The programme was approved on 31 May, and 77 projects implemented by district labour offices will receive funding. 

Higher subsidies

Initially, it was envisaged that PLN 60 million would be allocated for this purpose. However, due to the outstanding quality of the submitted projects and their great importance for supporting young people in employment, the Minister of Family and Social Policy decided to increase this amount to 73.5 million and grant funding to all projects recommended by the Evaluation Committee.

'Young people are, due to their little professional experience, counted among the vulnerable groups on the labour market, and thus most susceptible to negative changes in the economic situation, so they require extraordinary support,' Minister Marlena Maląg said.

According to the Minister, one of the conditions for taking up a good job is to provide a young person with appropriate education, psychological support or broader counselling on life issues. Such assistance will be possible at youth support points. The programme is intended to create such conditions so that young people who enter the labour market can find their way there.

'Despite unfavourable conditions for several years, the situation in the Polish labour market is good and has been steadily improving. Not only do our national statistics but also data published by Eurostat confirm this,' Minister Marlena Maląg stressed.

The counselling points for young people will operate – depending on the assumptions of a given project – from July, August or September this year until the end of 2024. During the pilot, models of points offering integrated services for young people and supporting employment will be tested.

Almost PLN 1.2 million for the Labour Office in Leszno

One of the points of the conference was the presentation of the pilot project of the District Labour Office in Leszno, 'Innovation – Development – Competence. Counselling point for young people', which was co-financed with PLN 1,171,182.