'Resource and Recommendation Guide'

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‘Resource and Recommendation Guide’ "ESPY - Experimentation on Social Policy for Youth

AWARDING AUTHORITY Regional Development Fund of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace

Table of Contents 1 ESPY Project - Experimentation on Social Policy for Youth ...... 3 2 "Resource and Recommendation Guide" ...... 6 3 Literature Review ...... 8 4 School Drop-Out / Early School Abandonment in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace ...... 16 4.1 Research Tools ...... 16 4.2 Research Results ...... 19 4.2.1 Secondary data ...... 19 4.2.2 Quantitative study of young people aged 15-25 ...... 35 4.2.3 Qualitative study (focus group) of educators and instructors ...... 40 5 Youth Employment and Unemployment in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace ...... 42 5.1 Research Tools ...... 42 5.2 Research Questions ...... 44 5.3 Research Results ...... 45 5.3.1 Secondary data ...... 45 5.3.2 Quantitative study of young people aged 15-25 ...... 53 5.3.3 Qualitative study (in-depth interviews) of representatives of institutions dealing with youth employment and unemployment issues in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace ...... 75 6 Bodies / Institutions dealing with youth Employment / Unemployment issues in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace ...... 80 6.1 Manpower Employment Organization [M.E.O.-OAED]...... 80 6.2 Counselling & Vocational Guidance Centers ...... 82 6.3 Career Office - Democritus University of Thrace ...... 84 6.4 Career Office - Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Institute of Technology ...... 86 6.5 Europe Direct - Xanthi ...... 87 6.6 Europe Direct - Komotini ...... 89 6.7 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Unit - Democritus University of Thrace ...... 91 6.8 Institute of Labour of the General Confederation of Greek Workers (INE GSEE) of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace ...... 90 7 Recommendations for initiatives on combating youth unemployment and school drop-out... 93 7.1 Increase of Employability and Training of Young People in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace .. 93 7.2 Preventing and Combating Early School Abandonment ...... 96 8 Final conclusions - Recommendations by ESPY Project ...... 98 8.1 Suggestions and Recommendations for combating premature school abandonment in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace ...... 98 8.2 Suggestions and Recommendations for Combating Youth Unemployment in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace ...... 102 9 Evaluation - Feedback on the" Malaga Experiment" ...... 105 9.1 Introductory remarks ...... 105

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9.2 Communication and Coordination Improvement between Schools and Social Services ...... 108 9.3 Initiatives Involving the Families ...... 110 9.4 Areas of Innovation Spaces for Professionals ...... 111 9.5 Dual Internship System ...... 112 9.5.1 Dual internship system interventions ...... 112 9.5.2 The dimension of intervention sector selection...... 117 9.6 Capacity Building Pathways ...... 119 9.7 Training in Management, Management Practices and Marketing and Business Support Service Initiatives for Youth...... 120 9.8 "Work Experience" ...... 122 9.9 Job Club ...... 124 9.10 Participation Workshops ...... 125 9.11 “Optimistic Youth” Meeting ...... 127 9.12 Training and communication 2.0: Acquaintance with social networks for training and employment ...... 128 9.13 Evaluating Elements of the " Malaga Experiment" ...... 130 9.14 Some concluding remarks ...... 134

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1 ESPY Project – Experimentation on Social Policy for Youth

The main objective of ESPY project is to develop, test, disseminate and implement pilot innovative actions concerning employability of young people, with a view to reducing youth unemployment and social exclusion, in particular of young people living in rural, remote and underprivileged areas. To this end, the Project will be following a holistic approach aiming at adopting new social programmes and policies. The specific objectives are summarized as follows:

Consolidating a multidimensional and holistic approach between the project partners, regarding Social and Educational Policy as well as Employment and Young people. Establishment of local councils by local authorities (social partners, non- governmental organizations, representatives of civil society, beneficiary groups, etc.) so as to combat youth unemployment through their participation in various actions that include representatives of both sexes. Promoting innovative and creative measures to tackle the rising youth unemployment rates, so that young people be fully informed about the new social challenges. Implementing and evaluating small interventions that are to be developed in rural areas of Malaga (Spain) in collaboration with local authorities, with the view to improving the social and employment situation of young people 15 to 24 years old. Ensuring mutual training, dissemination and capitalization on results at a transnational level, as well as replicating successful models in the regions of the other EU partners.

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Promoting the exchange of experiences and know-how for assessing the project impact on a national level. Creating social policy recommendations regarding the successful experiences gained through the project and their adaptation to new strategic policies for Youth Opportunities.

The project is structured in five individual Work Packages (WP). The first Work Packages focus on the implementation and testing of a small-scale social experiment, which primarily focuses on the testing of a social model. This model focuses on three levels of intervention: training, employment and an innovative methodology on the socio-educational development of young people. WP3 focuses on the evaluation of the social experiment, conducted by the County Council of Malaga along with the University of Malaga, by the other project partners, while WP4 focuses on capitalizing the feedback results among the partners in order to inform the stakeholders at a regional level. WP5 is about communication and dissemination of the project actions and results.

The following partners are responsible for implementing the ESPY Project:

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LP: Malaga County Council (Spain)

P1: Tipperary County Council (Ireland)

P2: University of Malaga (Spain)

P3: Regional Development Fund of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (G )

P4: Regional Social Welfare Resource Centre Budapest (Hungary)

P5: Social Work Association (Hungary)

P6: Province of Syracuse (Italy)

P7: Alentejo Regional Development Agency, S.A. (Portugal)

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2 "Resource and Recommendation Guide"

In drawing up the Resource and Recommendation Guide and the feedback on the “Malaga Experiment", all the required research was carried out. The Resource and Recommendation Guide contains in detail the documenting of the current situation regarding early school leaving and youth unemployment in the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the description of local resources and the tools offered by key agents (employment, social policy, youth and education/training fields) for reducing and preventing youth unemployment and early school abandonment.

The Resource and Recommendation Guide mainly aims at turning all the above information and primary / secondary data into a channel for providing information to those key actors involved in dropout issues and youth unemployment and publicizing the project and its goals as broadly as possible.

While drafting the Resource and Recommendation Guide, the current situation of youth unemployment and school dropout in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace was analysed, as well as the financing tools and programmes which exist with the view to combating and effectively managing the above issues, while suggestions / recommendations for the implementation of policies at a local level were collected and assessed in order to address the issues of youth unemployment and early school abandonment.

Finally, as an independent chapter of the "Resource and Recommendation Guide", a specific section with evaluation and feedback on the so-called “Malaga Experiment" was included, based on the findings and results report/ evaluation report of this social policy experiment of the ESPY Project "Experimentation on Social Policy for Youth", which was designed and implemented by the

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University of Malaga in collaboration with the County Council of Malaga in Spain.

It should be noted that the information and the views contained in this "Resource and Recommendation Guide" do not necessarily reflect the position or the views of the European Commission.

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3 Literature Review

3.1 Early School abandonment

Nowadays, one of the most striking issues in education is school dropout. It is a global phenomenon that stems mainly from the social inequalities among students and the interaction between school and family.

In education terms the expression "dropout" refers to young people who have not completed their education as defined by the norm, that is compulsory education (Alimisis, Gavriliadi, Papadopoulou, & Provata, 2007). It is quite a common scenario in primary, secondary and tertiary (higher) education for students to leave school, university or a technological educational institute; this may come as a result of either school failure or problems within the student’s family (Greek Pedagogical Institute, 2006). Factors such as the poor student performance, gender, nationality, place of residence etc., are closely linked to student loss. Furthermore, the socio-economic status of the students’ families and the relationships they create within the school environment contribute to creating early school leavers (Alimisis et al., 2007). The dropout factors, therefore, are divided into two groups: those associated with the family and social environment of the student, in particular the low socio-economic status of the family, different race, ethnic origin etc. and those related to the student’s school environment, such as poor school performance, poor attendance records, conflicts with peers etc. (Greek Pedagogical Institute, 2006).

However, early school abandonment is quite often evident in cases of minorities living in remote areas. For such people, conditions are even more difficult as they face social exclusion from both society and school that are not

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accepted simply because they are ‘different’. These students may be either Muslims, refugees or Roma descent etc. and they are often subjected to school racism, which leads them to dropping out of school. Therefore, it would be both appropriate and necessary to investigate the situation prevailing within the minority groups of Muslims in Thrace, with regard to dropout and how extended it is, since their participation in education has been on the rise during the last fifteen years. (Newsit, 2013).

The Muslim minority of Thrace constitutes the only recognized minority in Greece. It came into existence when the Muslims of Western Thrace were exempt from the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey under the Treaty of Lausanne. The minority is composed of three ethnic sub-groups: a) those of Turkish origin (Turks), b) Pomaks and c) Gypsies (Roma), (Dimasi, Papastamatis, & Stogios, 2011). The Ministry of Education has successfully put into practice a programme with a curriculum suitable for Muslim students that will facilitate their integration with the other schools in the country. More specifically, the Ministry published new textbooks and produced new educational material for the teaching of the Greek language in minority schools, it trained the teachers, it conducted research programmes on the educational status and the specific characteristics of the minority and finally, it organised a number of conferences of particular significance for the local community (Kogkidou, Tressou, & Tsiakalos, 1997).

Both research conducted by Skoumpourdi, Kafousi (2006) and two groups of the Greek Pedagogical Institute (1993), (2000) respectively, held in secondary schools across the country, as well as the research of the Cyprus Research Centre (2003) in secondary schools in Cyprus, studied the phenomenon of school abandonment in different contexts. However, they did not include minority areas. A similar situation was observed in a study conducted by the

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Vienna University of Technology (2010) on the University’s students and the students of a school in Spain (2015) regarding school leavers who were led to school abandonment during 2013-2014. Finally, a study by Edona Begu (2014) examined the trends of early school abandonment in Kosovo.

What though in the case of minorities? School attendance of children that belong to minorities, despite the coordinated efforts that have recently been made by key factors, is characterized by absenteeism and rather low school attendance in preschool education, low enrolment rates in primary education, participation in the educational process at an older age, discontinuation prior to even completing compulsory education and poor achievement by compared to the overall student population, which does not belong to minority groups. (Dimasi et al., 2011).

With regarding to gender of the students, empirical studies have shown that most students leaving secondary education are boys. This phenomenon is explained by several researchers, who argue that boys are mainly interested in financial security and, therefore, they are more likely to leave school earlier as they want to join the labour market, while girls are more interested in ensuring more free time and, thus, they opt for professions which can offer them this liberty and which require a higher level of education. (Palaiokrasas, Rouseas & Vretakou, 1994). When it comes to origin, several empirical studies show that the majority of students leaving secondary school are indigenous, while the percentage of foreign and minority school leavers is quite significant also (Liambas, and Tourtouras, 2007). In minorities, the 'gender' factor in correlation with early school leaving, is totally different from what applies to indigenous students, as stereotypes and perceptions that lead girls to leaving school and start a family is what prevails (Dimasi et al., 2001).

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In a broader context, all the different reports laid down by Skoumpourdi, Kafousi (2006) and the Greek Pedagogical Institute (2000) regarding the student population have helped in studying the most important following factors which increase the risk of early school abandonment:

Low socio-economic and/or level of educational of the family Specific ethnic – social – religious groups (immigrants, foreigners, repatriated / Roma) Vulnerable groups, such as the disabled, students with special educational needs or learning disabilities Gender Local conditions (geographical – social – economic – cultural)

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3.2 Youth Employability

At times, various economists have coined definitions for unemployment. Mr. A. Dedousopoulos ("Unemployment Theories", Typothito Publications, 2000 Volume 1), believes that unemployment becoming significant in so far as guaranteeing a post of paid employment is the only or the most significant possibility for people to acquire the necessary resources (income) that would allow them to survive, that is from the moment that the guaranteed income in the form of salary becomes a crucial, if not a decisive factor of the biological and social reproduction of employees.

Another theory, according to Mr. G. Agapitos ("New Macroeconomics & Rational Business Decisions”2004, Stamoulis Publications), defines unemployment as a socio-economic phenomenon, where there is excessive offer of labour, that is supply is greater than demand.

To better understand unemployment, it is important to draw a distinction between the economically active and the economically inactive population. The economically active population consists of those people who are able to work and who also want to work; therefore, these people constitute the workforce of a country. People who are unable to work due to health reasons or age restrictions (elderly, children) or due to military service do not belong to the category of ‘workforce’. The economically inactive population of a country consists of those people who, while they can find a job, do not want to work. The work force is divided into two categories: those who work and are called employed and those who do not work and are called unemployed. Therefore, the workforce is the total of employed and unemployed people and includes people who can and want to work. According to the general definitions of

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macroeconomic theory, unemployment is a condition of an individual, who, despite being capable, willing and available, cannot find work. In the international literature of economics, there is the term "inactivity", which is in contrast with the term unemployment, since inactive is someone who does not want to work, therefore they belong to the economically inactive population. Consequently, there are some people who are between inactivity and unemployment because they have given up on job-search. The unemployed are different from the inactive who have never sought any kind of work or have given up searching (Xanthi Petrinioti, 1990, "Labour markets" Papazisis Publications).

Besides the financial rewards that it offers to people, and especially to young people, work creates a feeling of security, satisfaction and independence. On the contrary, not finding a job or losing one creates social exclusion and has a significant impact on the psychological health of the individual, while it also slows down the social welfare and development of a country. Despite the fact that a person's behaviour is influenced by the nature and the traits of the job, which means that many people are not happy with the work they are doing, the unemployed exhibit a far worse mental health.

The adverse conditions a person may find themselves in, due to unemployment. vary by population group, geographical area and gender. According to research, women suffer lower levels of anxiety and depression, because of the multitude of roles they undertake daily. When it comes to an unemployed woman, she is often under pressure from their family to return to her traditional role as a housewife (Georgios D. Skoutelis "Unemployment: Causes and Solutions", 1996). Younger age groups experience unemployment more defensively, exhibiting aggression and violent behaviour. On the contrary, older people

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manage to approach the problem with a calm mind and adopt a more mature attitude.

Findings of a study conducted in the Social and Applied Psychology Unit, University of Sheffield by P. Warr, revealed some of the mental impacts of unemployment on an individual. Some of these are: fewer opportunities for interpersonal contact, less variety in life, uncertainty about the future, lower social esteem, less power and prestige. Thus, an unemployed person suffers from poor mental health, which leads to anxiety, poignancy and depression (D. Katsoridas, G. Lechouritis, Text of General Confederation of Greek Workers – Civil Servants’ Confederation [GSEE-ADEDY] "The social and psychological consequences of unemployment").

Poverty and social exclusion are phenomena that depend directly on unemployment. Ruth Levitas distinguishes these two concepts [poverty and social exclusion], arguing that the former pertains mainly to the lack of resources, while the latter concerns mainly rights and relations (Levitas, “Community Utopia and New Labour”, Local Economy, 2000, pp. 188-197). The European Union links social exclusion to unemployment and considers employment as the most effective way for someone to integrate socially. Nevertheless, there has been a lot of criticism on the notion of linking social exclusion solely with the labour market. More specifically, it has been argued that social exclusion is a multidimensional concept, which each person experiences in a different way and which brings about social exclusion, even within workplaces.

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References International References 1) Edona Begu, (2014), Female School Dropout: Gender Differences in Student’s School Retention. 2) Günther, Ε. & Köszegi, S. (2010). Gender Counts: Analysis of Student Dropout at Vienna University of Technology. 3) Levitas, "Community utopia and new labour", Local Economy, 2000, σελ.188-197 Greek References 1) Agapitos, G. “New Macroeconomics and Rational Business Decisions”, 2004, Stamoulis Publications. 2) Alimisis D. & Gavriliadi G. & Papadopoulou P. & Provata A. (2007), Prevention of early school abandonment. Report on the national situation. 3) Dedousopoulos “Unemployment Theories”, Typothito Publications, 2000, Vol.1 4) Efthimiou E. & Tsouris H. (2003). Early school abandonment in the Educational System of Cyprus in 1999-2000, 2000-2001, 2001-2002. 5) Kogkidou D., Tressou E. & Tsiakalos G., (1997), Social Exclusion and Education. The case of language minorities in West Thessaloniki. 6) Liambas T. – Tourtouras Ch. (2007) “Educational exclusion of repatriates and immigrant students in Unified Senior High Schools and Technical Vocational Schools of the Prefecture of Thessaloniki” 7) Greek Pedagogical Institute (2006), Early School abandonment in Secondary Education (Junior High School, Unified Senior High School, Technical Vocational Schools), Athens 8) Greek Pedagogical Institute, (2000). School drop-out in Junior High School, Athens 9) Palaiokrasas S., Rouseas P. & Vretakou V. (1994). Early school abandonment in Junior High School in Greece: Quantitative and qualitative data. 10) Petrinioti Xanthi, 1990, “Labor Markets”, Papazisis Publications 11) Skoumpourdi H. & Kafousi S. (2006). School abandonment in relation with students’ gender and school performance. 12) Skoutelis D. Georgios, “Unemployment: Causes and Solutions”, 1996 Online References http://www.newsit.gr/topikes-eidhseis/Ayksanontai-oi-moysoylmanoi-mathites-tis-THrakis-se- oles-tis-vathmides-ekpaideysis-/186527

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4 School Drop-Out / Early School Abandonment in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace

4.1 Research Tools For the recording of quantitative and qualitative data of the school drop-out / early school abandonment in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, both primary and secondary data were used. In particular:

Primary Data:

To collect primary data regarding the school drop-out / early school abandonment, quantitative and qualitative field research was conducted in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. i The quantitative research was conducted among 250 young people aged 15 to 25 years, residents of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, proportionally distributed in 5 Regional Units based on their respective population census data by the Hellenic Statistical Authority [ELSTAT] 2011, through telephone interviews conducted with CATI system (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing). i The qualitative research included: Two focus groups meetings in Xanthi and Kavala, with the participation of School Principals and Teachers of General (Unified) and Vocational Senior High Schools, as well as members of the Secondary Education. It should be noted that the research focused on the school drop-out / early school abandonment in Secondary Education and, more specifically, at Senior High School level,

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based on ESPY standards and its focus on the specific age group (young people between 15-25 years of age). In-depth interviews with Senior High School Principals in schools with special features (remote areas in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, schools in areas with minorities, Vocational Senior High Schools etc.) and with members of the Secondary Education.

