercises to which we could dedicate a special space! And, again, we will see how RC and YE Projects are made to work together!!! With respect to these activities, you will find in our pages some of the agenda we have received, or at least some dates about the next conferences or events organised by our Projects, for sure we will dedicate them a space in our next edition. You will read about SEPAL final conference, the Policy Forum about Anti-Corruption, Democratic Resilience and Economic Security, the Final event of the project Uncorking WINE & CIDER typicality, and we will be waiting for more details about other Projects that sent us recently some ‘save the date!” (most probably the Projects RAISE Youth and Stay-On). I hope I am not forgetting any other! I know that we will always have new challenges ahead of us, but I know that each of the Projects has done something concrete. We can simply scroll through these pages and read the 'theme of the month' to understand it. I see, as always, some profound reflections and true stories. Allow me, in this case, to remind you of the new #ourstories campaign: it is an invitation to all of you so that, by contributing, we can enrich the dissemination process of EEA & Norway Grants with real stories of successes achieved and real benefits. Reading one of the contributions, we tried to think of a story that could be suitable for this campaign. What do you think? I am sure there will be many more examples like Sara's story. And, speaking of challenges, it's really interesting to read your words about 'challenges in 2024'. You will read about Climate Neutrality, OPEN AI, ChatGPT and the consequences, changes in healthcare, transportation, education, and other reflections on cybersecurity, Skills mismatches, digital divide, etc. And I really liked that real opportunities are proposed into this ‘shifting landscape’ as our SEPAL Project titled its contribution, or to say with L.I.K.E ‘Transforming Challenges into Triumphs’. It is, after all, a very changing (and I would add as well demanding) landscape. But, again quoting our Project, we have to be proud of our Triumphs: each of you, in these years, has created and achieved several. With respect to that, I can't help but mention a new tool that was created by one of our Projects, the ‘Youth Employment Monitor’ platform by YOUTHShare. Please have a look to that: I am sure you will see how much this tool can be important for research activities. It is, really, a great source and, in particular, a legacy. You all created important legacies. It is like this Family is a puzzle made up of diﬀerent, but fundamental, inheritances created by a group of (not so very diﬀerent!) Projects, which contributed positively to several lives. We are creating a legacy, and this is why I strongly renew the invitation included in one of our latest messages: why not show your practices, in a single edition, so that they can all remain there, together, within everyone's reach, exploiting digital resources? I think this is the minimum we can do, for future Projects, people, entities and institutions working in our same field and with similar purposes. !4

Regional Funds Online Magazine With this inspiration, I leave you to read our pages, with our Family Picture at the beginning, starting with Tom and his ‘Road from Warsaw’. Gian Luca Bombarda The Fund Director

Hoopps : please do not forget the 3rd of December: the International Day of Persons with Disabilities! It is a Sunday, but please try to celebrate this day with the best of your family participation! Here in Italy, the Special Olympics had already organised a flashmob dance, with “What a Feeling” from Flashdance movie, have a look at it : Il FlashMob 2023 è FlashDance | Special Olympics Italia

Regional Funds Online Magazine

The Road from Warsaw: Signposts for the Future Warsaw, a city steeped in the past, with over 1,400 years of incessant flux; a city with a multi-layered cultural tapestry and a vibrant living history; a city that showcases the easy cohabitation of ancient architecture and post war imposing edifices; the city of Frederik Chopin, Robert Lewandowski and Marie Curie; and a city renowned as a centre of enlightenment. Warsaw, then was a popular choice for the hosting of the EEA & Norway Grants Regional Funds Annual Thematic Seminar, 2023 – ‘Celebrating the European Year of Skills: The Next Steps.’ The Polish capital’s streets bristled with the fever of impending elections and was bathed in unseasonal sunshine at the beginning of October. In the haven of the Mercure hotel’s Schertz conference room the Regional Funds Annual Thematic Seminar was kicking oﬀ proceedings. Over 100 people from almost 20 countries representing 52 projects from the YE and RC Funds, a league of Fund representatives and operators, as well as members from the academic world oﬀered a multicoloured mosaic in the rather staid interior. After the grim days of Covid captivity and isolation, participating in the seminar was a great privilege and relief. For this scribe it was akin to emerging from hibernation, and I was buoyed by the existence of energy in the room, that human pulsation of companionship and promise. And, now, after the dreaded Zoom days it was a pleasure to work ‘live’ with

people again. It was an all-round rewarding experience. There were no filters; there were better dynamics; and there was enhanced camaraderie and creativity. It was hoped from the outset that the seminar could be a stepping stone, another important station along a crucial and shared journey Over two days the chamber echoed with a constructive cacophony of ideas for the road ahead, the ‘next steps’ of the seminar’s subtitle. After four sessions in conclave, there was lots of white smoke emerging from the metaphorical chimneys. Habemos muchas ideas! After many hours of enthusiastic and energetic exchanges I was impressed by the group’s richness and intensity of ideas, the diversity of their exchanges and the eventual convergence of ideas around forward-looking tangible suggestions. They will be summarised in forthcoming reports of the proceedings, while this article oﬀers some snapshots, and personal observations. The overall confederacy of NGO’s under the EEA and Norway Fund’s banner has been fondly baptised as ‘Family.’ The DNA of this pan-European kin can be broken down into three elements: • Practical: The crusade for finances, appeal to donors. • Operational: Management and development of projects which is the bread and butter of their existence. • Political: As witnesses, in primo loco, to many of the hardships and injustices

of youth unemployment, their function as advocate, with ultimately a policy voice role, should not be understated or underrated. The philosophical and operational centre of gravity of the scheme is grounded in eﬀorts to aid and abet youth employment – particularly the most vulnerable - but still continues to evolve, reflecting policy development and the wider geography of activities and variable geometry of their partners. As the discussions and exchanges gathered momentum, provoked and guided by skilful moderators and industrious working groups, certain sketchy stratagems crystallised concerning the future of this group and their extended family. They discussed, and will continue, oﬀ piste, to exchange ideas about how relations can be better soldered and further developed under communal umbrellas; the reshaping of its corporate identity; the consolidation of the networks and a rethinking of their strategic focus. It became clear that they needed to build on the successes of their work, learn from some of the shortcomings and through the exchange of best practises build more close-knit partnerships. In the whirlwind of activities and actions of their work, it is useful to recall the underlying motivation, the founding tenet, for the creation of the EEA and Norway Grants Fund; !6

Regional Funds Online Magazine “…Contribute to sustainable and quality youth employment through transnational cooperation.” Any neutral observer at this seminar would be conscious of the considerable work done in this domain, the human and financial investments made, the yield/return of those investments, and the amount of unfinished work. And what is not needed now is a Limbo land between good ideas and their realisation, there is no place for a vacuum, for projects and ideas to hang suspended. What would have happened if the digging for the Channel Tunnel stopped in the middle of the North Sea? The challenge now is to how to harness these forces, talents and energy and transform them into innovation and influence; how to mutate from influence to advocacy, to ensure project continuation through continuing communication and dissemination that will help in the trawl for income generation. Any boom/bust approach to information dissemination and sharing should be replaced by a more phased, consistent and strategic communication eﬀort; and this to be done in coordination with other actors and agencies to ensure consistency and complementarity while also avoiding duplication of eﬀorts and resources. There is a clear distinction between a communication strategy and a communication programme. A strategy guides and a programme follows; in Biblical terms the shepherds follow the star. It is not possible to build a communications strategy and programme in isolation. The wider political,

societal and media contexts have to be taken into consideration. In my summing up to the seminar I remarked that there had been many takeaways, of which the following are but a short subset: • The importance of Influencing policy making; • Ensuring the participation of policy makers in concept and articulation of projects; • T h e c ru c ia l ro le o f sta ke h o ld e r engagement and the art of lobbying / advocacy; • Development of outlines for a comprehensive civil society policy; • Prolonging the life of the Family’s networks; • Existential strategies after end of funding. These are the participants words and ideas which allow me to now do some template testing, bearing in mind the underlying continuum of projects to programmes to policies. Looking forward, the necessary structures and mechanisms for input to dialogue with, and participation in, decision making at government and institutional levels, need to be created. Access to, and alignment with, academic, business and media sectors would be an added membrane to the design. The above structure might be supported and connected by an interactive communications grid that allows for dialogue exchanges, ideas fertilisation, traditional stores of data, exchange of best practises, etc.

Structures and mechanisms require actors/ agents, but that already exists with the Family, which can be broken down into thematic cells (digital, green, migration, rural, etc.) Concerning the supporting information grid, I believe you are almost there with the Magazine, which could be further developed into a form of Magazine Plus. This hub and spokes approach would allow for extended interconnections across virtual spaces as well as ad-hoc conferences, seminars, training sessions, etc. This is a rather crude overview, but one that was culled from the ideas and needs of the participants, and, if thought helpful, would need lots of fine-tuning and…finances! Discussions and decisions on mandate, governance, management, financing, reporting and communication are waiting further down the line. Perhaps we should meet again in Warsaw soon. Thomas Mc Grath Our Irish Journalist

Regional Funds Online Magazine

The "Youth Employment Monitor" platform In today's rapidly evolving job market, addressing the challenges related to youth employment is crucial. The "Youth Employment Monitor" (YEM) is an innovative platform designed to monitor youth employment in the Mediterranean EEA. Being Web-GIS Based, this platform is making use of Geographic Information Systems to present data in a geospatial context. This innovative approach allows users to visualize, analyze, and interpret youth employment data in a geographic context, helping to identify regional disparities and trends. By using business intelligence (BI) tools, YEM oﬀers a number of applications, aiming at also forecasting data regarding youth employment. The platform’s key features and applications include:

timeseries for the Mediterranean EEA countries and regions, until 2030.

•

Youth Guarantee Reports Application: Youth Guarantee Reports Application brings Youth Guarantee reports in live view through interactive mapping, focusing on the countries of the Mediterranean EEA. Through this application users can also access the oﬃcial Youth Guarantee Reports by the European Commission, oﬀering a brief overview of the program’s Indices per Mediterranean EEA country.

•

Youth Employment Monitor Insights: YEM Insights is a comprehensive tool for visualizing data related to youth employment, youth population, youth unemployment, youth inactivity, and NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). It covers all EU countries and their regions, providing data from 2008 to 2022. Users can explore data in both rates and absolute values, enabling a deeper understanding of the youth employment landscape. Furthermore, it oﬀers timeseries and forecasting !8

Regional Funds Online Magazine •

Youth Guarantee Interactive Maps: Youth Guarantee Interactive Maps provides a visual representation of data related to Youth Guarantee, allowing users to explore youth employment and related metrics in a spatial context. It also includes interactive maps and legends, depicting indices such as the percentage of: • NEETs being reached by the Youth Guarantee, • Youth being in Youth Guarantee beyond the 4-month target, • Youth taking-up an oﬀer within 4 months in the program and, • Youth being in a positive situation 6 months after exiting the program,

Feel free to explore the Youth Employment Monitor here or feel free to scan the QR Code below:

Anna Saroukou YOUTHShare Project !9

Regional Funds Online Magazine

The Youth Role in the Era of Blue and Green Economy - BLUE-GREENWAY Capitalisation Event Bombarda, Fund's Director at EEA & Norway Grants, emphasized how crucial the BLUE-GREENWAY Capitalization Event is for environmental sustainability and regional collaboration.

Athens, Plaka, October 24, 2023 – The BLUE-GREENWAY Capitalization Event, presented the achievements of the BLUEGREENWAY Project. It was an occasion that brought attention to the critical role that young people will play in forming the blue and green economies of the future. This event, which was made possible by EEA and Norway Grants Fund, for Regional Cooperation, brought together organizations, stakeholders, academia and young people who are all dedicated to promoting innovation and sustainability across national boundaries. The event was hosted by EPLO. The President of the Institute of Circular Economy and Climate Change at EPLO, Mr. George Kremlis, gave a hearty welcome. Prof. Ierotheos Zacharias and Prof. Yorgos Stephanedes from the University of Patras made the opening comments, presented the project and highlighted the importance of the occasion. Mr. Gian Luca

Panelists, including Mrs. Anastasia Zacharopoulou, Mr. Dimitrios Rousseas, and Prof. Maria Papadopoulou, discussed innovative solutions in public procurement, environmental conservation, and agriculture. Presenters Mr. George Suciu, Mrs. Panayiota Venetsanou, and Mr. Charis Xiarchis discussed how to promote sustainable procurement practices and support clusters. Prof. Simone Bastianoni, Mr. Menelaos Gardikiotis, Mr. Spyros Ignatiadis, and Prof. George Zalidis were among the panelists who talked about the role that businesses and financial instruments play in advancing sustainability. Teams of participants from different projects, together with Mr. Dimitrios Panopoulos, Mr. Ioannis Mardikis, Mr. Aggelos Kokkinis, and Mr. Bård Wathne Tveiten, an IVY Project Officer, talked about investing in innovation, empowering youth, and the roles of Interreg-Youth Volunteers. Youth Empowerment Takes the Central Stage The dedication of the BLUE-GREENWAY Project to empowering the future generation was exemplified via the active participation of “Interreg Youth Volunteers”. The event proved to be evidence of the project's success in fostering awareness among young individuals and motivating them to engage in concrete efforts aimed at protecting and restoring the environment. As discussions unfolded and panellists shared their insights, it was evident that BLUE-GREENWAY project's engagement with young minds, under the guidance of Interreg Youth Volunteers, has kindled a fire of passion for environmental conservation. Through various activities, transfer seminars, and open discussions, the event served to promote the notion that young individuals have an obligation to play a leading role in the effort to protect our environment for future generations. !10

Regional Funds Online Magazine A Call to Action for Youth The capitalization event for the BLUE-GREENWAY serves as a reminder that today's youngsters hold the key to a sustainable future. It inspires youth to act, get involved in environmental concerns, and support programs that make the world a healthier place. The event delivers a strong message by showcasing the important contributions made by Interreg Young Volunteers: young ingenuity and devotion are essential in the eﬀort to conserve and restore our environment. We should expect a better future from the new generations. For more information about the event, please visit: https://www.circlethemed.com/e/capitalization-event-blue-greenwayinnovative-solutions-for-improving-the-environmental-status-of-eutrophicand-anoxic-coastal-ecosystems BLUE-GREENWAY Project

!11

Regional Funds Online Magazine

The Communication Workshop (autumn edition), organised by FMO at the EFTA House in Brussels, the 24th and 25th of October, reunited comm-responsible from the National Focal Points, Fund Operators and Donor embassies. It has been a great occasion to talk about – and spread the goals of – the campaign #OurStories. We are strongly convinced that the Family joining the Fund for Youth Employment and the Fund for Regional Cooperation, is full of human/real stories and successes to be told and disseminated, even beyond the end of the current funding period. Do you remember the video showed during our Annual Seminar?? Please note that you can contribute even in a written form, have a look here.

«Ragna Fidjestøl, Managing Director of the EEA and Norway Grants, opened the workshop focusing on how the extensive Grants network in the Donor and Beneficiary States can join forces to promote our impact»: we believe you could as well have ‘something to say’ and that is why we are including here again some info about #OurStories.

#OurStories: Objectives and Goals «The objectives and goals of the #OurStories campaign, led by the EEA and Norway Grants, are to showcase and celebrate the impactful outcomes of funded projects. Through compelling narratives and success stories, the campaign aims to inspire, inform, and engage a diverse audience in the Beneficiary and Donor States and across Europe, highlighting the positive change and transformative eﬀects of their initiatives». You can find here some other info and the toolkit, the YouTube Playlist here, and other news here, but of course remember you can contact us if you believe you can contribute, it will be easier to support you. We count on all of you to add the #OurStories hashtag to your content and join the campaign with your stories. !12

Regional Funds Online Magazine

How passion turned into an innovative business learn about Sara's story “Tomorrow's results are the cumulative eﬀect of yesterday's eﬀorts.” – says Sara Sobania, a graduate of the Young Entrepreneurs Succeed program! and Mazovian Startup, and today also... co-founder of SUPUPPY, a company creating supplements for dogs. Get to know her story!

