"The PLAN project re-mobilized resourceful and experienced older generation /retired (EOGR) who acted as Mentors for NEET youth and helped them change their depressed situations. As social innovations do not happen by themselves, our Mentors have supported NEET for a real impact in our societies and the economy. Empowering people, driving change – social innovation in the European Union, European Commission, 2011 CHALLENGEThe multiple innovation perspectives of PLAN project were linked to a number of emerging social needs and innovation debates in Europe, well described and well documented in the Commission’s 2011 paper: Empowering people, driving change – social innovation in EU. Project’s innovation contributed in transforming such emerging needs into emerging opportunities of change: ACTIVITIES undertaken for EMERGING SOCIAL NEEDS: - we re-engaged Mentors of all ages and backgrounds for economic and social value - we mobilized available and qualified resources in the communities who offered NEET powerful ways out of the social depression - we trained the youth workers of partner NGOs, on how to work with NEET and how to support them in new entreprenurial initiatives and we developped activities for digital skills in an informal and non formal education - we found new solutions to existing and emerging social challenges not addressed by the open market and not sufficiently addressed by public services - we engaged users and citizens in creating such solutions for NEET - we created social change dynamics to respond flexibly to the fast changing economies and labour markets and we offered our NEET enganged in the project, new life competences. TARGET GROUPS supported EMERGING CHANGE OPPORTUNITIES: - youth workers worked for social innovation and provided NEET with new skills - mentors acted as role models for NEET, encouraged them to establish their future work life - youth workers, mentors and youth promoted the social innovation that cannot happen to but with people, with top-down as well as bottom-up initiative-taking for successful work life including a wide range of challenges, from child services to green economy PLAN's innovation has put social innovation to work. PROJECT MISSIONThe project has put the 21st century social innovation agenda to work: new citizen-driven alliances were created in the communities, through mobilizing available resources for important needs of NEET and without putting additional pressure on public services. Resourceful and experienced older generation/retired acted as Mentor for: NEET youth who NEED THEM PLAN project combined two of the most important social and educational challenges in 21st century Europe – re-activated the overwhelming social and educational potential of the increasing number of experienced older generation in society and helped counter the dramatic increase in depressed social situations among NEET – generated social and educational value from the dynamic interaction between these two “out of economy” population groups. OUTCOMES KEY PRODUCT RESULTS: 1. Online interactive website: https://sites.google.com/view/plan4neet/home?authuser=0 2. Mobile application:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details id=appinventor.ai_Blucianor89.PLAN_def&fbclid=IwAR0gq84Iz57k3cgfG4ZBF658afRzDk3p2fBUBhqiAP60X3IsVvKALTT_f2o 3. E-LEARNING is the added value of PLAN as it is available through the website. Interested youth can easily be enrolled, follow the training, be monitored by ARIS FORMAZIONE and get their certificate upon cempletition of the training. 4. The ""PLAN Cluster"" 5. EU Network of NEET Mentors - NEET Alliances PROCESS RESULTS (available in the project’s website and forum) A. Capacity building among mentors to drive social change for NEET videos B. Promoting entrepreneurial and social change mentality for NEET- THE MODELS C. When work life counts - practical advices and suggestions - Handouts D. Mentors-NEET working for the community - Handouts IMPACT AND LONGER BENEFITSYouth workers were trained to identify youth entrepreneurship needs among NEET and they haven educated NEET in an informal way, providing the skills required for their employment. The involved Mentors have built capacity among them to independently drive new initiatives in collaboration with NEET youth groups.Mentors were in addition trained to be mentors for other new Mentors and have built capacity to drive the future European network of Mentor-NEET.Mentors of NEET are part of PLAN EU ALLIANCES for new cooperations and for continuing the ethos of PLAN.The involved NEET qualified new learning:- involved in concrete activities, not brought back to classrooms- learnt to see their problems as possible challenges and acted upon- created entrepreneurial and taking initiative mentality- engaged in telling the stories in their prefered social media"