ART: NFE, Volunteering and Youth Unemployment Presents: Karine Kocharyan NFE as a Lever for Youth Employment in Europe October 19-20, 2017 Yerevan, Armenia

ART’s partners in work with youth Dioceses and their youth unions Social Educational centers in the marzes created by ART in collaboration of the local Diocese of AAC Non-governmental organizations

Specific groups of young people ART works with Socially vulnerable people (communities with highest poverty rates) Syrian-Armenian refugees Young people with disabilities Girls and women HIV-affected youth, people living with HIV

ART approach to combating unemployment Vocational training to the most vulnerable layers of the society including young people of 18 to 30 years of age Since 2014 to the present day, about 900 people, out of which about 70% women, have participated in various vocational training courses, the majority of which included craft professions, as well as some beginner courses on computer programming for Syrian refugees About the half of these people report to earn income through self-employment About 50 people were recruited by local businesses or public institutions based on the recommendations of the organizations

Main challenges for youth employment identified by local partners Lack of jobs and small salaries in the communities Absence of work experience Gap between the formal education content and the current demands of the labor market Professional orientation Formal education provides mainly general theoretical knowledge Quality and content

Main challenges for youth employment identified by local partners Low motivation to work A mindset that is more common among people living in extreme poverty Choice is between low salaries and small social benefits Are not used to working (mainly true about women) Passive life-position (especially true to smaller communities) No hope for improvement and no effort in that direction Lack of youth leisure opportunities Looking for ways to leave for bigger cities or for work or life abroad

Young people – Syrian refugees Language barriers, cultural integration and adaptation to the new social and cultural realities Vocational training courses that also serve for social integration Development of dependence on social benefits

Volunteering: Goals of Volunteering in Armenia Engage in community life: socializing, developing sense of belonging, regaining self-confidence Build a network Understand whether a certain type of profession is right for one’s interests, skills and personality Build specific set of skills, that will be helpful later in professional life

Necessary steps to improve environment for volunteering Need to be recognized as work experience Be better organized: clear expectations on both sides, well set boundaries, sense of responsibility Exploitation of volunteer work Current situation: Draft law developed by the civil society Ways for recognition competencies acquired through volunteer work

Role of the civil society Raising awareness Encouraging participation and active citizenship and ownership over the life circumstances, strengthening values of democracy Advocating for recognition of non-formal education programmes and volunteering experience Highlighting the gaps between the existing policies aimed for socioeconomic wellbeing of young people and their implementation

Non-formal education niche for the present moment Entrepreneurial attitude and skills, information about possible fin resources, social entrepreneurship Continuous development of intellectual and interpersonal skills Personal growth and youth empowerment Soft skills: communication skills, negotiation skills, ethics and styles in customer service, etc.

Thank you!