Sara, you have recently started your own company – SUPUPPY. You create supplements for dogs, which prevents your pets from living a healthy life. Please tell us what exactly you do. That's right, on a daily basis I run a startup that aims to support caregivers in taking care of their pets' health. Supuppy are natural supplements for dogs in the subscription model, created by nutritional experts and tailored to the needs of four-legged pets. The basis of our product are tested ingredients of trusted origin, a combination of scientific achievements with contemporary challenges of balanced animal nutrition and the conscious community that we create together with our clients. We believe that the synonym of proper supplementation is systematicity and taking into account the individual

preferences of dogs. When developing recipes, we use the experience of specialists in fields such as animal dietetics, animal behavior, veterinary medicine and biotechnology. Our mission is to support owners in taking care of their pets' health and ensuring the stable development of their dogs. Currently, we have two supplements available for sale with the highest quality ingredients (so-called Human Grade): Hau to relax for calming and immunity and Hau to shine for healthy skin and shiny fur. Both products are in powder form, which makes them convenient to administer with food, and dogs appreciate their taste. Additionally, the composition does not contain any unnecessary fillers or artificial ingredients. The main sales channel for our products is our website - a place that provides caregivers with all the necessary information about the safety of supplements, composition and dosage. We are the first in Poland to oﬀer subscription sales because we want supplementation to become a ritual that meets the individual nutritional needs of dogs and provides comfort for all caregivers. This is possible thanks to cyclical deliveries, easy change of orders, full transparency of composition and a proven supply chain. Poland is becoming a leader in the development of the e-commerce industry in Europe and, according to the latest research, as many as nine out of ten Polish Internet users now buy online. In Poland, the digital sector is developing very quickly, and the value of the Polish e-commerce market is expected to reach up to PLN 162 billion by 2026. source What were your main motivations and inspirations when choosing this particular path for your business? It all started with the dog I adopted - Zosia, and actually with her recurring health problems. !13

Regional Funds Online Magazine I was looking for solutions in supplements and, to my surprise, I did not find any product on the Polish market that would support her dog's development in a trusted and comprehensive way. What I lacked in the available offer was information about the composition, the source of the raw materials and the effectiveness of the ingredients. Countless visits to vets, hours spent searching for the right product and growing frustration led us to Supuppy. In between visits to veterinarians, my partner, Kasia, and I worked on examining the current condition of the dog supplement industry in Poland and at the same time checking whether the reality was the same abroad. The desire to introduce a new standard of dog prevention to the Polish market is one of the main motivations, but there is also another one, strictly related to my personal need. development and setting challenges that bring specific business value to the world. For as long as I can remember, I have been drawn to entrepreneurship, solving problems and wondering how something can be done differently, that is, better. And in such developmental circumstances, I met Kasia, because we participated in one course completely by accident and, as it later turned out, we started a joint adventure of developing our own venture. Kasia supports Supuppy in experience design, strategy development, and marketing research. I take care of the operational and management area, the community and relations with business partners. In this short time, we became finalists of the Mazovian Startup program, and after a 4-stage recruitment, we were selected as one of 138 startups from 35 countries for the Huge Thing acceleration program co-created with Google For Startups.

What were your main motivations and inspirations when choosing this particular path for your business? It all started with the dog I adopted - Zosia, and actually with her recurring health problems. I was looking for solutions in supplements and, to my surprise, I did not find any product on the Polish market that would support her dog's development in a trusted and comprehensive way. What I lacked in the available oﬀer was information about the composition, the source of the raw materials and the eﬀectiveness of the ingredients.

Countless visits to vets, hours spent searching for the right product and growing frustration led us to Supuppy. In between visits to veterinarians, my partner, Kasia, and I worked on examining the current condition of the dog supplement industry in Poland and at the same time checking whether the reality was the same abroad. The desire to introduce a new standard of dog prevention to the Polish market is one of the main motivations, but there is also another one, strictly related to my personal need development and setting challenges that bring specific business value to the world. For as long as I can remember, I have been drawn to entrepreneurship, solving problems and wondering how something can be done diﬀerently, that is, better. And in such developmental circumstances, I met Kasia, because we participated in one course completely by accident and, as it later turned out, we started a joint adventure of developing our own venture. Kasia supports Supuppy in experience design, strategy development, and marketing research. I take care of the operational and management area, the community and relations with business partners. In this short time, we became finalists of the Mazovian Startup program, and after a 4-stage recruitment, we were selected as one of 138 startups from 35 countries for the Huge Thing acceleration program co-created with Google For Startups. These experiences gave us a lot of new perspectives and new skills, which we have been using to develop Supuppy from the very first days.

It doesn't matter if it's about our own business or anything we care about - everything that has some value requires eﬀort and work. Have you always dreamed about it, or did the idea arise spontaneously? I have always dreamed of working with dogs, but it was learning about the startup ecosystem that guided me to start my own business. !14

Regional Funds Online Magazine Dogs have always been present in my home and for as long as I can remember, we have treated pets as full members of the family. I love being among them, learning empathy and carefree joy, but I also understood how important conscious prevention and learning how to be a responsible caregiver are. The idea was born spontaneously, but not by accident, because every previous attempt to build my own company led me to the path of the pet care industry. What does your job look like on a daily basis? Maybe it doesn't fit in with my work, but an integral part of my mornings is coﬀee and a walk with Zosia, which allows me to recharge for the surprises and tasks of the day. I usually start the day by planning what needs to be done and how to fit everything into one day. As usual, I check e-mails and start packing orders that customers placed after 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. so that the packages reach their pets as quickly as possible. Mondays are a time for me and our small Supuppy team to look at the bigger picture and define initiatives for a given month or week - it may be developing a new idea, ways to reach new customers, promotional campaigns or upcoming collaborations. Despite the startup madness, this form of organization helps make activities a little more orderly and coherent. The remaining moments of the day include setting up campaigns, creating posts, contact with clients, meetings with behaviorists or clinics willing to cooperate... In short, a lot of interesting, creative work that keeps us moving forward. Your story of how to start your own business is very inspiring. First you said YES! entrepreneurship by expanding your competences in this program, and then you chose Mazovian Startup, thanks to which you spread your wings. Please tell us what your situation was like before joining the programs implemented by the Youth Business Poland Foundation? Initially, I associated my future with journalism, but as I gained knowledge and used it in practice, I realized that this was not exactly the path I wanted to take. From the first year of my studies, my brother, who runs a marketing agency, gradually introduced me to work. It quickly made me realize that marketing would be my professional choice at this point. For

this reason, I took part in the recruitment for the Erasmus program, thanks to which I had the opportunity to further acquire marketing secrets, and in Spanish.

After returning from Salamanca, I started studies related to UX Design, thanks to which I met Kasia - co-founder of Supuppy and my personal friend. When taking part in the Design Thinking Moderator course, we were randomly assigned to one group and it stayed that way. The trainer suggested that we submit the project developed during the course to a start-up competition. Of course, at that time we had absolutely no knowledge of what exactly a start-up was and what such competitions involved, but it was the trigger for action. That's how we found YES and thanks to the inquisitive questions of Adrian, the President of the YBP Foundation and mentor, and the support of the entire team, we found our way to further develop our business ambitions. What did your participation in YES! programs give you? – Young Entrepreneurs Succeed and Mazovian Startup? Huge opportunity to develop and find your own path. It was during the program that I met many founders whom I still support and model my activities after. Networking is a really powerful tool that can significantly speed up certain processes in a start-up and open many doors.

Tomorrow's results are the cumulative effect of yesterday's efforts. What has been the greatest difficulty for you so far in developing your own business? Maintaining a healthy balance between work and everything outside of it, i.e. private life. I think about Supuppy all the time. This is often due to the fact that it is not easy to part with a laptop. Our customers really appreciate direct contact, so orders placed at 10 p.m. or messages at 11 p.m. are responded to almost immediately. !15

Regional Funds Online Magazine Parcels are packed immediately after paying for the order, and I don't think anyone waited longer than 30 minutes for a response from us. However, the opportunity to run Supuppy gives me such joy that being in the so-called “action” brings a smile to my face and a feeling that what we are doing makes sense. We receive lovely messages from customers, photos of bowls licked to the last crumb and their relaxed dogs, which previously reacted to everything with fearful barking. It gives me such satisfaction and drive to work that it's hard for me to switch oﬀ or simply not think about business. I think many founders understand this challenge and also face the issue of maintaining balance. However, I believe that just as there is time for intensive work, we cannot forget about our own health and regeneration, because without it we can quickly exhaust ourselves. Every strong business needs a committed entrepreneur, but without health you cannot build strong businesses. When you think about a breakthrough moment in developing your business, what comes to your mind first? A working website. Supuppy has been growing since April 2021, at the end of 2022 we already had ready products with our original recipe, tested in laboratories, approved by biotechnologists and a website with many errors that slowed down our processes and suspended promotional campaigns. It was only in May that we could aﬀord to spend again, which was to build the store from scratch, and I consider May 16 as the day when we could rearrange all processes and move with double strength. What are your future business plans? Certainly, further development of Supuppy and constant learning will allow me to achieve this. As we grow, we want to be able to take care of as many dogs as possible (not only in Poland) and be able to address their problems with appropriate supplements. What do you think most determines your success when starting your own business? Determination and support of people smarter than ourselves. I think that without these two aspects, neither huge financing nor a unique business idea will bring fulfillment or success. I try to focus as much as possible on

our next goals, so that as many of them as possible will be successful and on learning lessons from experiences or experiments that may not have turned out to be entirely successful. This is the only way to gain the ability and knowledge to act further and smarter. You must always have curiosity to ask questions and check what works and what doesn't work, as well as humility, because without it it is easy to fall into stagnation - and as we know, in a dynamic business environment there is no room for passivity. Or maybe you have a “recipe for success”? What advice would you give to yourself who is just starting your own business? I think that the lessons learned over the last few years could easily fit into several volumes of a book, but I personally feel that the most important thing is discipline and determination. It doesn't matter if it's about our own business or anything we care about - everything that has some value requires effort and work. It is impossible to build a sensible business in a month or to strike a chord in the minds of customers with one marketing campaign. Tomorrow's results are the cumulative effect of yesterday's efforts. Some stages cannot be skipped, but you can go through them smarter and this is where patience and perseverance are key. The second ingredient, which Kasia and I consider crucial, is putting aside the ego and thus perfectionism. Better done than perfect, as they say. It may sound trivial, but excessive perfectionism can slow down many processes and miss out on opportunities. It's worth admitting to yourself that you don't know and taking action to find out. Many things in business are done for the first time, but the first time doesn't mean you can't do them best. The best teacher is action and curiosity. You can find Sara and Kasia's company here: https://supuppy.com/ The article was created in cooperation with the Youth Business Poland Foundation. YES! Project !16

Regional Funds Online Magazine

Nice mentions from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Budapest ! about our Project COMPETENCE – Capacity Building of Employees of Municipalities for Better Provision of Public Services Today, the temporary case manager Herman Baskår joined the last Hungarian training day organized by the Újbuda municipality for its employees within the framework of Competence EU - for better provision of public services project. The aim of the project is competence development for local government professionals for more eﬃcient public services. International partnership cooperation is implemented with Czech, Greek, Croatian, Romanian and Norwegian partners with the support of the Regional Cooperation Fund of the EEA and Norway Grants. (In-house translation)

Contribution kindly sent by Timea Ruzsbaczky Local Programme Oﬃcer for EEA and Norway Grants Royal Norwegian Embassy in Budapest

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The unforgettable achievements of the students from the Department of Design at the Creative Center Ruse The Creative Center Ruse has once again become a terrain of inspiration and creativity, giving students from the first and fourth year of the "Design" department at Ruse University "Angel Kanchev" the opportunity to acquire new skills related to the learning environment. The students' internship was made possible thanks to the support and resources of the center manager Kalin Minev from the Agency for Human Resources Development. Their internship involved working on two new unique products enriching the world of digital design and entertainment industry. The student Simeon Ivanov created a demo module for playing poker in a virtual environment, using 3D software to model and render the demo clip. Simeon continues to develop and upgrade his skills, analyzing the concept and market requirements with impressive professionalism. His project represents an innovative proposition in the gaming industry.

This learning experience and realized projects demonstrate the commitment of Creative Center Ruse to the active support of students and the development of their creative skills, creating new opportunities for innovation in the field of digital design and the entertainment industry. Link to the Demo: https://youtu.be/4hQJjx7FP0k C.O.D.E. Project

Creative Center Ruse supports this project, providing the necessary resources and funding through the Human Resources Development Agency. This commitment highlights the importance of educating and fostering young talent in the industry. Simeon works in a team with project manager Kalina Marinova, who has nearly 20 years of experience in the creative industries, thus enriching the learning process and experience of the young designer. The other team, made up of first-year students Rositsa and Ivailo at the University of Ruse, is working on a project related to digital drawing and animation. They successfully recreated part of the tale "Torbalantsi" from an old film using film digitization techniques and professional drawing tablets purchased under the Norwegian project C.O.D.E. - - Competent digital employment opportunities, realized thanks to the EEC and the Norwegian Youth Employment Grant Fund !19

Regional Funds Online Magazine

Techcentre Training David Barker was one of the UK’s first digital marketing entrepreneurs in the early 1990’s and is now founder and CEO of Techcentre Training, helping to tackle youth unemployment through aﬀordable access to the right training for soft skills and digital skills for business to help young people be work ready. Since becoming one of the UK’s first digital marketing entrepreneurs in 1994 after witnessing the birthing of the Internet, I have always been a techo-optimist about the benefit to humanity of the Internet and the connected world. Working with Intel and Microsoft for the next ten years across Europe to drive internet adoption across government, business and civil society was a dream come true to try to bring that future to bear. Unfortunately, by 2004 I realised the utopian vision of a better world for all was not happening, and the dystopian version of higher youth unemployment, poverty and political disruption was more prevalent and would only increase if action wasn’t taken. I wanted to play my part too, so I exited my internet company with a vision to focus on finding new ways to tackle youth unemployment, both in the UK and around the world. I started with a self-funded research study on youth unemployment that started in London, before moving on to Berlin, Beijing, Moscow, Kampala, Palestine, Israel and Boston, USA. The research surfaced the reality that too many unemployed youth never had the right soft skills training whilst in education, combined with lacking the modern digital skills needed for business. Inspired by this I became a social entrepreneur, innovating new approaches to retraining unemployed young people to have the right skills, that has led me to today driving Techcentre Training, focussed on retraining unemployed youth with soft skills and digital skills for business, whilst upskilling young people in education with these same important skills to reduce their risk of future unemployment through being better ready for the workplace. The approach is unique – partner with established organisations working with young people and then augment our CPD-accredited online training courses and bespoke consultancy support to rapidly expand partner capabilities. We are already scaling up in the UK and now I’m starting the research and development to take Techcentre Training into Europe, starting in Spain with the highest youth unemployment rate in Europe. !20

Regional Funds Online Magazine

From a policy perspective, as politicians struggle with finding solutions to tackle youth unemployment, I suggest we need to focus in three areas: • • •

Fund bootcamps that accelerate the digital skills and soft skills needed to be successful in the modern workplace. Deploy employer engagement strategies to better align recruitment around apprenticeships and jobs with these bootcamps. Help small and medium-sized businesses adopt technology that will help them increase productivity and growth, to then create apprenticeships and jobs for young people.

We can still achieve the utopian version of a world connected through the Internet, but we need to be more intentional and innovative in how we better grow and scale businesses whilst ensuring our young people have the right soft skills and digital skills for business to be more employable and work ready. David Barker

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Theme of the issue Another year coming to its end.

What upcoming changes in our daily life in 2024 and which are the future challenges? What would you do/you recommend as priorities if you were a politician?

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Challenges of the Current Reality on the Road to Climate Neutrality Changes in weather patterns over past decades led to the announcement of the European Green Deal on 11th of December 2019. This roadmap sets ambitious goals aimed at turning climate challenges into opportunities and making the EU carbon neutral by 2050. The milestone to reduce the carbon footprint by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels of CO2 emissions is challenging and should be achieved with the support of investments from the NextGenerationEU Recovery Plan, and the EU’s 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework. Implementation of the related policies will influence daily life of the EU citizens directly or indirectly in various areas. Those will include (but will not be limited to) employment, transport, housing and education.

Funding to Fight High Energy Prices

Efforts to achieve a greener future were accelerated in 2022 by the energy crisis. Expenditure by countries across Europe to shelter households and firms from negative effects of unprecedented price hikes has reached significant amounts. Germany has allocated the highest budget to help its economy avoid downturn. Although smaller countries have not budgeted as such, a number of them have allocated substantial amounts relative to their GDP, exceeding 3% of GDP. Social effects of the recent compensations of high prices are certainly positive, but from a longer point of view, those expenditures negatively impact the levels of public debts. Current economic cycle position should be characterized as on the verge to recession, which was postponed at least for the short-term. This situation is accentuated by the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine and the high level of uncertainty associated with it and regarding further developments. All those processes are indirectly affecting the situation of the households and in many countries triggering the investments to renewable energy sources (RES). Additionally, legislative framework and greening trends are increasing importance of electro-mobility, energy-efficient buildings, recycling and waste management. !23

Regional Funds Online Magazine As a result of turbulent development of energy prices (which is likely to be especially true for 2024) and the accelerated green transformation due to the aforementioned developments, certain types of industrial activities are expected to be curtailed either in sectors where production is energy intensive or where it is environmentally unfriendly. Especially at the level of local economies in regions with this type of industry, as well as in regions where environmentally unfriendly forms of energy production are located (e.g. coal mining regions), this will have an impact on local employment.

of experimental fields of study (e. g. design of smart electrical installations, servicing of electric vehicles, charging stations and battery installations). Due to the expected increase in unemployment related to the decline in traditional sectors in certain regions, also extracurricular education and retraining will need to be strengthened. Cooperation of public and private educational institutions with employers has to be promoted. In-company training and education-on-site should be promoted more. Those are the aspects that project INTERCEPT is targeting.

