The present platform is designed to share the good practices of the members of the Mediterranean New Chance network (MedNC) and aims to foster the transmission of such practices to other socio-professional insertion players in the Mediterranean region. Equip yourself with headphones and explore the series of podcasts on youth, partnerships and know-how.
Other thematic are discussed in a hard copy good practice guide, published in November 2018, which may be consulted in pdf format: click here!
The MENA region (Middle East – North Africa) is characterized by one of the world’s highest youth unemployment rate, such as over 35% in Tunisia (2017 figures). Figures are also alarming on the North Mediterranean shore, i.e. more than 30% in Spain and in Italy (2017 figures). Early school dropout and lack of access to training are among the causes explaining those insertion difficulties.
The Mediterranean New Chance newtork (MedNC) gathers players from the Euro-Mediterranean region who develop local solutions in order to overcome these challenges. By pooling the strengths and expertise of these players, the project aims to reinforce their capacity for action, multiply their impacts and attract support from public authorities.
More than 26,000 young people and 100 partner centres in 9 countries (Algeria, Egypt, Spain, France, Lebanon, Morocco, Portugal, Tunisia, Italy) already benefit from these devices. In France alone, 60% of young people find a job or continue their studies following a training they undergo within the second chance schools.
The Mediterranean New Chance network is driven by the Institut européen de coopération et de développement (IECD). Moreover, the project has been accredited by the Union for the Mediterranean, and is co-financed by the French Development Agency (AFD), the Drosos Foundation and European Union through the Erasmus + programme.
For more information about the network and its actions, visit our web page and meet Astrid Desjobert, the MedNC Network coordinator and IECD representative in the SUD region, who talks with Eric Bataillon on the radio programme RFI Orient Hebdo (22/09/2019).
Founded in 1988, the Institut européen de coopération et de développement (IECD) is an international non-profit solidarity organization accredited as an organization of public interest since 2010. Its mission is to implement or support the implementation of economic and human development projects in partnership with local players, to enable youth and adults who are in precarious situations to gain access to decent and durable jobs, within an adequate educational and sanitary environment. Owing to more than 30 years of experience mainly in the domains of education, professional training, youth employment, and entrepreneurship, the IECD has developed a sound know-how to support vulnerable persons.
The IECD is active in 15 countries in 4 geographical zones (Mediterranean region, Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and South-East Asia). Its activities are structured around flagship programmes and service provisions proven by more than 60 projects. In 2019, the IECD has a staff of about thirty collaborators in the head office and 300 collaborators on site.
For more information, visit the IECD web site: www.iecd.org/
The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors. Moreover, the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Location: Morocco (Casablanca)
Professional integration players active in “second chance”-type organisations face key challenges, as to make themselves known from the youth and to convince them to follow new trainings. Indeed, the targeted young populations have often left school early and, in that process, lost self-confidence. Hicham Habibou is project manager of the Moroccan association L’Heure Joyeuse. He shares with us the best recommendations in this field from his structure which deals mainly with young persons from the deprived neighbourhoods of Casablanca. Accompanying Hicham is Leila Nohair, who will report on her three-month training in l’Heure Joyeuse.
Interlocutors:
Hicham Habibou, Project manager, at l’Heure Joyeuse
Leila Nouhair, who followed a three-month training course in l’Heure Joyeuse
The association l’Heure Joyeuse is implicated in the struggle against the social and professional exclusion of deprived children and youth. Located in Casablanca and in some rural areas of Morocco, l’Heure Joyeuse association develops and implements programmes that have a high social impact in health, education and insertion training.
For further information: https://www.heurejoyeuse.ma/fr/
Contact: hicham.habibou@heurejoyeuse.ma
Location: France (Chalon-en-Champagne)
If young people are to be convinced to follow a training course, they should perceive this training as a credible solution. For Diba Medjahed, treasurer of the Réseau E2C France (second chance school network in France) and Director of the Ecole de la seconde chance in the Loire Estuary region, this implies not only establishing direct communication with the youth, but also fitting the school within an ecosystem. The principle is to become a reference player among the local players who orientate the young people. Diba discusses with us the good practices of the Réseau E2C France in this domain, together with Amélia Robba, a trainee of the Saint-Nazaire Ecole de la seconde chance who will report on her own experience.
