ICTS AS RESOURCES FOR EMPOWERING VULNERABLE YOUNG ADULTS FACING LABOUR MARKET CHALLENGES
ICTS AS RESOURCES FOR EMPOWERING VULNERABLE YOUNG ADULTS FACING LABOUR MARKET CHALLENGES

Summary/Abstract: This paper is aimed to present a comparative view of the ICTs use and its contributions for empowering vulnerable groups as adults in long-term unemployment to face the labour market challenges. Across Europe, long-term unemployment represented by the vulnerable adults is a growing problem that has significant long-term consequences for individuals, communities, economies and societies. The current economic crisis has led to high levels of general unemployment, which is increasing throughout Europe countries. The Europe 2020 Strategy focuses upon education and training through the Strategic Framework for European co-operation in education and training (ET 2020), which sets supplementary benchmarks to be attained by 2020. Their achievement implies the support of integrated guidance and counseling services. The EU’s goal of an employment rate of 75% for those aged 20 to 64 by 2020 is a major cornerstone for implementing lifelong guidance services and requires specific actions for vulnerable groups on the labour market, particularly affected by the effects of the unemployment phenomenon. From this perspective, ICTs as useful resources have an important contribution in supporting these vulnerable groups to adapt to the dynamic of the labour market and meet the requirements of the employers. Not the last, the aim of this paper is also to stimulate reflection on the cross-cutting nature of career counseling and career management concepts in the flexible and integrative framework of the lifelong guidance services for thinking and reflection about the knowledge and skills of the vulnerable adults searching for a job in the present turbulent times.

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