Note: The total recording of quantitative and qualitative data of the school drop- out / early school abandonment requires investigation of the relative data principally in primary education and secondary education (junior high school, where the problem is mainly occurring), as well as use of other research tools, such as face-to-face interviews with parents of students under 15 years of age and parents that belong to minority groups, so that the subject could be covered more adequately. The use of such research methods entails a different approach and focus on this phenomenon, which is outside the scope of this particular ESPY project, thus, it requires different planning and clearly a greater allocation of resources for its implementation.

Secondary Data:

For the collection and processing of the secondary data, various resources were used, such as the census and the research carried out by the Hellenic Statistical Authority [ELSTAT], the Manpower Employment Organization [OAED], the Directorates of Primary and Secondary Education of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the Career Services Offices of the Universities and the Technological Educational Institutes of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the Career Guidance and Counselling Centres of the local Directorates of Secondary Education etc.

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Research questions

The research (primary and secondary) carried out as part of the ESPY Project in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace aimed at recording the basic quantitative data and the quality features of the phenomena of school drop-out / early school abandonment, emphasizing on Secondary Education (Senior High School). More specifically, the objectives of the research include the following:

General overview of school drop-out / early school abandonment at any level of education in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Identification of the main quantity and quality features of school drop-out / early school abandonment in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, especially in Secondary Education (Senior High School), emphasizing on areas with the highest occurrence of the problem and more specifically in areas of a semi- rural nature, Recording and general assessment of the current structures / tools / programmes that are applied to monitor and prevent school drop-out / early school abandonment in Secondary Education (Senior High School) in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Recording of practices successfully applied to Eastern Macedonia and Thrace to prevent and cope with school drop-out / early school abandonment, Monitoring the special features and the necessary adjustments for the effective implementation of the Malaga Experiment in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace in the future.

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4.2 Research Results

4.2.1 Secondary Data Data relating to school drop-out and unemployment of young people aged 15 to 25 years is studied, as part of the ESPY Project, so as far as school population of this age group is concerned, the emphasis has been put on Senior High School students.

According to the latest comprehensive data (school year 2013-2014) by the Hellenic Statistical Authority [ELSTAT] on Senior High Schools, the student population of the country's Senior High Schools and its distribution by region, by Regional Unit and by class (grade) in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace and by gender, in absolute figures, is shown at the table below: (Source: ELSTAT, Unified Senior High Schools (school population, units, personnel), Data from the beginning of the School Year 2013 - 2014, http: //www .statistics.gr/el/statistics/-/publication/SED23/2013).

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Total Number of Region Male Female Students GREECE TOTAL 243.453 114.814 128.639 EASTERN MACEDONIA & THRACE 12.223 5.577 6.646 GRADE A 4.364 2.020 2.344 GRADE B 3.904 1.781 2.123 GRADE C 3.907 1.745 2.162 GRADE D 48 31 17 PREFECTURE of DRAMA 2.222 997 1.225 GRADE A 745 363 382 GRADE B 750 335 415 GRADE C 716 288 428 GRADE D 11 11 0 PREFECTURE of KAVALA 3.036 1.428 1.608 GRADE A 1.095 502 593 GRADE B 964 474 490 GRADE C 977 452 525 GRADE D 0 0 0 PREFECTURE of EVROS 2.538 1.166 1.372 GRADE A 920 432 488 GRADE B 769 346 423 GRADE C 826 376 450 GRADE D 23 12 11 PREFECTURE of XANTHI 2.281 1.052 1.229 GRADE A 816 380 436 GRADE B 746 342 404 GRADE C 705 322 383 GRADE D 14 8 6 PREFECTURE of RODOPE 2.146 934 1.212 GRADE A 788 343 445 GRADE B 675 284 391 GRADE C 683 307 376 GRADE D 0 0 0 CENTRAL MACEDONIA 43.995 20.534 23.461 WEST MACEDONIA 6.878 3.112 3.766 THESSALY 15.457 7.066 8.391 EPIRUS 7.605 3.548 4.057 IONIAN ISLANDS 5.179 2.415 2.764 WESTERN GREECE 15.672 7.266 8.406 CENTRAL GREECE 12.125 5.818 6.307 PELOPONNESE 12.752 5.895 6.857 ATTICA 85.301 41.566 43.735 NORTHERN AEGEAN 3.892 1.765 2.127 SOUTHERN AEGEAN 7.393 3.401 3.992 CRETE 14.981 6.851 8.130

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Based on the above table, the proportionate distribution of the Senior High School student population by region is shown in the chart below. 5,0% of the students of the country studies in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (it should be noted that Eastern Macedonia and Thrace accounts for 5,6% of the country’s total resident population, according to census data by ELSTAT. 2011 Source: ELSTAT. 2011, http://www.statistics.gr/el/2011-census-pop-hous).

Nationwide distribution of senior high schools students (by Region) SOUTHERN EAST AEGEAN CRETE MACEDONIA & NORTHERN 3,0% 6,2% THRACE 5,0% CENTRAL AEGEAN MACEDONIA 1,6% 18,1% WEST MACEDONIA 2,8% THESSALY 6,3% ATTICA 35,0% EPIRUS 3,1%

WESTERN IONIAN CENTRAL PELOPONNESE GREECE ISLANDS GREECE 5,2% 6,4% 2,1% 5,0%

The data by ELSTAT on Senior High School students also shows that in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace the proportion of girls in Senior High School is much higher than it is nationwide. The distribution, however, of the Senior High School students by grade generally follows the corresponding distribution nationwide.

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Distribution of senior high schools students (by gender) ΠανελλαδικάNationwide EasternΑνατολική Macedonia Μακεδονία and Thrace & Θράκη

54,4% 52,8%

47,2% 45,6%

ΑγόριαMale Κορίτσια Female

Distribution of senior high schools students (by grade)

ΤάξηGrade Α A ΤάξηGrade Β B GradeΤάξη ΓC GradeΤάξη ΔD

ΑνατολικήEastern Μακεδονία Macedonia and& Θράκη Thrace 35,7% 31,9% 32,0% 0,4%

ΠανελλαδικάNationwide 34,5% 32,8% 32,2% 0,6%

The distribution of Senior High School students by Regional Unit in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace shows that an over-concentration of Senior High School students has been recorded in the regional units of Drama, Kavala and Xanthi

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compared with the corresponding distribution of the resident population census of 2011 (18,2% vs. 16,2%, 24,8% versus 22,8% and 18,7% vs. 18,% respectively), while on the other hand a sub-concentration of Senior High School students is clearly evident in the regional units of Evros (20,8% compared to the resident population of 24,3%) and of Rodopi (17,6% vs. 18,4%).

Distribution of senior high schools students in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (by Regional Unit)

PREFECTURE of PREFECTURE of RODOPE DRAMA 17,6% 18,2%

PREFECTURE of XANTHI PREFECTURE of 18,7% KAVALA 24,8%

PREFECTURE of EVROS 20,8%

Distribution of Resident Population in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (Source: Population and Housing Census 2011, Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), http://www.statistics.gr/el/2011-census-pop-hous) Regional Unit of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Percentage % Regional Unit of Drama 16,2% Regional Unit of Kavala (including the Regional Unit of Thassos) 22,8% Regional Unit of Evros 24,3% Regional Unit of Xanthi 18,3% Regional Unit of Rodopi 18,4%

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Based on the processing of ELSTAT data on the number of Senior High School students at the beginning of the school year 2013 - 2014 and the number of Senior High School students that left school for whatever reason during school year 2013 - 2014

(Source: ELSTAT, www.statistics.gr,http://www.statistics.gr/el/statistics/- /publication/SED23/ 2013), the conclusions are as follows: i The drop-out rate from Senior High Schools nationwide is 2,01%, with the boys constituting mainly the majority (2,40% vs. 1,66% for girls). Eastern Macedonia and Thrace presents a similar picture, however, the drop-out rate is lower in overall terms (1,85%), with boys holding the highest drop- out rate once more (2,21% vs. 1,55% for girls).

Senior High School Abandonment (2013 - 2014) (school leavers during the year)

2,40% 2,01% 1,66%

TOTALΣΥΝΟΛΟ NUMBER ΜΑΘΗΤΩΝ OF SENIOR MALEΑΓΟΡΙΑ ΚΟΡΙΤΣΙΑFEMALE HIGH SCHOOLΛΥΚΕΙΟΥ STUDENTS

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Senior High School Abandonment in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (2013 - 2014) (school leavers during the year) 2,21% 1,85% 1,55%

TOTALΣΥΝΟΛΟ NUMBER ΜΑΘΗΤΩΝ OF SENIOR MALEΑΓΟΡΙΑ FEMALE ΚΟΡΙΤΣΙΑ HIGH SCHOOLΛΥΚΕΙΟΥ STUDENTS

i Compared with other regions of the country, early school abandonment in Senior High Schools in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace is relatively low (1,85% versus 2,01% in the whole of the country) and ranks 9th among the country’s regions (out of 13). The highest rate is in Central Greece (4,09%), while the lowest is in the region of Epirus (1,13%).

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Senior High School Abandonment in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (2013 - 2014) (school leavers during the year)

NATIONALΣΥΝΟΛΟ TOTALΧΩΡΑΣ 2,01%

ΙΟΝΙΑ IONIANΝΗΣΙΑ ISLANDS 4,09%

ΣΤΕΡΕΑ ΕΛΛΑΔΑCENTRAL GREECE 2,97%

ΠΕΛΟΠΟΝΝΗΣΟΣPELOPONNESE 2,62%

ΚΡΗΤΗ CRETE 2,46%

ΔΥΤΙΚΗ WESTERNΕΛΛΑΔΑ GREECE 2,41%

ΝΟΤΙΟSOUTHERN ΑΙΓΑΙΟ AEGEAN 2,34% ATTICA ΑΤΤΙΚΗ 2,03% NORTHERN AEGEAN ΒΟΡΕΙΟ ΑΙΓΑΙΟ 1,88% EASTERN MACEDONIA AND THRACE ΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΚΗ ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΘΡΑΚΗ 1,85% WEST MACEDONIA ΔΥΤΙΚΗ ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ 1,56% CENTRAL MACEDONIA ΚΕΝΤΡΙΚΗ ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ 1,51% THESSALY ΘΕΣΣΑΛΙΑ 1,16% EPIRUS ΗΠΕΙΡΟΣ 1,13%

i As regards the grade (class), both in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace and nationwide, the highest drop-out rate from Senior High School students, is reported in Grade D of the Evening Senior High School (13,75% nationwide and 20,83% in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace), although it should be noted that the students of this grade in the evening schools constitute a very small percentage of the total number of Senior High School students (0,6% nationwide and 0,4% in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace). Moreover, the highest drop-out rate in Senior High School is found (both nationwide and in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace) in Grade A (2,55% and 2,57% respectively) and decreases in the next grades (1,93% and 1,46 % in Grade B, 1,30% and 1,20% in Grade C).

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Senior High School Abandonment (2013 - 2014) (school leavers during the year)

GRADEΤΑΞΗ Δ΄D 13,75%

GRADEΤΑΞΗ CΓ΄ 1,30%

GRADEΤΑΞΗ Β΄B 1,93%

GRADEΤΑΞΗ Α΄A 2,55%

ΣΥΝΟΛΟTOTAL NUMBER ΜΑΘΗΤΩΝ OF SENIORΛΥΚΕΙΩΝ 2,01% HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Senior High School Leaving in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (2013 - 2014) (school leavers during the year)

GRADE ΤΑΞΗ D Δ΄ 20,83%

GRADE ΤΑΞΗ C Γ΄ 1,20%

GRADE ΤΑΞΗ B Β΄ 1,46%

GRADE ΤΑΞΗ A Α΄ 2,57%

TOTAL NUMBER OF SENIOR HIGH ΣΥΝΟΛΟSCHOOL ΜΑΘΗΤΩΝ STUDENTS ΛΥΚΕΙΟΥ 1,85%

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i The highest drop-out rate in Senior High School is reported in the Prefecture of Evros (2,52%), while the lowest is reported in the Prefecture of Kavala (1,35%).

Senior High School Abandonment in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (2013 - 2014) (school leavers during the year)

PREFECTURE ΝΟΜΟΣ ΕΒΡΟΥOF EVROS 2,52%

PREFECTURE ΝΟΜΟΣ ΔΡΑΜΑΣ OF DRAMA 2,03%

PREFECTURE ΝΟΜΟΣ ΞΑΝΘΗΣ OF XANTHI 1,84%

PREFECTURE ΝΟΜΟΣ ΡΟΔΟΠΗΣ OF RODOPI 1,58%

PREFECTURE ΝΟΜΟΣ ΚΑΒΑΛΑΣ OF KAVALA 1,35%

ΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΚΗEASTERN MACEDONIA ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ AND & THRACEΘΡΑΚΗ 1,85%

NATIONALΣΥΝΟΛΟ TOTAL ΧΩΡΑΣ 2,01%

Although the study of school drop-out in compulsory education (secondary and primary) does not fall within the scope of ESPY as it focuses on the ages 15-25, some very interesting information for Junior High and Senior High Schools is listed below, which will help us have a full picture of school drop-out, draw reliable conclusions concerning the issue in general and find ways to prevent it.

Based on the processing of ELSTAT data on the number of Junior High School students at the beginning of the school year 2013-2014 and the number of Junior High School students that left school for whatever reason during school year 2013-2014

(Source: ELSTAT, www.statistics.gr, http://www.statistics.gr/el/statistics/- /publication/SED21/ 2013), the conclusions are as follows:

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i In contrast to the picture for early school abandonment in Senior High School, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace is a "champion" in school drop-out in Junior High School (rate 2,91% vs. nationwide 1,36% drop-out rate in Junior High School), ranking first among the 13 regions of the country.

Junior High School Abandonment (2013 - 2014) (school leavers during the year)

TOTAL NUMBER OFΣΥΝΟΛΟ JUNIOR HIGHΜΑΘΗΤΩΝ SCHOOL ΓΥΜΝΑΣΙΟΥ STUDENTS 1,36%

EASTERNΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΚΗ MACEDONIA ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ AND THRACE & ΘΡΑΚΗ 2,91%

WESTERNΔΥΤΙΚΗ GREECE ΕΛΛΑΔΑ 2,43%

PELOPONNESEΠΕΛΟΠΟΝΝΗΣΟΣ 1,87%

ATTICAΑΤΤΙΚΗ 1,57%

CENTRALΣΤΕΡΕΑ GREECE ΕΛΛΑΔΑ 1,45%

THESSALYΘΕΣΣΑΛΙΑ 1,38%

CRETEΚΡΗΤΗ 1,13%

IONIANΙΟΝΙΑ ISLANDS ΝΗΣΙΑ 0,87%

SOUTHERNΝΟΤΙΟ AEGEAN ΑΙΓΑΙΟ 0,73%

CENTRALΚΕΝΤΡΙΚΗ MACEDONIA ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ 0,64%

EPIRUSΗΠΕΙΡΟΣ 0,39%

NORTHERNΒΟΡΕΙΟ AEGEAN ΑΙΓΑΙΟ 0,33%

WESTERNΔΥΤΙΚΗ MACEDONIA ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ 0,12%

i Diversifications recorded in Junior High School drop-out rates by regional unit within Eastern Macedonia and Thrace are particularly striking. Thus, while in the regional units of Kavala and Drama this rate is very low (in fact, well below the nationwide average), in the regions of Evros and - largely – of Rodopi and Xanthi these rates are remarkably high, reaching 2,79% in the region of Evros (more than double the nationwide rate), 5,04% in the

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region of Rodopi and 5,40% in the region of Xanthi (up to almost four times the nationwide rate).

Junior High School Abandonment (2013 - 2014) (school leavers during the year)

PREFECTUREΝΟΜΟΣ OFΔΡΑΜΑΣ DRAMA 0,64%

PREFECTUREΝΟΜΟΣ OFΚΑΒΑΛΑΣ KAVALA 0,69%

PREFECTUREΝΟΜΟΣ OF ΕΒΡΟΥ EVROS 2,79%

PREFECTUREΝΟΜΟΣ ΡΟΔΟΠΗΣOF RODOPI 5,04%

PREFECTUREΝΟΜΟΣ OFΞΑΝΘΗΣ XANTHI 5,40%

EASTERNΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΚΗ MACEDONIA ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ AND &THRACE ΘΡΑΚΗ 2,91%

TOTAL NUMBER OFΣΥΝΟΛΟ JUNIOR HIGHΜΑΘΗΤΩΝ SCHOOL ΓΥΜΝΑΣΙΟΥ STUDENTS 1,36%

Based on the processing of ELSTAT data on the number of Primary School students at the beginning of the school year 2013 - 2014 and the number of Primary School students that left school for whatever reason during school year 2013 - 2014

Source: ELSTAT, www.statistics.gr, http://www.statistics.gr/el/statistics/- /publication/SED12/2013), the conclusions are as follows:

i Eastern Macedonia and Thrace is once again the “champion” in Primary school drop-out, as the relative rate is 1,45% vs 0,68% nationwide. Eastern Macedonia and Thrace shows the highest school drop-out rate compared to the other 12 regions of the country.

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Primary School Abandonment (2013 - 2014) (school leavers during the year)

TOTAL NUMBERΣΥΝΟΛΟ OF PRIMARY ΜΑΘΗΤΩΝ SCHOOL ΔΗΜΟΤΙΚΟΥ STUDENTS 0,68%

EASTERNΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΚΗ MACEDONIA ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ AND THRACE & ΘΡΑΚΗ 1,45%

WESTERNΔΥΤΙΚΗ GREECE ΕΛΛΑΔΑ 1,21%

PELOPONNESEΠΕΛΟΠΟΝΝΗΣΟΣ 0,96%

ATTICAΑΤΤΙΚΗ 0,76%

CENTRALΣΤΕΡΕΑ GREECE ΕΛΛΑΔΑ 0,75%

THESSALY ΘΕΣΣΑΛΙΑ 0,64% CRETE ΚΡΗΤΗ 0,56% IONIANΙΟΝΙΑ ISLANDS ΝΗΣΙΑ 0,46%

SOUTHERNΝΟΤΙΟ AEGEAN ΑΙΓΑΙΟ 0,36%

CENTRALΚΕΝΤΡΙΚΗ MACEDONIA ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ 0,33%

EPIRUSΗΠΕΙΡΟΣ 0,21%

NORTHERNΒΟΡΕΙΟ AEGEAN ΑΙΓΑΙΟ 0,17%

WESTERNΔΥΤΙΚΗ MACEDONIA ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ 0,06%

i As in the case of Junior High School drop-out, the most serious problem in Primary Schools is recorded in the regional units of Xanthi and Rodopi (2,33% and 2,08% respectively vs 0,68% nationwide), while the lowest rates are in the regions of Kavala (0,54%) and Drama (0,34%).

