NEET? So, just what does ‘NEET’ mean?
NEET is a very loose umbrella term; it simply stands for young people ‘Not in Employment, Education or Training’. A person identified as NEET is either unemployed or economically inactive and is either looking for work or is inactive for reasons other than being a student or a carer at home.
NEET is a situation and not a characteristic of the young person. All of us at one point in our lives have been and will be NETT. That is normal in the job seeking process and sometimes last shortly but the key thing about a ‘real’ NEET situation is that it is involuntary and the person is stuck in it. Young people are heterogeneous group and not all of them are likely to be stuck in this NEET situation for a long time. However, some of the young people that face certain disadvantages are more likely to be NEET longer. Variety of researches tend to define key characteristics of indicators to identify those at risk of becoming NEET and almost all of them point out education level, gender, ethnicity, social status and background, health problems etc. as part of those indicators.
NEET is a very loose umbrella term; it simply stands for young people ‘Not in Employment, Education or Training’. A person identified as NEET is either unemployed or economically inactive and is either looking for work or is inactive for reasons other than being a student or a carer at home.
NEET is a situation and not a characteristic of the young person. All of us at one point in our lives have been and will be NETT. That is normal in the job seeking process and sometimes last shortly but the key thing about a ‘real’ NEET situation is that it is involuntary and the person is stuck in it. Young people are heterogeneous group and not all of them are likely to be stuck in this NEET situation for a long time. However, some of the young people that face certain disadvantages are more likely to be NEET longer. Variety of researches tend to define key characteristics of indicators to identify those at risk of becoming NEET and almost all of them point out education level, gender, ethnicity, social status and background, health problems etc. as part of those indicators.
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Coaching? What is coaching?
A dynamic goal oriented relationship between at least 2 people where the coach supports and empowers the coachee to find their own way!
Coaching is caring, understanding, guiding, listening, and empowering young people…
Coaching helps young people to assess and address their needs, unleashes their potential and empowers them to take charge of their life. It is a low cost, high impact solution. Through coaching young people at risk of becoming NEET develop feelings of security andfeel as if someone takes care for them and is here to help and support them in their transition and access to rights, in overcoming the obstacles that they are facing. Coaching provides support in the development of professional and personal competences. It helps young people in setting goals, assessingand further developing oftheir potential, motivating themselves in realization of the set goals. During the coaching process young people are empowered todetecting opportunities and to engage themselves in education and/or trainings that further deepen their employability and make them stronger in the fight against labour market and social exclusion. The coach leads the young person in increasing their belief in themselves and creating a positive self – perception but also a positive perception of other people despite the differences. It can awaken young people’s will to participate in society and use their potential for the development of the community. One of the greatest values of coaching is in its ability to reduce inequalities among young people and to restore and demonstrate faith in humanity and solidarity, non-discrimination and respect for human dignity.
A dynamic goal oriented relationship between at least 2 people where the coach supports and empowers the coachee to find their own way!
Coaching is caring, understanding, guiding, listening, and empowering young people…
Coaching helps young people to assess and address their needs, unleashes their potential and empowers them to take charge of their life. It is a low cost, high impact solution. Through coaching young people at risk of becoming NEET develop feelings of security andfeel as if someone takes care for them and is here to help and support them in their transition and access to rights, in overcoming the obstacles that they are facing. Coaching provides support in the development of professional and personal competences. It helps young people in setting goals, assessingand further developing oftheir potential, motivating themselves in realization of the set goals. During the coaching process young people are empowered todetecting opportunities and to engage themselves in education and/or trainings that further deepen their employability and make them stronger in the fight against labour market and social exclusion. The coach leads the young person in increasing their belief in themselves and creating a positive self – perception but also a positive perception of other people despite the differences. It can awaken young people’s will to participate in society and use their potential for the development of the community. One of the greatest values of coaching is in its ability to reduce inequalities among young people and to restore and demonstrate faith in humanity and solidarity, non-discrimination and respect for human dignity.
The coach is your Wise Friend associative and warm, open, with softness, tenderness in the voice
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Ideal coach?
Being a coach is responsible, highly demanding profession, but it is also a life style, an expression of love for young people andthe will to dedicate one’s time and capacities in supporting youth to find their place in societies. The coach knows and understands young people and their needs, rights, behaviour, vulnerability, problems, support measures. (S)he is educated and trained social worker, psychologists, youth worker, family therapist, teacher, community worker … (S)e knows that every young person is unique and is able to appreciate their differences and treat them with respect and dignity. A coach knows how to communicate, to listen and observe what is not being said. (S)he understands and respects the dignity of young people, (s)he is caring, kind, calm, open-minded tolerant, empathic. The coach is a well-organized and demonstrates high management and leadership skills. The coach always values the needs ideas of the young people, and acts accordingly to those needs.
