A New Deal for and with Youth

In the midst of a European crisis, this week’s European Council will make crucial decisions that will affect millions of people across the continent. In the interest of young people, the European Youth Forum is sending an open letter to appeal to the Council for an investment in youth and an investment in the future. The letter, addressed to all Heads of State and Governments and President of theEuropean Council Herman Van Rompuy, urges them to consider youth in their development of long-term plans, particularly in the Multi-Annual Financial Framework for 2014-2020. Currently, the funds of the Youth in Action programme for the overall cycle of 7 years is less than the amount spent by the EU on subsidising the wine sector in the single year of 2011. The Youth Forum calls on the EU Council to change this by making a financial commitment to the social structures that affect young people-- the economic and political impact of the social exclusion of youth is too high to be ignored. The end to the current European predicament lays in the creation of sustainable strategies; let’s recognise a strong, and comprehensive investment in young people as a key priority for growth, stability, and wellbeing of society as a whole.

Finding Solutions for the Lost Generation: Council of Europe Adopts Resolution for Youth

The Council of Europe has recognised the rapidly rising rate of youth unemployment and its consequences for Europe as a priority in this weeks Summit. In a report adopted today titled “The young generation sacrificed: social, economic and political implications of the financial crisis,” the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) details the dangers facing what some are calling the ‘lost generation.’ “Millions of European young people have decided to stop their studies, to stop looking for work and to abandon themselves in a sort of limbo situation. These are millions of people we’ve lost completely for the future generation, for the future of Europe and for the development of Europe and we should intervene,” said Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development rapporteur Luca Volonté. The resolution calls on the Council and national parliaments to put youth policy high on the agenda and to back it with financial commitment necessary to make talk a reality. Asked formally to provide input in the development of the report, the European Youth Forum urged members to adopt the included youth guarantee and to support the European Quality Charter on Internships and Apprenticeships. An air of exigency surrounds crisis discussions at the Council, and youth must be a part of the conversation; as “The Young Generation Sacrificed” points out, “helping and empowering youth today is the best investment Europe can make in its future vitality and prosperity.” The Council of Europe has recognised the rapidly rising rate of youth unemployment and its consequences for Europe as a priority in this weeks Summit. In a report adopted today titled “The young generation sacrificed: social, economic and political implications of the financial crisis,” the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe details the dangers facing what some are calling the ‘lost generation.’   “Millions of European young people have decided to stop their studies, to stop looking for work and to abandon themselves in a sort of limbo situation. These are millions of people we’ve lost completely for the future generation, for the future of Europe and for the development of Europe and we should intervene,” said Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development rapporteur Luca Volonté. The resolution calls on the Council and national parliaments to put youth policy high on the agenda and to back it with financial commitment necessary to make talk a reality. Asked formally to provide input in the development of the report, the European Youth Forum urged members to adopt the youth guarantee and to support the European Quality Charter on Internships and Apprenticeships, both included in the report.  An air of exigency surrounds crisis discussions at the Council, and youth must be a part of the conversation; as “The Young Generation Sacrificed” points out, “helping and empowering youth today is the best investment Europe can make in its future vitality and prosperity.”

Rio+20 Falls Short of Expectations to Deliver Concrete Measures for Sustainable Development

On 20th to 22nd of June, heads of state and key political and economic decision makers came together to try to address the issue of sustainable development at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20. Despite unprecedented mobilisation from youth organisations to secure a deal that could pave the way for a sustainable future, the outcomes were disappointing on most fronts, with the final outcome document “The Future We Want” falling dramatically short of expectations and proposing few tangible measures to bring the world onto a more unsustainable path.

The creation of an Ombudsperson for Future Generations, to speak up for those who don’t have a voice, was notably absent from the final Rio+20 outcome document. Furthermore, parties have decided not to create a World Environment Organisation to address sustainable development, instead choosing to strengthen the current United Nations Environmental Programme. Among the most notable disappointments was the failure to define a clear path towards the development of a “green economy” and an international economic system that is not based on unsustainable growth. Human rights and gender equality organisations also expressed disappointment at a lack of references to sexual and reproductive health and rights in the final outcomes.

One of the few positives for young people was an acknowledgement of the importance of the active participation of young people in decision-making processes and the need for the contribution of youth in order to achieve sustainable development. The document encouraged participating countries to promote sustainable development awareness among young people by promoting programmes for non-formal education. The need for a global employment strategy for youth was also recognised.

The next steps in the struggle for sustainable development and international solidarity are difficult to foresee as, while the Rio+20 outcome document does acknowledge the challenges we are facing, it proposes few solutions. Moreover, the final text does not include any mechanisms to ensure civil society input or monitoring mechanisms for sustainable development goals. What is certain is that young people and the European Youth Forum will continue to fight for sustainable development and our rights for a better future.

Youth Guarantees in Finland and Sweden: Improving Youth Employability?

Youth guarantee schemes have recently gained political momentum in national politics and at European level. The creation of a European Youth Guarantee is being discussed as a tool to help the employability of young people. For Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark, such schemes are a matter of course. In 1984, Sweden was the first to introduce a genuine guarantee scheme, with the three other Nordic states instituting such schemes in the 1990s. Eurofound has recently carried out an evaluation of the youth guarantees in Finland and Sweden. Both schemes target young NEETS (not in employment, education or training) and offer an in-depth needs assessment and education, training or employment.