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School abandonment

PREFECTUREΝΟΜΟΣ OFΞΑΝΘΗΣ XANTHI 2,33%

PREFECTUREΝΟΜΟΣ ΡΟΔΟΠΗΣOF RODOPI 2,08%

PREFECTUREΝΟΜΟΣ OF ΕΒΡΟΥ EVROS 1,32%

PREFECTUREΝΟΜΟΣ OFΚΑΒΑΛΑΣ KAVALA 0,54%

PREFECTUREΝΟΜΟΣ OFΔΡΑΜΑΣ DRAMA 0,34%

EASTERNΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΚΗ MACEDONIA ΜΑΚΕΔΟΝΙΑ AND THRACE& ΘΡΑΚΗ 1,45%

TOTAL NUMBER OFΣΥΝΟΛΟ JUNIOR ΜΑΘΗΤΩΝHIGH SCHOOL ΔΗΜΟΤΙΚΟΥ STUDENTS 0,68%

According to data by the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs, an important drop-out problem is also recorded during the transition of students from Junior High to Senior High School. Thus, based on data published by the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs in January 2016

(Source: in.gr, http://news.in.gr/greece/article/?aid=1500052227), the rate of Junior High School students that were enrolled in Junior High Grade C in 2014 - 2015 and did not continue their studies in Senior High School the next school year (2105 - 2016) is 3,84% nationwide. As shown in the chart below, the drop-out rates from Junior High to Senior High School is extremely high in the regional units of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace:

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School Drop-out Rate by Prefecture (percentage of junior high school students that did not enroll in Grade A of Senior High School, end 2014- 2015 / start 2015-2016)

8,4% 8,0%

7,1% 7,1% 6,9% 6,4%

4,9% 4,8% 4,3% 4,0% 3,9% 3,9% 3,8% 3,8% 3,7% 3,7% 3,5% 3,5% 3,4% 3,3% 3,2% 3,2% 3,0% 2,8% 2,8% 2,7% 2,7% 2,6% 2,6% 2,6% 2,5% 2,5% 2,5%

The regional units of Rodopi (8,37%) and Xanthi (6,93%) are declared “champions” also in school drop-out from Junior High to Senior High School, while the corresponding rates in the regional unit of Evros (3,43%), Kavala (3,15%) and Drama (2,51%) are at a lower level than the rate nationwide. Thus, based on the number of students in Junior High Schools at the beginning of the school year 2013 - 2014 in the regional units of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace and the average drop-out rates from Junior High to Senior High School, it is estimated that the average drop-out rate from Junior High to Senior High school in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace is about 4,79%.

Combining these findings, without taking into account any early school abandonment from Primary to Secondary Education (as there are no recent published data), it is estimated that approximately 7,69% of the students enrolling Primary School will not graduate from Senior High School

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(nationwide), while the corresponding figure in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace reaches 10,59%, namely about 38% higher than the average rate nationwide. However, it should be noted that school drop-out phenomenon in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace are mainly related to Primary and Junior High School and efforts to reduce it should be focused just there. Particular attention should be paid to the regional units of Rodopi and Xanthi, where dominant school drop-out problems arise, as all the relevant calculations show that the corresponding drop-out rates from Primary until Senior High School graduation are 16,60% in the regional unit of Rodopi and 15,59% in the regional unit of Xanthi.

School Drop-Out Assessment from Primary to Senior High School (without taking into account any possible drop-out from Primary to Junior High School) National Total 7,69% Regional Unit of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace 10,59% Regional Unit of Drama 5,42% Regional Unit of Kavala (including the Regional Unit 5,63% of Thassos) Regional Unit of Evros 9,70% Regional Unit of Xanthi 15,59% Regional Unit of Rodopi 16,60%

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4.2.2 Quantitative study of young people aged 15-25

65% of young people aged 16-25 state that they are currently at some level of education, while 35% have left the education system by now. However, in the age group of 16-18 the percentage of those who are not in education is 13%, while 87% are still within the education system. Indeed, given that a significant proportion of young people aged 18 have already completed a Unified Senior High School or a Vocational Senior High School, it has been concluded that the proportion of respondents who have not completed their Secondary Education is well below 10%.

Are you currently attending any kind of school? ΝΑΙYES ΟΧΙNO

87%

69% 73% 65% 64% 68% 58% 61% 59% 62%

42% 39% 41% 38% 35% 36% 33% 31% 27% 13%

Male Total Evros* Rodoi* Female Female Xanthi* Xanthi* Drama* Drama* Kavala* 18 years 18 years 25 years - -

16 19

Among young people aged 16 to 25 who are not currently in some stage of education, about 1 out of 10 (or 9%) have left school before Senior High. More specifically, 6% state that they have completed Junior High School, while 3%

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say that they have completed Primary School, which means that they have not even completed the 9-year compulsory schooling. Given the fact that the survey sample does not represent all the areas with minority populations due to the methodology chosen, it can be concluded that the actual percentage of young people aged up to 25 who leave school before Senior High is clearly higher and formed by at Eastern a two-digit number.

If NOT, what level of education have you completed?

OtherΆλλο 1%

ΔιδακτορικόPhD 0%

ΜεταπτυχιακόMSc / MA 0%

TechnicalΤεχνικό ΕπαγγελματικόProfessional/Vocational Εκπαιδευτήριο School 1%

Technical Professional/VocationalΤεχνικό Επαγγελματικό LyceumΛύκειο 3%

ΔημοτικόPrimary 3%

Technical Professional/VocationalΤεχνική Επαγγελματική ΣχολήSchool ( (TES)ΤΕΣ) 5%

ΤεχνολογικάTechnological Εκπαιδευτικά Educational Ιδρύματα Institute 5%

Junior HighΓυμνάσιο School 6%

VocationalΕπαγγελματικό Senior High Λύκειο School ( ΕΠΑΛ(EPAL)) 14%

ΙνστιτούτοProfessional Επαγγελματικής Training Κατάρτισης Institute ((IEK)ΙΕΚ) 18%

ΠανεπιστήμιοUniversity 20%

General SeniorΓενικό High Λύκειο School 24%

Indeed, the vast majority (82%) of young people aged 16-18, who are currently within the educational system, aim to enrol in Tertiary [Higher] Education (Universities - 37% and Technological Educational Institutes - 13%) and complete their studies as graduates (total of 50%) or postgraduate students (28% - MSc/MA, 4% - PhD). Only 10% intend not to continue their studies after Senior High School (General/ Unified or Vocational Senior High School), while

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around 5% have not yet decided what their next steps will be after graduating from any Senior High School.

What level of education are you planning to reach?

16-1816 - 18 years ετών TotalΣύνολο

OtherΆλλο 2% 1%

ΔΞΔΑ 4% N/A 7%

ΔιδακτορικόPhD 4% 11%

Μεταπτυχιακό 28% MSc/MA 43%

TechnologicalΤεχνολογικά EducationalΕκπαιδευτικά Institute Ιδρύματα 13% 8%

ΠανεπιστήμιοUniversity 37% 23%

ΙνστιτούτοVocational Επαγγελματικής Training Κατάρτισης Institute (IEK) (ΙΕΚ) 4% 2%

VocationalΕπαγγελματικό Senior High SchoolΛύκειο (EPAL)(ΕΠΑΛ) 6% 2%

Γενικό Λύκειο ιδιωτικό 0% Private General Senior High School 0%

Γενικό Λύκειο δημόσιο 4% State General Senior High School 2%

Among the positive findings of the research, there is the extremely high percentage of young people aged 16-18 who state that they have some additional qualifications (84% of this age group), including the knowledge of a foreign language (94%). Indeed, compared with the respective percentage on the entire sample -young people aged 16 to 25, 84% of whom state that they have some additional qualification- it is clear that learning foreign languages is on the rise among young people in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (94% among young people aged 16-18 versus 89% among all youth aged 16-25). On the

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contrary, computer skills (IT) learning as an additional qualification is relatively low among young people aged 16-18 (38%) but increases significantly among young people aged 16-25 (55%). This clearly indicates that, on the one hand, Secondary Education still underestimates the need to offer students computer skills training, and on the other hand young people realize the importance of computer skills learning when they graduate High School and get into the labour market or when they face the academic demands of higher education. The picture of other types of qualifications seems quite similar, as their development is at 8% among young people aged 16-18 and rises significantly (22%) among all youths aged 16-25, without reaching a level that would be considered satisfactory, though.

Do you have any additional qualifications?

ΝΑΙYES ΟΧΙNO

84% 84% 84%

16% 16% 16%

ΣύνολοTotal 16-1816 - 18 years* ετών * 19-2519 - 25 years ετών

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If yes, what are these? (on those who state that they have additional qualifications)

OtherΆλλο Workshops,Σεμινάρια, κατάρτιση training ComputerΧρήση Η/ Υ ForeignΞένες γλώσσες languages skills

2% 27% 1919-25 - 25 ετώνyears 60% 87%

0% 8% 1616- - 18 ετώνyears** 38% 94%

1% 22% ΣύνολοTotal 55% 89%

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4.2.3 Qualitative study (focus group) of educators and instructors

Xanthi:

¾ The issue of school drop-out is quite intense at the levels of compulsory education, while in Senior High School the problem is limited. ¾ The majority of children who leave education belong to minority groups (Muslims, Roma). Furthermore, another significant number of students decide to discontinue their studies in order to work in agriculture or in their parents’ farms, thus contributing to the family income. Their choice to work in the agricultural family-owned businesses is further reinforced during the current period of economic crisis, as young people are discouraged by the high rate of unemployed graduates and decide not to continue to higher education levels. Another deterrent for students in remote areas is the lack of infrastructure and means of transport, particularly during the winter, when bad weather conditions prevail, leading them inevitably to non-attendance. ¾ All educators have established that there are certain behavioural and social problems, which stem from the clustering together of the students that belong to minorities in specific schools, thus contributing to local "ghettoization". ¾ The participants suggested the minority populations disperse into more schools, so that their integration into the school and social environment become more effective. At the same time, it was pointed out that the educational system structure, the curriculum, the textbooks etc. should be adapted to the needs and particularities of students that come from a minority background.

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¾ Special differences are identified between genders, as the prevailing social stereotypes lead girls to leave school early and start up their own family. ¾ There is an increase in incidents of students who do not leave school permanently, but, instead, they change educational institutions and switch to technical education in particular, although the professional rights of technical professions are still not fully recognized. This problem is closely linked to inadequate informal and informal Career Guidance and Counselling.

Kavala:

¾ Unlike the cases of the schools in Komotini and Xanthi, the problem of school drop-out in the Senior High Schools in the region of Kavala, is practically non-existent. ¾ The problems faced by the local student population are limited to the overall organization of the alternative educational structures, which is the reason why the incidents of early school abandonment from Senior High School and the transition to technical education are on the rise over recent years.

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5 Youth Employment and Unemployment in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace

5.1 Research Tools For the recording of quantitative and qualitative data of youth employment and unemployment (15-25 year olds) in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, both primary and secondary data were used. Specifically:

Primary Data:

To collect primary data regarding youth employment and unemployment, quantitative and qualitative field research was conducted in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace.

o The quantitative research was conducted among 250 young people aged 15- 25, residents of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, proportionally distributed in 5 Regional Units based on their respective population census data by the Hellenic Statistical Authority [ELSTAT] 2011, through telephone interviews conducted with CATI system (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing). o The qualitative research pertained to in-depth interviews with body representatives in the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace operating in promoting employment and combating unemployment, as well as with lifelong education and vocational training bodies, such as the Manpower Employment Organization, the Career Services Offices of the Universities and the Technological Educational Institutes of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the Professional Training Centres [KEK] of the region, Europe Direct information Centre etc.

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Secondary Data:

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5.2 Research Questions

The research (primary and secondary) carried out as part of the ESPY Project in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace aimed at recording the basic quantitative data and the quality features of employment and unemployment among young people aged 15-25. More specifically, the objectives of the research include the following:

Recording of the youth unemployment among young people aged 15-25, in conjunction with school drop-out in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, General overview of youth unemployment at any level of education, Identification of school drop-out in secondary education, emphasizing on areas with the highest occurrence of the problem and more specifically in areas of a semi-rural nature, Recording of the current structures / tools / programmes that are applied to combat unemployment and promote training of young people aged 15-25, Recording of practices successfully applied to the Region, Monitoring the results from the implementation of the Malaga Experiment in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace.

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5.3 Research results

5.3.1 Secondary Data

According to the latest comprehensive data (January 2016) by the Manpower Employment Organization, regarding the number of the registered unemployed, the registered unemployed in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace amounts to 50.895 people, which is 5,8% of the registered unemployed in Greece as a whole. Furthermore, slightly over half of the registered unemployed in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (51,4%) are long-term unemployed (that is, they have been registered in the M.E.O. Registry for over 12 months). These figures are equivalent to the figures nationwide (51,2%). This figure corresponds to the percentage of the resident population of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (5,6%). Detailed data on the number of the unemployed registered in M.E.O. in January 2016 are shown in the following table:

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UNEMPLOYED [SEEKING EMPLOYMENT] TOTAL % TOTAL REGISTERED REGISTERED % RESIDENT NUMBER OF NUMBER OF >= 12 MONTHS < 12 MONTHS POPULATION REGIONS UNEMPLOYED UNEMPLOYED EASTERN 26.153 24.742 MACEDONIA AND 50.895 5,8% 5,6% THRACE 51,4% 48,6%

CENTRAL 89.334 77.367 166.701 19,0% 17,4% MACEDONIA WESTERN 15.651 13.766 29.417 3,4% 2,6% MACEDONIA EPIRUS 15.486 12.684 28.170 3,2% 3,1% THESSALY 34.645 29.934 64.579 7,4% 6,8% IONIAN ISLANDS 3.787 12.565 16.352 1,9% 1,9% WESTERN 39.843 28.679 68.522 7,8% 6,3% GREECE CENTRAL GREECE 22.585 18.803 41.388 4,7% 5,1% ATTICA 159.278 143.109 302.387 34,5% 35,4% PELOPONNESE 17.858 17.814 35.672 4,1% 5,3% NORTHERN 5.788 7.304 13.092 1,5% 1,8% AEGEAN SOUTHERN 3.866 12.916 16.782 1,9% 2,9% AEGEAN CRETE 14.995 27.800 42.795 4,9% 5,8% TOTAL 449.269 427.483 876.752 100,0% 100,0%

51,2% 48,8%

The chart below shows the estimate for the % rate of the unemployed registered in M.E.O., aged 15-24, of the overall population aged 15- 24 in the Region and the Regional Units of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. All over Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the percentage of the resident population aged 15-24 registered as unemployed in M.E.O. is 8,1%. The highest rates are recorded the regional units of Drama, Xanthi and Kavala - Thassos (10,0%,

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9,3% and 9,1% respectively), while the lowest ones in the regional units of Rodopi (6,7%) and Evros (6,3%). (Source: M.E.O., Details of Registered Unemployed, 3rdQuarter, 2015, Self-Processed).

% Unemployed Estimation (registered as unemployed in Manpower Employment Organization [OAED] on resident population 15-24 years of age in East Macedonia and Thrace) EASTERN MACEDONIA &ΣΥΝΟΛΟ THRACE ΠΑΜΘTOTAL 8,1%

REGIONAL UNITΠ.Ε. OF ΡΟΔΟΠΗΣ RODOPI 6,7%

REGIONAL UNITΠ.Ε. OF ΞΑΝΘΗΣ XANTHI 9,3%

REGIONAL UNITΠ.Ε. OF ΚΑΒΑΛΑΣ KAVALA 9,1%

REGIONAL UNIT OFΠ.Ε. THASSOS ΘΑΣΟΥ 9,3%

REGIONAL UNITΠ.Ε. OF ΕΒΡΟΥEVROS 6,3%

REGIONAL UNITΠ.Ε. OF ΔΡΑΜΑΣ DRAMA 10,0%

The chart below shows the estimate for the % rate of the unemployed registered in M.E.O., aged 15-24, of the overall population aged 15- 24 in the Region, Regional Units and Municipalities of each regional unit of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. (Source: M.E.O., Details of Registered Unemployed,

3rdQuarter, 2015, Self-Processed).