Employees from industries aﬀected by the green transformation can ease the demand for technical skills developed in education system in these regions in the past (e. g. mechanical or electrical engineering). On the other hand, transformation also brings inevitable need to use technologically innovative and advanced procedures that will increase need for highly specialized professional skills in energy, renewable resources, environmental management etc. (e. g. special skills such as production and distribution of hydrogen, capturing and processing CO2 on site, use of photovoltaics). According to the results of the INTERCEPT survey (2022), the need for new skills and for upgrading existing skills has been identified among relevant stakeholders as the main expected impact of the green transition on related jobs. Those processes will be needed for employees at all skills levels from high-skilled to low-skilled occupations. The specific skills, courses on advanced digital skills and soft skills (nowadays, management skills, organizing and planning of work, or communication and presentation skills prevail as regards the soft skills required) need to be developed and delivered. The skills such as analytical thinking, problem-solving, advanced digital skills and the ability to work in a team will gain importance.

Besides this, the employees threatened by the termination of mentioned economic activities will need assistance in legal issues (termination of employment, eligibility for social benefits or compensation allowances) as well as assistance in re-employment chances (e. g. provision of training, retraining and personal development, assistance in finding and creating suitable jobs and in successfully managing and permanently maintaining the obtained job). This needs to be reflected in an updated policy perspective of the public authorities, preferably not only at the national but also at the local level.

The accelerated process of green transformation will also be reflected in adaptation of education system, which in many aspects is very rigid, while the new needs of the labour market are rapidly changing. In addition to that, the labour market will also be influenced by other global factors, such as automation and robotization. This will create additional pressure on secondary vocational education as well as on higher education to adapt their study programs to the new conditions. There is scope for the creation

Also recommended are public investments to promote innovative activity of SMEs by supporting innovative projects focused on the new sectors and greening of the economy. As well as to connect the innovation activities of SMEs with large enterprises and educational institutions and thus create an innovation ecosystem. The goal is to develop research and development in the field of RES, energy eﬃciency, carbon-free energy and smart solutions in energy. Special assistance and support may be provided to start-up entrepreneurs, e.g. in the form of consultation, advice in the preparation of a business plan, advice in administrative tasks connected with business, in the field of business financing , etc. All relevant stakeholders must be involved in the preparation of a strategy for the future development of the local economy, ranging from municipalities, employers, educational institutions, state employment oﬃces, consultancies, NGOs and the unions and employees at risk themselves.

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Regional Funds Online Magazine References INTERCEPT. (2022). Key cross-cutting competences related to Green jobs and stakeholders’ perspective. https://interceptproject.eu/wp-content/ uploads/2022/09/INTERCEPT_WP4_report.pdf Sgaravatti, G., S. Tagliapietra, C. Trasi and G. Zachmann (2021) ‘National policies to shield consumers from rising energy prices’, Bruegel Datasets, first published 4 November 2021, available at https://www.bruegel.org/ dataset/national-policies-shield-consumers-rising-energy-prices Article wrtiten by: Veronika Hvozdikova and Ivan Lichner (Institute of Economic Research – Slovak Academy of Sciences). INTERCEPT Project

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Anticipated Changes in Daily Life in 2024 and Future Challenges The launching by the OPEN AI the ChatGPT tool in 2022, as one of the first AI technology tool accessible and understandable to the general public, (democratization of AI) a far-reaching impact on various aspects of our daily lives took place. This will continue to the next year to come. Industry 4.0, the fourth industrial revolution characterized by the integration of digital technologies, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, automation, and data analytics into various industries, such as manufacturing is more evident than ever. In particular, AI is already transforming and could impact more on the years to come of how we work by automating tasks, increasing work for home opportunities, enhancing productivity, and creating new opportunities but also posing challenges related to job displacement, ethics, and the need for continuous skill development. This job displacement due to automation and the gig economy's instability will necessitate workforce adaptation and a renewed focus on upskilling and reskilling. The concept of lifelong learning is poised to retain its paramount importance in the coming years, as the demand of upskilling and reskilling will be high. This demand is not constrained only to the digital proficiency but escalates alongside with the necessity to cultivate transversal skills. Fortunately, the global availability of high-quality online education has democratized access to learning opportunities for individuals worldwide. In 2024, training seminars, micro-training seminars, certified training programs, and micro-credentials are expected to play a significant role in the lives of NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) and the general population. Another key anticipated change in 2024 and beyond is an increased focus on climate change and its profound impact on various aspects of our lives. Extreme weather events or disruptions on ecosystems and biodiversity will aﬀect our MED Area once more. How to be prepared to handle them and

mitigate its impacts will be a high priority in the 2024. In the coming year, we can expect more stringent regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions; increasing the use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, using electric vehicles, driven by advancements in battery technology. Once more, education is crucial for the transition to sustainable practices. Society will continue to evolve, embracing greater diversity and inclusivity, thus shaping cultural norms and fostering mutual understanding. However, these changes may also bring social tensions and conflicts as people grapple with shifting perspectives and values. Technology will play a significant role in connecting diverse groups and fostering dialogue, but it can also contribute to information overload and societal polarization. Obviously, all the promising changes in 2024 also come with their set of challenges either related to technological or green transition of how we live, work, educate and have fun. All of these challenges require significant investment and a fundamental shift in our behavior, which is never an easy feat. As EU argues require a new mindset related to “Industry 5.0” which envisions a more human centered and sustainable approach of industrial process instead of focus on eﬃciency and productivity gains. As we approach 2024, the Network for Employment and Social Care (NESC),embraces adaptability and lifelong learning as a crucial parameter for navigating our rapidly changing world. In preparation for the evolving job market, gaining new skills and staying flexible in our career choices is paramount. Staying informed about sustainability initiatives and reducing our environmental footprint is part of the journey. Furthermore, approaching social and cultural changes with an open mind and a commitment to constructive dialogue will shape the !26

Regional Funds Online Magazine world we desire. With the right mindset and proactive measures, NESC is committed to seizing the opportunities and tackling the challenges of 2024. This approach ensures not just a promising future for us but also for generations to come, fostering a more interconnected, sustainable, and inclusive world.

Bibliography https://www.un.org/en/content/common-agenda-report/#download European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, Renda, A., Schwaag Serger, S., Tataj, D. et al., Industry 5.0, a transformative vision for Europe – Governing systemic transformations towards a sustainable industry, Publications Oﬃce of the European Union, 2021, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2777/17322

KAM NESC YOUTHShare Project

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CARDET reflection on upcoming changes on education, sustainability and inclusivity As we approach 2024, three major concerns must be addressed: education, sustainability and inclusivity. Education development are critical for a future job market. By prioritizing education, we can empower individuals with skills matched to the demands of the future labor market by prioritizing education. Furthermore, promoting lifelong learning initiatives would allow individuals to constantly adapt, ensuring their relevance in a rapidly changing technology world. While sustainability is necessary by promoting renewable energy sources and investing in clean energy technologies, we can create a more sustainable future. Social justice and inclusivity necessitate policies that encourage diversity and community involvement. Additionally, implementing policies that promote diversity and inclusivity in all sectors, from government to education and businesses, fosters a sense of belonging and equality. These goals direct us toward a future distinguished by resilience, creativity, and social development, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to succeed while also protecting the environment and using technology for the greater good. These challenges can lead us to the future by finding innovative solutions and focus on social progress. By implementing these recommendations, we can create a future in which everyone has a chance to succeed, our environment is safeguarded, and technology is used for the greater good. Foteini Sokratous, CARDET YOUTHShare Project

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The analysis of AEII Spain, on upcoming changes into specific sectors and the future challenges to be aware of In 2024, we can expect to see a lot of changes in our daily lives. Here are some of the changes that might aﬀect your specific sectors: 1.

Healthcare: With the advent of new technologies, we can expect to see a lot of changes in the healthcare sector. For instance, telemedicine is expected to become more popular, making it easier for patients to access healthcare services from the comfort of their homes. Additionally, we can expect to see more personalized medicine, where treatments are tailored to individual patients based on their genetic makeup. Transportation: The transportation sector is also expected to undergo significant changes in 2024. For instance, we can expect to see more electric and autonomous vehicles on the roads. Additionally, there will be an increased focus on sustainability and reducing carbon emissions. Education: The education sector is also expected to undergo significant changes in 2024. With the rise of online learning platforms, we can expect to see more students opting for online courses. Additionally, there will be an increased focus on developing skills that are relevant in the digital age. Retail: The retail sector is also expected to undergo significant changes in 2024. With the rise of e-commerce platforms, we can expect to see more people shopping online. Additionally, there will be an increased focus on sustainability and ethical sourcing.

Climate Change: Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing humanity today. In 2024, we can expect to see more extreme weather events and natural disasters as a result of climate change. Automation: Automation is expected to replace many jobs in the coming years. In 2024, we can expect to see an increase in automation across various sectors. Privacy: With the increasing amount of data being collected by companies and governments, privacy concerns are becoming more prevalent. In 2024, we can expect to see an increased focus on data privacy and security.

Jose Fernandez, AEII Spain YOUTHShare Project

As for future challenges, there are several that we need to be aware of: 1. Cybersecurity: With the increasing reliance on technology, cybersecurity threats are becoming more prevalent. In 2024, we can expect to see an increase in cyber attacks and data breaches. !29

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AAEII Spain top priorities to ensure well-being, promote economic growth, and protect the environment As a politician, my top priorities would be to ensure the well-being of my constituents, promote economic growth, and protect the environment. Firstly, I would focus on healthcare. I would work to ensure that every citizen has access to aﬀordable healthcare. This would include expanding Medicaid and Medicare, increasing funding for community health centers, and reducing the cost of prescription drugs. I would also prioritize mental health care by increasing funding for mental health clinics and providing more resources for mental health professionals.

These are just a few of the priorities that I would focus on if I were a politician. Of course, there are many other issues that are important as well, such as immigration reform, gun control, and social justice. However, I believe that by focusing on these four areas - healthcare, education, economic growth, and environmental protection - we can create a better future for all of us. Jose Fernandez, AEII Spain YOUTHShare Project

Secondly, I would focus on education. I believe that education is the key to success and that every child deserves a quality education. I would work to increase funding for public schools and provide more resources for teachers. I would also work to make college more aﬀordable by increasing funding for Pell Grants and other financial aid programs. Thirdly, I would focus on economic growth. I believe that a strong economy is essential for the well-being of our citizens. I would work to create jobs by investing in infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, and public transportation. I would also work to attract new businesses to our area by oﬀering tax incentives and other benefits. Finally, I would focus on environmental protection. I believe that we have a responsibility to protect our planet for future generations. I would work to reduce carbon emissions by investing in renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. I would also work to protect our natural resources by preserving our forests, rivers, and oceans.

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Changes and challenges for 2024? As we move forward and seemingly the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us, people had started to adapt to the new routine. But this new routine was disrupted by the current world situation, and is now constantly accompanied by new data, new perceptions, new frameworks, and overall new challenges. All people are aﬀected more or less, but here we will try to focus mostly on the younger ones. A remark though which should be noted is that, since the COVID-19 pandemic’s starting point was almost 4 years ago now, we consider that the surge of abrupt changes that aﬀected humanity has already had its peak, therefore from now what we are looking at are more mitigated ramifications in regards to this matter.

What could be done? From the side of a politician and having examined thoroughly the issue, the proposed measures would entail: • giving local businesses economic/ tax related incentives to hire more people, • funding training centers for providing seminars, especially on digital skills and in tourism related areas in foreign languages as well, learning upskilling/ reskilling and especially on digital skills • bringing together local businesses with local authorities in order to find the gaps between new job openings with the help of the public sector (for example, minimizing the bureaucracy).

Upcoming changes in our daily life, taking into account the current global conditions (post-pandemic, wars) could possibly include: • reluctance on behalf of employers to maintain in their current standards their business in fear of failure, leading therefore to less available job positions, • on the other hand, perhaps small unknown touristic areas get more popular due to people trying to find cheap and not crowded holiday destinations, • combined with the previous point, the workforce and mostly young people will need to relocate in order to get into the job market.

Overall, 2024 is going to be another year with great challenges in regards to employment and the youth. The pandemic, although not completely behind us in terms of eﬀects, so far seems that it has also created the appropriate ground for the emergence of new ways of working and carrying out business that can accommodate both job seekers and prospective employers.

Nonetheless, and in tandem with the progress of everyday life, some possible challenges that are yet to come in 2024 are: • lingering distrust of youth to search for a job, especially in the tourism industry, due to the deep disruptions and ups and downs caused by the pandemic in the past • businesses still keeping their staﬀ to the minimum, in an eﬀort to compensate for their losses the previous years • ”fear” of the employers to provide more job positions, since the pandemic has been followed by the war in Ukraine and now in Israel, maintaining insecurity in all aspects.

Cowork4YOUTH Project

Stay connected with us through our social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn: @Cowork4YOUTH, and visit our website https://www.cowork4youth.org/

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Skills mismatch amongst the youth: some consequences and policy actions The rapid pace of technological advancement is causing dramatic changes in the tasks undertaken in production processes. Adapting to these changes proves essential, particularly for the youth, who are the future of work. Even if the current youth are more educated than ever, the mismatch between the skills demanded by companies and those supplied by the workforce is worrisome. This mismatch may arise from several sources and affects population cohorts differently. For instance, older workers are more prone to suffering from skill obsolescence, as their physical and mental skills might be limited as they age. New entrants in the labour market and, often, young cohorts overall often experience other types of skill mismatch, such as overeducation (Cedefop, 2010). According to the European Labour Force Survey, Spain’s overqualification rate (the share of overqualified individuals over the employed population aged 20-64) stands at nearly 36%, followed by Greece (32.4%), Cyprus (31.8%) and Ireland (28.5%). The phenomenon of skills mismatch contributes to imbalances in labour markets and partly explains the striking numbers of structural youth unemployment in many European regions. Besides the negative consequences that skills mismatch entails for companies and countries (losses of productivity, innovation and competitiveness), it also affects the youth in two key ways. For the employed population, overqualification prevents the youth from fulfilling their potential, generally entailing lower wages and lower job and life satisfaction (ILO, 2020). Previous research shows that the overqualified youth is willing to accept job offers that do not align with their preparation in order to avoid becoming or remaining unemployed. (Berlingieri & Ersiek, 2012). For the non-employed youth, skills mismatch is precisely one of the reasons that explains the fact that part of the potential workforce is unable to find a job.

Skills shortages related to overeducation signal a poor connection between training supply and labour demand. From a policy perspective, a relevant measure to tackle skills mismatch relates to ensuring a smooth transition between the educational and labour stages. The development of some training within the company can work as a way to reduce the distance between the training provided and the labour market (ISEAK, 2023). As a response to the existing skill gaps, different figures have been designed through which part of the training can be developed within the companies. This collaboration between companies and training centers may serve to complement the knowledge and skills acquired in formal training with those required by companies. Some of these examples are dual training or training contracts. More broadly, international experience shows that it is important to find a balance between a more general academic training and specific training in companies. For the aforementioned transition between the educational and labour stages to materalise, it is paramount to tackle school failure and early school dropout. An alternative to early school dropouts is the promotion of intermediate vocational training that warrants the labour specialisation of the youth of all strands of educational levels (ISEAK, 2023). One course of action involves an increase in the supply of the intermediate vocational training that is most in demand, prioritizing those specialties with a greater and better labor market fit. Once the training offers that lead (causally) to higher insertion rates and access to quality employment have been identified, it is essential that sufficient places are offered so that all those who wish to train in these specializations can do so. In order to serve as a lever for the insertion of young people (and the reinsertion of unemployed adults), intermediate vocational training programs will have to adapt their programs and curricula as technological advances develop with the aim of offering training in the new competences that are progressively demanded. !32

Regional Funds Online Magazine On the other hand, research shows that individuals with higher levels of education are generally better prepared to adapt to technological change (ISEAK, 2023). In this regard, it is important to analyse whether the contents taught in both vocational training and university degrees are in line with technological development. Although formal higher education cannot fully respond to the needs of the labor market at any given moment, it is nevertheless true that certain trends seem to be structural. For example, the need to acquire digital skills cuts across all areas of education. At the same time, it is important to foster skills that are complementary to technology–and which for now are limited only to individuals–such as those related to teamwork, management and planning or creativity (Gorjón et al., 2022).

