Granted Funding of 2.3 Million Euros by the Cariplo Foundation to Neet
Fondazione Cariplo, a prominent Italian philanthropic organisation, has launched a significant new initiative called "Neetwork in Rete" with a €2.3 million budget. The aim of this call is to support local realities in engaging vulnerable NEET (Neither in Education, Employment, or Training) individuals for their insertion into the labor market or re-engagement in education.
The issue of NEET youth is a pressing one in Italy, with over 2 million young people falling into this category. According to Eurostat data from the end of 2022, in 2020, 1 in 4 young people in Italy was neither studying nor working. Italy is among the European countries with the highest percentage of NEET, with around 25% of young people being NEET in 2020.
Fondazione Cariplo is particularly focused on helping the most vulnerable NEET, who are at risk of being a loss of talent for the country. This group often includes young women, those from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, and those with lower-than-average skills and soft skills. Special focus is on NEET aged 18-29 with a maximum of a vocational qualification, who have been unemployed for at least 3 months, and those who leave the education system prematurely.
The goal of Neetwork in Rete is to support work insertion and, where possible, re-engagement in education for the most at-risk NEET. The call encourages the creation of alliances and networks on the ground to approach the issue in an innovative, integrated, and multidisciplinary way. The initiative aims to boost self-esteem, motivation, and employability of the targeted NEET.
In addition to Neetwork in Rete, several initiatives in Italy are already working to address the high number of NEET youth, especially among the most vulnerable groups. For instance, the EuMove project promotes social and labor market inclusion of young people through education and training investments, particularly in areas with very high NEET rates such as Southern Italy.
The COPE project supports NEET young people aged 15–34 via a person-centered and community-based approach, indicating innovative social support strategies in Italy and Portugal. The Torino Climate Change Youth Forum, which includes vulnerable groups such as NEETs, integrates social and environmental engagement to empower youth.
National and regional policies also play a crucial role in addressing the NEET issue. Events such as the May 2025 Policy Learning Platform workshop focus on preventing early school leaving and reintegrating NEET youth into education or employment. These highlight strategic and pragmatic interventions aimed at decreasing vulnerability and social exclusion.
Overall, the approach in Italy underscores the critical need for personalized, inclusive, and multidimensional strategies combining education, training, social innovation, and community engagement to tackle the persistent NEET challenge effectively, especially in Southern regions with the highest rates.
- The Fondazione Cariplo's initiative, Neetwork in Rete, is aiming to promote personal growth and education-and-self-development among vulnerable NEET individuals, by providing support for their work insertion or re-engagement in education.
- As part of a broader effort to combat the high number of NEET youth in Italy, the Fondazione Cariplo's initiative is focused on boosting the employability and self-esteem of at-risk NEET individuals, while encouraging innovative, integrated, and multidisciplinary approaches to tackling this persistent challenge, particularly in southern regions.