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% Unemployed Estimation in East Macedonia and Thrace, by Regional Unit and by Municipality (registered as unemployed in Manpower Employment Organization [OAED] on resident population 15-24 years of age in East Macedonia and Thrace)

EASTERN MACEDONIAΣΥΝΟΛΟ AND THRACE ΠΑΜΘ 8,1% Π.Ε. ΡΟΔΟΠΗΣTOTAL 6,7% ΔΗΜΟΣREGIONAL ΜΑΡΩΝΕΙΑΣ UNIT OF - RODOPI ΣΑΠΩΝ 10,0% ΔΗΜΟΣ ΚΟΜΟΤΗΝΗΣ 6,6% MUNICIPALITY OF MARONEIA-SAPES ΔΗΜΟΣ ΙΑΣΜΟΥ 4,1% MUNICIPALITY OF KOMOTINI ΔΗΜΟΣ ΑΡΡΙΑΝΩΝ 6,4% MUNICIPALITY OF IASMOS Π.Ε. ΞΑΝΘΗΣ 9,3% MUNICIPALITY OF ARRIANA ΔΗΜΟΣ ΤΟΠΕΙΡΟΥ 7,1% REGIONAL UNIT OF XANTHI ΔΗΜΟΣ ΞΑΝΘΗΣ 9,4% MUNICIPALITYΔΗΜΟΣ OF TOPEIROS ΜΥΚΗΣ 12,5% MUNICIPALITYΔΗΜΟΣ OF ΑΒΔΗΡΩΝ XANTHI 6,7% MUNICIPALITYΠ.Ε. ΚΑΒΑΛΑΣOF MYKI 9,1% MUNICIPALITYΔΗΜΟΣ OF ΠΑΓΓΑΙΟΥ ABDERA 10,5% REGIONAL ΔΗΜΟΣUNIT OF ΝΕΣΤΟΥKAVALA 9,0% MUNICIPALITYΔΗΜΟΣ OF ΚΑΒΑΛΑΣPANGAIO 8,6% MUNICIPALITY OFΠ.Ε. NESTOS ΘΑΣΟΥ 9,3% MUNICIPALITYΔΗΜΟΣ OF KAVALA ΘΑΣΟΥ 9,3% 6,3% REGIONAL UNIT OFΠ.Ε. THASSOS ΕΒΡΟΥ ΔΗΜΟΣ ΣΟΥΦΛΙΟΥ 7,7% MUNICIPALITY OF THASSOS ΔΗΜΟΣ ΣΑΜΟΘΡΑΚΗΣ 4,4% REGIONAL UNIT OF EVROS ΔΗΜΟΣ ΟΡΕΣΤΙΑΔΑΣ 4,8% MUNICIPALITY OF SOUFLI ΔΗΜΟΣ ΔΙΔΥΜΟΤΕΙΧΟΥ 8,8% MUNICIPALITY OF SAMOTHRACE ΔΗΜΟΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥΠΟΛΗΣ 6,2% MUNICIPALITY OF ORESTIADA Π.Ε. ΔΡΑΜΑΣ 10,0% MUNICIPALITYΔΗΜΟΣ OF DIDYMOTEICHOΠΡΟΣΟΤΣΑΝΗΣ 9,9% MUNICIPALITYΔΗΜΟΣ OF ALEXANDROUPOLI ΠΑΡΑΝΕΣΤΙΟΥ 3,6% ΔΗΜΟΣREGIONAL ΚΑΤΩ UNIT ΝΕΥΡΟΚΟΠΙΟΥ OF DRAMA 6,7% MUNICIPALITYΔΗΜΟΣ OF PROSOTSANI ΔΡΑΜΑΣ 10,9% MUNICIPALITYΔΗΜΟΣ OF PARANESTI ΔΟΞΑΤΟΥ 9,8%

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Based on the data of the above chart, the Municipalities with the highest clustering of registered unemployed aged 15-24, compared to this age group population, are the Municipality of Maroneia - Sapes in the regional unit of Rodopi , the Municipalities of Myki and Xanthi in the regional unit of Xanthi, the Municipalities of Pangaio, Nestos and Kavala in the regional unit of Kavala, the Municipality of Thassos in the regional unit of Thassos, the Municipality of Didymoteicho in the regional unit of Evros and the Municipalities of Drama, Prosotsani and Doxato in the regional unit of Drama.

Further analysis on the data regarding the registered unemployed aged 15-24 in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace by Municipality shows which Municipalities by Regional Unit in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace there is an over-clustering of unemployed aged 15-24, in relation with the resident population of this age group. This analysis is illustrated in the charts below.

Thus, in the Regional Unit of Drama, the Municipality of Drama shows an over- clustering of unemployed aged 15-24, in relation with the resident population of this same age group, as 68,6% of the unemployed in the regional unit of Drama aged 15-24 are registered in this area, in relation with 62,8% of the young people in the regional unit of Drama aged 15-24 who are residents of the Municipality of Drama.

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Distribution of Unemployed & Population aged 15-24 by Municipality - Regional Unit of Drama

% %Ανέργων Unemployed ηλικίας 15-24 15 - 24 ετών % %Μόνιμου Resident Πληθυσμού Population Ηλικίας15-24 15-24 ετών

68,6% 62,8%

13,4%13,6% 10,9%11,0% 5,7% 8,5% 1,5% 4,1%

MUNICIPALITYΔΗΜΟΣ MUNICIPALITYΔΗΜΟΣ MUNICIPALITYΔΗΜΟΣ ΚΑΤΩ OF MUNICIPALITYΔΗΜΟΣ MUNICIPALITYΔΗΜΟΣ OF DOXATO OF DRAMA KATO NEVROKOPI ΔΟΞΑΤΟΥ ΔΡΑΜΑΣ ΝΕΥΡΟΚΟΠΙΟΥ ΠΑΡΑΝΕΣΤΙΟΥOF PARANESTI ΠΡΟΣΟΤΣΑΝΗΣ OF PROSOTSANI

In the Regional Unit of Evros, the Municipality of Didymoteicho followed by the Municipality of Soufli are recorded as areas with over-clustering of unemployed people aged 15-24, compared to the corresponding age group of residents.

Distribution of Unemployed & Population aged 15-24 by Municipality - Regional Unit of Evros

%% Ανέργων Unemployed ηλικίας 15-24 15 - 24 ετών %% Μόνιμου Resident Πληθυσμού Population 15-24Ηλικίας 15-24 ετών 52,3%52,8%

23,9% 16,7% 18,2% 12,0% 11,2% 9,2% 1,5% 2,1%

MUNICIPALITYΔΗΜΟΣ OF MUNICIPALITYΔΗΜΟΣ OF ΔΗΜΟΣMUNICIPALITY ΟΡΕΣΤΙΑΔΑΣ OF MUNICIPALITY ΔΗΜΟΣ OF ΔΗΜΟΣMUNICIPALITY ΣΟΥΦΛΙΟΥ OF ALEXANDROUPOLI DIDYMOTEICHO ORESTIADA SAMOTHRACE SOUFLI ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥΠΟΛΗΣ ΔΙΔΥΜΟΤΕΙΧΟΥ ΣΑΜΟΘΡΑΚΗΣ

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In the Regional Units of Kavala – Thassos, the Municipality of Pangaio is over- clustered with unemployed aged 15-24 (25,7% of the total number of the unemployed aged 15-24 in the regional units of Kavala – Thassos, versus 22,3% of the resident population aged 15-24).

Distribution of Unemployed & Population aged 15-24 by Municipality – Regional Unit of Kavala and Regional Unit of Thassos

%% Ανέργων Unemployed ηλικίας 15-24 15 - 24 ετών %% Μόνιμου Resident Πληθυσμού Population 15-24Ηλικίας 15-24 ετών 54,2% 51,0%

25,7% 22,3% 14,6% 14,9% 8,7% 8,6%

MUNICIPALITY OF MUNICIPALITY OF ΔΗΜΟΣ ΘΑΣΟΥ ΔΗΜΟΣ ΚΑΒΑΛΑΣ ΔΗΜΟΣMUNICIPALITY ΝΕΣΤΟΥ OF ΔΗΜΟΣMUNICIPALITY ΠΑΓΓΑΙΟΥ OF THASSOS KAVALA NESTOS PANGAIO

In the Regional Unit of Xanthi, an over-clustering of unemployed aged 15-24 is recorded in the Municipality of Myki.

Distribution of Unemployed & Population aged 15-24 by Municipality – Regional Unit of Xanthi

%% Ανέργων Unemployed ηλικίας 15-24 15 - 24 ετών %% Μόνιμου Resident Πληθυσμού Population 15-24Ηλικίας 15-24 ετών 63,1% 62,2%

19,4% 14,6% 14,3% 10,6% 6,8% 8,9%

ΔΗΜΟΣMUNICIPALITY ΑΒΔΗΡΩΝ OF MUNICIPALITY ΔΗΜΟΣ ΜΥΚΗΣ OF ΔΗΜΟΣMUNICIPALITY ΞΑΝΘΗΣ OF ΔΗΜΟΣMUNICIPALITY ΤΟΠΕΙΡΟΥ OF ABDERA MYKI XANTHI TOPEIROS

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In the Regional Unit of Rodopi , the Municipality of Maroneia – Sapes shows a significantly large number of unemployed aged 15-24 (14,7% of the total number of the unemployed registered with M.E.O. aged 15-24 in the Regional Unit of Rodopi vs 9,8% of the resident population aged 15-24 that reside in the Regional Unit of Rodopi).

Distribution of Unemployed & Population aged 15-24 by Municipality - Regional Unit of Rhodope

%% Ανέργων Unemployed ηλικίας 15-24 15 - 24 ετών % %Μόνιμου Resident Πληθυσμού Population Ηλικίας15-24 15-24 ετών 66,1% 66,6%

13,4% 14,7% 12,9% 10,2% 9,8% 6,3%

ΔΗΜΟΣMUNICIPALITY ΑΡΡΙΑΝΩΝ OF ΔΗMUNICIPALITYΜΟΣ ΙΑΣΜΟΥ OF MUNICIPALITY ΔΗΜΟΣ OF ΔΗΜΟΣMUNICIPALITY ΜΑΡΩΝΕΙΑΣ OF ARRIANA IASMOS ΚΟΜΟΤΗΝΗΣKOMOTINI MARONEIA-SAPES- ΣΑΠΩΝ

In relation to the duration of unemployment status among people aged 15-24 in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (Source: ELSTAT. Annual Estimates 2014), it seems that more than half of the unemployed in this age group (51,7%) are long-term unemployed (that is, they have been registered in the M.E.O. Registry for over 12 months). The hardest hit of long-term unemployment is on men (53% versus 50,1% in women) and young people of a low educational level. Typically, enough, the percentage of the long-term unemployed drops dramatically with rising levels of educational background of the unemployed (65,4% in people with only Primary Education or less, 44,7% in Secondary Education graduates and 27,7% in Higher Education graduates).

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Unemployment Duration (Unemployed 15-24 years of age, Prefecture of East Macedonia and Thrace, 2014 – Annual Estimations)

ΜέχριUp to 11 Monthsμήνες 1212 μήνες months και and άνω over

ΤριτοβάθμιαTertiary (higher) εκπαίδευση education 72,3% 27,7%

ΔευτεροβάθμιαSecondary εκπαίδευση education 55,3% 44,7%

Primary education / No school attendance Πρωτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση/Δεν πήγε 34,6% 65,4% καθόλου σχολείο/λίγες/ few grades τάξεις in primary δημοτικό school

ΓυναίκεςMale 49,9% 50,1%

ΆνδρεςFemale 47,0% 53,0%

ΣύνολοTotal 48,3% 51,7%

5.3.2 Quantitative study of young people aged 15-25

Approximately 3 out of 10 people (29%) aged up to 25 in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace are currently working, as stated. This figure is almost identical in all the Regional Units of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (except the regional unit of Xanthi, where the percentage drops to 19%), it seems to be unrelated to the respondents' gender and it drops to 16% at the ages 16-18.

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Are you currently working?

YESΝΑΙ ΟΧΙNO

Rhodope*Ροδόπη * 25% 75%

Xanthi*Ξάνθη * 19% 81% KavalaΚαβάλα* * 35% 65%

Evros*Έβρος * 33% 67%

DramaΔράμα* * 30% 70%

ΓυναίκεςFemale 29% 71%

ΆνδρεςMale 29% 71% 19-19 25- 25 years ετών 33% 67%

16-16 18- 18 years ετών 16% 84%

ΣύνολοTotal 29% 71% .

Among the people stating themselves as part of the workforce, the vast majority works in the private sector (96%), with about 7 out of 10 (68%) being employed in a private entity other than family business, and 3 out of 10 (28%) within some family business. Therefore, as it turns out, family-owned businesses are an important factor in youth employment in the region, with all what this implies in practical terms for the local entrepreneurship and the need for special consideration in matters of management and succession in family businesses.

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Youth employed in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace

You are working in: The public A family sector business 4% 28%

The private sector 68%

Another interesting point to consider is the employment status of young people aged 16-25, as recorded in the survey. Specifically, 40% of the respondents have stated that they are employed on a fixed-term contract and only 28% on an open-ended employment contract (permanent employment). About 1 out of 4 (24%) have stated to be self-employed/ freelance and 8% that are currently in an internship or apprenticeship.

What is your employment status? Internship, apprenticeship Self-employed/ 8% Freelance 24%

Permanent / Open-ended employment Fixed-term contract contract 40% 28%

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Nowadays, part-time jobs are the norm rather than the exception to the rule for young people aged 16-25, as according to the survey data, about half (53%) of young working people have said that they are working part-time (compared with 47% who have said that they work full-time).

Your job is:

Full time Part time 47% 53%

The scourge of "unreported employment" (also known as “under the table employment”) has emerged in the findings of the research, as about 3 out of 10 employees (28%) aged 16-25 that participated in the survey declare (admit) that they are working with no insurance! It should be noted that the actual percentage of unreported employment in this age group may be much higher than that recorded in the survey, as respondents in a phone survey are quite difficult to admit that they have become involved in any kind of criminal activity, even under the straightforward clarification by the interviewers that the answers and the respondents' data will be strictly confidential and under no circumstances will they be disclosed, and usually leads to a recording of lower rates than the actual ones.

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Are you covered by an insurance fund for your work?

NO 28%

YES 72%

A significant proportion of the young people employed in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (37%) feel (as stated) that their current job does not correspond to their qualifications, while, at the other end of the scale, only 6% think that their post is superior to their level of qualifications. Even if we take for granted that there is a tendency for people to overestimate their capabilities, this specific finding shows young people’s clear lack of satisfaction with their jobs and the ambition of a lot of young people working in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace to climb the career ladder based on the qualifications and skills they (think they) possess.

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In relation to your qualifications, this job is:

Superior N/A 6% 3% Inferior 37%

Proportionate 54%

As a follow-up to the above question, almost half (46%) of the young people working in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace have stated that their current employment status does not fulfil the goals they have set.

Does your job fulfil the goals you have set?

NO 46% YES 54%

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In light of the above, it is not surprising that 46% of the young people interviewed in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace have stated that they are actively seeking a job better than their current one; a percentage that corresponds to the percentage of those who state that their current job does not fulfil their goals.

Are you actively seeking a better job?

YES 46% NO 54%

Only 21% of the young people aged 16-25 in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace have stated that they had been unemployed for over a year prior to their first job. Only 1% of these people remained unemployed for over 3 years.

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How long had you been unemployed until your first job?

Over 3 years 1%

1-3 years 20%

Up to 1 year 79%

The vast majority (65%) of the young people working in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace looked for their first job through personal or family acquaintances. The direct contact with potential employers was their second (by far) choice (21%) and only 1 out of 10 (about 11%) looked for a job through job sites on the Internet, while 6% through company sites. The various bodies that aim at supporting young people in their search for work and reducing youth unemployment show impressively low rates among the youth as avenues for their job-search. Only 8% of the respondents have stated that they turned to M.E.O., just 4% to Career Services Offices of Universities and Technological Educational Institutes, as well as Employment Agencies. Classified ads seem to rank poorly (4%), while Career Forums, Professional/ Industry Associations and Trade Unions are only marginally reported (1%). These results show the communication deficit of the bodies involved in promoting youth employment and reducing unemployment, both in terms of quantity (bodies / entities recognition, awareness of available tools and opportunities through these institutions etc.) and qualitative terms (degree of confidence in institutions, bodies work evaluation etc.). Finally, there is almost no reference to

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acquaintances in political circles, which might not reflect reality, since such a statement is not considered politically correct (lack of meritocracy and back channels is concealed), while this option might have been included in the answers on personal / family acquaintances who are more acceptable expressions for the ways used.

How did you look for your first job? (multiple choice)

65%

21%

11% 8% 6% 4% 4% 4% 1% 1% 1%

In some respects, however, a different picture is revealed when the question on the table on ways of job-search is to those who state that they are actively

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seeking a job other than the one they currently have. On the one hand, personal / family acquaintances still remain very high on the young people’s reports (61%), as well as the direct contact with potential employers (21%). On the other hand, though, the use of the internet soars, as 36% of the respondents, report job sites (compared with 11% in case of searching for their first job) and company sites climb to 15% (compared to 6%). Also, a significant increase is recorded in classified ads (from 4% to 27%), while M.E.O. services are at a stable (low) level (9%). It is quite typical, though, that all the other options disappear (Career Services Offices, Career Forums, Professional Associations and Trade Unions, Employment Agencies), which may point to the fact that either the bodies and their services are poorly recognized or that their efficiency is viewed quite negatively.

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If yes, in what ways? (multiple choice)

61%

36% 27% 21% 15% 9% 6% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Only 1 out of 5 young people employed in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (21%) has stated that they wouldn’t relocate in order to find a better job than their current one. Moreover, the vast majority (62%) have stated that they would relocate outside Eastern Macedonia and Thrace and the majority of them (41%) would leave the country to look for better working conditions.

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Would you relocate if you found a better job?

N/A 3%

No 21%

Yes, abroad Yes, within the 41% region 14%

Yes, outside the region 21%

Finally, more than half of young people working in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace have stated that they have never attended a Career Guidance Course before. Of those who have stated otherwise, the vast majority (88%) said that they attended such courses in Senior High School, fewer in Junior High School (32%) and after Senior High School (21%). However, only 1 out of 4 (24%) of those who have attended such courses sometime in the past said that they were very (3%) or quite (21%) influential, with the vast majority finding them little (29%) or not at all (41%) influential.

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Have you ever attended a Career guidance course?

YES 47% NO 53%

If yes, what grade/ grades were you in?

88%

32%

21%

Junior HighΓυμνάσιο School Senior HighΛύκειο School

AfterΜετά Senior το Λύκειο High School

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Were they influential?

N/A Very 6% 3% Quite 21%

Not at all 41% A little 29%

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Youth unemployed or in education in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace

There is a significant change in the trends among young people who are either unemployed or still in education in relation to young people who are working, in connection with the ways they conduct their job-search, as the Internet now seems to be the dominant power (54% job sites and 35% company sites), while the personal / family acquaintances decrease (51%). At the same time, all the other available options are enhanced, as the young people of this category seem to be trying to take advantage of the flooding tide of information sources and want to use up all the attainable opportunities. It should be noted, however, that a small percentage still refers to the Careers Services Offices of the Educational Institutions, due to the fact that this category of respondents are young people who are still in education and, therefore, more aware of the services of such institutions.

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In what way are you planning to look for a job?

