ES project

Title:

UAB Derota, together with Lithuanian and international partners and with EU support, is implementing a project from 2024-11-01 to 2026-10-30 aimed at young people aged 15–29 who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET).

Project Number:

ESF-SI-2023-SKILLS-01-0034

Empower Emerge: Unlock Potential of NEETs by Creating Opportunities

Funding:

Funded under the ESF+ Social Innovation Plus initiative.

Project Objective:

To bring NEET youth “into the light” using innovative, non-traditional, green-method approaches—engaging them, helping them discover themselves, igniting a desire to learn, boosting self-confidence and self-worth by identifying and enhancing individual strengths, and showing them opportunities to gain new knowledge. The aim is to support and guide them at every step toward integration into the labor market.

The project targets NEET youth aged 15–29 living in the municipalities of Elektrėnai and Trakai.

The “EmpowerEmerge” project seeks to improve the employment opportunities of vulnerable youth through a personalized career guidance program composed of two parts: “Indoor” and “Outdoor”.

Indoor Program:

A series of lectures and nature-based experiments covering psychological preparation for work, skill assessment, strengthening of personal traits, cognitive distortions, communication and teamwork, stress and conflict management, and personal image. With the help of a stylist, each participant’s personal image will be improved, enhancing their confidence and motivation to move forward.

Outdoor Program:

A set of outdoor activities based on an innovative and proven methodology from Irish partners. It includes learning through shared adventure therapy experiences in nature: hikes and outdoor experiences with dogs, leisure park activities, sports. Participants will be motivated by conversations with entertainment industry figures about learning, work, and pathways to achieving goals.

The training is based on experiential and problem-based learning methods. Education in nature offers broader exploration of the world through shared activities and informal interaction with coaches, psychologists, lecturers, and well-known figures.

This innovative social model fosters a more dynamic and engaging educational environment that promotes youth participation, highlights and strengthens their existing skills, and helps acquire new knowledge and experience. It also aims to boost self-esteem, interpersonal skills, a sense of community, and motivation to act—whether to study or work.

The project will invite NEET youth to take part in FREE engaging and innovative activities.

Timeline:

1. By June 23, 2025, the first group of 15 participants will be selected for free activities in July–August 2025.
2. By 2026, a second group of 15 will be selected for free activities in July–August 2026.

In total, 30 NEET youth will participate in free activities.

Activities will take place in Lithuania and Poland.

Project partner MAŁOPOLSKA WOJEWÓDZKA KOMENDA OHP will train 15 NEET youth in Poland through the created innovative “Outdoor” program during the project.

Expected Results:

The project aims to involve 45 NEET youth in activities to promote their integration into the labor market or education (30 in Lithuania and 15 in Poland).

• Meetings with partners
• Signing of cooperation agreements
• Development of activity plans
• Creation of training programs
• Cooperation with NEET youth departments of Elektrėnai and Trakai municipalities and information dissemination
• Public awareness about the project
• Trainer training sessions

• Public awareness about the project
• Surveying and engaging NEET youth
• Formation of the first group of 15 NEET youth

• Assessment of participants’ competencies before the training program
• Implementation of “Indoor” and “Outdoor” programs with the first group of 15 NEET youth
• Evaluation of changes in participants’ competencies after the training program
• Individual activity and voluntary internship at a wakeboarding park
• End-of-stage event
• Dissemination of summarized information and achieved results after completing the first project stage
• Review and evaluation of the results achieved in the first stage of the project

• Public awareness about the project
• Surveying and engaging NEET youth
• Formation of the second group of 15 NEET youth

• Assessment of participants’ competencies before the training program
• Implementation of “Indoor” and “Outdoor” programs with the second group of 15 NEET youth
• Evaluation of changes in participants’ competencies after the training program
• End-of-stage event
• Dissemination of summarized information and achieved results after completing the second project stage

• Review and evaluation of the overall project results