PATHS Study Tour in Slovenia - Day 2

Innovation, Youth Engagement, and Regional Development in Novo mesto

The second day took participants to Novo mesto, where the focus shifted to youth engagement, innovation, and regional cooperation.

Visits to the Development Centre Novo mesto and partner institutions highlighted hands-on approaches such as project-based learning, entrepreneurial activities for young people, and interdisciplinary collaboration between schools, education providers, and development agencies.

Workshops for children on robotics and programming, along with examples of youth entrepreneurship support, illustrated how early exposure to skills development and innovation can complement career guidance and strengthen local ecosystems.

The Gymnasium of Novo mesto presented a particularly inspiring initiative focused on expanding students’ learning opportunities beyond the standard curriculum. Teachers at the school have joined forces to offer additional, practice-oriented subjects that allow students to explore different professional fields and personal interests in a flexible and engaging way.

Each student has the opportunity to choose one additional subject per school year, with the options organised into thematic areas. These themes cover a wide range of interests and career directions. For students interested in medicine and health, subjects such as kinesitherapy, other thematic areas focus on sustainability, as well as more artistic and creative fields, including film and theatre.

A key strength of the initiative is its progressive structure. The themes are designed to build from year to year, allowing students to deepen their knowledge within the same general direction while exploring new perspectives and topics each year. At the same time, students remain free to change direction and select a completely different thematic area in the following year, supporting both continuity and exploration.

The value of this approach was clearly reflected in the feedback shared by a student during the visit. The student spoke enthusiastically about participating in a French-focused subject, where learning was centred on French culture rather than traditional language instruction. He highlighted that these subjects are not linked to grades, are delivered in a more informal learning environment, and are strongly practice-oriented, making them highly relevant to future professions and personal interests.

This initiative stood out as a powerful example of how schools can support self-discovery, motivation, and informed career choices, offering students the space to explore who they are and who they want to become, without the pressure of formal assessment.

Learning for PATHS: From Good Practices to Strategy

Throughout the study tour, partners reflected on how these Slovenian practices can inspire and inform the development of Life Path Support Services (LPSS) within the PATHS project. Particular attention was given to the role of Career Guidance Expert, Coordination and Methodology Teams (CG ECMTs) - multidisciplinary expert groups composed of professionals from education, psychology, HRM, sociology, and related fields. These teams play a crucial role in supervising pilot actions and shaping the LPSS Strategy at Danube Region level, as well as national action plans.

The study tour in Slovenia demonstrated how coordinated systems, strong institutional frameworks, and user-centred guidance services can create lasting impact. By connecting education, labour markets, and lifelong learning, these good practices offered valuable inspiration for PATHS partners working to make rural and local communities more inclusive, resilient, and future-oriented.