ΆλλοOther,, ΔΞ /N/AΔΑ 19%

Through acquaintancesΜέσω πολιτικών in political γνωριμιών circles 4%

ProfessionalΕπαγγελματικές and καιIndustry κλαδικές Associations, ενώσεις, 4% εργατικά trade σωματεία unions

Career ForumsΗμερίδες καριέρας 7%

Employment Agencies Γραφεία εύρεσης εργασίας 13%

Career Services Offices Γραφεία διασύνδεσης και σταδιοδρομίας 14%

Through the Manpower Employment Organization [OAED] 16% Μέσω του ΟΑΕΔ Directly through potential employers 22% Απευθείας από πιθανούς εργοδότες Classified ads 28% Αγγελίες σε εφημερίδες Internet, company sites Internet, sites εταιριών 35%

Through personal or family acquaintances Μέσω προσωπικών ή οικογενειακών γνωριμιών 51%

Internet, job sites Internet, job sites 54%

The awareness and information gap of young people regarding career guidance and labour market issues seems alarmingly intense in the responses regarding whether they feel that they are well informed about the jobs that are expected to be in demand in the future: nearly half (49%) answered negatively and only 41% said that they feel adequately informed.

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Do you think you are well informed about the jobs that will be in demand in the future?

N/A 10% YES 41%

NO 49%

At the same time, the vast majority (91%) of young people who are unemployed or still in education have stated that they are ready to relocate, if needed, to find a job. Most of them (52%) have stated that they would go abroad, while 39% have said that they would relocate somewhere inland.

Would you relocate to find a job? N/A 2% NO 7%

YES, INLAND YES, ABROAD 39% 52%

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Despite the above findings that reveal the apprehension and concern of the young people in relation to their future career, the vast majority (81%) of the young people who are unemployed or still in education have stated that they will be successful in the end. The frustration rate (namely the proportion of people who do not think that their efforts will meet with success) is 13%, which is quite low but certainly not insignificant.

Do you think you will be successful?

N/A 7%

NO 13%

YES 80%

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Youth unemployed in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace

Of young people aged 16-25 who are not currently working and are not still in education in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the vast majority (73%) have stated that they are looking for a job but can’t find any, while 18% (about 1 out of 5) have stated that they do not wish to work and 9% have stated other reasons (such as military service etc.)

Why aren’t you working?

Other I do not wish 9% to 18%

I am looking for a job but I can’t find one 73%

Among the young who are looking for a job but can’t find any, about 6 out of 10 (58%) have stated that they have tried job-search through personal or family acquaintances, while about half of them (49%) have resorted to job sites. 40% have tried a direct contact with potential employers and a significant part has turned to M.E.O. (36%), to classified ads (27%) and to company sites (24%). Quite low are, once again, the Career Services Offices of the Educational Institutions (11%).

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Which of the following ways have you tried?

Other,Άλλο N/A,, ΔΞ I haven’t/ΔΑ, Δεν looked έχω αναζητήσει for one 20%

ΗμερίδεςCareer Forumsκαριέρας 4%

Through acquaintancesΜέσω πολιτικών in political γνωριμιών circles 7% 7% ProfessionalΕπαγγελματικές and Industry και Associations, κλαδικές ενώσεις trade, εργατικά unions …

Γραφεία εύρεσης εργασίας 11% Employment Agencies Γραφεία διασύνδεσης και σταδιοδρομίας 11% Career Services Offices Internet, sites εταιριών 24% Internet, company sites

Αγγελίες σε εφημερίδες 27% Classified ads Μέσω του ΟΑΕΔ 36% Through the Manpower Employment Organization [OAED] Απευθείας από πιθανούς εργοδότες 40% Directly through potential employers Internet, job sites 49% Internet, job sites Μέσω προσωπικών ή οικογενειακών γνωριμιών 58% Through personal or family acquaintances

2 out of 3 young unemployed in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (67%) have been registered with M.E.O.

Have you registered as unemployed with M.E.O.?

NO 33%

YES 67%

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It appears that there is margin in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace for youth training programmes regarding the unemployed young people of the region, as about 3 out of 4 (73%) have stated that they have never attended such a program.

Have you ever participated in job-training programs for the unemployed?

YES 27%

NO 73%

The young unemployed in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace are willing to relocate even abroad in order to find a job, as the majority of the respondents have stated (53%). 25% are willing to relocate inland, either within the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (18%) or outside (7%). Only 22% have stated that they are not willing to relocate in order to find a job, which happens to coincide more or less with the number of people who have declared that they are not actively searching for a job.

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Would you relocate to find a job?

NO 22%

YES, ABROAD 53% YES, WITHIN THE REGION 18%

YES, OUTSIDE THE REGION 7%

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5.3.3. Qualitative Research (in depth interviews) to representatives of bodies involved in matters of employment and youth unemployment in E.M.&Th. Region

Within the guidelines of researching the current situation in relation to employment and 15 - 25 age group unemployment in the Region of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace, in depth interviews were carried out with executives of bodies involved in, among other things, employment and youth unemployment in the E.M.&Th. Region.

Manpower Employment Organisation (OAED) – Job Counsellor

¾ The Organisation Job Counsellor’s responsibility is that of personalised counselling support for the unemployed seeking work and their participation in the implementation of programmes for employment.

¾ The Organisation’s Employment Department undertakes the bringing together of the unemployed with the employment resource ‘pool’. (Of the daily hiring actualised throughout the nation, only 3% is OAED assisted).

¾ At the present time, the sole programme in progress is the Social Welfare Employment Plan, while, according to pre-publications, a 16-24 Youth Employment Plan is expected in the near future.

¾ No increase in the rate in Young abandoning school in search for employment is evident. The problem however, is over time perpetually and constantly intense, mainly in:

i. Women

ii. Young people, residents of rural and isolated regions.

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¾ Due to insufficient qualifications possessed by rural youth, there appears to be an inability to participate in subsidised Social Welfare employment programmes, as they often lack basic qualifications.

¾ Programmes that enforce social criteria are often ineffective as employers are in search of a workforce with different qualifications. Consequently, OAED programme approach is considered socio- effective yet not rational.

¾ Youth information on OAED activity is particularly inadequate. Dissemination of OAED activities is realised strictly through its website, there are no initiatives taken in informing and raising awareness on a local level.

¾ A significant number of youth turn to M.E.O. (OAED) having no knowledge of the field in which they would like to be employed. There is a need for a fresh approach by M.E.O. in order to better direct the young towards seeking employment in the field of choice and the youth’s skill relation to local job market demands.

¾ There are several cases whereby employers’ set the non- participation of candidates belonging to local minorities as a prerequisite for hiring unemployed persons through M.E.O. programmes.

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Vocational Training Centre Representative

¾ During the present time, there are no Training and Employment Programmes for the unemployed being implemented. However, there are Training Vouchers for the unemployed expected to be announced in the near future.

¾ In employment support programmes where social insurance is not provided at their conclusion, there is a very low rate of absorption of beneficiaries by employers in the business where they were employed under the programme.

¾ Significant bureaucratic and administrative issues are determined in the implementation of the Programmes (there issues mainly concern delayed payment).

¾ Simultaneous implementation of similar programmes (Welfare Employment/Social Work) is considered to be disorienting for the young.

¾ There are high rates of insufficiently qualified young people, mainly from rural regions. Rather, it is considered a myth that Eastern Macedonia & Thrace youth have higher than necessary qualifications - overqualified.

¾ In general, young people’s interest in participation in educational training programmes, though these may carry a 100% subsidy, is extremely low.

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¾ It is therefore deduced that there is a need for planning and implementing of training and employment programmes adjusted to the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace particularities.

Europe Direct Executive

¾ Europe Direct, the European Information Centre in Xanthi, is hosted by the Democritus University of Thrace at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Xanthi. The Centre provides information on education and employment abroad. It also cooperates with other bodies to organise innovative action such as:

o Business English Seminars for students of the Democritus University of Thrace.

o International Entrepreneurship Summer School in conjunction with British Universities (i.e. included as a topic for dissertation, is the structuring of a business plan in cooperation with a British-based company)

o Career Days.

o Soft Skills Development Seminars (emotional intelligence)

¾ A small reduction in the rather high number of young people interested in working abroad has been noticed in the previous two- year period.

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¾ Many young people are turning to Europe Direct without actually knowing what vocational path they would really like to pursue.

¾ There is no feedback with regard to youth employment rates abroad as a result of advisory support and linkage to Europe Direct and related structures.

¾ The young, who have completed internships abroad, i.e. through programmes such as The Erasmus, have a 40% greater chance of being hired to fill a vacancy.

¾ Guidance as well as informative initiatives to high school graduates for which there has been no provision in any curricula, is highly recommended,

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6. Bodies and Organisations involved in matters of Youth Employment / Unemployment in Eastern Macedonia & Thrace

6.1 The Manpower Employment Organisation M. E. O. (O.A.E.D.)

The M.E.O. (OAED) rests three Functional pylons: a) promotion of employment, b) social security in unemployment and the protection of maternity and the family, and c) vocational education and training.

It constitutes the Public Authority and the administrative core structure of: o active job market policies for the containment of unemployment, for the promotion of employment and the vocational training of both the unemployed and those in employment o passive policies regarding unemployment security measures (basic unemployment benefit) and other benefits and social security provisions (maternity, family, M.E.O. Child Minding Centres) o active policies for initial vocational training in combination with internship / Apprenticeship.

M.E.O. axis policies may be summarised in the following: o Employment promotion through a) salary labour costs, b) non-salary labour costs through social security contribution subsidies, assisting in the transition to working life, placing more emphasis on groups being hardest hit with unemployment, as well as vulnerable groups.

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o Cooperation with community and local bodies in local employment programmes with Employment Promotion Centres (EPCs) of the M.E.O. playing the focal role. o Advisory Services o Promotion of employer and employee adaptability simultaneously aiming at maintaining employment. o The Institution of Apprenticeship of Vocational Schools (EPAS) in the total educational work of M.E.O. o Operation of Child Minding centres o Pairing Employment Supply and Demand with employment counselling support as well as on-line via the Organisation’s new portal o EURES network for the matching employment supply and demand on a European level. Contact information:

CONTACT INFORMATION WITH LOCAL M.E.O. OFFICES Related Body Telephone E-mail Vocational Schools Alexandroupolis 2551023709 [email protected] Vocational Schools Drama 2521081131 [email protected] Vocational Schools Kavala 2510231166 [email protected] Vocational Schools Komotini 2531024918 [email protected] Vocational Schools Xanthi 2541021283 [email protected] Vocational Schools Orestiada 2552023956 [email protected] Vocational Training Institute Kavala 2510839088 Vocational Training Institute Xanthi 2541066990 [email protected] Vocational Training Institute Orestiada 2552029912 [email protected] Vocational Training Centre Alexandroupolis 2551082323 Vocational Training Centre Kavala 2510839087 Vocational Training Centre Xanthi 2541083543 [email protected] Vocational Training Centre Komotini 2531029973 [email protected] Employment Promotion Centre2 Didimoticho 2553023170 [email protected] Employment Promotion Centre2 Orestiada 2552024459 [email protected] Employment Promotion Centre2 Alexandroupolis 2551026547 [email protected] Employment Promotion Centre2 Drama 2521048726 [email protected] Employment Promotion Centre2 Eleftheroupolis 2592023459 [email protected]

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Employment Promotion Centre2 Thasos 2593022620 [email protected] Employment Promotion Centre2 Kavala 2510836663 [email protected] Employment Promotion Centre2 Xanthi 2541024142 [email protected] Employment Promotion Centre2 Sapes 2532022116 [email protected] Employment Promotion Centre2 Chrysoupolis 2591024761 [email protected] EURES Counsellor - Rodopi 2531033033 [email protected] EURES Counsellor - Xanthi 2541070550 [email protected]

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6.2 Counselling and Vocational Orientation Centres

Counselling & Vocational Orientation otherwise “Career Counselling” includes Counselling Services aiming towards the support of persons (Students, Studiers, University students, young people, adults est.) in the process of academic and vocational decision-making and career management throughout their life.

Trained Vocational Orientation Counsellors or Career Guidance Counsellors discuss, aid in planning, replanning and management of young persons’ careers at various academic to job market critical transitional stages, the need for correspondence to demands of life-long learning decision making and replanning in matters of education, qualification attainment and the culturing of relative skills.

Contact Information

LOCAL CAREER GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING CENTRES Local CGC Regional Unity Telephone E-mail CGCC Drama 2521048636 [email protected] CGCC Alexandroupolis 2551088162 [email protected] CGCC Orestiada 2552028444 [email protected] CGCC Kavala 2513503547 [email protected] CGCC Xanthi 2541064320 [email protected] CGCC Komotini 2531084980 [email protected]

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6.3 Democritus University Thrace Liaison’s Bureau

The Democritus University of Thrace Liaisons’ Bureau was established in 1997 in the guidelines of the Operational Programme for Education and Initial Vocational Training aiming to constitute the information centre for our University’s students and graduates aspiring to become the link between the University and Productive Communities.

More particularly the Liaisons Bureau: o Informs our University students and graduates of vacancies in companies and corporations of the broader public and private sectors, at both a local and national level. It also informs on positions available for internships. o It provides information on postgraduate study programmes both in Greek and foreign Universities. o It informs the users on available scholarships and endowments in Greece and abroad. o It contributes in informing with regard to Mobility Programmes (Socrates- Erasmus, Leonardo, etc.). o It informs on the educational seminars and conferences being conducted. o It provides Counselling services through the Careers’ Guidance Counsellors and an e-monitoring system. o It provides information on Distance Learning regarding CV compilation, occupational rights, technical terminology etc. o It organises day conferences and seminars of academic and occupational interests including Career Days. o It carries out studies on the job market situation, sought out specialties, graduate absorption and the recording of students’ demands with regard to

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Administration Office services. Their results are utilised by the Bureau as basic axes for the determination of Initiatives in the area of contact with businesses as well as the drafting of a plan for approaching first year students.

Contact Information:

Xanthi, tel.: 25410 79325

Komotini tel.: 25310 39034

Alexandroupolis, tel.: 25510 30022

Orestiada, tel.: 25520 41175

Main Switchboard: 25410 79325,

E-mail: [email protected]

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6.4 T.E.I. Student Liaison Bureau Eastern Macedonia & Thrace

Bureau targets are the following: o Personal or Group Counselling. o Vocational Orientation Tests o Printed material (Advisory tools on CV, effective personnel interview, event flyers, improved edition of Effective Job Seeking Guide, etc.). o Useful information website. o Intervention for invalid students in conjunction with the Training, Social Support and Qualifications for Invalid Persons Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. o Positions of employment in cooperating businesses in Greece and abroad. o E-newspaper with useful information for potential employees. o The Institute Graduates’ data base (Mentors)

Contact Information:

Kavala: TEI of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace, Agios Loukas, P.C. 65404. URL: http://career.teikav.edu.gr, e-mail: [email protected], Tel.: 2510 462204, Fax: 2510 462205. Drama: 1st Km Drama – Kalampaki Road, e-mail: [email protected], Tel.: 25210 60425, Fax: 25210 60425

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6.5 Europe Direct - Xanthi

The European Information Centre ‘Europe Direct of Xanthi’ is hosted by the Democritus University of Thrace in the Engineering Faculty Complex of the University in Xanthi. It constitutes a member of a broader family numbering 18 respective Centres throughout Greece and 502 in European Member States. Europe Direct Xanthi’s mission is: o to be a reliable integrated information services centre based on years of knowledge, expertise and experience of its executives. o take advantage of networking with other available information, and EU assistance networks to be able to provide citizens with unbiased, direct, reliable and high quality information, advice, assistance and answers to questions concerning the EU.

Key objectives of the Europe Direct - Xanthi are: o to act as a "one-stop shop” that is, as an initial point of entry for citizens to the European Union, providing information about the EU and especially in the areas that impact citizens’ daily lives. o provide timely and reliable information, advice, assistance and answers to more specific questions about the EU and the rights of its citizens, priorities, legislation, policies, programmes and funding opportunities. o promote participatory exercise of citizenship through various communication tools (websites, social media, radio broadcasts, publications, etc.).

Europe Direct - Xanthi Activities: o Answers to citizens’ questions submitted through personal contact, telephone, e-mail, fax etc.

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o Organisation of informative events directed either at the public or specific population groups i.e. the unemployed, young people, pupils / students, professionals, people with disabilities etc.) o Weekly radio shows on Xanthi City Radio and publication of newsletter with topics relating to employment, training, lifelong learning, entrepreneurship, European news, etc. o Regular cooperation with the local media i.e. press releases, articles, etc.

Contact Information:

European Information Centre - ‘Europe Direct Xanthi’

Vas. Sofias 12, Engineering Faculty Complex ΙΙΙ, 2nd floor, 67100, Xanthi

Tel.: 25410 79552, E-mail: [email protected]

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6.6 Europe Direct Komotini

The European Information Centre - Europe Direct Komotini provides the latest information on issues of European interest. It also organizes and participates in activities and initiatives related to the European Union. Host organization of the Centre is ‘Rodopi Development’ and it is supported by the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace in the Municipality of Komotini. It is part of a Pan- European network of about 500 centres in 28 Member States, of which 19 are located in Greece. It provides citizens of Rodopi, as well as the entire Region of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace, services tailored to local and regional needs, through which the public can obtain information, advice, assistance and answers to questions about the EU, legislation, policies, programmes and funding opportunities deriving from them.

Contact Information:

Europe Direct Komotini, 15 N. Tsanakli St, P.C. 69100, Komotitni,

Tel: 25310 82051, 70855, Fax: 25310 82055,

E-mail: [email protected]

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6.7 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Unit of DUTH

Aiming to develop an entrepreneurial mind-set and culture of the students and the alumni, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Unit of DUTH supports: o The introduction and teaching of entrepreneurship courses in various Departments of the DUTH. o The production of educational material (printed and electronic) for the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship as an important employment prospect for the young. o The organization of visits to production organizations to strengthen relationships between the University and the Enterprising public. o Conducting seminars and promotion of good practices / cases of business activities. o The organization of special events topics. o The mentoring services in Entrepreneurship & Innovation matters. o Information in relation to subsidy opportunities of entrepreneurial incentives and activities.

Contact Information:

Innovation and Entrepreneurship Unit, Engineering Faculty Complex,

Building IV, 3rd Floor, 12 Vas. Sofias St, P.C. 67100, Xanthi.

