Locations
EU4Youth
Summary
The overall objective of the EU4Youth action is to improve employability and social integration of young people not in Employment, Education or Training (NEETs) in Albania. The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP and UNICEF. It aligns with the EU’s Youth Guarantee framework, which pledges that all young people aged 15-29 receive a quality offer for employment, education, apprenticeship, or traineeship within four months of unemployment or leaving education.
In alignment with the commitments of Western Balkan countries to ensure sustainable labour market inclusion for young people, the Government of Albania has prepared and approved the Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan (YGIP) 2023-2024. The plan outlines the reforms and actions that Albanian institutions will undertake to implement the Youth Guarantee programme in the country.
EU4Youth aims to assist Albanian institutions in implementing the Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan 2023-2024, support the Youth Guarantee roll-out in three pilot municipalities—Tirana, Vlorë, and Shkodër—and prepare for a nationwide expansion.
EU4Youth strategically aligns with national strategies, including the National Strategy for Development and European Integration 2022-2030, the National Employment and Skills Strategy 2030, and the National Youth Strategy 2022-2029, creating synergies for their effective implementation.
Activities and Interventions in the framework of the EU4Youth project include the following:
- Provide technical assistance to improve the availability of regular and comprehensive information on NEETs in Albania.
- Enhance employment services for youth by youth, including job matching, guidance, counseling, and soft skills development.
- Support the development of a model for Local Partners’ Networks. Establish and mobilize the networks in Tirana, Vlorë, and Shkodër; provide training and technical support.
- Assist in revising and updating legal and regulatory frameworks to support the implementation of the Youth Guarantee. Provide support in improving the flexibility and permeability of the pre-university education system. Support employment promotion programs’ diversification.
- Enhance the Youth Guarantee inter-institutional governance mechanisms in Albania.
- Support the development of the Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan 2025-2027.
- Design and pilot Youth Guarantee models through local partnerships, including pre-placement and post-placement support.
- Deliver effective communication and promotion the Youth Guarantee in the three municipalities.
- Conduct on-going monitoring and evaluation to fine-tune the Youth Guarantee in view of its national deployment.
- Implement Early Warning Systems (EWS) to prevent school dropouts.
- Enhance local level actors’ capacities to implement the approved traineeship model in the three pilot municipalities.
- Design and pilot an apprenticeship model in the green economy, in partnership with private sector.
Background
In Albania, youth face pressing employment challenges, including high unemployment rates, inactivity, and long-term unemployment. The unemployment rate for those aged 15-29 was 22.5% in 2022, which is double the rate of the general working age population, with a substantial gender employment gap of 16% (INSTAT, LFS 2022).
The rate of youth Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) in Albania was 25.2% in 2022 (INSTAT, LFS 2022), more than double the EU-27 average of 11.7%. Of these, 41.8% are classified as unemployed, while others are discouraged workers, engaged in domestic responsibilities, or are inactive due to other reasons. A mere fraction of this population - less than 10% - is registered with the National Agency for Employment and Skills.
Educational challenges also persist. The net enrolment in upper secondary education remains a challenge, with net enrolment rate at the level of 76.2%, significantly lower than the EU levels (INSTAT, academic year 2021-2022). The share of enrolment in vocational education programmes for the academic year 2022-2023 remains low (17.5% of the cohort), considerably lower than the EU and Western Balkan countries (INSTAT, education statistics).
EU4Youth is committed to supporting the rollout of the Youth Guarantee in Albania, helping young people integrate into the labor market by creating a supportive policy environment and strengthening institutional capacities. By ensuring that all NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) youth receive timely and high-quality support, EU4Youth aims to improve their employment prospects and promote social integration.
Project Outcomes
Outcome 1: Enhanced inter-institutional capacities to effectively implement and govern the Youth Guarantee in Albania.
Outcome 2: Strengthened local engagement and partnerships that effectively support the integration and retention of vulnerable NEET youth in the labor market through well-monitored and adaptive Youth Guarantee programs.
Outcome 3: Enhanced capacity and effectiveness of VET systems in producing a skilled workforce prepared to contribute to the green economy, with reduced student dropout rates and increased engagement with the private sector.
