What?

GOPY, Generator of Opportunities for mobility in the PYrenees, is a 32-month project that aims to improve cross-border educational mobility in the project area, promote the development of professional and social skills, and strengthen social and economic inclusion within the territory. Thanks to the implementation of three online platforms (for job search, learning and developing a skills portfolio) and the provision of counselling services, the project aims to provide Spanish and French youth with volunteering and job opportunities in the Pyrenees area of the neighbouring country.

The ultimate aim of the project is to improve the employability of youth by providing them with relevant work experience, language skills and knowledge of their neighbouring cross-border region.

The project intends to remove the obstacles to mobility among the regions, while also facilitating the integration of young people into the labour market. It addresses young people, between 16 and 30 years old, who often underestimate the potential advantages and opportunities presented by working in the neighbouring cross-border region. Indeed, the advantages of cross-border border mobility are proximity, which leads to lower mobility costs, and also the varied and comprehensive offer of employment sectors in the project area. To enable these advantages, companies need to be open to welcoming young people from the other side of the border.

Where?

Cross-border territory between Spain, France and Andorra.

How?

GOPY proposes the creation of a cross-border mobility service through the establishment of a network of stakeholders via a platform where demand (job and placement opportunities) and supply (interested youth) can meet.

The project is the continuation of two previous projects, which aimed to promote the mobility and employability of young people. The project is financed in the framework of Interreg POCTEFA 2014-2020, with an ERDF contribution of around €500 000. The programme aims to face regional challenges through the development of cross-border economic, social and environmental activities in favor of sustainable territorial development.

The project partnership is composed of six partners from both sides of the border and several associated partners, all working in the fields of mobility and education. There are three partners from France (Pistes Solidaires, an organization supporting young mobility and  the lead partner, the regional info centre for the young people of Occitanie, and the association Parcours le Monde, which provides support for European and international mobility) and three from Spain (the Asociación Mundos, which provides services supporting youth employment and mobility, the Catalunya Centre for employment, and the EDE Foundation, which supports programmes and initiatives related to employment, mobility and youth). The project started in 2019 and will be concluded in 2022.

In September 2021, the project organised the first face-to-face workshop involving key project stakeholders (associations and foundations supporting youth mobility, representatives from local institutions, local info centres for young people, etc.). Communication between the participants from France and Spain was supported by translators and by a professional who graphically represented the content of the workshop. The event was a successful occasion that saw the exchange of good practices and reinforced the network.

Results

The project’s most important activity involves the creation of three working platforms:

• A matching platform for demand and supply: young people can access all the mobility offers, and companies can advertise jobs. This is a database containing different categories of opportunities such as internships, jobs, volunteering, and studying. Young people can also receive support here regarding applications, preparation for departure, valorisation of experience and learning. The platform has been already implemented and it is available at: https://www.gopy.eu/#section-qsn;
• A skills portfolio platform, which aims to help people measure learning and mobility achievements, in order to include them in their CVs and, therefore, access better job opportunities;
• An e-learning platform to improve young people’s skills, to support them in their mobility, and to build a network of competent professionals in the area.

Moreover, the project entails the mapping of youth, education and training actors in the area, the provision of training and seminars and the creation of the project website with testimonies and events.

More information on

• https://www.gopy.eu/infos
• https://www.gopy-poctefa.eu/es/