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6.8 Institute of Labour of the General Confederation of Greek Workers (INE GSEE) Eastern Macedonia and Thrace

The Institute of Labour of the General Confederation of Greek Workers’ (INE- GSEE), founded in 1990, produces abundant work in the fields of scientific research, education, training, lifelong learning and documentation of positions and GSEE claims, and the country's trade union movement by and large. Throughout this period and via its regional and sectoral development (regional and sectoral Labour Institutes [INE]) it has produced increasingly rich work and this work has been recognised scientifically as sound and socially beneficial.

Contact Information:

No 18, October 28th St. P.C. 67100, Xanthi, Tel: 25410 64448, Fax: 25410 62527, E-mail: [email protected], URL: http://amthr.inegsee.gr

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7 Recommendations for Initiatives on combating youth unemployment and school abandonment (drop-outs)

Through the research activities carried out, with the participation and consultation of institutional officials involved in the matters of employment, social policy, youth and education / training for young people, major proposals came up concerning the reduction and prevention of youth unemployment and early school abandonment, in order that these proposals to denature in the future into action, utilizing available financial implements.

For the purposes of the Project, the Local Public Committee was established, which comprises strategic representatives of bodies related to the areas of combating youth unemployment and reducing the dropout rate and it is projected to have an advisory role in the exploitation of ESPY project research results, hoping to obtain, to the extent practicable, a more permanent nature. Depending on the findings they obtained, Commission members, in cooperation with other participants and bodies and in the implementation of three (3) Laboratory Diffusions realised, presented their proposals regarding actions that could smoothen out the problems among the young of the Region this Project is dealing with.

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7.1 Increasing Employability and Training of Young

People in the REM&Th

Through concluded research activities, in consultation and institutional officials connected with issues of employment, the following recommendations emerged:

The creation of new policies and training programmes more effective in combating the phenomenon of unemployment, such as the adoption of Professional Profiles and Qualifications Certification, specializing in Tourism and other sectors present a local competitive advantage.

The creation of perpetual guidance and mentoring structures, through the adoption of the 'Integrated Skills File', which will systematically record over time all the skills each individual acquires during his lifetime. Advisory Services for Vocational Guidance and the course of the person's Career constitute henceforth a necessary precondition in order for the person to disciplinarily manage to complete and utilize their individual skills portfolio. In this way, it easily adapts to variables in the socio- economic environment inevitably affecting the labour market. Statutory Counselling and Guidance Services, are the main institution that can facilitate the connection between education and employment and the transition from unemployment to employment.

Detailed logging of all Vocational Education and Training Institutions, in order to investigate to what degree they overlap and to readjust the role of each one.

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Conducting a study to explore the local sectoral cooperation between the prevailing sectors of the local economy, analysing the existing degree of market verticalisation, seeking products which are not covered by the Region’s productivity, so that new jobs prospects are created through target-specific policies.

Familiarization of students with the concept of "business" and flexibility of educational structures so as they could develop a level of cooperation with the entrepreneurial network, in order for students to be able to constantly gain experience and integrate in the labour market more smoothly in the future.

Creation of a broader ‘pocket’ system, through which innovative ideas will be guided, protected and develop and which, at the same time, will be a "resource pool of qualified personnel”, which can be accessed by potential enterprises seeking specific project completion skills.

Creation of a dynamic database, consisting of available vacancies.

In the context of increasing young persons’ employability, the establishment of a specific linking mechanism for the local labour market needs in vocational education / training, has constituted a specialized reference, with the following respective recommendations:

• The creation of a dynamic selection mechanism for specific apprenticeship schools, which operate each year that will match the local demand for specialties. If this mechanism is to function effectively, the problem of a lack of sources for collecting and supply of reliable statistical data on the labour market structure will have to be dealt with, through initiatives and challenges that should be undertaken by the local Professional Organizations & Associations, the Commercial and Sciences

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and Chambers of Commerce of Regional Unities of REM&Th and other professional bodies. To this end, the creation of an expanded business network is proposed, which should be maintained and updated indefinitely, aiming at constant and reliable statistical data provision and will form the basis for the creation of comparative analyses over time, highlighting trends formed in labour market. In the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, as the various fields maintain a significant momentum, despite the general economic recession, are those processing and more specifically processing of agricultural products and non-mineable ores. Aiming to further exploit the potential of this dynamics, there should be a creation of a competitive advantage of goods produced in the region through specialisation, new skill acquisition and a change in mentality that will transform the primary sector workers’ profile from “a passive farmer’s” into “a farming entrepreneur’s”.

• Providing logistics for the creation of training courses, which incorporate current and anticipated local employment needs (e.g. natural gas installations technicians).

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7.2 Preventing and combating school abandonment (drop-outs)

Through research activities carried out with the participation and consultation of institutional official concerned with the issues of early school leaving, the following recommendations emerged:

Modification of the curriculum during secondary education, while incorporating a higher degree of flexibility, depending on the particular social profile of students. Meanwhile, the conventional mode of education system could be reformed, allowing students to become receivers of alternative non-formal education (eg learning musical instruments), if they so wish.

Intensifying extracurricular activities and career orientation events.

Creation of new incentives for students of vocational and technical education, who are more prone to school drop-out phenomenon and show increased possibilities of links with the predicament of unemployment.

Addressing the difficulty of access to school infrastructure and adapting to the school environment, with which students with disabilities are confronted.

The creation of specialised software for recording and management of dropouts and integration of this specific software into all schools in the Region. By acting proactively, the development of this software, could allow the modelling of collected data in order to standardize the 'behaviour' of students prone to school abandonment, preventing thereby cases where students show increased school environment abandonment potential. It is

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proposed this Initiative is achieved with the aid of support and scientific supervision of the Democritus University.

Provision of equipment (interactive whiteboards, specialised technological laboratories, etc.), in order to teach the courses more fully and effectively, thus making them more comprehensible and interesting to the students.

Ensuring accessibility within the school space for the entire student population, by increasing existing means of transport and infrastructure, particularly for the remotest rural areas.

Creation of counselling and psychological support structures for both students with behavioural peculiarities, as well as for parents / guardians (Parents Schools).

Implementation of a study to investigate the structure of local social groups and minorities, with subsequent development of targeted policies and implements.

During the exchanges that were held within the framework of the project, experiences were conveyed on a European level regarding alternative measures to tackle early school leaving, and which could be implemented at national and local levels, allowing students who fail to complete a school year (due to excessive absences, for example), to work in areas within the school grounds, such as canteen management and secretarial support.

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8 Final ESPY Conclusions – Recommendations

Through the research activities carried out under the ESPY project in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the current situation in relation to the phenomena of school dropout and youth unemployment on a local level was recorded and compared with the respective data from other Regions and Territories of the country. At the same time, the result of participation in the Project’s activities of Local Representative institutional officials associated with and involved in matters of employment, social policy, youth and education/training of young people and in constant consultation with them, major proposals and policy recommendations regarding reduction and prevention of youth unemployment and early school abandonment arose. The findings of primary and secondary research conducted across the REM&Th, reinforce the necessity of adopting and promoting parts of these proposals, setting out, to a significant extent, the guidelines which should be implemented in order to smoothen out the problems facing young people in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Region.

8.1 Suggestions and Recommendations for combating Premature School Abandonment in the REM&Th

Based on the data from the Survey, the total school abandonment rates from primary school to the last form of Senior High School, emerge as an occurrence particularly acute in R.U. of Rodopi (16.60%) and Xanthi (15.59%), a rate much higher than the total averages in REM&Th (10.59%) and the National average (7.69%), while the corresponding figures in R.U’s of Evros (9.70%), Kavala (5.63%) and Drama (5.42%) are at a lower level compared with the average in REM&Th and the nationwide average. A similar picture is portrayed with

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dropout rates, from Junior High School to the last form of Senior High School, in the ESPY Project target age group - (young people aged 15 to 25 years). According to the findings of qualitative researches (focus groups involving teachers and in-depth interviews with education officials in REM&Th), the reasons that have led these two Regional Units (Rodopi and Xanthi) to exhibit such high rates of school dropouts, are indicated as having powerful local minorities, and a heavy concentration of rural and remote areas of the Region in those Regional Units. Conclusively, and as the approach on the issue of social inclusion of the minority population is rather complex and the investigation of specific parameters affecting school leaving in minority populations require special scientific and methodological implements, which are beyond the scope and capabilities of the ESPY Project, it is necessary for a specific study/research to be conducted investigating the structure of local social groups and minorities as well as traits and causes of the school dropout phenomenon in minority populations aiming to determine and design appropriately targeted policies and tools to address the problem within these populations. With respect to remote and rural areas where student transport infrastructure is inadequate, ensuring accessibility of the total student population of these areas to schools, through better provision of transport and infrastructure, is seen as a priority of paramount importance, constituting an essential measure which could significantly mitigate the phenomenon of school dropout on a local level. Among the practices to combat school abandonment implemented in recent years, is the establishment of monitoring mechanisms for the phenomenon, which, however, have proven ineffective, and do not incorporate the factor of prevention of the phenomenon. In this context, the provision for the development of early warning systems has already been incorporated into the

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Strategic Policy Framework for the Reduction of Early School Leaving in Greece, which was carried out by the Institute for Educational Policy (IEP) under the "Human Resources Development - Education and Lifelong learning 2014-2020" Operational Programme, and, in particular, the development and installation of a National e-stamping platform of student attendance in all schools and at all levels, allowing early detection tendencies for school abandonment, particularly with student groups deemed as ‘doubtful, and which operates on both a regional and national level. On an REM&Thlevel, it is proposed that the installation of this special software for recording and managing school dropout, be combined with additional modelling capabilities with data already having been collected locally by using existing software as well as future information collected through the new electronic platform, in order to standardise the 'behaviour' of students prone to school abandonment, thus providing schools of the REM&Th with the capability to identify students of increased likelihood for leaving the school environment and providing special care and support to both these students themselves and their parents. In fact, in the context of specific support to parents of students who exhibit increased early tendencies of abandonment of the school environment, the creation and effective support of special Parents' Schools by local Authorities (Local Government, Education Directorates etc.) is expected to aid in curbing the phenomenon of early school abandonment. During consultation with representatives of REM&Th officials involved in dropout issues, those extensively discussed were the ones in the context of school vocational orientation taken by young people in the Region. According to focused research, more than half of young workers in REM&Th, have never attended vocational guidance courses in the past, while only 1 in 4 of those who reported having attended such courses in the past stated they were

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affected significantly. At the same time, the emerging trait of those students not leaving the education system, but switching to another educational structure, especially in technical education, though the professional rights of technical professions is particularly unclear, seems equally intense. Meanwhile, the notoriously inefficient formal and informal consultative guidance provided to students in REM&Th, necessitates the creation of new and reaffirming existing continuous guidance and mentoring structures through the establishment of the 'Single Skills Pupil’s File', systematically logging over time, all the skills acquired during his lifetime. Statutory Counselling and Guidance Services are the main institution that can facilitate the connection between education and employment and the transition from unemployment to employment. According to the conclusions of group discussions with teachers, a considerable number of students decide to halt their education in order to work in agricultural and livestock farms maintained by their parents, thus contributing to the family income. This choice of students to work in rural businesses of their parents is further enhanced during the period of general economic crisis presently being traversed, where young people are discouraged by the high rates of unemployed graduates and decide not to continue into higher education. Approximately 30% of young people who participated in the field research, are ‘employed’ in a family business. It is conclusive, therefore, that family businesses are an important factor in employment for young people in the region, to a large extent forming the building blocks of the local entrepreneurship structure. At the same time, however, familiarisation of the students with the concept of "business", is intensely evidently non-existent, while on a par, there is lack of flexibility of educational structures in developing a network of cooperation with businesses, which could bring students into contact with market realities. On the basis of all of the above,

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there was general support from representatives of organizations involved in the consultation conducted in the framework of the project for the creation of a broader ‘pocket’ system, which will be hosted by schools and through which ‘start-up’ - innovative business ideas and youth initiatives will emerge, be guided and develop, which will also constitute a "pool" of qualified personnel, which can be accessed by companies for the implementation of specialized or innovative projects. In this way, the opportunity for young people of the Region will be provided, to develop a competitive and sustainable business environment for businesses of the Region (especially family businesses, especially in the primary sector, whose potential is prevalent in Eastern Macedonia & Thrace).

8.2 Suggestions and recommendations for combating Youth Unemployment in REM&Th

This survey on young people in REM&Th highlighted important aspects and features of unemployment and employment of young people in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. The survey findings brightly highlight the very important issue regarding the direct link between Youth and the job market. In particular, the vast majority (65%) of young workers in REM&Th, sought their first job through personal or family acquaintances, and only about 1 in 10 sought work through online job sites. At the same time, only 8% of young workers in REM&Th say they contacted the M.E.O. (OAED) to find their first job and only 4% through interconnection and career offices of the universities - TEI and employment agencies. These results demonstrate the ineffectiveness of existing bodies involved in promoting youth employment and combat

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unemployment, both in quantitative as well as qualitative terms. Various practices can facilitate the job search process and provide jobseekers a comprehensive bundle of relevant information. In this context the creation of a single sound online database for the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace is proposed, which will integrate the dispersed individual databases of various local authorities (Local Employment Agency Offices, Liaison Offices and Career Universities and Technical Colleges, etc.), and will include both vacancies at REM&Th and jobs sought by young people. This platform must constantly be updated, allowing for tiered access to all entities that gather and process information on employment positions offered, as well as jobseekers in REM&Th, in order to constitute a focal benchmark to the REM&Th job market. Simultaneously, the platform can integrate online counselling services by expert labour market executives, which are knowledgeable on local employment conditions for young people seeking employment in REM&Th. Additionally, the research revealed a significant mismatch between jobs on offer in the REM&Th and specific qualifications and skills of young people in the region, and 37% of young workers surveyed consider their current job requires less than their level of expertise and 46% say the current position does not meet their pre-set targets while a similar percentage state they are in search of a better job. To this end, the creation of a specialised connection mechanism of local job market requirements with vocational education/training is proposed, thus easing the problem of youth unemployment and effectively connecting young people with the local job market. It is noted that an Action Plan for Diagnosing Needs of the labour market in Greece has already been developed, on a national and regional level (the National Institute of Labour and the Ministry of Labour HR 2015), under which local labour market demands will systematically be recorded at an REM&Th level. The proposal therefore is to utilize this mechanism and the data

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to be collected by a special local committee in which representatives of the education institutions and vocational training will participate and build on the elements of the mechanism’s diagnostics for the adaptation and updating of the education programmes and training provided at local level, so as they correspond to local job market requirements. At the same time, and towards supporting the local labour requirements recording mechanism in REM&Th, it is considered necessary to create an expansive network of businesses, which should be maintained and updated with a long term perspective, aiming at a flow of continuous and reliable statistical information.

In the prospect of implementation of the initiatives for the new programming period 2014 - 2020, the proposed measures should together constitute part of a wider strategy and be considered in the aim of reduction of school abandonment and youth unemployment, focusing both on prevention and intervention and offsetting the effects of these phenomena. Apart from the necessary institutional interventions to be implemented centrally at a National level, both on educational policy as well as employment and unemployment among young people, society on local level, local social safeguard institutions, and the local educational community must regroup their forces in order to develop a strong social network of solidarity towards vulnerable and high risk groups facing educational and social exclusion.

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9 Evaluation and Feedback of the “Malaga Experiment”

9.1 Introductory remarks

This chapter is an attempt to evaluate whether the "Malaga" experiment provides elements that could be exploited by the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Region. On a technical level, the investigation is based both on the official Greek translation of the text of the findings and results/evaluation report of the social policy experiment of ESPY "Experimental Social Policy for Young People (ESPY)» project - under the PROGRESS programme (invitation VP / 2012/007) and the other on all the proposals of the Greek institutions and bodies of the AM&Th Region as they were officially recorded across all of the respective Actions of the programme, and are also reflected in this Sources and Recommendations Guide. Where necessary, views are also obtained, from bodies that are not directly involved in the project but are connected with its objects which are development, testing, dissemination and replication of innovative youth activation measures for preventing unemployment and social exclusion of this group and occasionally have raised important points about them. As with the entire project, the information and opinions contained in this chapter do not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of the European Commission. It is important that it is understood that the Malaga experiment presents an interest from two different aspects, which should be considered independently from each other. The first being the interventions made under the experiment themselves. It is the public policy strategies trials for the treatment and prevention of

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unemployment and social exclusion of young people, in particular young people living in remote rural areas who are hindered by multiple barriers in accessing the labour market, with particular social difficulties and employment inclusion. These interventions are presented one by one in this chapter, while we simultaneously examine the transport facilities and their implementation in rural Greece.

The second viewpoint relates to the evaluation methodology of the Malaga Experiment. As we shall see below, this methodology was carried out with very interesting scientific and research criteria, and presents important elements of innovation which, regardless of the results they present to the experiment itself, it is useful to analyse and consolidate them, as they could be a reference point for the evaluation of such interventions in the future. Going one step further, we could say that certain aspects of this mode of evaluation could be broadly applied across the entire range of social policy interventions.

The full and correct understanding of the Malaga experiment, by us interested outside Spain, requires the provision of two important conditions. The first is the knowledge of the economic, social and other characteristics of the region and the knowledge of the characteristics of the target group. This requirement is fully covered by the preliminary work done under ESPY aimed at finding European Regions with similar characteristics with respect to the intervention. Indeed, the relevance of the Greek to the Spanish region, as regards its characteristics and the broader environment of the target group is, mutatis mutandis, impressive.

The second condition, for the understanding of the experiment by all those who have no direct experience of Spain, is the knowledge and understanding of the

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Spanish public administration system, and particularly the social policy system at regional and local levels. Here things are not so simple. Of course, the information given us under ESPY, both through official documents, and a number of meetings and personal communication, are abundant. We are aware that, in the Provincial Council of Malaga, those responsible for the execution of the experiments were the Community Welfare Service and the Employment Service, with the support and advice of European Resource Service. These Community Welfare Services have a presence in municipalities, comprise of six Areas of Social Work and are responsible for the development of initiatives that promote the integration of people, particularly of groups at risk of social exclusion.

The data above, though indicative of how the experiment is managed, is not totally sufficient for an in-depth analysis. This problem occurs with great frequency in each attempt of transnational comparisons in the social policy field. We often resort to expressions like "These services are something similar to Municipalities’ social services in Greece", expressions which, on the one hand are suitable as a rudimentary definition, yet not so suitable for scientific analysis, which requires much more information on budgets, staffing, objectives, scope, position in the hierarchy, the degree of autonomy, partnerships etc. Suffice it to consider, the fact that even the simple phrase "Social Municipal Services" in Greece does not carry the same weight for every one of us, and also, the fact that huge differences exist between different municipalities, as other services produce immense work and others underperform.

