Skills in young people’s lives
Skills for learning, participation and life
Explore skills through young people’s everyday learning, decisions, relationships and next steps. Use these contexts to reflect on your own experiences or the work you do with young people.
For educators, youth workers, trainers and organisations supporting young people. Young people are welcome to browse too.
The Union of Skills concerns people of all ages. Here we focus on youth relevance, recognising that young people have different interests, experiences and circumstances.
These four contexts connect selected skills with familiar situations. Start with the interests and experiences of the young people involved.
Understanding what to learn next, making considered choices and adapting an approach can connect learning with future study, work and everyday life. The starting point is the person's own interests, experience and circumstances.
What this might look like: A young person can explain what they would like to learn next, why it matters to them and what they might change in their approach.
Expressing a view, contributing to shared work and having a meaningful say are different parts of participation. This context also asks whether people have a genuine opportunity to contribute and whether barriers are being recognised.
What this might look like: A young person contributes a view to a shared decision and can explain how their contribution was considered.
This context brings together judging information, understanding media messages, protecting personal information and making considered choices about AI. It does not assume that all young people use digital technologies in the same way.
What this might look like: A young person checks the source of a claim and explains what they would want to verify before sharing it or relying on it.
Entrepreneurial skills and mindset
Entrepreneurial skills are not limited to starting a business. This context looks at recognising a need, developing an idea, taking initiative and organising action that could create value for others, including social or community value.
What this might look like: A young person identifies who could benefit from an idea and explains a first step they are prepared to take.
Follow the featured skills for definitions and everyday examples, or browse the full selection.
Browse all skillsBefore treating something as a skill gap, consider the opportunities people have to take part. Clear expectations, accessible participation, support and genuine influence over decisions all belong in that reflection.
A quiet person is not automatically lacking communication skills. Being present in a group does not establish collaboration or influence. Guided or supported participation can still provide a valid practice opportunity.
Projekta works with young people and those who support them through practical learning and training. Our focus includes entrepreneurial skills and mindset: recognising opportunities, taking initiative and turning ideas into action.
We aim to give young people space to try ideas and contribute to shared work.
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