ECE Brussels contributes to panel on virtual internships and youth engagement at VI4IS EU event
Photo: Junior Achievement Europe
On 14 May 2024, ECE Brussels participated in the VI4IS EU event in Brussels, organised by Junior Achievement Europe and supported by the Erasmus+ programme. The event focused on Virtual Internships for Inclusive Societies (VI4IS) - a dynamic European initiative aimed at improving access to internship opportunities for young people, particularly those with fewer opportunities, across Serbia, North Macedonia, Spain, and Italy.
As part of the official programme, Bojan Kordalov, Director for Policy and Communication at ECE Brussels, contributed as a panel speaker. The panel also included Jelena Spasovic, General Manager of Connect International, Marko Paunovic from Out of the Box International, Veronica Arduino from Lifelong Learning Platform and Elena Grabul from Regional Cooperation Council.
During the panel discussion, Kordalov shared perspectives on how virtual internships can help foster inclusive youth engagement, strengthen skills development, and contribute to the broader goals of digital transformation and EU integration. He emphasised the importance of ensuring that digital internship opportunities are accessible, well-structured, and aligned with both educational and labour market needs. In his intervention, he also highlighted that equitable access to high-quality virtual experiences must be a priority, particularly for young people in EU candidate countries.
The panel offered an opportunity for exchanging insights and discussing policy recommendations aimed at enhancing the quality and accessibility of virtual internships across Europe. The discussion also addressed broader questions of youth rights in the digital space, a topic that is closely aligned with ECE Brussels’ ongoing work on digital inclusion, youth empowerment, and democratic development.
ECE Brussels is pleased to have contributed to this important conversation and will continue to support European efforts to advance digital rights, promote inclusive access to skills and opportunities, and foster cooperation between EU member states and candidate countries in the digital space.