Held under an Erasmus+ project involving partners from Türkiye, Ireland, Lithuania, and Bulgaria, the workshop brought rural young people not in education, employment or training together with decision-makers to discuss their needs, challenges, and expectations.

Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) contributed academic expertise to the Workshop on Rural Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET), organized as part of the Erasmus+ KA210-YOU project “Solutions to Prevent Paternalistic Approach Towards NEETs.”

Held under the slogan “Youth Speak, Decision-Makers Listen,” the workshop addressed the needs, challenges, and expectations of young people living in rural areas who are neither in education nor employment, with young participants directly contributing to the discussions.

The Erasmus+ project, which brings together partners from Türkiye, Ireland, Lithuania, and Bulgaria, aims to develop more inclusive, participatory, and empowering approaches to working with NEET youth.

In line with this objective, the workshop brought young people together with representatives of public institutions, universities, civil society organizations, and experts from a range of fields.

Young People and Decision-Makers Meet at Seven Thematic Roundtables

The workshop was organized around seven thematic roundtables:

• Education and Vocational Training
• Employment, Entrepreneurship and the Local Economy
• Digital World, Information Technologies and Jobs of the Future
• Social, Cultural and Sports Life
• Social Services, Inclusive Youth and Accessibility
• Women and Youth in Rural Areas
• Local Development and Youth Participation in Decision-Making

During the roundtable sessions, young participants directly shared their views, experiences, and expectations. Representatives of public institutions, universities, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders contributed assessments and recommendations based on their respective areas of expertise.

OMU academics Assoc. Prof. Dr. Begüm Korunur Engiz, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Belgin Bal İncebacak, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatih Altuğ, Dr. Mevlüde Doğan, Dr. Gülten Arslantürk, and Dr. Uygar Bayrakdar, along with Samsun TEKNOPARK General Manager Levent Tanrıverdi, participated as moderators and contributed to the thematic discussions.

Workshop Findings Shared in a Joint Session

Following the thematic roundtable discussions, the principal findings and recommendations emerging from each group were presented to all participants.

This joint session enabled the challenges identified across different themes, the expectations expressed by young people, and the proposed solutions to be considered within a common framework.

The findings, assessments, and recommendations generated during the workshop will be compiled into a Workshop Final Report. The report is expected to contribute to future initiatives and practices aimed at supporting the participation of rural NEET youth in education and employment.