Social Rights, Economic Development

The Second Chance Schools enable motivated youth – without diploma or professional qualification – to integrate a school dedicated focused on shaping their social and professional integration project. The Second Chance Schools also provide innovative solutions to address non-enrolment and school dropout.

The Mediterranean New Chance (MedNC) is a project implemented since 2014 and funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Drosos Foundation. It is a regional initiative led by the Union for the Mediterranean that responds to the need for an integrated strategy to stimulate job creation at the local level that does not only look at the availability of jobs but also aims at strengthening the personal and emotional skills of the youth. The project is inspired by the good results of the Second Chance Schools model in France.

The MedNC addresses among others the challenge of socio-professional integration of young people and, particularly, of NEETs – young people who are no longer in the education system, not working or/and being trained for work. The project mobilises and fosters the cooperation among stakeholders from both shores of the Mediterranean, including training, vocational and professional development institutions and actors leading second chance schools.

Tags: youth, NEETs, non-formal education, socio-professional integration, vocational training

Challenges addressed

• School dropout: re-engaging young people in education and training considering the various reasons that led them to leave education earlier such as the need to work due to their economic situation, a lack of interest or an unappropriated learning approach
• Social and professional integration of socially disadvantaged young citizens
• Specific challenges affecting NEETs :
• • Lack of professional opportunities
  • Lack of professional opportunities
  • Discrepancy between job offer and requested education
  • Lack of recognized working experience
  • Lack of motivation and hope to find a job that would fulfill them at professional and personal level

Main objectives

• Contribute to the professional integration of socially disadvantaged youths, including young women
• Support the local business development by providing a workforce meeting their needs
• Accompany the public authorities into their reflections regarding the professional integration
• Strengthen the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation to promote the professional integration of young people.

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