On 19 and 20 May 2022, the RESMYLE project's Conference of Parties took place in Hammamet, Tunisia. Organized by CDE Petra Patrimonia in collaboration with the local organization AERE (Association for Environmental Education), the event allowed all partners to exchange on the progress of the project but also to create a link with public authorities who are directly concerned by the issues of Mediterranean youth employment and sustainable development.

Over 80 public, private and NGO participants from the 5 partner countries and regions covered by the project took part in the conference with the aim of enriching expertise of the RESMYLE project, creating connections and accelerating capitalisation efforts. 

The feedback from the different partners highlighted the importance of taking into account the specificities of young NEETs. Far from employment and training, they are very often distrustful of formal systems. Relying on intermediaries in their environment is therefore essential to establish the climate of trust necessary for change. 

Similarly, the training format must break away from the traditional schemes rejected by some of these young people. This is the approach proposed by Webforce 3 in Marseille: 3 months of intensive training with strong support in the digital field, 90% of which results in a job or training. 

The various RESMYLE incubators operate in the same spirit and provide the best possible advice on the new green and blue growth professions by drawing on a network of experts. This is the case of the Jordanian initiative of the Green Construction Innovation Lab, which aims to support business creation projects in the building and ecological construction sector. Another example is ECONITIA, eco-incubator based in Lebanon that supports the creation and growth of Green-business through organizational and technical assistance.

Again, in Marseille, the Carburateur provides a stimulating setting by bringing together young business creators, project developers and more experienced entrepreneurs at the same place.

Another major topic emerged during the conference debates is the one related to environmental and social sustainability. During an exchange between participants, Mr. Matthieu Guary, from CDE of Petra Patrimonia and Mr. Salem Sahli , founder of the AERE, discussed the importance of including environmental education in school books and curricula. In Tunisia, according to Mr Sahli: “A national environmental education and awareness program is in place, and it aims to introduce people to the environmental cause. However, teachers currently lack training in Tunisia and the theme must be included in all the subjects and not remain something theoretical”.

According to the organizers, through this project and this initiative, all the actors involved are at the heart of the public/private partnership because the role of civil society is to act and to opt for temporary solutions transformed into sustainable solutions.

To get to know more about the project and the Conference held in Hammamet, you can access and read all the relevant information by downloading the documents here.