ILO (2020). What is skills mismatch and why should we care? Available at: ilo.org/caribbean/newsroom/WCMS_853615/lang--en/index.htm ISEAK (2023). White Paper on employment in the Basque Country. Available at: https://iseak.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/ing-lb-empleoeuskadi-digital-2023-02-15.pdf Stay connected with us through our social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn: @Cowork4YOUTH, and visit our website https://www.cowork4youth.org/ Cowork4YOUTH Project

Last but not least, to tackle skills mismatch eﬀectively, it is important that policy actions be supported by well-founded research, which is still relatively scarce. While it is natural that temporary labour market imbalances exist, it is paramount to address persistent skill mismatches, or those that become entrenched, as they lead to real socioeconomic losses, leaving the youth particularly exposed. References Berlingieri, F., & Erdsiek, D. How Relevant is Job Mismatch for German Graduates? ZEW Discussion Paper No. 12-075. Available at: https:// ftp.zew.de/pub/zew-docs/dp/dp12075.pdf? _gl=1*1inioa1*_ga*MTYzMjczMjU2NS4xNjk3MDE0NDMw*_ga_KFD4G5CY 27*MTY5NzAxNDQyOS4xLjAuMTY5NzAxNDQyOS4wLjAuMA. Cedefop (2010). Skill mismatch in Europe. Available at: https:// www.cedefop.europa.eu/files/9023_en.pdf Gorjón, L., de la Rica, S., & Vega, A. Empleos y competencias del futuro en España. Available at: https://iseak.eu/publicacion/empleos-ycompetencias-del-futuro-en-espana

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Stepping into the shoes of a politician and make a difference in the lives of millions… YES! recommendations Imagine having the power to influence policies, advocate for change, and make a diﬀerence in the lives of millions. Stepping into the shoes of a politician is not merely a role; it's a responsibility to shape the future and to fulfil that responsibility, there has to be strategic planning that goes into setting up top priorities to focus on amongst the many.

more. The interview consisted of about 1,000 respondents per country and 500 respondents in countries with less than one million inhabitants. [4]

How Different Bodies Set Priorities Different political bodies have different ways of setting these priorities. Take the European Union (EU) for example. Before each new 5-year legislative term, the European Council made up of the heads of state or government of the 27 EU member states convenes to establish the official political goals for the EU. These priorities form the strategic agenda that guides EU institutions and outlines their implementation of the set priorities. [1] Every year, the African Union (AU) holds a summit for Heads of State, allowing African leaders to evaluate the AU's preparedness in dealing with the various internal and external challenges that the continent will encounter in the upcoming year. [2] In the United States, the Biden-Harris administration listed out their priorities for the nation which targets both national and international concerns that affect the country. These include plans for containing the COVID-19 crises, climate change, racial equity, economy, health care, immigration, etc. [3]

What Europeans Prioritise In a survey carried out by Statista and released in May 2023, a demography of 27,000 respondents ranging from 15 years and above were asked in a face-to-face interview to give two most important issues facing the EU at the moment and nearly one in three persons cited the high cost of living which was followed by international issues, Energy supply, environment and climate change, the economy, immigration and many

What European Youths Prioritise Youths in Europe are more engaged in the European elections now than in 2018 but are also less likely to vote than the rest of the population. This goes to show the apparent political education and information that the youths are exposed to which also leads them to have certain opinions about what they want and what they believe should be prioritised by the European Parliament. However, compared to the rest of the population, there is still a possible political apathy that exists among the youth. [5] In a survey carried out by Eurobarometer in March 2023 through phone call interviews, 10,786 youths were asked what they considered a priority and they mentioned climate change, education, poverty, unemployment, health and human rights. [6] !34

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Conclusion

Coming up with issues to prioritise is not a singular effort as the needs of the people have to be reasonably met. To do that, one must consider public opinion while making decisions that affect a nation. If I have the opportunity to be in a political position where I am entrusted with the responsibility of recommending top issues to prioritise, I would narrow it down by considering the issues plaguing the nation both short-term and long-term and the needs of the people under my constituency. With that in mind, I would make the following issues a priority if I were a politician and would also strongly recommend it to the actual politicians who are in the position to implement this: 1. Standard of Living: I would recommend actions that aid the fight against poverty and social exclusion and significantly lower the costs of living of citizens. These include providing more affordable housing, cost-efficient means of transportation, improving the education sector, and ending residential segregation. 2. State of the Economy: The economy needs to be improved and one way to do that is by the creation of new jobs. Unemployment, especially amongst the youth, is a major problem that needs to be tackled as this creates an unfair divide and leads to inequalities among people with different financial capabilities. 3. Public Health: There is a need for the health sector to prioritise better healthcare and accessibility for the disabled including in sports, infrastructure, education etc. Other aspects of public health that should be prioritised include mental health and sexual health. 4. Climate Change: The issue of climate change keeps plaguing us. It is an issue that requires the effort of everyone, from each individual, household to every country. The world is getting hotter and the weather is even more unpredictable. There should be more focus on safe practices to help save the environment and climate such as the increased advocacy for the use of renewable energy, reduction of carbon emissions, and education of the masses about safe climate practices and debunking the myths surrounding climate change.

While there are usually myriads of issues that pose a threat to the standing of a nation, there are some which have to be given top priority to protect the well-being of the nation and its citizens. By paying attention to the needs of a nation and the opinion of the people, one can make informed decisions or recommend strategies that will aid the nation.

References [1] European Union [2023]. How EU priorities are set. https://europeanunion.europa.eu/priorities-and-actions/eu-priorities/how-eu-priorities-areset/infographic-eu-priorities_en [2] International Crisis Organisation. Eight Priorities for the African Union in 2023. https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/african-union-regional-bodies/ b186-eight-priorities-african-union-202 [3] The White House [2018]. The Biden-Harris Administration Immediate P r i o r i t i e s . h t t p s : / / w w w. w h i t e h o u s e . g o v / p r i o r i t i e s / #:~:text=This%20will%20include%20actions%20to,America's%20standin g%20in%20the%20world. [4] Statista Research Department (2023) Most important national issues in Europe. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1220875/public-opinion-ofimportant-issues-facing-europeans/ [5] EP Eurobarometer Spring 2023 (99.1). EP Spring 2023 Survey: Democracy in action - One year before the European elections - youth Infographics - en [6] Youth For Europe. EU priorities according to young Europeans. https:// youthforeurope.eu/eu-priorities-according-to-young-europeans/

Figures Fig [1] Statista Research Department (2023) Most important national issues in Europe. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1220875/public-opinion-ofimportant-issues-facing-europeans/ YES! Project

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Navigating the Challenges and Opportunities of 2024

As we bid farewell to the Year of Skills in 2023, it's essential to reflect on the changes we've witnessed and look ahead to what the year 2024 might bring. This article explores the potential transformations in our daily lives and the challenges that may aﬀect young NEETs, especially those from vulnerable groups, such as young Roma, in the coming year. The Year of skills in 2023 was marked by a global emphasis on skill development and adaptability. Governments, educational institutions, and entities around the world recognized the importance of fostering competencies such as digital literacy, problem-solving, and resilience, to prepare individuals for a rapidly changing job market and an increasingly complex world. It goes without saying that some changes, especially regarding our work structure transitioning to a more remote-based method, were already underway before the Year 2023, marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, this modern structure is continuing to evolve, and we can anticipate a more refined approach to remote work, with many companies adopting

hybrid models that combine in-oﬃce and remote work. This shift will impact our daily routines and the tools we use to collaborate Here are some of the upcoming changes we consider to be the most relevant, given the ongoing digital shift: 1. Continued Emphasis on Digital Transformation: Various industries will continue their digital transformation, with advancements in artificial intelligence, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT). These innovations will further streamline processes and create new job opportunities, but they also require individuals to continuously adapt and acquire digital skills. 2. Sustainable Living: The global push for sustainability will become even more pronounced in 2024. Consumers will prioritize ecofriendly products and services, and governments will implement stricter regulations to address climate change. 3. Education and Lifelong Learning: The education sector will keep adapting to future demands. Lifelong learning will become the norm as individuals seek to acquire new competencies and stay relevant in a dynamic job market. Online education platforms will continue to thrive, providing accessible learning opportunities for all. The Year of Skills 2023 has certainly brought attention to the importance of skills development. However, it has also shed light on the challenges faced by young NEETs. Change often brings new challenges, particularly for more vulnerable groups in society. Our research indicates that several issues may aﬀect NEETs more profoundly than other groups: • Digital Divide: Access to technology and the internet remains a significant barrier for many young NEETs. Addressing the digital divide is crucial to ensure equal access to educational and job opportunities. • Mental Health: The pressures of the modern world, coupled with the challenges of finding employment or education, can take a toll on the mental health of young NEETs. Support systems and mental health services must be readily available. !36

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Economic Uncertainty: Economic policies and programs should be designed to provide financial security and job prospects for this group. Skills Mismatch: Ensuring that the competencies young NEETs acquire align with the needs of the job market is crucial. Education and training programs should be adaptable and responsive to changing industry demands.

To address these barriers and issues faced by young people in our society, as a politician, I would adopt a multi-faceted approach to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for these individuals. Here are some key actions I would consider: • Digital Inclusion Initiatives: To bridge the digital divide, I would champion initiatives aimed at providing aﬀordable access to technology and the internet for all citizens, especially in underserved communities. • Mental Health Support: Recognizing the importance of mental health, I would advocate for increased funding and access to mental health services, particularly for young NEETs. Schools, colleges, and community centers should have trained counselors available, and destigmatizing mental health issues would be a priority. • Job Training and Reskilling Programs: To address skills mismatch, I would promote the development of flexible, joboriented training programs. These programs would collaborate with local industries to ensure that young NEETs are equipped with the competencies needed for available jobs. • Economic Empowerment: To tackle economic instability, I would work to create job opportunities through infrastructure projects, green initiatives, and support for small businesses. • Education Reform: To ensure that education meets the demands of the future, I would advocate for curriculum updates that emphasize not only conventional subjects but also digital literacy, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.

Youth Engagement and Empowerment: This is very important when it comes to vulnerable groups, such as the Roma population, who are often underrepresented. Young NEETs should have a voice in the policies and decisions that affect their lives. I would create platforms for youth engagement, such as youth councils or advisory groups, to ensure their perspectives are considered in policymaking. Supportive Safety Nets: In relation to the previous initiative, as a politician, I would strengthen social safety nets and welfare programs to provide a safety net for young NEETs during periods of transition. This includes unemployment benefits, affordable healthcare, and housing support. Sustainable Initiatives: To address sustainability concerns, I would support policies and incentives for green technologies and sustainable practices. Fostering Partnerships: Collaboration with businesses and non-profits would be essential to implement many of these initiatives effectively. In conclusion, as we approach the end of the Year of Skills 2023 and look forward to 2024, it's evident that the world is changing at an accelerated pace. Our daily lives will continue to be shaped by digital transformation, sustainability, and personal development. However, it's essential to remain mindful of the challenges facing young NEETs and work collectively to provide them with the support and opportunities they need to thrive in this rapidly evolving landscape. By addressing these challenges, we can ensure a brighter and more inclusive future for all. Fundación Privada Pere Closa, Spain SEPAL Project

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Empowering Romania's Rural Youth NEETs for a Brighter Future In this article, we explore the evolving landscape and opportunities, focusing on the resilience and determination of young individuals who are finding their path to success in the face of adversity. In the heart of Romania's rural landscapes, where the rolling hills are painted with the hues of tradition, 2024 promises a series of pivotal shifts. • Agricultural Transformation: Romania's countryside is on the brink of an agricultural revolution. A wave of technological advancements, from precision farming to sustainable practices, is reshaping the rural landscape. These developments provide an opportunity for young people to engage with cutting-edge farming techniques, fostering sustainable livelihoods. • Digital Integration: The digital age is no longer a concept; it's a daily reality. The coming year will see a further proliferation of digital tools, e-commerce, and online education. In rural areas, embracing these digital advancements is not just a matter of convenience; it's a necessity for economic participation. • Youth Unemployment: The issue of youth NEETs looms large, particularly in the disadvantaged areas of Romania. This crisis stems from barriers to education and employment, causing social and economic exclusion. But in this challenge, there is a glimmer of hope, for adversity often breeds resilience.

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individuals gain hands-on experience that transforms them into assets for their communities. Mentorship and Guidance: Mentorship and counseling provided by SEPAL are invaluable. They guide youth NEETs towards their strengths and passions, helping them discover their true potential. The result is a newfound sense of purpose and self-confidence. Entrepreneurship Opportunities: SEPAL encourages a spirit of entrepreneurship. By providing support for start-ups, the initiative fosters economic growth and employment opportunities in disadvantaged areas. Local businesses can breathe life into communities and provide a platform for youth to thrive.

The SEPAL Project is Empowering Rural Youth Amid these challenges, the SEPAL Project (Supporting Employment Platform through Apprenticeship Learning) initiative has emerged as a beacon of hope. Its mission is to empower youth NEETs in rural areas to find their professional pathways, oﬀering them a guiding hand towards entrepreneurship. • Skills Development: SEPAL's innovative approach involves equipping young people with the skills required for modern employment. Through training and apprenticeship programs, these !38

Regional Funds Online Magazine Priorities for the Future Looking ahead to 2024, several priorities emerge to address the changes and challenges facing Romania's rural youth. •

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Digital Inclusion: The importance of digital inclusion cannot be overstated. It is imperative to ensure that every corner of Romania has access to aﬀordable and reliable internet services. Bridging the digital divide is the first step toward equitable economic participation. Education and Training: Investing in education and vocational training tailored to the unique needs of rural youth is paramount. P re p a r i n g t h e m f o r t h e j o b m a r k e t , w h i l e n u r t u r i n g entrepreneurship, will empower them with skills to shape their destinies. Mental Health and Support: In the face of prolonged unemployment and social isolation, the mental well-being of youth NEETs must be addressed. Providing resources and support is essential for their holistic development. Incentives for Local Entrepreneurship: To bolster the economy in disadvantaged areas, policymakers must implement initiatives that encourage local entrepreneurship. Tax incentives, grants, and support can create a nurturing environment for start-ups.

2024 has in store, driving not only their own success but also the prosperity of their communities. Alina GAFIȚA (ADOMNICĂI) Communication Manager SEPAL Project

Conclusions As Romania prepares to face the challenges and changes of 2024, the rural youth, often forgotten or underestimated, are proving their resilience and determination. Organizations like the Bucovina Institute's SEPAL initiative play a vital role in empowering these individuals, ensuring they have the skills, confidence, and opportunities to thrive in an evolving landscape. To create a brighter future for Romania's rural youth and foster their inclusion in the nation's progress, the focus must be on digital inclusion, education, mental health support, and promoting local entrepreneurship. With these priorities in place, rural youth can seize the opportunities that !39

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Charting the path forward: Navigating 2024's shifting landscape As the year draws to a close, we find ourselves on the precipice of 2024, eagerly anticipating the changes and challenges that the future holds. For today's youth, the world is in a constant state of flux, and grasping the trends that will shape the future is vital for thriving in the evolving job market. This article delves into the forthcoming changes set to impact various sectors and discusses the priorities that forward-thinking politicians should address when tackling these challenges. We can mention changes in daily life in 2024 eg. technological advancements, sustainability and green practices, remote and hybrid work. Year 2024 will usher in a further wave of rapid technological advancements. Artificial intelligence, automation, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are at the forefront of this digital revolution. As we navigate a world increasingly dominated by technology, young individuals entering the workforce will need to equip themselves with technological skills to stay competitive. The environment and sustainability will take center stage in 2024. The pressing concerns of climate change and environmental degradation are pushing companies to adopt eco-friendly and sustainable practices. This shift presents significant opportunities in industries such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and clean technology. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of remote work, and this trend is expected to continue in 2024. Remote and hybrid work models oﬀer greater flexibility, but they also come with challenges related to eﬀective communication and collaboration, making digital communication skills highly valuable.

initiatives to ensure that the workforce remains adaptable and competitive. The fast-paced nature of modern life can lead to increased stress and mental health issues, particularly among the youth. Focusing on mental well-being is paramount in 2024, with an emphasis on policies that support work-life balance, stress management, and accessible mental health resources. Income inequality remains an enduring issue. Young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, may face significant barriers in accessing quality education and job opportunities. Policymakers must concentrate on policies that address these disparities through improved access to education, aﬀordable healthcare, and job training programs. Significant investments in education and skills training programs are crucial to equip the youth with the knowledge and competencies needed to thrive in the technology-driven job market. Implementing policies that promote sustainability and eco-friendly practices is essential.

About future challenges we need to lean into some important aspects as automation and job disruption, mental health and well-being, inequality and access to opportunities. While technology oﬀers tremendous benefits, it simultaneously raises concerns about job displacement. Automation and artificial intelligence will automate routine tasks, potentially leading to job role displacement. Policymakers must prioritize retraining and upskilling !40

Regional Funds Online Magazine Businesses should be incentivized to adopt environmentally friendly technologies and operations. Allocating resources to mental health services and raising awareness about mental well-being are imperative. Creating work environments that prioritize employee mental health is essential. Combating income inequality is vital. Ensuring that all young individuals have equal access to opportunities, regardless of their background, should be achieved through policies that promote aﬀordable education, healthcare, and housing. Encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation through grants, funding, and mentorship for young entrepreneurs is crucial. A thriving startup ecosystem can generate jobs and stimulate economic growth. As we look forward to 2024, it is evident that the youth will face a myriad of exciting opportunities along with formidable challenges. The role of politicians in shaping the future is pivotal. By giving high priority to education, sustainability, mental health, inclusivity, and entrepreneurship, they can help pave the way for a brighter, more equitable future. It is the shared responsibility of society, government, and individuals to adapt to the changing times and work collaboratively to ensure a prosperous and harmonious world for all. Beata Mintus SEPAL Project

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Addressing Challenges and Opportunities in 2024 As the year 2023 nears its conclusion, a forward glance into 2024 unveils a plethora of changes and challenges that promise to redefine the contours of our daily life. The rapid pace of technological advancements, environmental concerns, socio-political shifts, and global health issues have earmarked certain sectors for significant upheavals. So, the top priorities of our agenda, could be the following:

policies that are inclusive of diverse racial, ethnic, gender, and sexual identities. Challenges: This inclusivity, however, may be met with resistance from conservative factions. Navigating this dichotomy requires strong leadership and educational campaigns.

