On the 28th of September, Eurodiaconia organised the roundtable on Youth Unemployment hosted by MEP Leïla Chaibi at the European Parliament.

The event attended by many of our members, youth, the European Youth Forum, the European Commission and Members of the European Parliament, was focused on the need to invest in youth and place them at the centre of recovery.

Young people have been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 crisis, with employment rates falling, mental health and well-being worsening, and the risk of poverty and social exclusion increasing. In the face of these unprecedented challenges, Olli Holmström, CEO of Deaconess Foundation, stressed that “now more than ever, youth must be heard, and we must listen”.

With the intent to do so, throughout the event, we heard directly from young people on the ground. They shared their stories, the hardship they overcame and how our members were able to play a part in helping them to do so. We listened to Eurodiaconia members’ experiences working with NEETs and disadvantaged youth to identify best practices and remaining challenges.

Moreover, our members Diakonie Latvia -Day Center and Helsinki Deaconess Institute -Vamos shared two inspiring videos featuring testimonies of young people who benefited from their services.

Click here to watch the videos!