Being a coach is responsible, highly demanding profession, but it is also a life style, an expression of love for young people andthe will to dedicate one’s time and capacities in supporting youth to find their place in societies. The coach knows and understands young people and their needs, rights, behaviour, vulnerability, problems, support measures. (S)he is educated and trained social worker, psychologists, youth worker, family therapist, teacher, community worker … (S)e knows that every young person is unique and is able to appreciate their differences and treat them with respect and dignity. A coach knows how to communicate, to listen and observe what is not being said. (S)he understands and respects the dignity of young people, (s)he is caring, kind, calm, open-minded tolerant, empathic. The coach is a well-organized and demonstrates high management and leadership skills. The coach always values the needs ideas of the young people, and acts accordingly to those needs.
The flow of the coaching process:
Using the NEET characters that were created while getting to know the young people at risk of becoming NEET, participants had a chance to experience how a coaching process may look like in reality by simulating coaching. The flow that they experienced, explored, proposed techniques and tips and tricks included the following phases:
Using the NEET characters that were created while getting to know the young people at risk of becoming NEET, participants had a chance to experience how a coaching process may look like in reality by simulating coaching. The flow that they experienced, explored, proposed techniques and tips and tricks included the following phases:
Connecting with the coachee (the young people at risk of becoming NEETs)
The first, part of the coaching process is to actuallyconnect with the coachee. Meeting someone for the first time is always challenging, even for the best and the most experienced coaches. The first meeting can happen ifthe coach goes to the coachee, like in the situation of Luca and Sam, or if the coachee self initially or by someone’s recommendation go to the coach, like Emilia and Yoana did.
The first encounter is all aboutgetting to know each other and building relationship. It includes answering some questions like: Why did this meeting happen? (getting to know the problem(s))What do we know about the process? What do and should we expect to come out of it? What are our roles and responsibilities in the coaching process as well as our limits. This is the time to agreeand draft contract on future encounters, communication,cooperation and responsibility – a step that can simplify the process of keeping the contacts alive.
In order to achieve all this, the coach needs:
Assessing the needs and competences of the coachee (the young people at risk of becoming NEETs)
The coaching process addresses certain problems/needs that should be completely and thoroughly assessed and linked with assessed existing competences of the young person. The assessment happens through conversation, interviewing, observing the young person. By exchanging information, asking questions or using other tools like tests, sociometric scales, questionnaires, reading certificates and diplomas for finished education and trainings, grades, CVs letters of recommendations …. The coach identifies not just the needs but also young person’s hard and soft skills and desires.
What is next?
The coach and the coacheecan together make a list that includes: needs detected, existing competences as well as desired possible solutions to the problem and then discusses it in order to see if the existing competences are in line with the young person’s needs and desires and enough to overcome the risks and the problems or there is a need for further personal and professional improvements. The coach thanadvise on the methods or ways of possible further development of the listed needed competences.The list can be consulted and updated constantly throughout the process and can be a nice tool for evaluation of the success of the process.
Setting goals together with the coachee and motivating the coachee in achieving the set goals
Once we assessed the needs, competences and desired solutions to the young person’s problems it is time to set to goals and make the plan! The goals should be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time framed) or rewarding, realisable, relevant, rational…
The plan contains every step that will be undertaken by the coachee and the coach in the near précised future and that will lead to the desired goals.
Motivation
Motivating young people can be challenging for the coach. The young people at risk of becoming NEETs especially those that face certain disadvantages that might lead the young person to be stuck in the NEET situation for a long time, might be disappointed and scared to try out new things so to avoid facing the feeling of failure and negative reactions. Of course this is definitely not a characteristic for every young people in situations like that but it is good to be aware that the motivation requires knowing your coachee very well and experimenting with tips and trick so to keep him/her on the right track towards realization of the set goals
Possible motivation tips and tricks for coaches:
Networks and support systems
Coaching is a personal process that always relies on the nets that work
Network and support may prove to be very helpfulduring the coaching process. From one side personal networks and support systems like friends, family, relatives… might, as mentioned, be involved in motivating and supporting the young person in working hard towards the realization of his/hers dream, creating a positive image of him/herself and the future, regaining the trust in people and society, believing that a change is possible and when we can’t find the right job – we have strength to create it… but from the other hand the professional networks of different institutions, experts, NGOs, youth workers, social workers, psychologists, health workers…. might address some of the problems or needs of the young person and help in overcoming life obstacles. Networks can also help the coach in guiding the coaching process.