1. Technological Advancements: Upcoming Changes: In the realm of technology, 2024 promises further integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) into our daily lives. From smart homes that predict our needs to AI-driven public transport systems, a more interconnected world awaits. Challenges: However, with enhanced connectivity comes the challenge of privacy. Cybersecurity threats are a looming concern, demanding rigorous regulations and infrastructural investment.

4. Global Health: Upcoming Changes: Post the pandemic era, health infrastructures are becoming more robust. The trend for 2024 is telemedicine, mental health awareness, and a more holistic approach to health. Challenges: However, ensuring equitable access to these advanced healthcare solutions, especially for lower-income groups and developing nations, is a challenge.

2. Environmental Concerns Upcoming Changes: The fight against climate change will usher in more sustainable energy solutions. Electric vehicles, renewable energy production, and sustainable agriculture will likely gain more traction in 2024. Challenges: The immediate challenge is to balance economic growth with environmental conservation. Implementing green technologies, while lucrative in the long run, demands heavy initial investments and a shift from traditional industries. 3. Socio-political Shifts Upcoming Changes: Societies worldwide are becoming more inclusive, with a strong focus on equity and justice. The year 2024 might witness more countries adopting

Recommendations for Politicians: Invest in Education: Education tailored to the needs of the future, focusing on digital literacy, critical thinking, and environmental consciousness, will be crucial. Strengthen International Collaborations: Collaborative endeavors, especially in technology and health, will pave the way for a cohesive global response to challenges. Prioritize Mental Health: With the increasing stresses of modern life, mental health initiatives should be at the forefront of healthcare reforms. Re-evaluate Economic Structures: Policies should be devised with an emphasis on sustainable growth, considering both environmental and societal well-being. More specifically, it would make sense to examine the possibilities and perspectives that a politician would have in relation to the group of individuals included in the NEET category:

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Regional Funds Online Magazine 1. Strengthening Education and Training Systems: One of the primary reasons young people find themselves as NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) is the disconnect between the education system and the labor market's demands. As a politician, a priority would be to revamp educational curricula to better align with the evolving needs of the job market. This could involve introducing skillbased training programs, providing apprenticeships, and promoting vocational education. Collaboration between educational institutions and industries would be encouraged to ensure that students are equipped with the skills that employers are actively seeking.

broader societal framework, ensuring a more cohesive and prosperous future for all. In conclusion, as we are close to welcome 2024, it brings with it a mixed bag of promises and challenges. However, with visionary leadership, collaborative spirit, and a focus on holistic well-being, we can navigate these challenges and build a brighter future. If we step into the shoes of a politician, the key lies in striking a balance, embracing change, and prioritizing the greater good. SEPAL Project

2. Enhancing Access to Mental and Emotional Support: Many NEETs face psychological and emotional challenges, be it from previous educational failures, family issues, or societal pressures. It would be a priority to create robust support systems for these individuals. Establishing community-based counseling centers, helplines, and mentorship programs can oﬀer NEETs the guidance and support they need to find a direction. Additionally, addressing societal stigmas associated with being a NEET and promoting mental health awareness can create a more understanding and supportive environment. 3. Providing Economic Incentives and Supportive Infrastructure: Addressing the NEET challenge requires not just education and emotional support, but also tangible economic initiatives. As a politician, I would advocate for subsidies or tax breaks for businesses that hire and train NEETs. Simultaneously, the establishment of community centers focusing on skills development, entrepreneurship programs, and job placement can be instrumental. Furthermore, safety nets like financial assistance or unemployment benefits can provide temporary relief to NEETs, giving them the breathing space to find their footing in education or employment without the immediate pressures of financial instability. In conclusion, addressing the NEET dilemma demands a multi-faceted approach. As a politician, prioritizing education reform, emotional support, and economic initiatives can pave the way for integrating NEETs into the !43

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Empowering NEETs: Transforming Challenges into Triumphs With only two months left of 2023, the new year is approaching rapidly, bringing with it a wave of new opportunities and challenges on various fronts – economic, social, global, and personal. These changes are poised to impact the daily lives of individuals worldwide, including Bulgaria. Among the vulnerable groups, NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training), particularly those grappling with mental health issues, stand as a highly susceptible population in the face of these upcoming shifts. At the "Hidden Likes" Youth House, we recognize the pressing need to support these young people during this critical juncture. Our mission is clear: to empower these NEETs with mental health problems, oﬀering them the necessary resources and guidance to enhance their quality of life and navigate the evolving landscape of challenges. Our dedicated team is committed to preparing them for the future, equipping them with the skills and resilience needed to enhance long-term employability and lead fulfilling lives. One such challenge is the rise of the digitalization. The world has undergone a profound transformation, propelled by the relentless progress in digital technologies and the remarkable advancements in artificial intelligence. This evolution has ushered in a new era, demanding a significant shift in the qualities necessary for success. As the technological advances show no sign of stopping anytime soon, the need to learn how to properly use and integrate technology in our daily lives is becoming of utmost importance. Now, more than ever, it has become increasingly disadvantageous to not have proper digital literacy and skills. For the unemployed youth that struggle with mental health issues we have observed that this becomes a bigger challenge. Their lack of digital skills hinders many of the opportunities for employment that they could have.

We recognize that their successful integration hinges on their ability to adapt to the digital trends shaping our world today. This shift has influenced our approach to supporting NEETs with mental health challenges at the "Hidden Likes" Youth House. However, in our pursuit to foster digital skills among NEETs with mental health challenges through initiatives at the "Hidden Likes" Youth House, we remain steadfast in our commitment to their well-being. It is important to acknowledge that the demands of the digital world must be met with sensitivity to the unique challenges and needs of these young people. The journey towards digital literacy and labor market integration demands a balanced approach that safeguards their mental well-being.

We must ensure that our eﬀorts to enhance their digital skills do not compromise their psychological health. So, at Project L.I.K.E, our primary focus continues to be breaking the cycle of isolation that these individuals often endure. Social isolation can exacerbate mental health challenges, underscoring the urgency of prioritizing their well-being and sense of belonging. !44

Regional Funds Online Magazine Through our project, we aspire to create a nurturing community where NEETs with mental health issues feel not only understood and valued but also connected with peers who share similar experiences. This sense of belonging forms the bedrock upon which we build, fostering an environment where individuals can not only develop digital skills but also rediscover their self-esteem, confidence, and a sense of purpose.

due to their disengagement from education and employment, find their paths further obstructed by the discrimination. The fear and misunderstanding associated with mental health problems, propagated by disinformation and fake news, not only hinder the employability of NEETs but also erode their self-confidence and self-worth.

In recent years, another pervasive challenge has emerged, disproportionately aﬀecting vulnerable communities, notably NEETs with mental health problems. The alarming surge in fake news, misinformation, and disinformation has created a daunting obstacle for them. Unlike ever before, the digital realm has become a breeding ground for misleading narratives and outright fabrications. NEETs, already grappling with the complexities of mental health issues, find themselves uniquely susceptible to the harmful consequences of this digital epidemic. The misinformation they encounter intensifies their anxieties and deepens their struggles. In a world where accurate information is crucial for making informed decisions, these vulnerable young people are often left adrift in a sea of misinformation, further hindering their ability to access education, employment, and support. The spread of fake news not only distorts their perception of reality but also erodes their confidence in online interactions, making it increasingly challenging for them to discern trustworthy sources from deceptive ones. By empowering them with the tools to navigate the digital landscape, we can uplift them, providing a shield against the detrimental eﬀects of misinformation. The presence of disinformation, misinformation and fake news in our society has far-reaching consequences. Particularly alarming is the impact it has on shaping negative attitudes and biases against individuals dealing with mental health issues. These distorted narratives not only perpetuate harmful stereotypes but also fuel societal stigmatization, creating significant barriers for individuals, including NEETs, in their pursuit of employment opportunities. As a result, many employers, influenced by these negative beliefs, exhibit reluctance when considering candidates with mental health challenges. NEETs, who are already navigating a challenging landscape

Addressing this issue requires not only combating the spread of misinformation online but also fostering a culture of empathy, understanding, and acceptance within society. By challenging the misconceptions surrounding mental health and promoting accurate, compassionate narratives, we can dismantle the barriers that prevent NEETs with mental health issues from accessing employment opportunities. Education, awareness campaigns, and destigmatization eﬀorts are essential in reshaping societal attitudes, creating an environment where everyone, regardless of their mental health status, is valued, supported, and given the chance to contribute meaningfully to the workforce. Such initiatives and campaigns aiming to reshape societal attitudes toward people with mental health issues have been a huge part of Project L.I.K.E implementation and over time proven to be successful. But the eﬀorts of a single project are not usually enough.

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Regional Funds Online Magazine If we held a political position, our foremost focus would be on implementing widespread public educational initiatives concerning mental health and inclusivity. It is extremely important that the younger generation, being the future of our nation, is equipped with a basic understanding and awareness of mental health issues. This knowledge would promote empathy, reduce prejudice, and foster inclusivity towards people dealing with mental health issues. However, this educational eﬀort should not be limited to the youth alone. Adults, too, need comprehensive education on this topic. Workplace campaigns and training programs, facilitated by the government, should be made accessible to companies. In the pursuit of a more inclusive job market, a promising strategy is encouraging companies through a range of incentives and relevant benefits to hire employees with mental health problems. This approach, proven successful in numerous other countries, seeks to break down barriers and foster a workplace environment that values diversity and supports individuals facing mental health challenges. By providing tangible incentives, such as tailored benefits, companies are not only motivated to diversify their workforce but also contribute significantly to reducing the stigma associated with mental health in the professional sphere. This proactive stance not only benefits the employees by ensuring equal opportunities but also enriches workplaces by embracing a broader spectrum of talents and perspectives. Ultimately, such initiatives not only transform the workplace culture but also pave the way for a more compassionate, understanding, and inclusive society. In conclusion, although the youth facing mental health challenges encounter numerous obstacles, the right practical solutions, guidance, and support can significantly improve their lives. By actively combating the prevailing stigma and discrimination, we can pave the way for a more inclusive society, oﬀering better opportunities and a brighter future for everyone, regardless of their mental health status. L.I.K.E. Project

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Awareness of European NEETs in the coming years The expected changes in the consciousness of young people in Europe in the near future may include many areas of action related primarily to their personal development, education, breaking stereotypes and finding their way in the labour market. However, detailed and precise changes among NEETs are diﬃcult to predict clearly. We might observe some potential trends among NEETs. During the individual and group trainings we carry out with young people aged 20 to 29 in the Podlaskie Voivodeship in Poland as part of the StayOn project 1, we notice a trend towards increased environmental awareness. Young people would like be more involved in environmental issues, sustainability and the fight against climate change. Technology and digitalization is another trend that NEETs would like to develop: young people can become increasingly connected to technology, which will aﬀect the way they communicate, work and learn. From working with young people of other StayOn project partners, it is clear that NEETs are happy to work on diversity and inclusivity. The growing importance of equality and acceptance of diversity, both cultural and gender, will very soon become an important part of young Europeans' awareness. In a year dedicated to skills, it is impossible not to mention education. Education and skills are very important to NEEDs in Europe. The importance of acquiring skills, lifelong learning and developing competences is increasing in the minds of young Europeans. 2 Young people's contemporary engagement in political processes is taking place against a backdrop of shrinking space for civil society, the rise of populist ideologies, increased inequality, the rise of global youth movements and health care. Young people may become more politically active, seeking to influence decisions and social change. 3

There is an increase in mental health awareness among young people. NEETs would like to increasingly pay attention to mental health and the need to talk about mental health problems in their local communities. These are just some aspects of increasing awareness among young people these days. However, it is worth remembering that each person is unique and changes in young people's awareness are driven by more factors such as culture, education, life experiences and social events. Therefore, it is diﬃcult to predict exactly what these changes will be, but it can be expected that they will be shaped in response to current social challenges and European and global trends. References 1.StayOn project website: https://www.stay-on.eu/. 2.Meaningful youth political participation in Europe: concepts, patterns and policy implications - Research study (2021) https://edoc.coe.int/fr/les-jeunes-

en-europe/10301-meaningful-youth-political-participation-in-europeconcepts-patterns-and-policy-implications-research-study.html# [18.09.2023]. 3.E u ro p e a n Ye a r f o r M e n t a l H e a l t h h t t p s : / / w w w. g a m i a n . e u / europeanyearformentalhealth/ [19.09.2023]. 4.The future of work in Europe https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/ mckinsey/featured%20insights/future%20of%20organizations/ the%20future%20of%20work%20in%20europe/mgi-the-future-of-workin-europe-discussion-paper.pdf [18.09.2023] The Polish Farm Advisory and Training Centre not for profit sp. z o.o. StayOn project

1 https://www.stay-on.eu/ 2 https://www.stay-on.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Potentials-assessment_GREECE_Final-12.14.48.pdf 3 https://edoc.coe.int/fr/les-jeunes-en-europe/10301-meaningful-youth-political-participation-in-europe-concepts-patterns-and-policy-implications-research-study.html# !47

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Navigating 2024: Future Challenges and Priorities in Agricultural Policy Small farms are a crucial element of the European agricultural system which is characterized by smallholding farmers. In the European Union and many other regions, the term "small farm" is often associated with the size of the agricultural holding in terms of land area. more than three-quarters of EU farm holdings are small, with many being below 10 hectares and a large number below five hectares. This aligns with a common understanding of small farms in Europe. However, it's essential to note that the definition of a small farm can be flexible and may consider various factors, not just land size. These factors can include the level of production, income, the role of the farm in the local economy, and its contribution to sustainable farming practices. The challenges faced by small farms are significant and have implications for the agricultural and rural landscapes of Europe. The many challenges are related to some key points such as: contribution to food production which means that small farms are essential for producing a significant portion of the healthy and diverse food consumed daily in Europe, they often play a crucial role in supplying local and regional markets with fresh, high-quality produce; local job creation which indicates that small farms are sources of employment in rural areas, they help sustain local economies by providing jobs and supporting livelihoods, contributing to the economic and social fabric of rural communities; also resilience of food system which means that small farms can enhance the resilience of the food system diversifying production methods and local focus can reduce vulnerabilities to supply chain disruptions and foster food security. Furthermore, some barriers make it diﬃcult for small farms to survive. These obstacles are: the competition with Agro-Businesses which means that small farms struggle to compete with large multinational agrobusinesses, which often have economies of scale, access to advanced technologies, and substantial resources; the land grabbing that is to say

small farms are vulnerable to land grabbing, where their land is taken over by large entities or investors, which can threaten their viability and disrupt local communities; the lack of public support that indicates that small farms may face challenges in securing public support, they may be perceived as outdated or unviable, leading to reduced access to government programs and subsidies; lastly the higher production costs which affectes the small farms in relatively higher production costs per unit, which can burden farm income and make it difficult to sustain agricultural activities. These challenges point to the need for policy measures and support mechanisms to address the specific needs of small farms. Initiatives like the European Green Deal, with its Farm-to-Fork Strategy, aim to promote sustainability and fairness in food systems, but there is often a gap between policy goals and their implementation. Strategies to support small farms may include subsidies, technical assistance, access to markets, and incentives for sustainable and local food production, among other measures, to help these farms thrive and continue their vital contributions to the European agricultural landscape. And all these measures should be built without ignoring the contexts and beneficiaries. European political priorities should be oriented towards a greater inclusion of young farmers in decision-making processes. Currently, political choices are made in consultation tables with public institutions and trade unions. This means that the opinions and needs of the direct beneficiaries of the measures in the rural area, i.e. young farmers, are not adequately represented. To overcome this problem, it would be crucial to create a permanent observatory made up of young and old farmers from all the countries of the European Union. This body would have the task of addressing common issues, analyzing how a specific problem has been treated in a country and offering appropriate solutions. !48

Regional Funds Online Magazine Share knowledge, experiences and best practices would allow them to address common challenges more effectively and stimulate the development of a more integrated and resilient European agriculture As digital transition, green transition and demographic transition are transformations that will profoundly affect society in several aspects, above all, the employment structure in the near future, the exploitation of young farmers in the decision-making process would have numerous advantages. First of all, it would allow the development of more effective agricultural policies aimed at the real needs of the sector. Furthermore, it would stimulate innovation and encourage generational turnover within agricultural companies, thus ensuring the sustainable future of the sector. It would also make it possible to address current and future challenges more effectively, such as climate change, the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices and the adoption of digital technologies in agriculture. It is of course necessary to carry out actions aimed also at guaranteeing good profitability of rural companies, in order to avoid the risk of depopulation and ensure a constant presence in the territory. Only through this concerted and shared approach it will be possible to preserve and protect local natural and territorial resources, while simultaneously promoting a virtuous process of tourism enhancement, and guarantee the prosperity of European farms and rural communities. Regione Siciliana www.stay-on.eu IG: @stayon_project FB: @stayonproject21 StayOn project

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Challenges & Opportunities: Lessons learned by the StayOn partners As our project is entering the final phase of the implementation, it is time to learn from our challenges and build on the opportunities. The Annual FO seminar with the topic 'Celebrating the European Year of Skills' was a good nudge for us to reflect on the work done in one of our brainstorming sessions with the intent to synchronize and understand each other’s views on where we are at the moment as the StayOn community with our challenges and opportunities. First lessons learned that we want to share is that we are in this together, so we take care of good organization and communication. Our buddy system helps us connect better, express care, develop relationships and share our knowledge & experiences. We take time to reach out and hang out, as well as for brainstorming and group reflections such as the one that led us to the preparation of this article. Community element is not only essential among StayOn partners. We are actively practicing skills of empathy, sensemaking and flexibility, within and with participants & local and regional organizations, to ensure our project stays attractive, eﬀective and relevant. Working on our mission to help young people recognize, develop and use their superpowers to StayOn rural communities opened up opportunities in our partners’ respective localities and we recognize this as one of the main opportunities of this project partnership. Our Italian partner Atis is developing understanding for local communities by connecting with relevant stakeholders & partnering with local authorities and sector of trainers. For our Greek partner, Rezos Brands, the involvement of Regional Authorities is crucial when trying to increase job opportunities for the participants, in addition to showing them the benefits of learning.

