This study concerns evaluation of projects addressed to the youth (aged 15–24) – a group of special interest in many public policies, especially those related to transition between a phase of education and a phase of work.
Its main goal is to find ways of reaching and involving the beneficiaries of the youth projects as well as to support the development of the youth and increase quality of the evaluation of these projects.
Using the expertise of the Youth Impact project cooperation partners and literature review the author considers major specificities of the youth living conditions (dominance of education, minor role of work and underemployment, increased mobility, superiority in information and mobile technologies, submergence in social media) and particular requirements of approaching the minors (17 y.o. and younger).
The complexities of reaching the youth group (especially the NEETs – youth not in employment, education or training) as well as satisfying their psychological needs are treated not only as problems to deal with but also as opportunities, which can be used to increase the quality of evaluation, to make it more adequate, effective and participatory.
The starting point of multidimensional dependency, vulnerability and accompanying protection measures can be transformed into more active, entrepreneurial attitude supported by the new skills and empowering experience gained not only in the youth project itself but also by means of the participatory evaluation.
The complete text of the study is available HERE:
Author: Sławomir Nałęcz, PhD (FRDL)
