Project; 2025 – 2028
EUSDR Priority Area(s): PA 9 People & Skills
The project aims to improve policies and support systems for young care leavers across the Danube Region. It will develop and test an innovative educational programme – Skills4Life – focused on building personal and professional skills, improving employability, and supporting independent living. Activities include mentoring, counselling, internships, and training programmes tailored to the needs of vulnerable youth.
Objectives: The main objective of Skills4Life is to support young people leaving the special child protection system in their transition to the labour market and independent adult life. The project provides a comprehensive educational and support framework to build personal, digital, and employability skills, while also addressing the specific needs of vulnerable youth at risk of social exclusion as well as exclusion from education, employment, or training. Through mentorship, career guidance, psychological counselling, and job placement measures, the project fosters inclusive education and lifelong learning opportunities tailored to disadvantaged groups. To ensure effective transition pathways, the project collaborates closely with SMEs, social enterprises, mentors, and policy stakeholders across the Danube Region, promoting active labour market policies and intersectoral cooperation.
Need and (expected) impact: Young people leaving the special child protection system in the Danube Region face major challenges in education, employment, and social inclusion. Many struggle with low self-esteem, insufficient skills, and limited access to housing, healthcare, and job opportunities. These challenges often result in unemployment and a poor quality of life.
By offering free access to training, mentoring, and direct links to public authorities and employers, the project empowers young people with the tools and support needed to build independent, successful lives.
Macro-regional dimension: Nine Countries: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Zenica-Doboj Kanton), Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Romania, Serbia (Vojvodina), Slovenia, Ukraine.
Stakeholders involved: In Skills4Life, nine countries and 12 partners are working together to improve support systems for young care leavers across the Danube Region: Educational institutions, child protection authorities, policy-makers, industry and SMEs, as well as mentors, counsellors, and psychologists are involved in or targeted by project activities.
Budget and Funding: EUR 1 984 011 budget; 80 % funded by the Interreg Danube Region Programme
Further information: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/skills4life
