(Finance) – According to Istat’s Bes 2023 report, in Italy the percentage of NEETs (Neither in employment nor in education and training) has decreased but in some regions it is still above the average: in 2023, their share of the total 15-29 year olds is 16.1%, down compared to 2022 when it was 19.0%, but four regions in the South (Sicily, Calabria, Campania and Puglia) still have values above 20%.
But who are NEETs, beyond the acronyms? They are kids who don’t study or work and who don’t even look for work anymore, because they are discouraged by the difficulties. They are a category to pay attention to, because in many cases they just need a stimulus or an idea, perhaps in a sector other than the classic ones proposed by schools.
According to the report “I am culture”, now in its twelfth edition and created by the Symbola Foundation and Unioncamerethe cultural industry in Italy employs almost one and a half million people, 5.8% of total employment: Lombardy and Lazio are the regions that produce the most wealth with culture and Milan, Rome, Turin, Arezzo, Trieste, Florence and Bologna is in the top ten provinces.
Teatro D’Impresa, with its choice of free courses dedicated to the Roman NEETs of the V Municipality, has created precisely this synergy, taking up a challenge: to guide these young people into the world of work, in a growing sector in need of energy and ideas, providing them with theory and practice.
150 young people signed up for the training course in cultural entrepreneurship, choosing between different modules and also working on workshops and practical experiences: there was great enthusiasm around the initiative, so much so that applications for registration arrived not only from Rome but from all Italy.
The courses ranged from planning to organisation, from production to communication, administration and much more, touching on niche and decidedly cutting-edge areas such as LARP (Live Action Role-Playing), a tool traditionally linked to the world of entertainment but destined to become increasingly important in the world of work.
The project is based a lot on networking: it was also born thanks to the network between The Ideal City and numerous partner realities of the Roman cultural sector, including Goldstein Project, Eryados, MeltingPot and the Public Domain, naturally favored the creation of a substantial network of contacts, offering students valuable opportunities for collaboration and professional growth. At the end of the courses, in fact, the students will be offered a first work experience with coaching in the field.
The 2024 edition of Teatro D’Impresa is now nearing completion, but The Ideal City is already working to plan future events and other initiatives, aimed at continuing to support and promote emerging talent in the cultural and entertainment sector.