SPEED you UP
YEAR: 2019 - 2022
INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS:
LP1 – Arteveldehogeschool (BE), Ville d'Amiens (FR), Economisch Huis Oostende (BE), Stadsbestuur Sint-Niklaas (BE), WSX Enterprise (UK), Stichting Kenniscentrum Pro Work (NL), Stad Gent (BE), Association des Centres Sociaux de Wattrelos (FR), Bournemouth University (UK), Devon Mind (UK), Centre Social Salengro (FR), Digital Peninsula Network Ltd (UK), Jong Ondernemen (NL)
MOTIVATION:
Increase the development of social innovation applications in order to make more efficient and effective local services to address the key societal challenges in the 2 Seas area.
The number of young people (15-24) Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) remains sizeable in the 2Seas area (ca. 10%) (except the Netherlands), with percentages in the cities involved in this project well above 15%. A significant proportion of these young people left school early and struggles to find sustainable employment. There is a mismatch between the education system, the labour market and the realities of vulnerable youth. For some young people, this leads to demotivation, loss of self-confidence and eventually school dropout and unemployment, posing long-term negative consequences for their future and society. Existing solutions are fragmented, focus mainly on cure and do not lead to closer collaborations between key stakeholders or substantial system changes. Our challenge is to develop a sustainable shift towards a prevention method in order to meet the needs of the target group whilst meeting the demands and
regulations of all stakeholders.
IMAS objectives are:
The overall objective is to decrease the number of (at-risk) NEETs by improving their employability through a co-created entrepreneurship programme that enhances entrepreneurial skills. We will create entrepreneur hubs both in secondary schools with a high number of at-risk NEET students and in local communities with a high number of hard to reach NEETs. From within these hubs, young people develop and create pop-ups that answer to the specific needs of the deprived communities in which they live or go to school. We intend to increase their entrepreneurial skills, as well as their selfrespect and motivation. By means of this innovative co-created service, we intend to engage 800 at-risk NEETs leading to a 25% increase of these at-risk NEETs staying in education or becoming (self-)employment, and 800 NEETs, leading to a 25% increase of these NEETs (re)turning to education, training or (self-)employment.This will reduce costs for schools, welfare organisations and employment services.
Results:
The tangible results of the SPEED you UP project are listed below;
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Entrepeneur hub pilots in which at-risk NEET young people (+15 years old) create pop-ups from within secondary school together with local stakeholders.
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Pilots of entrepreneur hubs in which NEET young people (15-24 years) create community-oriented pop-ups together with local stakeholders.
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A feasibility study on the continuation of the SPEED-You-UP approach including a clear business plan for future users.
Pilot of a training programme for new cities/regions that will implement the SPEED-You-UP entrepreneur hubs