Gulbenkian Empregar
Promoting the employability of young NEETs
In 2024, 11% of young people in the European Union aged 15-29 were not in employment, education, or training (also known as the ‘NEET group’). Although Portugal’s NEET rate is lower than the European average at 8.7%, this situation disproportionately affects disadvantaged socio-economic groups, who experience substantially higher rates. Meanwhile, more than half of employed young people (aged 18-24) are on temporary contracts.
To tackle these disparities, we need to take a fresh, integrated approach involving direct intervention on the ground and the active participation of local communities.
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation funds innovative projects with replication potential through the Empregar (Employment) initiative. These projects promote employability and improve the quality of employment for young people aged 16-34 who are not in education or training, and are either unemployed or in precarious, low-skilled or low-paid work.
The initiative focuses on the regions of the country where the problem is most prevalent: the Algarve, the Lisbon and Porto metropolitan areas, and the autonomous regions of the Azores and Madeira. Its aim is to strengthen the financial security of young people in these regions and improve the rates and quality and quantity of their jobs.
Supported projects
Empregar+
This project is based on non-formal education and networking. It is structured around four key areas: training, vocational guidance, links to the labour market and community involvement.
Location: Maia, Porto, Valongo
Promoter: Associação Sójovem das Saibreiras
Heróis do Mar
This project aims to promote the social inclusion and employability of young people at risk in Ribeira Grande by providing them with certified training and professional experience in the blue economy sector.
Location: Ribeira Grande
Promotor: A.P.P.J. – Association for the Promotion of Young People at Risk
Jobs Airport – Music Hub
The creation of a music training and production centre to provide technical and creative career training for young NEETs in the music and cultural industries.
Location: Almada
Promotor: Lifeshaker
Vaivém
This project promotes the employability of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEETs) by offering them mobility experiences, training and internships in different regional contexts, in Cascais and the Azores.
Location: Cascais and S. Miguel
Promotor: TESE – Association for Development through Technology, Engineering, Health and Education
LevelUp Jovem
Young NEET immigrants are helped into professional careers through personalised training courses, mentoring and real work experience.
Location: Lisbon and Amadora
Promotor: Padre Alves Correia Centre
3EAZ – Empoderamento, Educação e Emprego Açores
This project aims to combat social exclusion and youth unemployment in Praia da Vitória by helping young NEETs access training, employment and self-employment programmes.
Location: Praia da Vitória
Promotor: Olhar Poente – Development Association
EDUCA+
Support for young NEETs in vulnerable areas is provided through personalised training courses, mentoring and work experience as part of a municipal inclusion programme.
Location: Cascais
Promotor: Municipality of Cascais
GEPE Jovem – Espaço de Capacitação e Oportunidades
Strengthens the employability of young people by providing training, mentoring and internships in partnership with companies and public organisations.
Location: Lisbon
Promotor: Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa
Gulbenkian IdentiWork – da identidade à empregabilidade
A 12-session programme for young NEETs that focuses on personal, socio-emotional and employability skills, and is inspired by gender-transformative methodologies.
Location: Barreiro, Lisbon and Loures
Promotor: Men Talks Association
SKILLAB – Laboratório de Competências para o Futuro
The project provides young people with training through a practical, collaborative programme designed to develop their technical, creative and social skills, leading to the creation of a creative portfolio.
Location: Cascais
Promotor: SEACOOP – Social Entrepreneurs Agency, CRL
Academia de Rua @ Lagos
Implementation of a mentoring and community empowerment methodology that helps young NEETs define paths to education, employment and self-employment.
Location: Lagos
Promotor: Transformers Youth Association
W Jobs
Uses sport as a tool to promote inclusion and improve the employability of young NEETs, migrants and refugees, through boot camps, internships and mentoring programmes.
Location: Loures
Promotor: SISH – Social Innovation Sportshub
TORNA
This project promotes the employability of young people from the Zambujal neighbourhood by offering them a community ceramics workshop that provides technical training and develops socio-emotional skills, while also encouraging the creation of a sustainable social business.
Location: Bairro do Zambujal
Promotor: APAC Portugal – Association for the Protection and Support of Convicts
Re-skill
This project promotes the retraining, entrepreneurship and socio-professional inclusion of young people from the Indian community.
Location: Barreiro, Palmela, Sesimbra and Setúbal
Promotor: Setúbal Christian Youth Association