In any case however, the analyses available to us are implicit, but clear, that the Community Welfare Services in Spain have few staffing problems, little lack of

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financial and other resources or poor organization, while instead increase the chances for quality, integrated approaches. We will, however, see all this below, as we examine the individual initiatives of the experiment singularly. On the other hand, these elements, suffice it to say, that while the average in the European Union is 120 unemployed per person in employment, in each Employment Agency in Greece the number rises to more than 1,000, and this ratio will not improve as long as coercive measures restricting recruitment apply in the public sector.

9.2 Communication and Coordination Improvement between Schools and Service Providers - Social Services

The first initiative includes features that could, in principle, be considered innovative for our regions but perhaps for the country as a whole. Relevant interventions were performed in public training institutions, but the content of the intervention was not any form of training in itself, but the effort to achieve substantial changes in the general perception of young people both of the value of work and their personal job search capabilities through coaching activities, improvement of neurolinguistic programming and emotional intelligence enhancement. These initiatives were not limited to young men and women, but as we will see directly below, extended to their families and to the professionals of the education system and social services involved with the young.

Through this initiative, trainees both male and female, learned to better understand the environment in which they function, were driven to self- awareness regarding their professional and broader objectives, gained

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confidence, optimism and ambition, developed understanding and communication skills with their families and better recognized their potentials and limitations. At the same time, it became clear that such initiatives should start at the earliest possible age and culminate in the period of transition from primary to secondary education. Yet, participants registered a concern for a possible ‘stigma’ attachment due to their presence in the seminars.

The initiative is very interesting, especially given the very negative initial attitude expressed by young men and women towards it. This negative attitude is an accepted fact in the Greek vocational training system, which in many cases unfortunately remains in place until the end of each training period. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in IEK, but largely concerns other educational institutions and generally complained about by teachers, as it presents enormous obstacles in the carrying out of their work. This experiment teaches that, by young people being heard and not judged when they express what they feel and what they want, it becomes possible for relations to start and thus develop into trust, both among themselves and between their instructors and trainers and themselves. Going one step further, it was proposed via the experiment that students and trainees function as ambassadors of good practice through visits to training and apprenticeship locations, on the grounds that young people have their own unique and successful way of communicating with ‘codes’ foreign to adults.

This type of personalized and integrated approach of unemployed young people was cultivated earlier by MEO(OAED) through the institution of the Employment Counsellor, but who despite his great success unfortunately degenerated into a merely bureaucratically recording of the unemployed. Counselling was an institution that helped unemployed men and women to

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investigate to what extent their personal orientation in the labour market was correct. It did not provide anything ready-made, such as cheques or benefits, but helped people to see for themselves what their own difficulties, personal strengths and weaknesses, potential entrepreneurial path, shortcomings, possible methods of self-improvement were. In essence it led most people in a certain direction, but one in true reflection of themselves. There are very many evaluation reports by participants where this approach is praised. Today, there is a number of workshops for mobilization of the unemployed where individuals enrol en masse, they are given general guidelines, then choose a counselling direction and this is followed by a respective grouping. Subsequently, though, there is no adequate staffing for effective results.

9.3 Initiatives involving the family

Similar coaching initiative for improvement of neurolingual programming and enhancing emotional intelligence was carried out with the families of the trainees, which were represented mainly by mothers aged 35-50 y.o. with limited personal self-management skills. The results were not as encouraging in relation to the first initiative, which proves the fact that young people are much more receptive with regard to personal improvement issues than their parents, who are often trapped in their own prejudices and stereotypes, where their children’s occupation is concerned. However, its simultaneous execution with the previous initiative reinforced the parent-child public interest, having benefits of a generally combinational nature.

The view that the family environment affects career choices as well as overall educational and professional development of the person greatly, often appears

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in such researches. Yet, taking the experiment a step further managed to record, in a clear and absolute manner, the objective difficulties related with the negative influence of the family environment. More specifically, the test identified not only the obstacles the family often presents to learners themselves, but also the enormous difficulty in persuading families with a low education profile to change their educational strategies for their children. In the same context, the experiment also identified a need for a more personalised approach of each parent in order to achieve the desired transition. A number of research elements reflects the bleak view that well-paid and high social profile jobs are occupied by people from the upper social strata. This is another argument in favour of enhancing initiatives for the change of mentality of family environments of excluded young people.

9.4 Areas of innovation for professionals

A similar initiative was implemented with the education system professionals as receptors. It seems that for reasons not mentioned, the object of intervention was modified and the emphasis shifted to the development of new intervention strategies, development of new practical educational tools and on the subject of providing incentives for teachers and trainers.

This data is very critical for the vocational training system in force in Greece and REM&Th, which presents the following paradox: At first it preaches the values of flexibility and innovation, which it strives to instil in students and trainees, while on the other hand, the system itself is rigid and introverted. Characteristically, there is the fact that many institutions shape their curriculum not according to students’ needs or job market demands, but based on the specialities possessed by the available teaching staff. On matters of

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fundamental education of instructors and their evaluation, which always seem to be on the forefront at every attempted short or long educational reform, there never has been a definitive and sustainable solution.

On the contrary, co-cover-ups of responsibilities is ascertained, creating additional and irreversible problems. For example, the Ministry of Education is responsible for formal education, post- secondary education - formal or otherwise, Vocational Training Institutes and academic orientation, and the Ministry of Employment responsible for vocational training. EU officials are determining that in all cases where there is common grounds for action, the two ministries not only do not cooperate, but in fact, function as if the other does not even exist. Simultaneously, there could exist significant funding scales but more rational management in many a case - i.e. extending MEO’s and CVOC’s services in secondary education and in vocational and career institutions in tertiary education - in order that together they constitute one common structure for a systematic monitoring of people throughout the duration of their working life.

9.5 Dual Internship System

9.5.1 Dual internship system interventions

Initiative number four, concerned a classical approach of providing a combination of training and internship accompanied by the provision of subsidies. Three topics of particular interest were selected for/and significant prospects in the respective areas of intervention: organic farming, integrated management of cork and the revival of traditional professions. The benefits of such approaches are also known in our region: the better tailored the training

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to the resources and opportunities of the region, the better results we have. The young people came into contact with enterprises, improved their employability prospects, familiarised themselves with the daily routine of a given profession by practicing discipline and their accountability, and mainly acquired important business skills. The experiment showed the preference of young people for teamwork, the great importance of financial subsidy and incentive, but also that the proposal does not exceed the daily practice of five hours as longer duration causes loss of concentration.

At this point, the problem of territorial geographical dispersement is also highlighted, which in fact is much more acute in rural agricultural areas. Difficulties are determined in mobility between municipalities, not only at provincial level but also within the same locality. The difficulty in movement and access is respective to the time required and with the necessary financial resources, especially in areas where the public transport network often provides only rudimentary coverage. Since transportation problems occur even for the heads and executives of employment support services, it can be easily deduced how that effects the people in the target group themselves and the low economic profile which effectively characterizes them. This issue is an obstacle so much so for the initial access to relevant initiatives as well as in the effort to stay in them. It should therefore be fundamentally necessary through every initiative to examine likely movement in the region, and the possibility of transportation support. The use of electronic media cannot fully substitute personal presence, especially since, as mentioned elsewhere in this chapter, complaints of fatigue and declining interest were recorded in cases of extended use of such means.

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In the European Union a political tide is developing that supports the institution of dual approach – a combination of training and apprenticeship. In many cases, the international debate connects the successful operation of apprenticeships to the combat against youth unemployment. The argument is based on the observation that in countries that extensively implement the institution of apprenticeship, rates of youth unemployment is generally lower. This applies for example to Germany with apprenticeship at 48% and youth unemployment at 8%, Austria with vocational education at 75% and youth unemployment at 9%. But in Greece the training rises to 33% and youth unemployment nearing 60%, while in Spain itself, despite the high level of training, youth unemployment remains very high. Therefore, the transfer of this model to other countries of the EU cannot be carried out mechanically. Apprenticeships offered, in order to supply hands for a developed secondary sector, is something which does not exist in Greece, and as a result, we should be directing out attention to something that relates to services and more specifically tourism. Attracting, however, a high quality workforce for tourism is a difficult task, as these are demanding jobs and have a seasonal fluctuation, antisocial hours, fluctuating earnings and there is a large ‘black labour’ phenomenon and a host of other problems.

Thus, the transfer of the same system to Greece may ultimately not have the same effects. Apprenticeship is normal educational practice and must combine paid and secured regular work with educational standards, integrated programmes and educational goals. These standards do not seem to apply to Greece, where training is seen as a latent employment policy, probably resulting in massive exploitation of inexpensive youth work, without any guarantees, especially without substantial professional knowledge and skills acquisition for students. Besides, there are significant problems of practical

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application, as evidenced by the fact that the possibility for students attending Vocational High Schools (EPAL) for a one-year voluntary apprenticeship programme was recently introduced. To this purpose, the Ministry of Labour commissioned M.E.O. (OAED) to locate 50,000 additional Apprenticeship positions, at a time when the M.E.O. is dealing with existing demands of extreme difficulty, often to the detriment of the quality of available vacancies.

Beyond that, this type of approach may function as a means of substitution and labour replacement, as they offer normal positions at a low cost to businesses, with current employees receiving no security, as they are exposed to the risk of either being terminated or receiving a salary cut and an increase in working hours. For example, in 2015 3.5% of the GDP derived from tourism, into which 70.000 young people were placed via the Voucher programme with awards not exceeding €270 per month, payable at the end of the six-month term, at that! And yet, according to the national Statistics Agency, despite the increase in tourism, not a single place of permanent employment was created in tourism, but in fact there was a decrease in viable positions.

Dual education in Greece and REM&Th is introduced mainly with the introduction of the voucher programme to the labour market. In the drafting of the Initiative, opinions from the previous voucher programme were taken into account which was very encouraging, as a large proportion of participants of both sexes, appeared to be staying on at the job. Data from M.E.O. (OAED) apprenticeship schools which was also positive were used, as a large number of graduates appeared to finally find a permanent place to work. There was also an attempt for Initiatives to be aimed directly at unemployed persons and not on structures which sometimes pose extra costs, offer ‘cover’ for one another and are not exploited.

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Nevertheless, it appears that the institution is having many issues, both at ideological and political as well as at administrative and executive levels. Its effectiveness is directly challenged, as it in fact forces the financially and socially excluded unemployed people into a rather unethical negotiation process, where their voucher is simply exchanged for a sum of money, while all other aspects (training etc.) are on a pretence. Unemployment is not really combatted and there is the fear this practice will spill over, for example into the education system, whereby families will receive a voucher to go to private schools, in a substitution process of public education with public funding of private schools.

In REM&Th, as throughout Greece, the effect of training has never been measured. In practice, it is a process of creating unemployed people with a professional trainee profile. These people effectuate training on some random professional object, fully recorded by the entity providing the training, return to the registered unemployed register of the M.E.O. (OAED), and thereafter they are managed completely by the provider: he registers the people in every possible training scheme and gives them a small amount of money simply to sign, in order to show that they actually participated, and this so as ‘everyone is happy’ since everyone is rewarded without effort. At the same time, according to the training centre representative of the REM&Th, parallel implementation of similar programmes reflect that the young are ultimately disoriented.

Funding for training amounts to €5,400 for the training provider per unemployed person and €1,600 for the person themselves. The provider gathers unemployed people from unrelated disciplines and different labour

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paths and inevitably guides them, without any research, study, or counselling, towards other disciplines in the particular "programme” where he has a vested interest at the time. In this perspective, the input voucher for the labour market is an ineffective and deadlocked measure, which, while it was designed as active, essentially results in passive income support.

9.5.2 The dimension of intervention sector selection

It was mentioned above that, in the context of the experiment, major local economic sectors such as organic farming, integrated management of cork production and the revival of traditional professions were selected. Similar sectors are emerging in the REM&Th as well, and are easily pointed out, not only by institutions involved, but also by ordinary people. However, from selecting an area of intervention, to the successful completion of a related intervention, the road is quite long.

If we take tourism for example, which has huge potential for growth as much throughout Greece, where it is estimated that by 2025 hundreds of thousands of new jobs could be created, as in the REM&Th, where the opening of the northern border following the European Union's expansion towards eastern countries even exceeded the most optimistic forecasts of growth of tourist influx, while the trend remains upward. To support this demand however, public and private investments should be made, which will maintain existing operational level structures as well as create new ones, especially since the higher the quality of service, the more employees are required.

Thus, despite high unemployment in Greece, the demand for trained personnel in tourism is immense. This demand refers to both under-skilled staff such as

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waiters as well as other specialties, such as barmen and barwomen, restaurateurs, confectioners, etc. Many of these positions are filled by foreign workers, mainly due to the demand for particular languages (Serbian, Russian, Semitic, Arabic) not covered by the indigenous people. At a higher level there is also a shortage, particularly in e-commerce and online marketing managers, comprising rapidly growing sectors, as well as in the tourism sector.

At the same time there is insufficient connection of public education in tourism with the actual needs of the labour market, either nationally or regionally. The structure of subsidized projects like for example the NSRF, are very bureaucratic and inflexible and can not serve the needs of education in tourism, which require much more flexibility and efficiency, as for example, the height of the proposed remuneration for teachers is not sufficient in the least, in order to attract quality culinary or pastry masters. These gaps are covered by private schools that offer quality programmes and better connection with the actual market needs.

The participation of an employee in quality educational programmes can lead to a sharp increase in his salary, because as mentioned above, the demand for such personnel is still very strong. However, despite the great potential, a relatively small proportion of young people consciously opt to invest in a long career in this industry. This may be due to reasons such as the intense seasonality, large distances of work from their place of residence, the overall low social esteem for technical education and even lower regard for tourism professions stemming from obsessions of the kind "we will not be waiting on Europe hand and foot."

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Labour flexibility is absolutely necessary in the tourism industry, where short- term demand is quite unpredictable (unforeseen arrival of large tourist groups, very late evening departure from the restaurant etc.), while there is no possibility of restocking, as for example in processing. The majority of experienced workers enjoys work flexibility, if it is accompanied by the prospect of an increase in income. A person does not decide to move for four months from mainland Greece on an island to work in a hotel, unless the total hours worked did not provide satisfactory overall income. This of course is not an eight-hour – five-day job. The inability of the legal framework to adapt to the reality of the job, results in its de facto circumvention. This could be avoided if flexible measures such as counting the working hours of each employee were adopted long term and not on a weekly or monthly basis.

9.6 Capacity Building Pathways

This initiative is a continuation and completion of the first initiative “Improving communication and coordination between the trainees and the training provider - social services," as it also focused on skills for employability by improving motivation and training of young people via coaching, emotional intelligence and neurolingual programming tools. The difference being that it took place during the three-day cohabitation of all the young participants. The starting point was to solve their personal problems, setting their own goals and the identification of their interests.

Initial fears of those who attended were soon transformed into excitement. Apart from the main objectives of improving the pinpointing of personal goals, the combating of personal difficulties and understanding of self-improvement strategies through the groups which were formed, strong cooperation and

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friendship bonds were created. In this controlled framework, different interests regarding employment aspects according to gender were also observed, with males focusing mainly on achieving goals, personal and professional success and freedom of movement and females interested in relationships, personal growth, self-awareness and more particularly the discovery of one of the meanings of life. This data may be exploitable in our country, both at national and regional level, as the programmes that support women's employment or female entrepreneurship are not derived from any specific adaptation, but are a mere copy of other general programmes where the only factor that diversifies itself is the target group.

9.7 Training in management, Management Practices and Marketing and Business Support Service Initiatives for Youth

Under this initiative, the apprentices and trainees were trained in the development of entrepreneurship through training on issues related to starting a business, including the management of the same economic activity. Following completion of the theoretical part, each and everyone undertook to apply what they learned through the development of a complete business plan for their supposed business. Learning management skills was thus reinforced and they had the opportunity to test conditions that simulate a real business environment. One part of the training was performed online – real time. However, the duration of the sessions was a negative factor. Also, with the completion of the initiative, it became obviously clear that the development of

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youth entrepreneurship requires support, not only at the commencement of the effort, but also mid as well as long term.

In our Region, similar programmes for youth, as well as female entrepreneurship are run. These programmes are also a combination of knowledge in theory in tandem with practical applications. Some even provide subsequent substantial financial aid to finance administrative enterprise starting costs, purchasing equipment and covering operating expenses for the initial period of operation. Interventions to high school students was proposed to the REM&Th by an Executive of Europe Direct with information initiatives for entrepreneurship, for which, as it turns out, there is no provision in any of the existing curricula.

In contrast to the strengths of these programmes we encounter the obstacle of high cost, the unfair competition created for existing businesses and the fact that Greece is a country with a relatively high self-employment rate. Previously there were the M.E.O. (OAED) programmes supporting young entrepreneurs up to 35, with counselling and advice as a prerequisite. In the process, many individuals ascertain for themselves that they are not suitable for ‘this’ job, while the rest were subsidised with considerable amounts in order to start their own businesses. There was also the possibility of cooperation between many individuals for the creation of cooperatives, where the subsidy amount was manyfold. However, the Institution did not have the expected results, as in Greece the sense of cooperation is not highly developed.

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9.8 “Work experience”

This is an initiative for vocational orientation in order for there to be contact with potential new career interests. The Initiative was implemented through study visits to three different companies with teacher-tutor supervision and with a one-month internship at one of these businesses. Participation in Apprenticeship was not accompanied by a monetary incentive, which discouraged many people, who ultimately did not complete the course. It seems that in many of these cases the main obstacle was the family atmosphere, which was unable to envisage participation in an internship experience without financial reward. The issue of financial incentives is known to the REM&Th, where for example, according to the training centre representative, in employment enhancement programmes at the end of which there was no subsidy to social security contributions, there was a very low absorption rate of beneficiaries by the enterprise where they worked under the programme.

