Youth

Overview

Being a young person (20-34 years old) who is not in education, employment or training (NEET) can lead to marginalisation from society, and can have long term negative effects on the life prospects.  Youth unemployment represents one of the major social and economic challenges in Europe, with more than 16.5 % of  them being unemployed in 2018  (Eurostat, 2018). In response to the challenges the youth encounters when searching for jobs, entrepreneurship offers an alternative pathway to economic self-sufficiency. Despite the enthusiasm for self-employment, relatively few young people are engaged in entrepreneurship, facing greater obstacles to business creation than older generations. These difficulties stem from market and institutional failures, including lack of role models and professional connections, negative concepts about their entrepreneurial skills, or limited access to investment opportunities (OECD, 2021). Critical success conditions can be provided by training and incubation programmes targeted at youth to nurture their entrepreneurial attitudes and skills.