Interlocutors:
Diba Medjahed, Treasurer of the Réseau E2C France and Director of the Ecole de la seconde chance in the Loire Estuary region.
Amelia Robba, trainee in the Saint Nazaire Ecole de la seconde chance.
At the heart of the social, societal and professional problematics of the youth, the 124 Ecoles de la seconde chance sites, grouped within the E2C-France network, propose customized solutions to young jobless adults who left the educational system early without any qualification. The 2EC device operation is based on the triptych that comprises the acquisition of competence, professional internship experience and inclusion support.
For further information: https://reseau-e2c.fr/
Contact: d.medjahed@e2cel.org
Location : Spain
The participation of young people to the decision making processes is one of the success keys of the Spanish Association of second chance schools E2O España. Guillaume Thureau and Frédérique Herzog, respectively Director and Head of projects and communication within this association, share with us the interest and the concrete methods of this youth involvement in the governance.
Interlocutors:
Guillaume Thureau: Director of E2O España
Frédérique Herzog: Head of projects and communication of E2O España
The mission of the E2O España Association, founded in 2016, is to mobilize energies and to achieve the recognition of an inclusive, innovative and efficient education model which constitutes a relevant answer to the challenges raised by high school dropout rates and massive youth unemployment in Spain. Today, the Association gathers 35 members and concerns more than 7,500 young persons. Its objective is to come up with concrete and efficient answers to unqualified, unemployed young persons in Spain through the development of an innovative and recognized model of the second opportunity school. An accreditation process was implemented in 2017, leading to the accreditation of 39 schools today.
For further information: https://www.e2oespana.org/
Contact : info@e2oespana.org
Location : Portugal (Matosinhos)
Recently, on 6 August 2019, Portugal passed a law enforcing the recognition of a legal framework governing the second chance education. This is a fundamental step for the development of second chance schools in the country. It is the result of a long-term advocacy process carried out mainly by the AE2O association and its partners. The Director, Luis Mesquita, shares with us his best recommendations for the implementation of an efficient advocacy process. Accompanying Luis is Rute Mendes, programme manager in the ILO international training centre.
Interlocutors:
Luis Mesquita, AE2O Director
Rutes Mendes, Programme officer in the ILO international training center
Other resources:
Discover the testimony of Luisa Salguiero, Mayor of the Municipality of Matosinhos : historical partner of AE2O, on this key-step of the recognition of the Second Chance Education in Portugal. Click here.
The Associação para a Educação de Segunda Oportunidade (AE2O) imparts dynamism to the second chance education in Portugal while working with vulnerable, unskilled and unemployed youth in social exclusion risk. In partnership with the Ministry of Education and the municipality of Matosinhos, the association main activity concerns the management of a second chance school in that city.
For further information: www.segundaoportunidade.com
Contact: geral@segundaoportunidade.com
Location : Morocco (Casablanca)
Youth access to employment depends on several key factors. For the Moroccan association Al Jisr, one of the fundamental points consists in building and developing a trustful relationship between the school and the players on the labor market. Wafa Berny, Director General of the association, shares with us her best recommendations in this field! She is accompanied by Atika Azami, who underwent training in Al Jisr and describes her own experience.
Interlocuteurs :
Wafa Berny, Director General of the Al Jisr association.
Atika Azami, who followed a socio-professional training course in the Al Jisr second chance center in 2017.
Within the framework of its “employability” programme, the Al Jisr association promotes the link between the school and entreprises through two main projects: the Greenship programme which consists in accompanying young people towards training and insertion in computer maintenance and IT professions on the one hand, and on the second hand second chance centre which accompanies school dropout young people in different types of trades, in partnership with apprenticeship training centers or with professional training centers.
