ESF-SI-2023-SKILLS-01-0078

The Latvian government has a target to reduce the NEET rate among 15-24-year-olds from 8.6% to 6% by 2027. Despite this fast-approaching deadline, systematic cross-sectoral collaboration to improve youth employability remains a rarity in Latvia. For example, a new wave of emerging social entrepreneurs (SEs) regularly struggles to access long-term partnerships with the public sector, leading to key societal actors all too often working in silos, duplicating efforts and limiting innovation. 

This project overall aims to replicate an approach to facilitating sustainable cross-sectoral collaboration, particularly in the context of supporting youth employability. By supporting the joining of forces at the local level, this project aims to bring together complementary expertise and capacities, overall scaling up the ability of actors to reach disadvantaged youth with a meaningful, well-designed intervention that addresses their needs. Through a co-creation approach, RfC will guide a Latvian municipality and Latvian SE towards the design and implementation of a 12-month joint initiative, leveraging their respective strengths and expertise in relation to outreach among disadvantaged youth and quality learning models. Social innovation is therefore represented both in the collective co-creation process, as well as in the improved services provided to the target group. 

This project aims for two long-term outcomes, firstly it should provide an innovative pathway towards reduced unemployment rates among disadvantaged youth, secondly it should inspire an increased number of sustainable partnerships between the public sector and SEs, both in Latvia and beyond. To achieve these impact goals, the project will have a particular emphasis on M&E, participant feedback, internal/external learning and sustainability planning. As regards the latter, one partner (LCMCA) has already identified themselves as a potential co-funder of the joint initiative beyond the grant period.

Expected results:

•  Improved understanding, alignment on goals, and optimism for ongoing collaboration among project partners, with a 100% target for partner satisfaction. 
• Active participation of at least 30 youth in the co-creation and implementation of the project, ensuring their perspectives are considered. 
• Increased local labor market-relevant skills and knowledge among participating disadvantaged youth. 
• 70% of key stakeholders (local, national, and EU levels) report a greater understanding of cross-sector collaboration benefits for youth skills development. 
• Project outcomes contribute to reduced youth unemployment and foster sustainable partnerships between public and social enterprise sectors, with potential for broader regional impact. 

Funding: 387,906.00 Eur

Social innovation scale-up 

The Joining Forces Liepaja project scales up an innovative approach initially implemented in Eskilstuna, Sweden, focused on facilitating sustainable cross-sectoral collaboration to enhance youth employability (Gathering Forces for Increased Youth Employment). This involves a co-creation process, guided by Reach for Change, that brings together a Latvian municipality and a Latvian social entrepreneur to design and implement a joint initiative. By leveraging their complementary expertise in outreach to disadvantaged youth and quality learning models, the project aims to improve services and address the needs of this target group in Liepaja, Latvia.