Other setbacks encountered, were a shortage of infrastructure, family problems, low self-esteem and a very pessimistic stance. Young people with no or very little family support faced more hindrances and difficulties with regard to participation, not to mention these problems effecting their motives. Young mothers on a budget were in no position to attend internships, as they had to take care of the children themselves as family support was non-existent as was other type of support. It is therefore evident that for those in young family situations there should be follow-up of the initiatives with subsidies and more overall financial support which will provide funds for transportation child- minding fees and other relative necessities. General problems concerning geographical mobility restrictions fell under the same category of limitations due to shortage of funds.

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There were those who faced the situation as a challenge that allowed them to test their limitations. In these cases, the role of the counsellor was of fundamental significance. Participation in the Initiative brought to light the lack of social skills of young people, which proved to be a detrimental factor in their rapid and complete integration in the working environment. At this point, the value of the first initiative (Improvement of Communication and Coordination between the trainees and the Education Authority – Social Services) proved itself, which, on the other hand, was not totally sufficient as changes in mentality and attainment and improvement of social skills give fruit on more mid to long-term bases.

At this point, it important to note once again that, each unemployed person has a totally individual profile. Services involved in enhancement of employability, not only on a regional but also on a national scale, usually consider persons applying to them have a typical profile (high motivation, freedom of mobility, full health, a willingness to work, determination, patience, etc.) but more often than not, reality is totally different. Multitudes have lost contact with literacy and are facing difficulties in reading or filling in a simple form. It is evident that there is ample room for improvement in order to make these services more user oriented with the same dedication many enterprises have been doing for a number of years now and prospering for this very reason.

In some cases, host companies faced young people or new interns with great bias due to the low social background of their families. This observation is very similar to the situation in REM&Th, where according to the M.E.O. (OAED) representative several cases are recorded where terms set as prerequisite by employers for hiring unemployed people through M.E.O. (OAED) programmes

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are the non-participation of candidates belonging to minorities in the region. These problems seem to have been overcome in the course of the Malaga apprenticeship programme, when the importance of the family "stigma" fell, as after its completion there was very positive feedback from both male and female students as well as the business executives who had become involved in traineeship. However, it is clear from the whole process that further and more in depth preparation with businesspeople is needed so they can come to understand that internship is part of a larger, very particular and very sensitive educational process, whose educational character is perhaps more important than the knowledge and the skills themselves. The problem that remains, however, is the lack of options at the end of the internship, and the painful return of the person to unemployed status.

9.9 Job Club

This is a novel activity which could be readily applied at the REM&Th. In its context, the young unemployed person does not remain a passive receiver of job seeking information, but takes an active role, acting in a way as if they themselves were the officials of the employment support services. In this innovative way of guidance, job search groups are created which are given all the means and resources at the disposal of the job search services themselves. This way, the people play a leading role in search and information management, are trained in making decisions, travel farther from their usual place of activity, meet service management and business executives and dramatically enhance their personal network. This activity leads to an improved understanding of a personal action plan for job search, based on a much more proactive stance and so it is obvious that such initiatives may have

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a catalytic effect on positive change, both in attitudes to job search and to attitude towards life in general.

On the other hand, of course, the task is not easy, and highlights once more the difficulties arising from poor education, low self-esteem, lack of social skills and lack of initiative by many young people. In these cases, the role of professional facilitators and group mentors is catalytic. It is also important, to have frequent and close cooperation of the group, while each group should be composed of individuals of similar educational and social profile so as the role of a more educated person’s profile is not overemphasized. It seems that something similar has not yet been implemented in our country where it would be extremely interesting to have some relevant piloting application, as it is a low cost activity with immediate practical benefits. Despite the low cost, however, it is once again required personnel be highly qualified, with experience in animation and guidance: therefore, the problem that arises here is one of under-staffing of relevant authorities, especially on the regional level.

9.10 Participation Workshop

Participation Workshops were carried out at every one of the six regions of community work in the Malaga Region, which were attended by expert teacher/trainers from the various public authorities, Community partners and young people from those that participated in the initiative in some way as well as from the general public. In the context of the Workshop, successes and weaknesses of the initiative were analysed, new and better suited to current reality questions were set, networking was enhanced through coordination and geographical approach (which was not obvious due to the extensive spread of the services and target groups), a plan for professional and business network

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was laid out which included all fundamental bodies in the area for the planning of initiatives for the improvement of employability and training of the young and the foundations were laid for a new, more participatory relationship model.

In our region there is a great need for such initiatives. Even the meetings held under the programme, and despite the fact that the participants came from entities with the significant common field of employment, the majority of people were unfamiliar with each other, but rather more, the objectives, the mandate, initiatives, resources and other important elements of each entity was not available to the rest. Under these conditions, therefore, effective networking, one that surpasses the mere reference to phones and the web-site of other similar bodies, unfortunately in many cases, is still in its infancy.

Worse even is the fact that there is a kind of cannibalism, where for example an entity makes substantial and systematic search for new positions of employment, and the rest simply recycle it, irresponsibly at that. Indeed, then, every initiative that brings together employment services executives, and much more these initiatives which openly invite unemployed people themselves or an entire community, are useful. It should be stressed that such initiatives should be considered as simply the beginning to effective and lasting networking and not act as a substitute for it.

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9.11 ‘Optimistic Youth’ Meeting

This initiative aimed at informing and making people aware through conferences, working groups testimonials focused on motivation and activation of the young in the context of ‘Marketing a Positive Youth’ In this context, the podium and attractive participation space were opened to young men and women and European and national initiatives for employment and training disseminated through a direct channel.

There have been at times, such initiatives in the REM&Th whose results, however, are not easy to record, because such initiatives are simply the entry point for people who want to delve deeper into search for relevant information. The M.E.O. representative in REM&Th notes that informing young people about M.E.O’s activities are extremely lacking and the dissemination of the organization's activities is carried out exclusively via the authority’s website, as information and awareness initiatives are non-existent on a local level.

Programmes to combat unemployment, increase employment, social economy and lifelong learning emanating from the European Union have by default considerable sums for diffusion and the relevant European services always require convincing evidence that diffusion did actually take place. However, according to the REM&Th’s Vocational Training Centre representative, the interest of young people to participate in educational training programmes, even those subsidized 100%, are generally very low. Currently no information is available on whether this is due to lack of information or other structural factors.

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From a different perspective, however, and perhaps because of this current strictness, a bureaucratic type of addressing the issue is often noted and routine administration takes precedence over substance. One aspect of this problem is the fact that several projects only promote their own initiatives, ignoring the contributions of others. Another dimension is the fact that many projects have a spectacular temporary presence, but the added value at their conclusion completion is disproportionately small.

9.12 Training and Communication 2.0: Acquaintance with Social Networks for Training and Employment This initiative aimed at training of the young on ‘tools’ availed to them via social networks for the purposes of training and employment, through teaching social network profiles focused on seeking work and further training in the use of S.N’s for employment and training opportunity location.

The experiment revealed not only the success of the four initiatives but also the need for further supporting them with expert personnel, greater duration, more locations, longer spans between conferences for implementation and practice as well as better communication/marketing of the session/course content. This way the potential participants, both male and female, are fully aware of the material they will be taught and there are no exclusions of those who wrongly believe their knowledge is beyond what is taught and therefore attending is a waste of time, nor are those who believe they do not have sufficient knowledge and will be faced with difficulties in attending. In REM&Th however, according to the Employment Organisation’s representative, difficulty in participation presents itself even in subsidized public benefit programmes, due to the extremely low qualifications possessed

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by many of the young of the Region. This also raises major concerns as to whether these people can develop social networking skills, or, in any case, how low should the starting level of the course be.

Professionals and executives of the area face difficulties in understanding the way of communication between young people and the way in which they perceive their problems and environment. And here the people who benefit from the initiatives could be used as positive experience transmitters, an important communication channel and access gateway for other people.

The value of such initiatives for our regions are also supported through research, since in the context of primary quantitative research in young people aged 15-25 held under ESPY fully presented elsewhere in this Guide, individuals who are either unemployed or still in education, intend to seek work mainly through the internet (54% through job placement websites and 35% directly from business websites), making this an evidently predominant means in this direction. It is indeed a common observation that this trend will be further intensified in the future. It is even suggested by the REM&Th bodies that better use is made of network resources by creating online promotional platforms, for employment of the target groups of ESPY, creating a platform – a Specialization Credits System for job seekers classified as a particular group as well as the creation of an "excellence" platform for companies actively involved in the programme and establishing an award for them. However, successful modern ‘tools’ also associated with the electronic media widely adopted in the European Union such as the singular European Europass CV, have not yet been adopted in our country. Its implementation will require the establishment of a National Qualifications Framework, which is still pending, with the risk of even being inactivated. Since the effort started in

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2008, a Steering Committee was created, the composition of which has been altered so many times that only the representative of CEDEFOP remains stable. There is no communication, mainly with higher education, while the well- known problems of the Greek Public Administration, poor organization, inflexibility, lack of coordination, misplacement of people in crucial positions and lack of cooperation mentality, are making the situation more difficult. The required stability is not guaranteed, as every change in government has brought meaningless changes at all levels.

9.13 Evaluating elements of the Malaga experiment

The complete evaluation of the Malaga experiment, both with respect to each action individually and as regards the initiative as a whole, is contained in the “Findings and Results Report / Exposure Assessment of Social Policy Experiment / PROGRESS Project / Experimental Social Policy for Youth (ESPY)”. For this reason, it is appropriate to avoid a repetition of the presentation of these results in this chapter. Reference is only made to the fact that in general the experiment is deemed a success, both for the significant and multidimensional positive changes it has succeeded in causing, and as to registering the problems and shortcomings that should be addressed in the future. However, what is important from our Region’s perspective, and what is attempted in the following paragraphs, is the presentation of the method and their evaluation process as such, which as we will see, offer substantial high quality and innovative features worth exploiting further.

The key element is that cross gender participants in principle were divided into two groups, an experimental group and a control group, to which were then applied "before" and "after" test assessments in relation to their attitude to life,

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their mentality regarding job seeking and their psycho-social adjustment. More specifically, the evaluation used a sample of 484 young people, of which, 242 have benefited directly from the planned activities, while the remaining 242 did not participate in the initiatives but offered the possibility, through their being monitored, of, by comparison, measuring the results of the implementation of the experiment. Furthermore, the data collected was analysed according to sex, age and region of the province where the intervention took place, while the impact of initiatives on attitudes and behaviours of people with regard to seeking work were also analysed.

This is the method of statistical matching, designed to avoid the problem of bias that automatically follow up from the randomization difficulty in municipalities with a complexity of access to the experiment. On the basis of this method, instead of comparing all participating and non-participating individuals as a whole, the results of each participating subject were compared to a non-participating subject with similar observable characteristics with respect to socio-demographic variables (gender, age, municipality, family composition, academic degree, years of study and marital status), mentality variables (motivation, attitude towards employment, entrepreneurship, attitude towards training, employment expectations) and previous behavioural variables (habits related to job search, prior work experience, academic course data and previous training experience).

For this purpose, general information was collected on the participating individuals, as well as more specific information through the means that was designed specifically for the collection of data related to these variables. Following that, an open data collection system was implemented with regard to project objectives, for each strategic line of which, the projected actions

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development was tested, via control of schedules, scheduled tasks and available resources. At the same time, information from several joint participation laboratories and the evaluations carried out for each initiative separately were analysed. Upon completion of all initiatives, structured information was collected regarding all the variables researched through questionnaires and qualitative evaluation techniques, such as document analysis and discussion groups.

Simultaneously, for the interpretation and optimization of the evaluation results, various factors involved with the development and implementation of the initiative were introduced such as teachers, lab observers and business people, while, professional assessors of the EU Welfare Services from the Malaga District Council, who were charged with monitoring the young people as well as the businesses contracted for the execution of particular activities, were also utilized.

The figures above are presented with an emphasis, as part of the evaluation of the effectiveness of job training and support programmes are particularly problematic. The European Commission requires compliance with a number of evaluation indicators, which are formulated centrally. These indicators are typically monitored at a national level with data collected regionally and there is a statutory responsibility to evaluate the programme on a regular basis in accordance with the data sent, which is a prerequisite for the release of funds, while the M.E.O. (OAED) also collects data on their beneficiaries and services offered to them.

The fact that there is no permanent scientific methodology makes any comparison unreliable. Even a comparison of purely quantitative data is

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difficult since, for example, "the number of people who found employment after completing the programme", comes to the fore. For this quantity, however, all relevant information, such as whether it is indeed new jobs or replacement of older workers, if the positions are respective to workers’ qualifications, whether they are full or part time, permanent or temporary employment and so on, is concealed. Also, the fact that employment growth occurring may be due to external factors, in relation to each intervention, is usually not taken into account. Therefore, the general economic situation is ignored (or taken into account only when it is negative), although it is well known that during periods of growth (ie GDP increase) employment concurrently increases, independent from the functions of employment institutions.

On the same wavelength, efficiency for the imposed input programmes on the labour market, as described in the relevant circulars is considered to lead the unemployed to sustainable employment, for example employment on a permanent basis. In this regard, the Ministry of Labour makes reference to a 25% efficiency, yet the accuracy of the assessment is disputed, since official figures are not available, despite repeated requests. The Ministry makes reference to the National Social Research Centre, that in Diophantus system, and this in turn back to the Ministry. From the available M.E.O. data, however, not even 5% is led to permanent jobs, a figure that is so small, it is either due to placements of people in positions they would achieve anyway, regardless of training or once again this regards subsidized jobs. This, in fact, is presented as "internship/job experience" though it actually is normal work with overtime and compressed salaries, it is in other words legitimate “black market labour”. In countries like Germany the opinion has been formed that such programmes eventually can have the adverse effect; they paralyse, degrade and devalue the workforce.

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Useful comments from the evaluation process of the Malaga experiment are also: the difficulty for young people to understand some questions, the great amount of additional time required for internship evaluation in practice, which significantly burdens the programme, the adjustment to the language used on the different characteristics each class of beneficiaries has, the need for the presence of personnel who can explain the meaning of terms used simply, and the problem of repetition of formal and bureaucratic questions which bore and repel young people. Beyond that, typical problems of any evaluation system come into the matter, which as ever known cannot be perfect.

9.14 Some concluding remarks

Significant bodies like the European Commission, the CEDEFOP, the Labour Ministry as well as national analyses that are often reproduced by the media express the view that what exists in our country is an inconsistency between supply and demand of employment skills. This is not verified either by Eurostat or ELSTAT, and neither via creditable assessments, as it is lucidly clear that in Greece as a whole there is unemployment due to lack of job availability. Thus it is considered a myth that EM&Th Region youth are overqualified, that is they possess higher qualifications than those sought.

The admission above for the country as a whole, however, favours a series of policy measures which lead in the opposite direction and not to the desired results. 90% of NSRF financial resources on the issue of human resources is directed towards vocational training, human resource training, with emphasis on youth (such as youth guarantee), the information providing and receiving policies, vocational counselling and career guidance and training - internship

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for integration into the labour market. Yet, the problem remains, as all of the above do not create new jobs, at a moment when there is a problem even with the existing ones.

It is a great error to implement the European Commission's policies without specialization for each country. Decisions are imposed arbitrarily, since social dialogue does not work, and the flimsy cooperation mentality is weakened even more by the current crisis, which sets survival as a necessary priority for each Authority. The framework is very narrow, and ideas outside these borders are simply not financed. This way, the only solution remaining is a very qualitative implementation of the proposed measures.

Since however, the only financing pylon of the NSRF concerns training and internship, the second being employee mobility and the third foreign language acquisition, this is simply the preparation of the workforce for migration north. Having a need for internship, Germany has entered into a cooperation treaty with the Education Ministries of Greece, Italy, Spain Portugal and Latvia for the promotion of a dual system thus opening its flood gates to human resources of countries of the ‘South’ with high youth unemployment rates towards the countries of the ‘North’. In Greece 6% of the GDP is allocated to human resource training (3% from the national budget and 3% directly from the household budget). Since the NSRF policies are oriented in this direction, not only is the investment not returned but in fact it is subsidized to migrate.

The existence of a qualified work force may be the critical factor for the attraction of qualitative investment and in this light it may attract the demand. As is more often though, it is demand that shapes the quality of the workforce and not the reverse. Unfortunately, there are so many tertiary education

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graduates who, if they ever do work, they are employed as waiters or taxi drivers.

It is estimated that vacancies will rise in the forthcoming period, as entrepreneurs will try to take advantage of the fact that there is a huge vat of unemployed graduates whom they can employ at very low awards. This will be an opportunity for business people re-skill, that is to exchange older and more highly paid workers for new, better educated, cheaper and more resilient employees. When the economy recovers, the youth unemployment rate will be reduced, though there is the likelihood there will be a problem shift to the more advanced ages.

To the extent that in international dialogue and Greece what has dominated is the view that unemployment is due to a mismatch between the skills offered by the candidates/employees and skills demanded by the labour market, the whole of the youth unemployment combat strategy has found support in this acceptance and that is the reason why so much emphasis is placed on training, lifelong learning and similar practices. To a very large extent the aforementioned assumption is incorrect however because, as we saw previously, there is no scientific data or that based on experience to substantiate the extremely high unemployment rates as a result of a lack of appropriate skills. This dialogue individualises the problem of unemployment. That is, it degrades an obviously social problem, that of shortage of job opportunities available, to one that effects the individual, one of lack of personal skills for finding work.

In the same context, public debate in Greece today has expended most of its energy on the issues of restructuring secondary education and the dual

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apprenticeship system, which combines theoretical training at school with practical training through employment in a business. The new Law provides for the institution of apprenticeship as compulsory in vocational schools, and as optional at post-secondary level in Vocational High Schools and Institutes of Vocational Qualifications. Only one in three students in the first form of Senior High School prefers vocational rather than general orientation, as most are hoping that in the long and indefinite term, they will find a profession related to their Tertiary Education degree. Thus accumulates a most capable academically and professionally qualified manpower without any corresponding high level jobs and modern skills available.

Enterprises do not sufficiently involve themselves in shaping the vocational training policy, perhaps because they have good reason not to do so, since today there is an oversupply of university graduates with high-level knowledge and extremely low pay. Subsequently, there is obviously no reason for a company to invest in graduates of Vocational Training Centres or Institutes.

The Malaga experiment therefore, presents excellent data and provides many positive examples which were made reference to in detail in previous sections of this chapter, and of course, substantiate its overall success. However, the problem of youth unemployment is immense and for the same reason, adoption of these positive qualities should be considered as the beginning of combating it and not the end.

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