An important milestone was reached for the SkillSphere project last March, when partners from Romania, Bulgaria, and Italy met in Sofia for their second transnational working meeting. The occasion brought together organisations from three different countries around a shared goal: giving young people who are struggling to find their place in the world of work a real, concrete opportunity.

SkillSphere targets NEETs, young people who are neither studying nor working, and supports them through a dedicated training programme covering digital skills, financial literacy, and professional English. But training alone is not enough. The project also builds direct bridges between young participants and the business world, through a series of roundtable events designed to connect youth with potential employers, and ultimately leading to internship opportunities.

The Sofia meeting was a turning point in this process. Partners agreed on the criteria for selecting the companies and organisations that will take part in the roundtables, ensuring that every employer involved is genuinely committed to supporting young people, has real mentoring capacity, and shares the project’s values around social inclusion. The goal is not just to fill seats at a table, but to create meaningful encounters that can open real doors.

The progress reported at the meeting was encouraging. Across the three countries, information sessions have already reached hundreds of young people, a dedicated digital platform is up and running with training materials available in Romanian, Bulgarian, and Italian, and the recruitment of participants is well underway.

Over the coming months, twelve roundtable events will take place across Romania, Bulgaria, and Italy, with the ambition of supporting 180 young people and creating pathways to at least 90 internships by the end of the project.

SkillSphere is co-funded by the European Union and brings together nine partner organisations across three countries, united by the belief that every young person deserves a fair chance to build their future.