For further information: www.aljisr.ma/
Contact : w.berny-mezouar@aljisr.ma
Location: Tunisia (Tunis)
The technical competences gained by young people do not suffice to ensure their efficient insertion in the labor market. The so-called transverse or soft skills are now essential when seeking a job or in professional life. Self confidence, ability to be interviewed, communication and teamwork abilities are competences taught by the Association Nouvelle Chance in Tunisia (ANC) when accompanying young graduates from Tunis. Zeineb Fourati, delegate general of the ANC, discusses with us the concrete practices implemented to enable young people to develop and valorise such competences. Emna Besbes a former trainee who benefited from this programme is with Zeineb.
Interlocutor:
Zeineb Fourati: delegate general for the Association Nouvelle Chance in Tunisia
Emna Besbes: a former trainee who attended this programme.
The Association Nouvelle Chance (ANC) in Tunisia has been founded by university teachers. The purpose was to improve both the employability and the professional insertion of young graduates. The Nouvelle Chance programme, implemented within six academic institutions, comprises three leads: training courses, business internships, and individualized support.
For further information: https://www.facebook.com/AssociationNouvelleChanceTunisie/
Contact :zeineb.fourati@mednc.org
Location: Lebanon (Beirut)
Facilitating access to employment for young people is not limited to the most technical aspects of training. Indeed, young people often need to be accompanied in their job seeking methodology as well as in the development and valorization of the non-technical, so-called soft or transverse skills. Maya Boustani and Pauline Escaron from the Lebanese NGO Semeurs d’Avenir discuss with us the concrete accompanying methods.
Interlocutors:
Maya Boustani: programme manager in Semeurs d’Avenir
Pauline Escaron: short training courses project officer in Semeurs d’Avenir
The mission of the Lebanese association Semeurs d’Avenir, founded with the support of the IECD, is to reinforce professional and social insertion of young and vulnerable persons in Lebanon. Semeurs d’Avenir implements development projects in training and professional orientation, in partnership with the Ministries of Education, Labour, Industry and Social Affairs.
For further information: https://www.sda-lb.org/
Contact :maya.boustani@iecd.org
Location: Italy (Roma)
The implementation of youth orientation and insertion support devices within technical schools raises specific challenges and needs for which the on-site players do not always have the expertise and experience required. Emanuela Chiang and Salvatore Guidda, who represent the Italian NGO VIS, discuss with us the support and expertise that an international NGO specialized in professional insertion can provide.
Interlocutors:
Emanuela Chiang: programme manager, VIS
Salvatore Guida: project manager, VIS
VIS operates in the Mediterranean region (Palestinian territories, Egypt, Tunisia, Syria) in the domain of professional training and insertion of young people who are disadvantaged, excluded, endangered, victims of violence and war. The NGO works with the Salesian congregation to create schools, train teachers, equip workshops for professional training, update apprenticeship résumés and foster socio-professional insertion.
For further information: http://www.volint.it/vis/
Contact :e.chiang@volint.it
Location: Italy (Rome)
Trainers play a key role in any professional insertion structure. Analyzing their training needs, elaborating a targeted high-quality training plan, and implementing impact assessment are essential elements in the operation of a structure and for the quality of the trainings proposed to the young trainees. Ivan Toscano shares with us the methodology implemented by the CNOS-FAP federation and their best recommendations in this field.
Interlocutor:
Ivan Toscano: programme manager, CNOS-FAP
The CNOS-FAP federation is an Italian association founded on December 9, 1977.
It coordinates the Italian Salesian professional training centers which ensure public services in the following domains: fundamental, higher and vocational professional education and training. It is a non-profit organization which demonstrates in Italy the commitment of the Salesians in the provision of services and programmes in professional education and training, especially towards disadvantaged youth.
For further information: www.cnos-fap.it/
Contact: i.toscano@volint.it
