From Feeling Lost to Finding Purpose: ALMA Empowers Spanish Youth to Discover Their Path

Doubt and confusion. Two words that best described Alba Barreda Díez’s life just days before she discovered a unique initiative that would soon change everything.

Alba, a 24-year-old from Torrelavega in northern Spain, had just completed a year-long contract at her local city hall after finishing her studies in social and cultural animation. She had no job lined up, and the course she had dreamed of had already started, so she couldn’t enroll.

She was unsure of her next steps, but it seemed life already had a plan for her.

“I wasn’t studying, I wasn’t working, and I thought, I need to do something with my life”, she recalls. “I love travelling, but I didn’t have the money. Then I accidentally heard about ALMA.”

That was the moment when the puzzle of life began to fall into place.

An Opportunity to Find Your Path

A friend of Alba’s mum told her about ALMA (Aim, Learn, Master, Achieve) – a European Union initiative designed to support young people aged 18–29 who are not in education, employment or training.

The initiative offers young people a unique three-stage path of learning and self-discovery: training at home, a fully funded work-related learning experience abroad, and follow-up support upon return to reintegrate into education or the labour market.

Alba didn’t hesitate. She applied for the Leaders of the Future: From NEETs to Real Changemakers project under the ALMA initiative and seized the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally, supported by a dedicated team of coaches and mentors.

As a result, Alba and 19 other young people from Spain got the chance to gain work experience in Italy – either in Trento or Umbria.

A Step Forward

The project’s structure – prepare, experience, apply – suited Alba perfectly.

“The training in Spain was really useful, especially because you got to work closely with the people you’d be travelling with,” she explains.

“We did many different things: cooking, writing a CV, working as a team. It made us a group, not just strangers going to another country together,” Alba adds.

For someone who thrives on communication, Alba’s placement in a small-town council near Trento, Italy, was an ideal fit.

“I helped run cultural events, worked on community projects, and helped out with English and Spanish. It was really rewarding”, she says. “And my boss was so kind and supportive. I think I was very lucky to discover this initiative.”

As part of the ALMA experience, Alba also learned Italian, though she says it wasn’t as challenging for her as it might be for others.

“I didn’t know Italian at all before I went. But I love languages, and I love talking, so I just started trying from day one. By the end, I spoke better Italian than English, while other participants struggled,” she laughs.

A Moment She’ll Never Forget

Alba’s time in Trento wasn’t just about professional growth. It gave her a sense of belonging in the wider world, along with some unforgettable memories.

“I remember one weekend, we took a trip to Verona,” she says. “My flatmates and I hiked up to Castel San Pietro. It was sunset, and we looked out over the city. I stood there and thought, I am actually here, and I am actually doing this. I will remember this moment forever and, one day, I will tell my grandkids that I lived in Italy.”

From navigating a new country to teaching other people languages, Alba emerged from the experience more self-assured and capable.

“I became more independent. I managed a new job, in a new language, in a new place. That gives you confidence you can’t learn in a classroom.”

Finding a New Direction

When Alba’s work-related learning experience came to an end, she didn’t want to leave Italy – she loved it there.

“I didn’t want to go home,” she says. “After coming back, I spent Christmas with my family, worked in a shop for a bit, and then decided to go back to Trento to work as an au pair for another three months. It was amazing.”

Today, Alba is back home again. She’s currently working in a shop and saving money, just to be able to travel again. Although she’s never been to Switzerland, it’s now at the top of her list. After her experience abroad, she’s even considering getting a job there.

“I’m working to save money and one day buy a house in Switzerland, Italy, or Spain – who knows,” she says. “I’m also currently studying to work in a government, so I might even land a job in another country, maybe something international.”

But most importantly, she no longer feels stuck.

“Before ALMA, I was unsure, like I was waiting for life to start. Now I know I can go after what I want,” she claims.

Her message to other young people? “If you feel lost and you don’t know what to do with your life, consider joining ALMA. It might change your life like it did for me.”

The Secret Ingredient of Success

Behind every ALMA participant is a team of mentors and coordinators who ensure that each experience is as enriching as possible, supporting participants both emotionally and professionally.

According to Mar Recalde, coordinator of Employment and Training at the Local Development Agency of Torrelavega City Council, ALMA’s strong focus on social skills and informal training is the secret ingredient that allows young people to have life-changing experiences.

“ALMA offers significant value, given that it achieves better results with less intervention time, compared to national training and employment initiatives,” she says. “The initiative provides participants with self-awareness as well as the development of skills related to teamwork, listening, and respect for colleagues.”

“We saw young people arrive nervous and unsure,” Mar Recalde adds. “But they left confident, skilled, and inspired. In some cases, their posture and tone of voice changed considerably, and there are cases where even their facial expressions shifted, conveying a look of joy and positivity.”

For Alba, that human touch made a world of difference. “Our mentors treated us like equals, not like students. They were always there to talk, to guide us, to remind us we weren’t alone,” she says.

Building a United, Supportive Europe

ALMA is more than a pathway to social inclusion for young people – it’s a reminder of what solidarity across borders can look like.

Through projects like the Leaders of the Future: From NEETs to Real Changemakers, young people from different countries are given the opportunity to discover new cultures, develop life-changing skills, and build friendships that transcend geography.

“I knew it before ALMA, but it confirmed it once again – Europe is the best continent on Earth,” says Alba. “There is so much in Europe if you’re willing to say yes and try.”

Co-funded by the European Union, ALMA is part of the European Social Fund Plus Social Innovation+ initiative, showing how collaboration between countries can unlock doors for young people, especially those who may feel left behind. It’s a powerful message of unity and opportunity, and Alba’s story is a living example of it.

As she puts it: “I didn’t just learn Italian or how to write a better CV. I learned who I am and who I want to become.”

Learn more: Leaders of the Future: from NEETs to Real Changemakers project

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