The Youth Guarantee in practice: a boost for David's employment chances

The Youth Guarantee in practice: a boost for David's employment chances

David Banović’s life and career was following a steady path. He was studying journalism and politics at university. He had a part-time job where he was learning basic administrative and accounting skills.

Then his mother fell ill and everything changed, as David describes:

“I moved back to my hometown to help her and no longer had time to study … During this time, I worked at her tobacco shop. I learned a lot there, but I needed an opportunity to grow.”

David set about trying to find himself a more fulfilling job, but despite his experience and strong work ethic, he struggled. After a couple of months of unemployment, he came across information about the Youth Guarantee scheme offered in Slovenia on the internet.

The programme David took part in is called First Challenge and it provides subsidies to employers if they hire a young unemployed person for at least 15 months. Recognising the potential of First Challenge to boost his employment chances, it was David who introduced his future employer to the programme.

“I’d heard that Youth Network MaMa was looking to hire someone,” he explains, “and so I decided to be proactive and mention that I qualified for the First Challenge programme during my interview.”

Youth Network MaMa was impressed with his initiative and he was offered the job as Assistant Project Manager. Since then, David has been working across PR and communications, sharpening his skills and gaining experience that will help him to be competitive in the job market going forward. He’s also determined to complete his university course as soon as possible, as he recognises the importance of education in his field.

About the programme

In Slovenia, the Youth Guarantee programmes are funded by the European Social Fund, the Youth Employment Initiative (First Challenge only) and the country’s national budget. They are all implemented by the Public Employment Services (PES).

The programme 'First Challenge' consists of a three-month trial period at a workplace. Afterwards, if the employer and the employee mutually agree, the instrument provides for one year of subsidised employment. The instrument encourages employers to hire young people up to and including 29 years of age and it already proved successful in the 2007-2013 period.

Youth unemployment in Slovenia

• As of June 2016, 15% of young people under 25 in Slovenia were unemployed.
• In Slovenia, the Youth Guarantee offers young people aged 15-29 employment, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship within four months of becoming unemployed or leaving initial education.

Find out more

• Employment Service of Slovenia.
• Junaki zaposlovanja ('Employment Heroes' - in Slovenian only).
• Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan.