Lost Millennials recently marked a crucial milestone with the culmination of its final conference, “Lost and Found: Reimagining Europe’s Employment Policies,” held in Brussels on 28 November 2023. Funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Youth Employment, the Lost Millennials project is dedicated to enhancing the integration of 25+ NEETs into the labour market by increasing knowledge of the effects of employment initiatives.  

The conference served as a vital platform for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to address pressing employment policy issues in Europe.  

The conference was opened with the welcoming notes of Luca Koltai (HETFA Research Institute) and Alexander Gerganov (CSD). Following the welcoming words, Nora Mehsen, Sector Officer and Programme Manager on Transnational Cooperation, Equality, Justice, and Decent Work at the Secretariat for the EEA and Norway Grants, held her keynote speech. Juliet Tschank and Stella Wolter (ZSI) showcased the research result of the first synthesis report on the characteristics of NEETs 25+ and the systematic factors that influence them. 

Following the opening session, key discussions centred on the effectiveness of existing policy strategies with the participation. The forthcoming panel discussion focused on the challenges faced by the 25+ NEET demographic, exploring gender perspectives, migration dynamics and the rural-urban divide. The last panel delved into the insights derived from monitoring and evaluating initiatives targeting the 25+ NEETs group. 

This event’s significance lies in celebrating the project’s completion and the constructive dialogues it sparked. These discussions contribute meaningfully to the ongoing discourse surrounding youth employment in Europe. As we reflect on this achievement, the Lost Millennials project anticipates a lasting impact on the reimagining and enhancing employment policies for 25+ NEETs.