Taking the first steps towards an independent life can be difficult for many young people. This is especially true for those leaving the child protection system. For them, the right support at the right time can make a real difference.
Hungary’s state employment guarantee programme and the EU co-funded Youth Guarantee Plus provide this kind of support. Through training, job opportunities and personalised guidance, they help young people start building their future on their own terms. The story of 20-year-old István is a good example of this.
A new beginning does not always come from one big turning point. Sometimes it starts with a series of small, conscious decisions. István’s story is about exactly that. He is currently receiving aftercare support. Although his childhood was not without difficulties, he looks back on it with gratitude. His foster parents gave him a loving and supportive background, which still gives him strength today.
István already has several qualifications. He is trained as a tiler, dry construction worker and plasterboard installer, and he has also obtained a forklift driver’s licence. He also has a driving licence. But his ambitions go further. He is preparing for his secondary school leaving exam in evening classes, and in the longer term he would like to work as a real estate agent. He also plans to train as an air-conditioning technician.
István sees his future in Hungary. He is actively looking for opportunities that can help him move closer to his goals. As he says, he is not afraid to ask for help.
To take the next step, he contacted the Employment Department of the Győr District Office. There, he asked about the opportunities available through the state employment guarantee programme and Youth Guarantee Plus.
For young people leaving the child protection system, or those receiving aftercare support, starting an independent life can also mean facing challenges in the labour market. The state employment guarantee programme helps them by offering long-term job opportunities at state institutions and companies with majority state ownership.
Young people who would like to find work in the private sector can receive support through Youth Guarantee Plus, one of the pillar projects of the Economic Development and Innovation Operational Programme Plus.
Together, the two programmes help young people start building a career path that matches their own goals and situation.
István is already working, but many young people in a similar situation are still looking for their first job or the right professional opportunity. Youth Guarantee Plus is designed to support them. Its aim is to help young people aged 15 to 29 spend as little time as possible without employment, education or training.
The programme offers several forms of support. These include financial support for jobseekers, wage subsidies and mobility support, such as contributions to travel or housing costs. These measures help young people find work more easily and build a more stable future in the labour market.
In Győr-Moson-Sopron County, the Youth Guarantee Plus pillar project supports jobseekers with nearly HUF 2.9 billion in non-refundable EU funding. The total national budget of the programme is HUF 208 billion.
