The inclusion of excluded youth: a challenge for our societies

The inclusion of excluded youth is a challenge for our societies where too many talents remain untapped for lack of successful integration, said the participants of the second roundtable of the “Agora 4 Youth” cycle supported by the Institute and held at the EIB..

Various stakeholders active in the field analysed the relevance of the entrepreneurial approach to meet this challenge: associations (Moussa Camara (Les Déterminés) and Jean-Baptiste Roy (Life Project 4 youth), microfinance institutions (Laura Labidurie (ADIE) and Jérémy del Rosario (microlux)), and academics (Rosa Lisa Iannone, University of Luxembourg). Andris Piebalgs, former European Commissioner for Development, delivered the keynote speech.

Be it through the preparation of an entrepreneurial project or through an initial professional experience, this approach contributes to reconnecting young people with society, giving them the desire and tools to build successful projects – both professionally and personally – and acquire the relational and behavioural skills necessary for successful integration.

All participants underlined how important it is to put people first in particular by restoring their self-confidence and by discovering and nurturing their potential, in order to guide them towards professional fulfilment.

Achieving this goal requires a common awareness of these issues and coordinated actions amongst all stakeholders – social workers, companies, associations, individuals, universities, public authorities and politicians – to develop a more inclusive vision of entrepreneurship, including here in Luxembourg.

Only together can we act effectively and seize the opportunity to enrich our society with new talents, concluded the participants.

The third event of the series will be dedicated to “What skills for a long-term inclusion?”.