Mladi za dostojno delo

As part of the project Youth for Decent Work, the Common Good and the Environment, we invite all students to a workshop dedicated to exploring the challenges young people encounter during their studies and compulsory practical training in the health care field. The workshop will take place at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Maribor, and will be organised in collaboration with Polona T. Aškerc, Secretary General of the Trade Union of Health and Social Care of Slovenia. During the event, we will work together to map key issues that arise within the educational process and the broader health care system. Participants will have the opportunity to complete a short questionnaire about their experiences, observations and suggestions, while our information stand will raise awareness about the importance of solidarity, collective action and organising when addressing systemic problems. The main purpose of the workshop is to encourage reflection on the conditions of compulsory practical training, the challenges awaiting students as they enter the labour market, and the possibilities they have—both as individuals and as an organised community—to contribute to meaningful solutions. The event will provide a space for young people to share their views, exchange experiences and help deepen the understanding of students’ position within the health care sector.

Event Report: Mapping Workshop – Faculty of Health Sciences Maribor

Date: 23 October 2025

Context: Erasmus+ project Youth for Decent Work, the Common Good and the Environment (KA145)

Location: Faculty of Health Sciences, Maribor

1. Activity Description

At the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Maribor, we organised a workshop aimed at mapping the challenges faced by students during their studies and compulsory practical training. The workshop was delivered in cooperation with Polona T. Aškerc, Secretary General of the Trade Union of Health and Social Care of Slovenia.

We prepared a short questionnaire to gather students’ views on the difficulties they encounter within the educational process and the wider health care system, as well as their ideas for possible solutions. In addition, we set up an information stand to raise awareness about the importance of solidarity, collective action and organising when addressing systemic issues.

2. Purpose of the Activity

The main aim of the workshop was to identify key challenges experienced by students of health sciences and to encourage reflection on how young people, both individually and as an organised community, can contribute to solving these issues. Particular emphasis was placed on understanding the conditions of compulsory practical training, recognising the challenges young people expect upon entering the labour market, and raising awareness of the possibilities for organised action and dialogue with decision-makers.

3. Process and Youth Engagement

Through discussions and the questionnaire, we encouraged students to think about how they can collectively formulate improvement proposals and present them to the faculty leadership and other relevant stakeholders. Participants recognised that many challenges cannot be addressed individually, but require a coordinated, structured and community-oriented approach.

We also presented informational union materials on organising, participation and workers’ rights, and offered students the opportunity to engage in further project-related activities focused on advocacy and collective action.

4. Outcomes

The workshop reached approximately 50 students who either participated in the discussion or completed the questionnaire. Several students expressed interest in continued involvement and shared their contact information. The activity empowered young people to recognise the importance of collective action, cooperation between students and health care workers, and the broader collaboration between different professional groups and communities, including workers, patients and their families.

The workshop further demonstrated that young people are not passive or disengaged; instead, they showed strong motivation and a genuine desire to improve the conditions of their education and future work.

5. Learning Effects and Contribution to Project Goals

The workshop significantly contributed to the objectives of the project by encouraging active participation, strengthening young people’s sense of responsibility and solidarity, and increasing their awareness of the influence of local and European policies on their study and working conditions. It also boosted their motivation to engage in decision-making processes and advocacy efforts, laying a solid foundation for further activities within the project.