Meath Partnership from Ireland & The Polish Farm Advisory and Training Centre are emphasising the role of flexibility and interpersonal skills in supporting and training individuals. The former is including the participants further, in the other activities of the organization, whereas our Polish partner is building more integrated communities & increased cooperation with all participating stakeholders. The coaches of Cresaçor, our partner from Azores, facing youth’s demotivation and geographical dispersion, come to meet them in their localities to make them feel valued. An example of their community practices is Community Walking Week, a great opportunity for young people to identify, reflect on and build answers to problems in their communities, as well as meet inspiring local businesses and organizations. By connecting to the community, we are more in touch with its issues as well as prospects. We can adapt better to make sure our trainings, coaching and other activities are in line with the real needs of our participants (and the region) & connect them to existing and potential opportunities, thus achieving our mission better. Here two video interviews to our coaches Luigi from Italy, and Kamila from Poland: https://youtu.be/EuV6V2aZUmA https://youtu.be/gUCR5fWLNv0 BB Consulting www.stay-on.eu IG: @stayon_project FB: @stayonproject21 StayOn project !50

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The BLUE-GREENWAY Project: An Examination of its Societal Implications in 2024 In 2024, the BLUE-GREENWAY project is expected to impact daily life

profoundly. Restoring coastal ecosystems will result in cleaner and healthier seas, benefiting marine life and human activities such as fishing and recreation. Advanced monitoring systems will ensure that any signs of pollution are promptly detected and addressed.

Furthermore, there will be a shift towards circular economy practices. This transition aims to reduce the environmental impact caused by current methods and generate innovative solutions that are more environmentally friendly. Adopting such eco-friendly practices is anticipated to yield benefits such as cleaner water sources and decreased pollution levels within aﬀected areas.

Furthermore, the project's focus on sustainable wastewater and aquaculture management will significantly change how we handle waste products. By identifying environmentally friendly alternatives, such as ecofriendly cleaning products or water treatment methods that minimize harmful chemicals, individuals and businesses alike can contribute to a more sustainable future. The anticipated changes brought about by the BLUE-GREENWAY project demonstrate its transformative nature when tackling environmental issues head-on. This initiative paves the way toward a greener tomorrow through a comprehensive approach encompassing sea-based pollution rectification and land-based sustainable agriculture management initiatives. Implementing the BLUE-GREENWAY project by 2024 will bring about significant transformations in daily life, with various notable changes expected. One evident change will be witnessed in coastal ecosystems undergoing remarkable improvements. These enhancements will result in cleaner and healthier waters, leading to a resurgence of marine biodiversity. Consequently, these positive developments will enhance water quality and oﬀer individuals recreational opportunities while revitalizing coastal communities.

In addition to this, the BLUE-GREENWAY project emphasizes knowledge sharing and collaboration on a global scale. By fostering interconnectedness among diﬀerent regions worldwide, it promotes cooperation when addressing environmental challenges collectively. Through international partnerships established under this initiative, innovation can flourish alongside sustainable practices that eﬀectively mitigate ecological issues.

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Regional Funds Online Magazine Another essential outcome resulting from the success of this project is an increased level of eco-consciousness among individuals and businesses alike. As people become more aware of their ecological footprint through witnessing tangible improvements brought forth by the BLUE-GREENWAY endeavor, demand for products and services prioritizing sustainability is expected to rise significantly. Challenges Ahead Despite the promising prospects of the BLUE-GREENWAY initiative in paving the way towards a more ecologically friendly and sustainable future, it can encounter various obstacles along its trajectory. Scaling Up: Expanding this project's triumphs on an international scale necessitates intricate measures involving substantial resources and meticulous logistical coordination. Modifying Behavioral Patterns: Altering deeply ingrained habits and conventions demands incentives that motivate individuals to adopt new practices and comprehensive awareness campaigns highlighting their benefits. Preserving Environmental Resilience: Safeguarding the long-term robustness of rehabilitated ecosystems against potential environmental fluctuations presents a formidable challenge that requires innovative strategies and adaptive management techniques. The BLUE-GREENWAY initiative will generate significant alterations in

everyday existence by 2024. Critical factors encompassed in this list are the enhancement of coastal habitats through improved cleanliness, the implementation of sustainable practices in wastewater and aquaculture management, the promotion of heightened environmental awareness, the dissemination of knowledge about ecological matters, and the generation of employment opportunities. The BLUE-GREENWAY program exemplifies the capacity of inventive environmental engineering endeavors to foster a heightened sense of sustainability and ecological consciousness across our global community. BLUE-GREENWAY Project

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Regional Funds Online Magazine

Why eliminating and reducing the consumption of Single Use Plastics is essential for tourist establishments across Europe and how the #SUPMedProject can assist the transition towards a more environmentally sustainable management style Single-Use plastics (SUP) are commonly used in the tourist industry across Europe as an easy solution to serve the clients. Although this is a common practice, the extensive and uncontrolled use of Single-Use Plastics in the tourist industry has caused many issues. According to recent research, the tourism sector is responsible for a 1/3rd monthly increase in waste generation during the summertime, costing on average €1,300 per tonne. Local municipalities can be overwhelmed by the additional waste influx, leading to uncollected waste or unsafe management practices. Thus, the hospitality industry often bears the cost of clean-up to ensure locations remain attractive for tourists. For eliminating the usage of SUP items, a relevant EU legislation is in place, such as the Directive 2019/904. Directive 2019/904 aims to “prevent and reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, in particular the aquatic environment, and on human health, as well as to promote the transition to a circular economy with innovative and sustainable business models, products and materials, thus also contributing to the eﬃcient functioning of the internal market”. This Directive stipulates a number of actions that must be attained by each of the Member States. Article 4 relates to SUP items for which there is currently no alternative. Instead of replacing products, the Member States are required to promote the reduction in the consumption of such products. In contrast, Article 5 relates to readily available and functional alternatives to SUP products. Member States were obliged to ban the sale/use of such products by July 2021.

For assisting tourist establishments across Europe to reduce the consumption of SUP items, the SUPMed project adopted a methodology that is tested to a pilot sample of 10 hotels in Cyrus, Greece and Malta. Unique tools were developed as part of the project such as a bespoke Decision Support Tool (DST). DST provides a platform for businesses/ entities to assess the environmental impact of their current SUP product !53

Regional Funds Online Magazine The whole methodology and what the project has achieved, are described through a Best Practice Guide. This guide is available in two version (full version and a short version) for free to tourist establishments in order to benefit from the project’s findings and deliverables, to help them reduce SUP consumption and disposal. It will help ensure that their operations are in line with the requirements outlined in the EU SUP Legislation.

To keep up to date with the project, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and visit our project website. SUPMed Project

The best practice guide is available via https://www.supmed.eu/en/bestpractice-guide The 10 tourist establishments of the pilot sample of the project per country are: Cyprus: • GrandResort • Atlantica Mare Village Ayia Napa • Radisson Blue Hotel • The Royal Apollonia Greece – Crete: Ð Elounda Palm Hotel & Suites Ð Infinity Blue Boutique Hotel & Spa Ð Paralos Lifestyle Beach Malta: Ð Hilton Malta Ð 1926 Hotel & Spa Ð Mellieha Holiday Centre

The project “Reducing the Consumption and Disposal of Single-use Plastics in the Tourism Industry in Cyprus, Greece and Malta” is funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation.

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Regional Funds Online Magazine

From the Projects BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT/INNOVATION WITH RESPECT FOR TRADITIONS - Solid taste knowledge of cider and wine is the key to success The monks of the Cistercian order brought apple cultivation to Hardanger and grape cultivation to Kutjevo in Croatia. In Hardanger they founded Lyse Monastery, and ran several farms around the Hardangerfjord from the mid-1100s. In Kutjevo they also founded a monastery and started wine production in 1232. The vineyard at the monastery remains to this day. The grapes grow in the same fields and the wine is stored in the same cellar hallways. In other words; Today's production of both apple cider in Hardanger and wine in Kutjevo has a long history and rich traditions. Today, the focus is on raising awareness of the products and their quality. Both producers and research communities are keen to increase knowledge about taste. It is about what aﬀects the taste and to describe a more nuanced taste picture with a profile that takes into account all the characteristics and that can be used in quality assessment and characterization. In the project Uncorking wine and cider typicality, producers and research communities in Norway, Croatia, Slovenia and Macedonia collaborate. The goal is to ensure that the beverages are of high quality, because it is the quality that forms the basis for solid profits. This in turn is important in attracting young, well-educated people, for they want to be confident that they can make a capable living for themselves, whether it is from cider or wine. Photo 1: Storing Wine which is part of the Uncorking wine and cider typicalilty project

Kutjevo – at the magical latitude Halfway between the equator and the North Pole, at the northern 45 degrees latitude, are many of the world's most renowned wine regions. This is also where the Kutjevo district of Croatia is located, in the company of Piedmont, the Rhone Valley, Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Grasevina is the name of the most important grape in Croatia, in the Slavonia district and in Kutjevo. It may resemble Riesling, but there is no aﬃnity between these grape varieties. Characteristic characteristics of Grasevina are yellow-green colour, herbaceous, floral and fruity aroma, as of edible ripe apples. In the mouth, it feels wellbalanced and fresh with a fruity aftertaste. !55

Regional Funds Online Magazine

Photo 2: Kutjevo Winery was established by the monks of the Cistercian order, in 1232. The grapes grow in the same fields and the wine is stored in the same cellar hallways. To ensure that the wines of Slavonia live up to customer expectations, oenologist and professor Josip Mesić has for more than a decade led a tasting panel, consisting of oenologists/winemakers and sommeliers. They assess taste characteristics and place the wines in the categories of table wine, quality wine and high-quality wine. Photo 3: Oenologist and professor Josip Mesić at Polytechnic at Pozega smelling and testing one of the wines which is part of the king wine and cider typicality project

-As part of Uncorking wine and cider typicality, we have now further developed the tasting panel. We have brought in more wine experts and we train more regularly. The assessments we make are more detailed, and we should also be able to describe the sensory quality objectively, i.e., determine which properties characterize both taste and aroma, appearance and texture, says Josip Mesić. To g e t h e r w i t h c o l l e a g u e Valentina Obradović, he has visited Nofima to learn sensory methods and to experience how we work with a trained sensory panel. Some of the learning from Nofima is knowledge on how to recruit and test candidates for a sensory panel, all based on international standards. “It's a lot about examining how the senses work and status of each candidate. This, together with other factors such as availability, age, health, experience, motivation and interest, is taken into account when selecting a candidate to join a sensory panel,” says Mats Carlehög, project manager in sensory sciences at Nofima. Young people who invest and succeed There are several factors that must be in place to produce quality wine. Climate, soil and fresh grape vines are central. Selection of suitable grape varieties and blends and good storage conditions as well. Experience and knowledge are important for success. Martina Krauthaker Grgić grew up in the Krauthaker vineyard, which her father established. This is where she has her life, together with her husband she goes further. !56

Regional Funds Online Magazine

She has taken over responsibility for most of the operations, while her father still has a role in the business. They grow and process 35 diﬀerent grape varieties. The main grape is Grasevina. 65 percent of total production is based on this grape.

She adds that one result of experimentation is that they are now growing the grape variety Zelenac. "It requires a lot, including making sure to cut oﬀ a lot of clusters of grapes just as they go from green to red to give more nutrition and flavour to the remainder. This is what is called Green Harvest. It's both time-consuming and heavy, but the distinctiveness and quality the wine gets makes it worthwhile. At Krauthaker, they combine innovations with traditions. Experimentation goes hand in hand with traditional cultivation. Vlado Krauthaker started in 1988. He bought 10 acres of land and established the wine cellar, to produce wine for family and friends. In the first years they produced 1000 litres. Now they produce 900,000 gallons and cultivate on 110,000 acres. During harvest, up to 80 individuals work on the farm. In some places it is so crowded that only humans and horses enter between the vines. Here they harvest by hand, and use the horses to transport the baskets full of grapes. An expanded view of taste Martina Krauthaker Grgić participates in both tasting panels that Josip Mesić has established and says that the panel established through the Cider Culture/Uncorking project has given her an expanded view of taste. Here she is supported by Josip Mesić.

Photo 4: Martina Krauthaker Grgić showing one of their most popular Grasevine wines "I graduated from the Wine Faculty at the Polytechnic University of Pozega, and Josip Mesić has been my main supervisor and an important source of inspiration. We test and experiment with diﬀerent grape varieties as well, varieties that have not been cultivated in the area before. It's painstaking work, but it's paying oﬀ. We have won a number of awards, and experience that customers are willing to pay extra for high-quality wine," says Martina Krauthaker Grgić.

"In the new tasting panel, we train systematically to provide more detailed and accurate descriptions and thus better characteristics of the wines' taste and aroma properties, appearance and mouthfeel. Through this work, we have also identified some new and surprising aromas, such as coconut, lime and lemon. We are working on developing a flavour and aroma wheel that will be of great help to producers when they can describe the wine in detail to buyers, customers and farm tourists alike," concludes Josip Mesić. By: Wenche Aale Hægermark, Nofima Photo credit: Nofima Uncorking rural heritage Project !57

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The Final Regional Conference in Prague concluded the CCS4CEE project On 13 September 2023, a full-day regional conference was held in the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade to conclude the CCS4CEE project, which started at the end of 2020 and is running until the end of 2023. The rich event programme attracted a total of over 130 participants, over half of whom attended in person. The project will oﬃcially be concluded in December 2023.

Victor Conrad Rønneberg, Norwegian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, then presented the official statement of Norway on the issue of CCS. “We believe CCS is peaceful and safe”, he said. Noah Deich, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Carbon Management in the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) at the U.S. Department of Energy, emphasized that his department has been investing in research for the past 20 years and the United States is currently in the process of implementing its first commercial projects. Nora Mehsen, Sector Officer and Programme Manager at EEA and Norway Grants said that no sector and no region should be left behind in the green transition, and for this reason they invest in CCS. The panel discussion “Policy for CCS deployment in CEE”, moderated by Marko Maver, Secretary in the Cabinet of the Minister for the Environment and Spatial Planning of Slovenia, was attended by Katrine Haukenes, Senior Advisor at the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, Tomáš Smejkal, and Lidija Božić, Head of Production Department at Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency. Each of the panellists summarised how the development of CCS is supported in their respective countries as well as the further developments needed to deploy the technologies rapidly and at scale.

The speakers who took the floor during the conference represented governments, industry, research organisations and civil society. At the beginning, Vladimír Bartovic, President of EUROPEUM, our project partner leading the organisation of the event presented the CCS4CEE project, including its timeline and outputs. Tomáš Smejkal, Head of Strategy Department at the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade, who has been responsible for preparing the Czech NECP, shared their perspective on the role of CCS in the country’s long-term decarbonisation strategy. H.E. Mr

Hanna Biro, Policy Advisor at Bellona Europa, presented the project results, including the geological potential of Central and Eastern European countries, legislative frameworks, public support, stakeholders’ perceptions, and our expert recommendations compiled in our national roadmaps.

