Practical tools for working with NEET youth: four regional workshops organized in Cahul, Căușeni, Orhei and Bălți

The NEET phenomenon covers a wide range of situations in which young people are disconnected from education, employment or vocational training. In practice, this may involve a lack of qualifications, limited work experience, social or family-related barriers, limited access to services, low trust in institutions, care responsibilities or difficulties in choosing a professional path.

Taking into account this diversity of situations, the P.A. Regional Center for Community Development, in consortium with the Training and Personal Development Center “Anima”, implemented a regional intervention aimed at strengthening the capacity of local actors to identify, understand and support NEET youth — young people who are not in education, employment or training.

In May 2026, four regional workshops were held in Cahul, Căușeni, Orhei and Bălți, bringing together representatives of the National Employment Agency, social services, local public authorities, educational institutions, youth centres, non-governmental organizations and other community actors involved in youth work.

The workshops followed a practical and interactive format, based on applied exercises, case studies, simulations and teamwork. Participants analysed concrete situations inspired by the realities faced by NEET youth, including low motivation, limited work experience, family responsibilities, social difficulties, lack of support and uncertainty about their professional future.

A key focus was placed on the need to adapt interventions for NEET youth to each person’s profile, level of risk, available resources and specific barriers. During the workshops, participants discussed the differences between information provision, counselling, referral, mentoring, social support, vocational training and connection to employment opportunities, as well as how these measures can be combined in an individual intervention plan.

Participants also discussed the behaviours and expectations of the new generation of young people. More and more young people value flexibility, autonomy, meaningful work and a less rigid working environment. These changes require local institutions and organizations to use clearer, more accessible communication and intervention methods that are better connected to young people’s realities.

During the workshops, participants tested the tools developed in the “Guide for Working with NEET Youth”, designed for specialists working in employment, social assistance, youth work and community development. The guide includes practical tools for identification and screening, needs profiling, mapping local resources, developing an individual intervention plan and monitoring the young person’s progress.

The guide was developed as part of the joint initiative of the “EU4Youth: Youth Engagement and Empowerment” project and the “Youth Employment Promotion in the Republic of Moldova” project, implemented by GIZ Moldova. It reflects both the proposed methodological framework and the contributions of the specialists involved in the training and practical testing process.

The document is available for specialists, institutions, organizations and other community actors working directly or indirectly with young people in NEET situations. It can be used as a practical resource for identifying young people, analysing their needs, making referrals, developing individual plans, strengthening inter-institutional cooperation and monitoring progress.

To access the “Guide for Working with NEET Youth”, please visit the Resources section of our website or use the following link: https://crdc.md/en/resources/ghid-de-lucru-cu-tinerii-in-situatie-neet.

Specialists or organizations that would like to receive the editable version of the working tools, including the scorecards and practical annexes, can contact us by email at: asociatiacrdc@gmail.com.

Through these activities, the intervention contributed to strengthening a common working framework among local actors involved in supporting NEET youth. This framework focuses on early identification, individualized needs assessment, use of local resources, coordinated referral and progress monitoring, so that the support provided to young people becomes more coherent and effective.

For CRDC and ANIMA, this intervention was an important step in developing a practical, coordinated and locally applicable approach to working with NEET youth. Each community has its own resources and challenges, and the tools developed can help local actors design interventions that are better adapted to their specific context.

The event was organized within the project “EU4Youth: Youth Engagement and Empowerment”, part of the regional project “Strengthening Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership Countries”, in cooperation with the project “Youth Employment Promotion in the Republic of Moldova”, funded by the European Union and the German Government and implemented by GIZ.