Vocational education and training

The current socio-economic crisis triggered by COVID-19 is severely impacting the social future of an entire generation, exposing an alarming number of young people in Europe to poverty.

The serious repercussions on the school-to-work transition affect particularly young people living in social and family contexts already characterised by poverty and social exclusion. The joint research conducted by Caritas Europa, Caritas Italy and Don Bosco International highlights several critical factors regarding adequate job placements and the possibility for young people to improve their learning and labour market opportunities. Showing the direct link between unemployment, poverty and social exclusion, this study underlines the actual risk of a significant increase in youth unemployment, NEETs (young people not in education, employment or training) and early school-leaving.

At the same time, the results indicate the potential of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in fostering the social and professional integration of young people living in vulnerable situations and acting as a powerful agent of socialisation, through holistic education programmes and equal access to high-quality VET training. The research shows the key role of civil society organisations in reaching young people, especially from socio-economically vulnerable backgrounds, understanding their difficulties and translating their needs into recommendations to shape national and European policies.