In a different manner compared to before, this week the group had their first meeting in a computer classroom. Students were able to learn new skills by using an online photo editing application called Photopea. Although the introduction was still at a basic level, the main idea for the meeting was a process where people had to take a photo of themselves and edit them in the application by changing the background colours into black and white.

The youth unemployment in Bulgaria is a general problem of the society. Statistics show that Bulgaria ranks third in Europe in terms of unemployment.Young people are the significant group that are not in appropriate level on the labor market. This situation is a result of the education, not conforming to the needs of the labor maket,the difficulties of starting a new job, often very low paid in Bulgaria, and searching job abroad after graduation. Young people are the future of the society, their skills, capabilities, intelectial potential and fresh energy are worth for the national eceonomic prosperity.

CODE project objective is to provide opportunities for a quality employment to vulnerable young people at poverty risk through development and implementation of a training programme for specialized digital competences such as digital design and skills, graphics, 3D animation, etc. The project objectives are in line with the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Youth employment priority to target youth unemployment by not simply offering computer literacy training but building capacity and skills that will make them particularly desirable on the labour market or, alternatively, can help them become self-employed.

The innovative element in the proposed solution is the combination of psychological methods and motivation exercises with high-end digital learning programme that includes boosting of creativity and technological skills. This is done to overcome the discouragement and the acquired feeling of helplessness of the target groups and tackled their need for access to specialized education and opportunities for better quality jobs.

A new week has arrived. Instead of sitting in the classroom, now the youth group was tasked with decorating the rooms where the studies and meetings happen.

At Tartu Art School the training for members of the NEET youth has started and in these two weeks they got to know each other as well as try out new and interesting art techniques that develop their own understanding of how to find inspiration.