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Regional Funds Online Magazine Luciana Miu, Head of Clean Economy at Energy Policy Group; Kamil Laskowski, Analyst at WiseEuropa; Valts Ulmanis, Senior Consultant at Civitta, and Michal Hrubý, Economist at the International Sustainable Finance Centre (previously: Europeum) participated in a panel discussion “Findings of the CCS4CEE project”, moderated by Michał Wendołowski, Senior Climate Technology and Policy Manager (CEE) at Bellona Europa. They discussed the project’s major achievements in their respective target countries, which included influencing legislation, stakeholder engagement, and gathering industry feedback—both positive and negative. They also discussed the challenges faced by the technology in their respective countries and highlighted diﬀerences between neighbouring states (Lithuania – Latvia -Estonia; Czech Republic – Slovakia). In his online keynote speech, Chris Bolesta, CO2 Capture, Use & Storage Policy Lead at DG ENER, summarised three topics currently addressed by the European Commission regarding CCS: estimating CO2 storage potential in Europe, analysing the results of the recent consultation on the EU’s upcoming Industrial Carbon Management Strategy , and organising the CCUS Forum, which will take place in Aalborg, Denmark , 28-29 November 2023. In the second part of the event, Eirik Falck da Silva, Research Manager at SINTEF, spoke about the CCUS Zen project, which explores the potential for accelerating deployment of CCUS in two regions: the Baltic Sea region and the Mediterranean Sea region. Lee Beck, Senior Director, Europe and Middle East at Clean Air Task Force, spoke about the importance of a Europewide CO2 transport and storage market and finally, Nikolai Andrianov, Senior Advisor at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), presented Project Greensand. During the fireside chat “Where next for CCS in CEE industry?”, moderated by Michal Hrubý, two speakers took the floor: Vaclav Přibilík, Business Development & Sustainability Director at HeidelbergCement Czechia, and Duncan Leeson, CCUS Process Integration Engineer at HOLCIM. Michal asked about the obstacles and opportunities for collaboration between companies that are in competition with each other.

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Regional Funds Online Magazine The next panel, this time dedicated to the public perception and community engagement with CCS, was moderated by Luciana Miu, who is also Co-chair of the CCUS Forum’s WG on Public Perception of CCUS. Her guests were: Sven Alsheimer, Researcher at Fraunhofer Institute, Marc Poumadère, Programme director at Institut Symlog and Katrine Thomsen, Deputy Head of Department at Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Utilities. Katrine Thomsen briefly explained how Denmark reached its current position regarding the acceptance of CCS. Mr Alsheimer listed the universal conditions that must be met for the local community to accept this technology. Luciana asked whom society trusts the most in the countries represented by the panellists. It turns out that while in France and the 5 countries surveyed by the Fraunhofer Institute, researchers and academia and the most trusted actors, in Denmark, the government enjoys an equally high level of trust. The last part of the conference began with the “Ask me Anything” session, when Luciana Miu talked to Chris Davies, Director of CCS Europe. Afterwards, a session dedicated to specific projects took place, moderated by Valts Ulmanis. On the panel were: Agnieszka Baran, Director of the CCS Programme Oﬃce at Orlen S.A., Jana Hamršmídová, Director of the Energy Sector Division at MND, Tomaž Vuk, Chairman of the Board at Salonit Anhovo, and Eglė Jankauskienė, Procurement Manager at Akmenes cementas. In this part, the role of social acceptance was emphasised, and further conditions were identified that must be met for CCS projects to be successful. The conference revealed that significant progress has been made recently in the development of CCS technology in Europe and worldwide. The CCS4CEE project is coming to an end, but many other projects addressing industrial emissions are being implemented in the region. Thanks to these projects, we are gaining new intelligence and know-how, and the next step will be to disseminate it among all stakeholders in the region. CCS4CEE Project

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Geothermal events in Hungary and Slovakia “This is no joke: experts from Reykjavík learn about geothermal in Szeged” – boasted the leading new site in Szeged, Hungary and while it was more of a two-way knowledge transfer than a teacher-student interaction the fact remains: Icelandic, and Norwegian experts along with their Polish, Slovakian, and Hungarian colleagues from the User4GeoEnergy consortium visited major geothermal projects in Hungary and Slovakia and familiarized themselves with the latest in deep geothermal direct utilization in Central-Eastern Europe in May 2023.

The Szeged visit was organized by InnoGeo Ltd, a local R&D non-profit well-established in municipal geothermal district heating developments. The Hungarian visit started and ended in Budapest with the majority of the technical events taking place in Szeged. The morning of 8 May saw all partners presenting their institutions and activities to the 30+ strong audience. Then, after a light lunch, the delegation was shown the drilling rigs and the largest heating plants in Szeged.

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Regional Funds Online Magazine Among the attendees were representatives of DH companies, researchers from the University of Szeged, and personnel from a number of the enterprises of the South Great Plain Geothermal Energy Cluster. The program continued in Slovakia where SLOVGEOTERM a.s. organized site visits, technical study visits and stakeholder consultation events. Project partners had an opportunity to visit Slovakian geothermal district heating systems. They obtained detailed technical information while local operators were informed about the results of the User4GeoEnergy project.

The workshop for information sharing took place on 12 May 2023 in Bratislava. Except for the project partners, representatives of DHS companies, the media sector, NGO’s and universities were in attendance. Then three new extensive geothermal projects in Slovakia were presented by their project managers. In particular, these were: • Geothermal project in Kosice region • Geothermal project in Prešov region • Geothermal project in Žiar nad Hronom region The event started by gathering project partners in Bratislava on 10 May 2023 evening. Site visit to the Galanta geothermal DHS (Galantaterm spol. s r.o.) took place the next day. The first Slovak geothermal DHS was introduced to participants in Galanta: experts visited the heat exchanger station and two production wells. The next stop was Velky Meder, which is the newest geothermal heating plant in Slovakia. Participants got relevant information about the operation and talked to the local crew.

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Regional Funds Online Magazine The Project “Improving the energy eﬃciency of geothermal energy utilisation by adjusting the user characteristics“ is funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation, grant number 2018-1-0502. More information about the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation: https://www.eeagrants.org/ More information on the Project: http://user4geoenergy.net/ pajak@meeri.pl (Project manager) User4GeoEnergy Project

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AI and NEET’s education: Opportunities and Challenges Calls have been made to close the IT gap between young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs) and their peers, with some success made in various European countries in recent years (Bouronikos, 2023). The emergence of publicly available generative artificial intelligence (AI) pressures educators even further to rethink training provided to NEETs in order for the group not to fall further behind in terms of IT skills. AI proposes special opportunities and challenges for NEETs, while AI threatens to replace many jobs it also presents opportunities that could be particularly useful in terms of skill enhancement of NEET’s. In this article, we will examine what these changes mean for NEET’s in the context of Iceland and review some of the opportunities associated with AI for NEET’s training and education. This wave of automation will be different It is difficult to forecast the impact of generative AI will have on the labour market as a whole, but it will be significant. According to a recent study by Open AI and Cornell University about 80% of the workforce in the U.S. are likely to see 10% of their tasks affected and approximately 19% of workers could see 50% of their tasks impacted (Eloundou o.fl., 2023). Goldman Sachs forecasts that 25% of current work tasks in the US and Europe could be automated by AI (Briggs og Kodnani, 2023). This does not mean that one out of every four jobs will be lost since this new technology will also create new jobs, but, how many, and more to the point, how soon? Given that AI automation will in all likelihood happen at a much faster rate than previous waves of automation, there will probably be some period of adjustment with significantly increased unemployment. Much of the discussion on youth employment has centred on education, developing marketable skills and training. The AI revolution is different in that the occupations that currently require mid to high levels of education and skills that face the highest risk of being replaced by AI (Mok & Zinkula,

2023). Both the Goldman Sachs and the Open AI studies indicate that the more training and education a job requires, the more likely it is to be highly impacted or fully automated by AI. With the addition of generative AI, even the long held belief that at least jobs in the creative sector would be safe from automation has been shattered (Torkington, 2023). According to Goldman Sachs AI has the potential to automate 26% of work tasks in the arts, design, entertainment, media and sports sectors (Briggs og Kodnani, 2023). Jobs in the food industry or construction are good examples of jobs that will be least impacted as is typical of occupations that require low training and physical labour or less formal education. This time the automation will be about automating cognitive tasks, streamlining bureaucracies and communication and other tasks that have already been digitised. So the question is what that means for the education of NEETs? NEETs are often heavy internet users, although they mostly use it for recreational purposes and are digitally excluded to an extent (Serrano-Cinca et al. 2018). We argue that one of the implications is that digital literacy (see Gilster, 1997) is now more important than ever and that the emergence of publicly available artificial intelligence pressures educators to rethink training provided to NEETs. NEETs In Iceland Icelanders sometimes say that anyone who wants to work can find work in Iceland. There is some truth to that considering the consistently low levels of unemployment, but it would be more accurate to say that anyone who is able to work could find employment. The main reasons why people drop out of the labour market in Iceland are related to psychological or physical illness (Davíð Þorláksson, 2021). While this also applies to NEETs in Iceland they are particularly disadvantaged in terms of education. 82% of unemployed 20 to 30 year old’s have no vocational or university !64

Regional Funds Online Magazine Challenges and new opportunities for NEETs’ training Such low levels of education indicate that there is a need for a careful evaluation of how the education system works. Why is there such a high proportion of NEETs without high school diplomas in Iceland? And how could we help them and those who have dropped out to resume their studies and finish their degrees? We propose that in both cases significant progress could be made with increased accessibility, such as increased supply of on demand online courses, and increased flexibility and support that AI would be able to provide. We see an opportunity to use AI to oﬀer personalised online courses in which students can decide when to commence their learning and control its pace, which is enabled by breaking free from the strict constraints of academic semesters. The use of AI as a personalised tutor, providing students with instant feedback and problems appropriate for their skill level, has already been in use for some time (see Pappas & Drigas, 2016). Short courses have been widely available from various institutions, but the emergence of generative AI will be a game changer. One glimpse of how generative AI will radically streamline and improve the online learning experience can be seen in the cooperation between Khan Academy and OpenAI, where Kanmingo, the AI Tutor can help students, solve complex mathematical problems and philosophical ideas, like a teacher would, without providing them the answer (Khanmigo Education AI Guide, 2023). We do not contend that AI will replace teachers or eliminate the need for human interaction with students, but rather, that it will make it possible to provide far more support and more importantly, instantly when it is needed, like having access to a tutor whenever the student is working on their assignments. This, coupled with advances in organisational structures and learning management systems will allow institutions to better manage more flexible learning, can facilitate flexible curriculums and allow students to learn at their own pace. As we see it, the biggest hurdles in the way of progress will not be technological, but systemic. As we mentioned earlier nearly two thirds of Icelandic NEETs have not even finished high school. We think it is crucial

that we use all the tools available to us to get young people back into education given changes that are foreseeable as a result of the AI revolution. Policymakers should ask themselves, whether we are willing to let rigid man-made systems leave those behind who maybe just need a bit more time and support to assimilate learning materials, or for some other reason, need to take things more slowly, when we have the technology to accommodate your needs? It is also important to create incentives for NEETs. It is important that education authorities formalise the eco system for online courses using incentives such as micro-credentials (see Beverly, 2019). Recognised micro credentials, as a formal acknowledgement of skills attained or knowledge learned, has been demonstrated to increase students’ confidence in their abilities (LaDuca et al., 2023). We advise education authorities to design pathways for micro credentials obtained via AI tutored courses to be transferable to high school diplomas or university studies. About the authors: Sævar Ari Finnbogason is an adjunct lecturer at Bifröst University Bjarki Þór Grönfeldt is a lecturer at Bifröst University. References Beverly, O. (2019). Making micro-credentials work for learners, employers and providers. Deakin University. http://dteach.deakin.edu.au/ microcredentials/ Bouronikos, V. (2023, August 3). Unlocking opportunities for NEETs: Nurturing digital skills for the future. Youth Employment Magazine. https:// youthemploymentmag.net/2023/08/03/unlocking-opportunities-for-neetsnurturing-digital-skills-for-the-future/ Briggs, J. og Kodnani, D. (2023). The Potentially Large Eﬀects of Artificial Intelligence on Economic Growth. Goldman Sachs. https:// www.gspublishing.com/content/research/en/reports/2023/03/27/ d64e052b-0f6e-45d7-967b-d7be35fabd16.html

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Regional Funds Online Magazine Eloundou, T., Manning, S., Mishkin, P. and Rock, D. (2023). GPTs are GPTs: An Early Look at the Labor Market Impact Potential of Large Language Models (arXiv:2303.10130). arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv. 2303.10130 Gilster, P. (1997). Digital literacy. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Khanmigo Education AI Guide. (2023, September 14). Khan Academy. https://www.khanacademy.org/khan-labs#whoIsKhanAcademy

vocational rehabilitation]. https://www.virk.is/static/files/2021/ virk_arsrit_2021_low-res_bls_29april.pdf Vinnumálastofnun. (2023, 14. október). Mælaborð og tölulegar upplýsingar. Vinnumálastofnun. https://vinnumalastofnun.is/maelabord-og-tolulegarupplysingar Lost Millennial Project

LaDuca, B., Lang, J. O'Halloran, M. Boyer, N. & Griﬃth, M. (2023). Digital MicroCredential eﬃcacy and impact on learner confidence. Institute of Applied Creativity for Transformation. https://ecommons.udayton.edu/cgi/ viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=iact_documents Mok, A. & Zinkula, J. (2023, September 4). ChatGPT may be coming for our jobs. Here are the 10 roles that AI is most likely to replace. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-jobs-at-risk-replacementartificial-intelligence-ai-labor-trends-2023-02?r=US&IR=T#traders-7 Pappas, M. A. & Drigas, A. S. (2016). Incorporation of artificial intelligence tutoring techniques in mathematics. International Journal of Engineering Pedagogy, 6(4). https://www.learntechlib.org/p/207302 Serrano-Cinca, Munoz-Soro & Brusca, I. (2018). A multivariate study of internet use and the digital divide. Social Science Quarterly 99(4), 1409-1425. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.12504 Torkington, S. (2023, May 9). How will generative AI change creative jobs? World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/05/ generative-ai-creative-jobs/ Thorláksson, D. (2021). Ár nýrra áskorana [Year of new challenges, Editorial]. Ársrit um starfsendurhæfingu 2021. Virk starfsendurhæfing [Virk

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Cowork4YOUTH keeps spreading the word! On September 4th, Cowork4YOUTH researcher Dimitris Manoukas was in Barcelona, where he participated in the Policy Working Group of COST Action: CA18214 - The Geography of New Working Spaces and the Impact on the Periphery. The aims of the COST action are a) to identify the “typologies'' of new workplaces like coworking spaces and to uncover their “spatial distribution”, combined with possible explanations for the location patterns revealed, through sharing “the first outcomes of some funded international research projects”, b) how, among other factors, regional competitiveness, economic performance, “knowledge creation within regional innovation system” and social inclusion were helped to be promoted by these new coworking spaces by comparing and disseminating the results of these projects, and c) to draw and implement policy measures for the advantages that new workplaces will bring. On September 29th, Antigoni Papageorgiou presented part of the Cowork4YOUTH pilot study at the Interreg CreativeHubs conference "Holistic networking of creative industries via hubs" in Patras. Greece. The other presentations that took place at the conference were about, among other topics, the social and environmental impact of collaborative workplaces, collaborative workplaces and social innovation in rural areas, creativity and urban development, and entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems.

Cowork4YOUTH also was recently the proud host of a session at the 31st Nordic Symposium on Hospitality and Tourism Research. The session was entitled "Tourism Work and Workers: Seeking Dignified Labour out of Precariousness" and it was chaired by our own Dimitri Ioannides and Kristina Zampoukos. The Symposium was hosted by the Cowork4YOUTH partners European Tourism Research Institute (ETOUR) and the focus topic was “Rethinking tourism for a sustainable future”. By the way, this wasn't just any old symposium. Hosted by our partner ETOUR, the 31st Nordic Symposium was a record breaker with over 200 participants from 18 countries!

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Regional Funds Online Magazine Stay connected with us through our social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn: @Cowork4YOUTH, and visit our website https://www.cowork4youth.org/ Sources: https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA18214/ https://creativehubs.cti.gr/en/article/the-cross-border-projectcreativeathubs-interreg-v-a-greece-italy-2014-2020-is-holding-its-finalconference-in-patras Cowork4YOUTH Project

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Bridging the Divide: Understanding Youth Unemployment in distant areas of Lithuania In the bustling landscape of Siauliai District, Lithuania, a perplexing paradox presents itself: a significant gap between the number of unemployed individuals and the availability of job opportunities. With 30,000 people seeking employment and 20,000 vacant positions, questions naturally arise. Why do these gaps persist, especially when young people, the backbone of any progressive society, are willing to contribute but still face unemployment? This article delves into the intricacies of this situation and explores the reasons behind youth unemployment, shedding light on what policymakers can do to bridge this divide.