Staying in touch with the coachee
After a successful series of development sessions, updates and evaluations of the plan, links with other relevant actors who might support and assist the coaching process, the young person that was at risk of becoming NEET can end up either in education or training or as employed / self-employed citizen. This is the preferred, desired ending of the coaching process and now it is time to make a closure of this phase and possibly agree on how the coach and the coachee will stay in touch in the future,The ways of staying in touch will depend on the entire coaching process and the relationships build in the process, on the characteristics of the coach, the coachee and many other factors. However it is always good to create a strategy or a kind of a commitment for staying in touch and contacting from time to time and not only in situations of need.
The first, part of the coaching process is to actuallyconnect with the coachee. Meeting someone for the first time is always challenging, even for the best and the most experienced coaches. The first meeting can happen ifthe coach goes to the coachee, like in the situation of Luca and Sam, or if the coachee self initially or by someone’s recommendation go to the coach, like Emilia and Yoana did.
The first encounter is all aboutgetting to know each other and building relationship. It includes answering some questions like: Why did this meeting happen? (getting to know the problem(s))What do we know about the process? What do and should we expect to come out of it? What are our roles and responsibilities in the coaching process as well as our limits. This is the time to agreeand draft contract on future encounters, communication,cooperation and responsibility – a step that can simplify the process of keeping the contacts alive.
In order to achieve all this, the coach needs:
- to be a highly skilledcommunicator that knows how to communicate verbally and non-verbally;
- to observe;
- to listen actively, to guide the conversation taking into consideration everything that will be said or demonstrated by the coachee;
- to ask for clarifications, to summarize and rephrase things just to be sure (s)he’s got everything right;
- to be welcoming, open, honest and polite and make the coachee feel comfortable;
- to showunderstanding and empathy;
- to assure the coachee that (s)he can be trusted but at the same time to guarantee the protection of the information discussed with coachee;
- to focus on the positive side.
Assessing the needs and competences of the coachee (the young people at risk of becoming NEETs)
The coaching process addresses certain problems/needs that should be completely and thoroughly assessed and linked with assessed existing competences of the young person. The assessment happens through conversation, interviewing, observing the young person. By exchanging information, asking questions or using other tools like tests, sociometric scales, questionnaires, reading certificates and diplomas for finished education and trainings, grades, CVs letters of recommendations …. The coach identifies not just the needs but also young person’s hard and soft skills and desires.
What is next?
The coach and the coacheecan together make a list that includes: needs detected, existing competences as well as desired possible solutions to the problem and then discusses it in order to see if the existing competences are in line with the young person’s needs and desires and enough to overcome the risks and the problems or there is a need for further personal and professional improvements. The coach thanadvise on the methods or ways of possible further development of the listed needed competences.The list can be consulted and updated constantly throughout the process and can be a nice tool for evaluation of the success of the process.
Setting goals together with the coachee and motivating the coachee in achieving the set goals
Once we assessed the needs, competences and desired solutions to the young person’s problems it is time to set to goals and make the plan! The goals should be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time framed) or rewarding, realisable, relevant, rational…
The plan contains every step that will be undertaken by the coachee and the coach in the near précised future and that will lead to the desired goals.
Motivation
Motivating young people can be challenging for the coach. The young people at risk of becoming NEETs especially those that face certain disadvantages that might lead the young person to be stuck in the NEET situation for a long time, might be disappointed and scared to try out new things so to avoid facing the feeling of failure and negative reactions. Of course this is definitely not a characteristic for every young people in situations like that but it is good to be aware that the motivation requires knowing your coachee very well and experimenting with tips and trick so to keep him/her on the right track towards realization of the set goals
Possible motivation tips and tricks for coaches:
- Break the goals into smaller steps and celebrate smaller successes;
- Share experiences (personal stories that are publically available);
- Watch motivational videos or suggest the coachee to watchand discuss a movie with content that might influence the motivation of the coacheeto stay on the path towards achieving the goal no matter how hard it is;
- Praise the young person’s strong sides;
- Demonstrate commitment and motivation yourself
- Show that you believe in the young person
- Include the personal networks and support systems in motivating the young coachee
- Challenge the young person
Networks and support systems
Coaching is a personal process that always relies on the nets that work
Network and support may prove to be very helpfulduring the coaching process. From one side personal networks and support systems like friends, family, relatives… might, as mentioned, be involved in motivating and supporting the young person in working hard towards the realization of his/hers dream, creating a positive image of him/herself and the future, regaining the trust in people and society, believing that a change is possible and when we can’t find the right job – we have strength to create it… but from the other hand the professional networks of different institutions, experts, NGOs, youth workers, social workers, psychologists, health workers…. might address some of the problems or needs of the young person and help in overcoming life obstacles. Networks can also help the coach in guiding the coaching process.
