Well-being of the Younger Generation – Social Exclusion or Inclusion?

1. Well-being of the Younger Generation – Social Exclusionor Inclusion? The Nordic Welfare Model: What’s in It for Latvia? Riga, 15 November 2012 Helena Helve helena.helve@uta.fi

2. Background references SOCIAL INCLUSION OF YOUTH ON THE MARGINS OF SOCIETY: MORE OPPORTUNITIES, BETTER ACCESS, AND HIGHER SOLIDARITY - Policy review of the Youth Research Cluster on Social Inclusion (D. Kuntsar & H. Helve; European Comission, 2012). http://ec.europa.eu/research/social-sciences/pdf/social-inclusion-of-youth_en.pdf The changing life-styles and values of the young persisting temporary unemployed in the different labour markets of Finland (2008-2012). http://www.helenahelve.fi/wordpress/?page_id=73 Transitions and Shifts in Work Attitudes, Values and Future Orientations of Young Finns in Youth Policy in a Changing World: From Theory to Practice (eds. M. Hahn-Bleibtreu, M. Molgat ; Budrich, 2012, ] Valmistutöihin – mihin? (Prepare to work- where? Helve; TAT, 2012). Youth, Work Transitions and Wellbeing (H.Helve & K. Evans; The Tufnell Press , 2013). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARCNBPV_jnc

3. BROKEN HOPES OF YOUTH

4. 20 % of EU youth at risk of poverty and social exclusion Relating to • - socioeconomic and family background • - migrant/ethnic background • - minority bacground • - disability Difficult transitional phase of life: • - transition from childhood to adulthood • - from education to the labour market • time of waiting and uncertainty (cf. identity moratorium; prolonged adolescence in industrialized society; Erikson) • Arrested Adulthood: The Changing Nature of Maturity and Identity (J. Cote).

5. Context information about Young Finns Characteristics: Ambivalence: Educational and professional choices quite late Gab years Enter the labour market while studying Working slows down progress in studies – gives important work experience Late begin of working life Family life late - first child at the age of 28 -29 • Free education in all levels • Independence quite early • Leave parental home at the age of 20

6. Finnish students in higher education • Start their studies later than young people in many other countries • 42% of polytechnic students and 38% of university students spent the gap year working (The Finnish student survey 2010; 21-23) • A social guarantee for young people: all unemployed people under 25 years of age are offered a job, an educational opportunity or some other activation measure via a personalised activation plan within three months of registering with the public employment service.

7. Conclusions Positive effects Negative effects Working alongside studies slows down higher education students’ progress in studies Long transition period Overqualified Less pay Work mostly part-time • Students enter the labour market already during studies • Working and studying at the same time gives important work experience – a widerange of experience from several employers • Get jobs easier after their studies

8. Research: SKILLED YOUNG WORKERS (N=20) working temporarily in tourism • Education and occupation: degree in tourism, hotel and restaurant management, economics and business administration • During unemployment traveling, meet friends and families, do what interests

9. I cannot build up my own home. I have never had a permanent own home after I left the mother's home [HH his parents were divorced when he was a child]. However, it is always home, but I´d like my own stuff, and everything else. I don’t know even what my next work is after this. (Petri 26 years)

10. Short term employment • POSITIVE: • Freedom of choices: importantlifestyles: hiking in the nature, skiing, snowboarding (free skiing tickets) and life with good friends and amusement, parties • NEGATIVE • Impermanence in living • Difficulties to commit to partnership or build up a home or do any future plans – loss of perspective of life-course • Insecurity • Social vulnerability

11. Problems in transitionto work • Unemployment is inherited • Workingtemporarily • Notflexiblejobmarkets • Difficultiesin getting the firstjob • Risks and uncertainty • Short-termemployment

12. What is important in work to you?

13. Change of values of YP: signals • Ready to short term, interesting project works and even precarious jobs • Important is the interesting work and independence in the work • For girls more important good social networks • For boys good salary and a permanent job (Helve 2010) • Post-materialistic values (Inglehart 1997, Inglehart & Weltzel 2005) • Individualism • Quality of life • Greening world views and social-ecological values • Value structures: humanists and equality • Conservative traditionalists • Green environmentalists • Politicallypassivecynics • International globalists

14. challanges • How to reduce the risks of social exclusion for children and youth from an early age? • How to support successful transitions into independent living targeted at youth with low personal resources and facing institutional and structural constraints? • Structural obstacles in the integration of policies • The promotion of citizenship and participation can empower youth agency and encourage solidarity between generations, society and youth.

15. What is needed for well-being of young generation? • Institutional support, protection and formal and non-formal encouragement • An opportunity-focused approach to the social inclusion of youth • Strategic investments of financial (including youth-sensitive budgeting) and human resources (e.g. counselling, mentoring, and supervision) • See more: http://ec.europa.eu/research/social-sciences/pdf/social-inclusion-of-youth_en.pdf