Understanding the Discrepancy The stark diﬀerence between job seekers and available positions underscores a multifaceted challenge. Several factors contribute to this

discord. One of the primary issues is the mismatch of skills. While job openings exist, they often require specific qualifications or expertise that the local workforce might lack. This disconnects between the skills possessed by job seekers and the skills demanded by employers can lead to prolonged periods of unemployment. Youth Unemployment: A Disturbing Trend The most disconcerting aspect of this paradox is the high rate of young people among the unemployed. Despite their enthusiasm, education, and willingness to contribute meaningfully, nearly 20% of registered unemployed individuals in the region are young people under 29. This troubling trend signals a systemic problem that needs urgent attention. Reasons Behind Youth Unemployment Several factors contribute to youth unemployment in Siauliai District: • Many young people lack practical work experience, making it difficult for them to secure jobs, especially in competitive markets. • Sometimes, educational curricula do not align with the skills demanded by the job market, leaving graduates unprepared for available positions. • Young job seekers might lack professional networks, making it harder to find suitable employment opportunities. • Economic downturns and recessions can lead to reduced job creation, disproportionately affecting young jobseekers. Higher fuel and electricity prices limit the ability to look for work in distant major cities, as do higher housing rents. • Some employers prefer experienced workers over fresh graduates, perpetuating a cycle of unemployment among the youth. • Many young people find it difficult to cope with stress and difficulties in the workplace. There are large numbers of young people who have experienced trauma, adverse childhood experiences and mental health problems, but in small communities !69

Regional Funds Online Magazine there are not enough psychosocial counsellors or they are not available at short notice. Policy Solutions Addressing youth unemployment requires a comprehensive approach involving policymakers, educators, and the community: • Education reform. Collaboration between educational institutions and industries can lead to curricula that align with market demands, ensuring students graduate with relevant skills. • Skill development. Government-funded skill development programs can provide additional training for young job seekers, making them more competitive in the job market. • Entrepreneurship support. Encouraging entrepreneurship among young people can lead to job creation, with the government offering incentives and support for startups. • Mentorship programs. Establishing mentorship programs connecting experienced professionals with young job seekers can provide invaluable guidance and networking opportunities. • Policy incentives. Governments can offer incentives to companies that hire young graduates, encouraging them to invest in the potential of young workers. • Community engagement. Communities can organize job fairs, workshops, and networking events, fostering connections between employers and young job seekers. Conclusion Addressing the paradox of high youth unemployment in a region with available job opportunities demands concerted efforts from all stakeholders. By aligning education with market needs, providing skill development opportunities, and fostering a supportive environment, policymakers and communities can empower young people, ensuring they become not just job seekers but active contributors to the local economy. The path to resolving this issue lies in collaboration, innovation, and a collective commitment to nurturing the potential of the youth, the driving force of any prosperous society. SEPAL Project

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Winding Roads: Metaphors in NEETs' Employment Journeys and visual images. What they discovered is that positive emotions play a crucial role. They act like filters that shape how NEETs see the world, prompting us to change their perspectives and beliefs. This, in turn, can lead to personal growth and a more positive outlook on careers. In simpler terms, this research emphasizes the significance of emotions in shaping employment journeys and recommends that career helpers should be mindful of emotions and utilize them to aid individuals dealing with distinctive career hurdles, such as NEETs. If you’re interested in the full article, you can find it here: https:// journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/10690727231185174 A l t e r n a t i v e l y, y o u c a n c o n t a c t G i u l i a b y e m a i l i n g h e r a t giulia.parola@ecsocfin.com to request a complimentary copy.

Three illustrations reproducing the images selected by the participants in the study

Giulia Parola ECSF www.stay-on.eu IG: @stayon_project FB: @stayonproject21 StayOn project

Giulia Parola, in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Thaler and Matteo Solivo, recently co-authored a study published in the Journal of Career Assessment. This journal is known for its peer-reviewed academic content in the field of applied psychology. The study focuses on career services to people who are not currently in education, employment, or training (NEETs). To gather insights, the researchers used a method called the Zaltman metaphor elicitation technique (ZMET), which involves in-depth interviews !71

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A more inclusive, active and creative world! 3rd StayOn Knowledge transfer workshop took place in Poland. StayOn Knowledge transfer workshop III took place in Poland on 25-26 September 2023. The event was attended by representatives of all 8 project partners from 7 countries. The meeting was divided into two days. On the first day the project partners met in Łomża, where they visited the oﬃce of the Polish Farm Advisory and Training Centre, then took part in the knowledge transfer workshop: coaching conducted by trainers from BB Consulting. The programme also included study visits to Park Tech Lomza, Inter Tech Zambrow, and the city of Łomża. On the second day the project partners met in Warsaw, where they took part in an all-day project meeting during which the project partners gathered to discuss topics such as impact management, project mainstreaming activities, and the upcoming StayOn book. An important theme of the meeting was knowledge transfer book, coaching skills and lessons learned during implementation of the StayOn project. The discussions, moderated by BB Consulting, were not only fruitful in terms of knowledge exchange but also fostered a wonderful atmosphere of friendship among participants. The project partners exchanged their favourite books and met for a social dinner. StayOn Project

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Community Walking Week Between Thinking and Doing there is a Way to Go! What a week! Inspired by the design thinking methodology, young people from the islands of São Miguel and Terceira were challenged by the mentor Ricardo Freitas to identify, reflect on and build answers to the problems they identified that make it impossible for young people to stay in their communities. This was the Community Walking Week, a diﬀerent way to think.

Creativity is the key! This was followed by visits to inspiring businesses, Peixaria Vieira, FAT Tuna, Easy Fruits & Salads and Atlantic Beauty, created by young Azoreans who dared to build their own life project. We moved on to the Contemporary Arts Center - Arquipélago, where creativity took wing and led the young people to create solutions to the problems they encountered: early school leaving; social isolation of the elderly and their carers; deviant behavior in rural parishes.

It was a very diﬀerent week, with lots of inspiration and creativity! The journey began on Lagoa's seafront promenade, on an accessible route that allowed the young people to reflect on the reasons that prevent young people from entering the job market, the problems facing Azorean society and the meaning of rurality.

Results! At Galeria Kairós, during a community brunch, the StayOn young people !73

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presented the results of all their work and reflected on youth in the Azores. This was an important moment for the young people and was attended by the Regional Director for Professional Qualification and Employment, Nuno Gomes, the Regional Director for Youth, Eládio Braga, the President of the Fajã de Baixo Parish Council, Luís Anjos, and the Board of Directors of CRESAÇOR, Nélia Viveiros. CRESAÇOR www.stay-on.eu IG: @stayon_project FB: @stayonproject21 StayOn project

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Events Agenda

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Final event of the project Uncorking WINE & CIDER typicality EVENT PROGRAMME 10.30-10.45: Official Openning Welcome Address Welcome speeches from the UNG (University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia) Welcome speeches from the Financial Mechanism Office (TBD) Welcome speeches from the Fund Operator (TBD) 10.45-10.55: Project introduction Presented by L. Butinar (Project Manager, UNG) 10.55-11.20: The importance of the exchange of good practices - What have we learned from each other? Presented by T. Rinaldo (Hardanger Council) and T. Dimitrijević (Municipality of Ajdovščina) 11.20-11.45: The uniqness of Zelen Presented by G. Antalick (UNG, Slovenia) 11.45-12.10: Coffe break

You are kindly invited to our final event of the project Uncorking rural heritage: indigenous production of fermented beverages for local cultural and environmental sustainability, where we will give you an insight into how science can help develop the typicality concept and regionality and how this could be adopted for wine and cider production in some areas of Slovenia, Croatia, North Macedonia and Norway. The event will be organized in hybrid way and in English. The venue of the event is Lanthieri Mansion in Vipava (Slovenia).

12.10-12.40 Characterization of Graševina typicality Presented by M. Martelanc (UNG, Slovenia), V. Obradović and J. Mesič (FRTT, Croatia) 12.40-13.00: Contribution of the project’s terroir study to the Tikveš grapegrowing region and its future Presented by Tikveš winery (North Macedonia) (speaker to be defined, probably director Svetozar Janevski online)

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13.00-13.30: The Hardander cider R & D center and its contribution to Hardanger Presented by I. Øvsthus (NIBIO Ullensvang, Norway) and M. Carlehög (Nofima, Norway) 13.30 Lunch 18.00 Dinner for project partners and guests The PROJECT PRESS CONFERENCE will review the project results and will be organized before the event, starting at 9.30 (with translation oﬀered). REGISTRATION is open from 15 October 2023 at winecider.net.

Uncorking WINE & CIDER typicality Project

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Policy Forum Anti-Corruption, Democratic Resilience and Economic Security 9 November 2023 Concept Note Why it matters Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine has intensified geopolitical tensions globally. In the hope of weakening democratic support for the freedom of Ukraine, the Kremlin has particularly targeted existing rule of law deficiencies in the European Union and its immediate neighborhood. In response, the EU has embarked on a number of initiatives to safeguard and strengthen its democratic resilience, including a proposal for its first ever economic security strategy and a major upgrade of its anti-corruption toolbox. These efforts build upon ongoing endeavors for better protecting EU’s financial interests, such as the start of the work of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, the establishment of the European Anti-Money Laundering Authority, and the enshrining of the rule of law principles in the Enlargement policy. The EU is working towards an EU global sanctions regime for corruption by expanding and operationalizing its anti-corruption toolkit beyond its rule of law framework. It is also in the process of extending the mandate of the Asset Recovery Offices and the possibilities to confiscate assets based on violation of EU restrictive measures, as well as the establishment of the office of the EU sanctions envoy. Southeast Europe has been among the most vulnerable EU neighborhoods, which the Kremlin has specifically targeted in an attempt to exploit state capture networks of influence. The region has been under special EU rule of law and anti-corruption supervision for the past 20 years, providing both grounds for learning and policy innovation and frustration at the slow progress of democratization and European integration. The lessons learned from the past decade underscore that, in order to reignite the region’s reformist momentum, governments and civil societies need to dismantle state capture through evidence- gathering mechanisms, capacity-building, and focusing of judicial efforts on

exemplary cases. However, achieving these goals depends on the efficient international cooperation, enforcement of the new legal base, and the development of a civic space to bolster democratic resilience from within. This learning would also benefit the faster integration of the EU’s Black Sea hopefuls, providing important support for Ukraine’s defense of European democracy. Why now The inability to effectively punish high-level corruption and the challenging task of dismantling intricate networks of state capture has both proven to be a major setback for many member states and candidate countries, and a critical vulnerability in the face of foreign malign influence and economic coercion. The experience from previous enlargements has demonstrated that EU membership does not automatically guarantee a government free of corruption unless dynamically evolving internal rule of law and anticorruption conditionalities are effectively implemented and supported by continuous policy innovation and capacity building. Russia’s assault on Ukraine is ultimately a challenge to EU’s values- and rules- based model of democratic development. Safeguarding, sustaining and enlarging that model in Europe and beyond depends fundamentally on upholding the rule of law in the EU. What’s next The event builds upon the policy forum “Anti-Corruption and National Security” held on 21 March 2023 in Sofia, which presented the Summit for Democracy’s year of action achievements of the governments from the region within the global governance context. The forum is part of a series of annual high-level policy events on Southeast Europe, providing a platform for public-private cooperation, exchange of good practices, and affirmation of anti-corruption commitments. In addition to operationalising and implementing the Action Agenda of the Summit for Democracy Cohort on Anti-corruption Policies as a Guarantee for National Security, Stability !78

Regional Funds Online Magazine and Sovereignty, the partners of the R2G4P initiative will also work towards supporting the national and EU level policies foreseen in the Proposal for a Directive on combating corruption, such as mapping of high-risk areas by 2024, strengthening corruption prevention, investigative techniques and sanctions. Forum topics Building Democratic Resilience through Anti-Corruption Policy and Action The session will share good practices and continue the discussion on how the institutional design and policy instruments could be improved, in order to tackle political corruption and state capacity. In particular, France has emerged as a leading country in the fight against corruption and its legislation has become a model for other countries in the world. Since the adoption of the Sapin II Act in 2016, France has made important progress in the fight against corruption by imposing an obligation to implement corporate compliance programs, creating an independent anti-corruption agency, and adopting a new legal mechanism comparable to the deferred prosecution agreement used by the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and other corporate criminal cases. Anti-Corruption Policy Implementation: New Instruments for Engagement and Impact Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA) is a diagnostic tool used by public bodies to identify and prevent the most prevalent and damaging corruption and conflict of interest schemes at institutional, sectoral and local levels. The current session will explore how the existing CRA could be upgraded into a systematic, structured and continuous process. Special attention will be paid to the public bodies’ vulnerable activities, such as the information security, asset management, collection of taxes, administrative charges, public procurement, payments, and issuing of licenses. Countering Strategic Corruption and Advancing Economic Security in Europe In order to more eﬃciently prove and punish corruption-related crimes, the EU aims to introduce enhanced financial investigation techniques, antimoney laundering practices (including the 6th EU Anti-Money Laundering

Directive), and mechanisms for investment screening. However, the global effort to stop illicit financial flows (IFFs), freeze and seize assets belonging to sanctioned actors has been hampered by the lack of political will, capacity and procedures (e.g. for disclosure of ultimate beneficial ownership). An additional hurdle presents the “proficiency” of accountants, attorneys, real estate agents and investment advisers who facilitate illicit transactions and hide the ill-gained wealth. The session will explore the good practices, as well as the governance gaps that prevent the efficient sanctioning of nationals and foreigners for corruption, illicit enrichment, money laundering and organized crime. The panelists will also exchange views on how to re-energize the EU’s enlargement debate, and push for faster reforms int he candidate countries. Strengthening Public-Private Partnerships against Corruption Effective anti-corruption, evidence-based design of counter-measures, as well as the adoption of relevant strategies, plans and legislation, demands ongoing support by the civil society, international organizations, investigative journalists, academia and the private sector. This session will present good practices and challenges related to the establishment of efficient cooperation between government agencies and the civil society. The EU has time and again proven more resilient than perceived, largely due to the agility of its private and civil society sectors. Finding a way to continuously invigorate and sustain this democratic accountability model and employ it in developing innovative anti-corruption tools is critical to overcoming the ongoing state capture and authoritarian threat. About CSD Founded in late 1989, the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) is a public policy institute fostering the reform process in Europe through impact on policy and civil society. CSD’s mission is “building bridges between scholars and policy-makers” and as an independent, interdisciplinary think tank it combines a broad range of capacities. Building bridges is the old-fashioned way of bringing together social actors and cementing new alliances. Born as a think-tank, the Center for the Study of Democracy has evolved into policy development through dialogue and partnership.

Implementing shared anti-corruption and good governance solutions in Southeast Europe: innovative practices and public-private partnerships Project !79

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SEPAL Final Conference Exciting News from the SEPAL Project! We are presenting you the SEPAL Final Conference, a culmination of 5 years of collaboration between European partners from Romania, Spain, Lithuania, Greece, and Poland. Date: November 6, 2023 Time: 09:30 AM - 12:30 PM Venue: European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium Host: MEP Dragoș Pîslaru, Chair of the Committee on Employment and Social Aﬀairs Special guests: Representatives of the DG EMPL Units Event organized under the European Year of Skills 2023 This Final Conference focuses on skills validation through on-the-job learning within apprenticeship stages - a crucial topic in today's workforce. Let's make a diﬀerence together! See you on November 6, 2023, at the SEPAL Final Conference!

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Contributors & Credits CONTRIBUTORS From the Fund Operators Mateusz Wiśniewski Francesca Bombarda Sara Barbi External Contributors Thomas Mc Grath David Barker Timea Ruzsbaczky From the Projects Anna Saroukou Youth Business Poland Foundation Veronika Hvozdikova Ivan Lichner KAM NESC Foteini Sokratous, CARDET Jose Fernandez, AEII Spain Fundación Privada Pere Closa, Spain Alina GAFIȚA (ADOMNICĂI) Beata Mintus The Polish Farm Advisory and Training Centre not for profit sp. z o.o. Regione Siciliana BB Consulting Wenche Aale Hægermark, Nofima

Giulia Parola, ECSF CRESAÇOR Anastasia Vlachou Savvas Pavlidis Eszter Szonyi Laura Pacareu Flotats Kremena Yordanova Amber Darmanin Monika Peter Tzvetkova Aleksandra Kasztelewicz Diamanto Giannara Tanja Dimitrijević Aleksandra Ziębka Ierotheos Zacharias

DIRECTOR Gian Luca Bombarda

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Cover image: free image The contents of the Magazine are the sole responsibility of the authors and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Donors.

Born with the intention of sharing the results and updates of the projects participating to the Funds to showcase the main achievements of implemented activities. Follow us: www.youthemploymentmag.net www.regionalcoopmag.net

FUND OPERATED BY:

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