Staying in touch with the coachee
After a successful series of development sessions, updates and evaluations of the plan, links with other relevant actors who might support and assist the coaching process, the young person that was at risk of becoming NEET can end up either in education or training or as employed / self-employed citizen. This is the preferred, desired ending of the coaching process and now it is time to make a closure of this phase and possibly agree on how the coach and the coachee will stay in touch in the future,The ways of staying in touch will depend on the entire coaching process and the relationships build in the process, on the characteristics of the coach, the coachee and many other factors. However it is always good to create a strategy or a kind of a commitment for staying in touch and contacting from time to time and not only in situations of need.
Online coaching
Online tools can be used to help the coaching process with a coachee or to help the coachitself. Social platforms, chatting applications, research engines can find a place in almost every step of the coaching process.
When working with young people that have access to internet it is recommended to use the online channels to: get to know each other, meet, stay connected, explore information related to the desired jobs of the coachee or existing online information about the competences that needs to be developed, search, recommend and possibly enrol in online courses, build online identity on job searching platforms that might support the job search process, and create links, networks and support systems with different stakeholders. Even though it is recommended the online coaching should not replace the one – on – one face to face coaching.
The online channels can also be used by the coach for constant professional development and networking with colleagues that will act as coach’s support system and motivation platform or a valuable resource of answers to the challenges in the coaching process.
Wan to experience coaching online? Make an appointment with our coaches _ list of names and skype account (to be created)
Coaching includes combination of actions, knowledge and skills that are at the disposal of a coach. The decision however to use one or another of the methods identified in helping young people depends on the experience and competencies of the coach as well as the preferences of the young person to be coached.
Limits and responsibilities
Boundaries.like laws and rules, help keep our lives from being chaotic or even at risk. The coach need personal and professional boundaries and related to that our participants discussed coaching limits and responsibilities and detected what should not happen in the coaching process:
Good feedback VS bad feedback
During the coaching process it is important that the coach receives a feedback on his/hers work in order to see if (s)he is doing the right thing, if things can be done better, to self-motivate etc. The participants discussed the good VS bad feedback that can be received by the coach for his/hers work and the influence that has on the coach:
Online tools can be used to help the coaching process with a coachee or to help the coachitself. Social platforms, chatting applications, research engines can find a place in almost every step of the coaching process.
When working with young people that have access to internet it is recommended to use the online channels to: get to know each other, meet, stay connected, explore information related to the desired jobs of the coachee or existing online information about the competences that needs to be developed, search, recommend and possibly enrol in online courses, build online identity on job searching platforms that might support the job search process, and create links, networks and support systems with different stakeholders. Even though it is recommended the online coaching should not replace the one – on – one face to face coaching.
The online channels can also be used by the coach for constant professional development and networking with colleagues that will act as coach’s support system and motivation platform or a valuable resource of answers to the challenges in the coaching process.
Wan to experience coaching online? Make an appointment with our coaches _ list of names and skype account (to be created)
Coaching includes combination of actions, knowledge and skills that are at the disposal of a coach. The decision however to use one or another of the methods identified in helping young people depends on the experience and competencies of the coach as well as the preferences of the young person to be coached.
Limits and responsibilities
Boundaries.like laws and rules, help keep our lives from being chaotic or even at risk. The coach need personal and professional boundaries and related to that our participants discussed coaching limits and responsibilities and detected what should not happen in the coaching process:
- Promising more than what you can achieve
- Misleading the coachee
- Gossiping about coachiee situation with friends
- Lie to the coachee
- Discriminate and don’t respect the young coachee
- Judge and label the young person
- Becoming too much of a friend and loosing authority
- Seducing or being seduced by the coachee
- Change roles – brag about the problems of the coach instead of the problems of the coachee
- Not setting communication boundaries
- Letting coaching affect the personal life
- Being over empathic and carried away by the coachee emotions and situation
- Being to authoritative and directive
- Don’t practice what you preach
- Be constantly available
- Don’t ask for help when you need help
- Act like other professional (a therapist, a psychiatrist, a social worker … )
- Compare coahee’s e experience with your own
Good feedback VS bad feedback
During the coaching process it is important that the coach receives a feedback on his/hers work in order to see if (s)he is doing the right thing, if things can be done better, to self-motivate etc. The participants discussed the good VS bad feedback that can be received by the coach for his/hers work and the influence that has on the coach:
Bad Feedback
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Good Feedback
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