The Role of Civil Society Organizations in Developing Young People’s Employability Skills and Career Orientation

Abstract

The rapidly transforming labour market of the 21st century increasingly demands complex, multidimensional competencies from young people. The development of such skills – including problem-solving, collaboration, creative thinking, and social responsibility – is no longer the exclusive domain of formal education systems; rather, civil society organizations (CSOs) are playing an increasingly pivotal role in this process. This paper aims to explore and critically review the role of CSOs in supporting the acquisition of labour market-relevant competencies among youth and in facilitating their career orientation. The analysis is grounded in the growing relevance of non-formal and informal learning environments, which are gaining prominence within the broader paradigm of lifelong learning. The study demonstrates that projects and programs offered by civil society organizations have been proven to contribute to the development of young people’s competencies and professional socialization (European Commission, 2023). Domestic examples, including after-school programmes and youth community initiatives, further underscore how active participation in civil society contributes significantly to the enhancement of young people’s social competencies, leadership capacities, and career-related awareness. The paper concludes that the role of civil society in competence development and career guidance should be regarded as strategically significant in terms of both youth employability and broader societal integration.