Background

The social distancing and isolation that happened for two last years due to the pandemic, revealed a great demand for young people to stay connected with other peers, to interact, to express themselves and find a way out through arts. Young people in many countries were confined to their homes and for many of them digital technologies and arts were the only way of connection with the outside world. Moreover, the often precarious nature of creative work has made artists and cultural professionals particularly vulnerable to the economic shocks that the pandemic has triggered. A need for new entrepreneurial ventures started to appear.

During the recent financial crisis some years ago, youth unemployment went up from 16% to 26%. The rate only returned to its 2008 level in 2018 although in Spain, Italy and Greece youth unemployment remained high. To avoid the same impact from the pandemic crisis, the EU announced the Youth Employment Support package (European Committee, 1 July of 2020) with four strands that together provide a bridge to jobs for the next generation.

Based on these facts and data, the Consortium of MOVE & ACT project, shaped by 7 partners from Poland, Greece, Italy, Spain and Lithuania (these countries recorded NEET rates above the EU average of 16.4 %, while the highest rates were recorded in Italy and Greece, 27.8 % and 25.1 % respectively), decided to implement the proposed project in order to reinforce digital skills and social entrepreneurial mindset of young vulnerable people.