InnoMate – Innovation for Future
Context
InnoMate – Innovation for the Future is an educational programme designed to respond to a real need among high school students in Romania: to better understand their career paths and how to build the skills needed to enter the labour market.
The project was launched in 2021, based on a curriculum adapted by United Way Romania in 2020, and is primarily aimed at young people facing socio-economic vulnerability, school-related challenges, or limited access to guidance and support compared to their peers.
The high schools selected for implementation are chosen based on criteria such as graduation rates, results in national assessments, and the socio-economic background of students, in order to prioritise those at higher educational and social risk.
Objectives
The project aims to develop the skills and competencies of high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds, increasing their chances of entering the labour market and continuing their education.
At the same time, it supports teachers through specialised training and resources, strengthening their role in guiding students in their educational and career paths.
Objectives
- Enhancing school learning by developing entrepreneurial skills, critical thinking, and teamwork abilities
- Building key transferable skills needed for the transition to the labour market, such as self-discipline, entrepreneurial thinking, and the use of design thinking approaches
- Training and upskilling teachers in career guidance and entrepreneurial education
- Implementing the InnoKit curriculum to support a more practical, hands-on learning process
Activities
The project includes activities designed both for students and teachers, complementing each other throughout the process.
Key activities include:
- Teacher training – teachers take part in accredited training courses in career guidance, which provide both certification and practical tools to better support students in making informed decisions about their future. At the same time, they are trained to use the InnoKit curriculum, with a focus on practical, hands-on methods.
- Individual and group counselling for students – each student benefits from counselling sessions where they explore their interests, strengths, and possible career paths. They learn how to build an educational plan, prepare a CV, get ready for job interviews, and understand their rights as future employees.
- Development of entrepreneurial skills – through interactive sessions, students work in teams to turn ideas into business concepts using the InnoKit curriculum. The process encourages creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration, and concludes with a competition where their ideas are evaluated by a panel of professionals.
- Meetings with volunteers and guest professionals – professionals from various fields engage directly with students, sharing real-life work experiences. Through workshops, mentoring, or job shadowing opportunities, young people gain a clearer understanding of different career paths and the steps needed to pursue them.
Results
The project brings visible changes for both teachers and students.
Teachers trained in career guidance and in using the InnoKit curriculum become valuable resources within their school communities.
They strengthen their role as a source of support for students and continue to apply modern, practical methods that remain in place even after the project ends.
For young people, the impact is twofold.
On the one hand, participation in counselling sessions helps them better understand their interests and build a more realistic plan for the future. Many discover abilities they were not aware of and gain confidence in their own potential.
On the other hand, through entrepreneurial activities and interactions with professionals, students gain practical insights into how the world of work actually functions.
These experiences help them make more informed decisions, recognise their strengths, and better imagine possible career paths.
In the long term, the project contributes to reducing the gap between students from vulnerable backgrounds and their peers who have easier access to resources.
Young people involved increase their chances of continuing their education or entering the labour market, while teachers become a key source of continuity, sustaining the impact within their communities.
