A Step Forward for Youth Employment
The NEXT project was designed to help young volunteers transition into the labor market by creating strong networks between key stakeholders, such as NGOs, social enterprises, public institutions, and universities. The project aimed to provide young people with the necessary tools to showcase their volunteering experiences as valuable assets for employment or entrepreneurship.
Project Overview
- Project Reference: 2021-1-PT02-KA220-YOU-000028889
- Status: Completed
- Duration: December 1, 2021 – November 30, 2023
- EU Grant: €139,200
- Programme: Erasmus+
- Countries Involved: 4
- Website: NEXT Project
- Key Topics: Youth employability, entrepreneurship education, European identity and values
Building a Network for Youth Integration
NEXT created an online platform where key labor market actors could connect and share opportunities. Volunteers could upload their Youthpass certificates and receive feedback from host organizations, making it easier for future employers to recognize their skills. This initiative helped bridge the gap between volunteering and professional careers, validating volunteering experiences as a way to develop valuable competencies.
The Employability Guide
One of the project’s key deliverables was the Employability Guide, designed to support youth practitioners in training and guiding young volunteers toward their career paths. This guide focused on fostering a sense of initiative and social entrepreneurship, strengthening young people’s ability to enter the workforce with confidence.
Objectives of the NEXT Project
The project set clear goals to address the needs of young volunteers and labor market challenges:
- Promoting volunteering as a pathway to employment.
- Creating tools and networks to connect volunteers with potential employers.
- Developing key skills and competencies required in today’s labor market.
- Providing resources for youth workers to guide volunteers toward jobs or entrepreneurship.
Implementation and Activities
NEXT followed structured management and implementation plans, ensuring efficiency and high-quality outcomes. The activities included:
- Project coordination and daily management.
- Quality management and impact evaluation.
- Promotional efforts to reach a wider audience and create an engaged online community.
- Development of an Employment Guide and an online stakeholders’ network platform.
The project followed Educational Design Research (EDR) and Agile methodologies, ensuring that the tools created were relevant, tested, and continuously improved.
Key Results and Impact
The main outcomes of NEXT were:
- Employment Guide – “From Volunteer to Employee or Entrepreneur”
- An open educational resource (OER) for youth workers, mentors, and NGOs to help young volunteers transition into jobs or start their businesses.
- Stakeholders Online Network
- A free digital platform connecting key stakeholders with young volunteers to facilitate job opportunities and recognize skills gained during volunteering.
Ensuring Long-Term Impact
By providing a solid framework for validating volunteering experiences, NEXT not only helped young people but also strengthened the capacity of NGOs and labor market actors. The tools and resources created will continue to support youth employment, making volunteering an essential step toward professional success.
For more information, visit NEXT Project.