In 2010, 53, 000 young people participated in the Swedish scheme, with successful outcomes for 46 percent of participants. In Finland in 2011, 83 percent of applicants received a successful intervention within three months of registered as unemployed. Statistical evidence shows that the Finish scheme reduced the number of those in unemployment. The immediate action invoked by the guarantee means that the scheme helps to prevent the ‘scarring’ effects of youth unemployment (such as irregular future employment, disaffection and isolation, among others). The success of such schemes however, is highly dependent on other public policies such as the provision of education, training and work placements. Furthermore, the evaluation found that youth guarantees may not always offer long-term solutions to youth unemployment.

The European Youth Forum strongly believes that the establishment of European youth guarantee can be an efficient and proactive action to help overcome the disproportionate unemployment among young people, currently at an average of 25 percent across Europe. However other targeted concrete actions for long-term growth and youth employment, as well as increased investment in young people, are needed to address the crisis.

Σύλλογος Γονέων & Κηδεμόνων 7ου Γυμνασίου Αχαρνών

Σας γνωστοποιούμε ότι σε έκτακτη συνεδρίαση του Δ.Σ. του Συλλόγου μας συζητήθηκε η δυνατότητα  ενίσχυσης των μαθητών του Γυμνασίου μας, οι οποίοι θα παραπεμφθούν για επανεξέταση το Σεπτέμβριο.

Η  πρωτοβουλία αυτή έχει σα στόχο την αποτελεσματικότερη βοήθεια προς στους μαθητές μας  χωρίς την οικονομική επιβάρυνση των οικογενειών τους, σε εποχές δύσκολες για τη Χώρα μας και θα πραγματοποιηθεί σε συνεργασία με μέρος του διδακτικού προσωπικού του σχολείου μας.

Τόσο η Δ/νση του σχολείου όσο και το υπόλοιπο διδακτικό προσωπικό αγκάλιασαν την προσπάθεια αυτή και ανταποκρίθηκαν θετικά και άμεσα, παρ΄όλο που θα εργαστούν εθελοντικά, άνευ αμοιβής.

Τα μαθήματα θα πραγματοποιηθούν το μήνα Ιούλιο και θα καλύψουν την ύλη των Μαθηματικών, της Φυσικής, της Χημείας, της Βιολογίας και όλων των φιλολογικών μαθημάτων. Το δε πρόγραμμα θα καθοριστεί σε συνεννόηση με τους ενδιαφερόμενους μαθητές και κατόπιν έγγραφης αιτήσεως από τους γονείς – κηδεμόνες τους.

Τα έντυπα αίτησης θα υπάρχουν στο γραφείο της Δ/νσης του σχολείου από αύριο Τρίτη 26 Ιουνίου. 

 Το Δ.Σ. του Συλλόγου ήδη απέστειλε  έγγραφο προς τη Δ/νση Δευτεροβάθμιας Εκπαίδευσης Ανατολικής Αττικής και προς τις αρμόδιες υπηρεσίες του Δήμου Αχαρνών προς έγκριση του αιτήματος και την υποστήριξη τους σε αυτή την πρωτοβουλία και ευελπιστεί ότι θα γίνει αποδεκτό.

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Σύλλογος Γονέων & Κηδεμόνων 7ου Γυμνασίου Αχαρνών
http://7gymaxarnai.blogspot.com/

Στατιστικά στοιχεία των βαθμολογιών των Πανελλαδικών Εξετάσεων ΕΠΑΛ 2012

Δίδονται σήμερα στη δημοσιότητα τα στατιστικά στοιχεία των βαθμολογιών των μαθημάτων, στα οποία εξετάστηκαν σε πανελλαδικό επίπεδο οι μαθητές και οι απόφοιτοι των Επαγγελματικών Λυκείων (Ομάδας Α’) για εισαγωγή στην Τριτοβάθμια Εκπαίδευση.

Από τα στοιχεία αυτά προκύπτει ότι:

Στις εξετάσεις προσήλθε το 78,45% του  συνόλου των υποψηφίων (17.584 από 22.414 υποψηφίους). Το 2011 είχε προσέλθει το 79,97% του  συνόλου των υποψηφίων (17.634 από 22.049 υποψηφίους).

Φέτος αναβαθμολογήθηκαν, λόγω διαφοράς α’ και β’ βαθμολογητή, 5.250 γραπτά (ποσοστό 7,67%). Παρατηρείται δηλαδή μείωση σε σχέση με το 2011. Το 2011 είχαν αναβαθμολογηθεί  5.931 γραπτά (ποσοστό 8,79%).

Παρατηρείται μικρή ποσοστιαία μείωση στα γραπτά που βαθμολογήθηκαν  μεταξύ 18-20 (3,88 έναντι 4,12% για το έτος 2011) και μεταξύ 15-18 (7,33% έναντι 7,84% για το έτος 2011).

Για τα στατιστικά στοιχεία πατήστε εδώ