SALTO Inclusion's Unemployment Strategy

First steps towards a SALTO Inclusion Strategy Combating Unemployment

Already in 2009, SALTO Inclusion started its focus on youth unemployment.

• Training Course on Youth Unemployment (June 2009, Portugal)
• Educational Publication Working on Work (December 2009)
• Seminar on using YouthPass to recognise competences of Inclusion Groups (May 2009, France)
• Practical Publication on using YouthPass for ALL (December 2009)
• Inclusion Colleague Support Group about Unemployment for Inclusion Officers of the Youth in Action National Agencies (February 2009, Turkey)

Towards a coherent approach to youth unemployment

SALTO Inclusion organised some first support activities and resource material on the topic, but there is a lot more work to do. Also the European Commission developed a new "EU Strategy for Youth: Investing and Empowering" which has a clear focus on un/employment and social inclusion. That's why SALTO Inclusion will continue to focus strategically on inclusion and the fight against youth unemployment for the coming years.

Three clear SALTO Inclusion objectives regarding youth unemployment

1. Gain a better understanding of youth unemployment & social exclusion
2. Use the Youth In Action programme to improve the employability of young people with fewer opportunities and reduce their unemployment chances
3. Develop specific tools and support to combat youth unemployment & social exclusion

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Concrete activities to address these employment objectives for young people with fewer opporunties

The following activities will be spread over a period of two years (2010-11) and will be adapted to the needs from the field. SALTO Inclusion will keep some flexibility to respond to suggestions and invitations from stakeholders in line with the strategic objectives.

• Literature research in order to collect the existing know-how on youth unemployment and social inclusion. Download the booklet Inclusion Through Employability here!
• Collecting and spreading good practices on combating youth unemployment & exclusion from different European countries
• Supporting activities addressing youth unemployment e.g. New Perspectives pilot project (using EVS for increasing employability), seminar on Non-Formal Learning and transition to labour market (Slovenia), training course Pathways to Work (Finland), seminar Mobility of Young People with Fewer Opportunities (Belgium),...
• Policy discussions about Employment & Entrepreneurship (part of the new European policy framework: Investing & Empowering) at the SALTO 10 Year Firework event (France)
• ... other suggestions welcome ...

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Some hard youth unemployment facts to reflect upon

• The EU youth (15-24) unemployment rate (15.4% in 2008, almost 21% end 2009) is approximately three times higher than the unemployment rate in the adult population.
• Across the EU, 26% of unemployed aged 15-24 and 35% of unemployed aged 25-29 were long term unemployed (more than 12 months).
• Long term unemployed people generally have a socially unacceptable income (not fitting societal standards) and are at risk of social exclusion.
• Generally long term unemployment is negatively correlated with the level of education: it tends to decrease with higher education.
• People with lower secondary education are nearly 3 times more at risk of unemployment than people with higher education.
• One out of seven (14.8%) aged 18-24 in the EU leaves the education system with no more than lower secondary education and does not participate in any other form of education or training (early school leavers).
• Young people's socio-economic background (e.g. the educational level of their parents) influences largely their academic success:
• The majority of young people (25-34) whose parents only completed lower secondary school, will also at most complete secondary school.
• 20% of young people aged 18-24 are at risk of poverty (defined as having an income below 60% of the national median income). Young adults face a higher risk of poverty as support from their parental home diminishes and integration to the labour market is in an early stage.
• Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds face a higher risk of social exclusion. Living conditions during childhood have a significant impact on future life prospects. This is the vicious cycle of intergenerational inheritance.
• Pathways to adulthood and citizenship become increasingly individualised. The challenge is that young people are expected to acquire knowledge and skills in formal trajectories, however learning increasingly takes place in non-formal and informal settings.
• Half of the young people (15-24) with a job are employed in low skilled and elementary occupations. 35% of the 25-29 employed are still working in low skilled and elementary jobs.

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