0218-11
Chapter 3/YEA
Discussion Note:
Youth Employment, Action for 2011
- RATIONALE AND BACKGROUND
2011 will be a significant year with regards to tackling the youth employment issue in Europe. It is well documented that young people have been the demographic most adversely affected by the economic crisis, with a European youth unemployment rate of over 20%: more than double that of the older population. In order to achieve the Europe 2020 goals of 75% employment and decreasing young school leaves from 15% to 10%, the EU must radically address the youth unemployment issue. Sustained unemployment when young can result in hysteresis beyond the initial period of unemployment. This will significantly effect Europe's productivity and competitiveness in the future, as well as jeopardise what is left of the European social model.
With “Youth on the Move” and the “New Skills for New Jobs” initiatives the EU has made recommendations to equip the young people of today for Europe's knowledge-based economy by better bridging the transition from education to employment, promoting mobility in the EU and improving youth education and training. In June 2010 the European Parliament echoed the Position Paper of the European Youth calling for a “youth guarantee” of training, access to a job or an apprenticeship within the first 4 months of unemployment. These initiatives are welcome but the ultimate responsibility for their implementation lies with the Member States. The situation of young people in different European countries varies widely across the EU, as does youth unemployment rate. For example, the Netherlands, which implements a youth guarantee already, has a youth unemployment rate of under 8%, whereas in Spain it is 43%. Tailored lobbying needs to be done in Member States to ensure that youth unemployment is tackled adequately. Work must also be done to increase the recognition of the work of youth organisations who give young people the skills they need to actively participate in the labor market as well as contribute to tackleinge the social issues which long term unemployment exacerbates.
The European Youth Forum has prioritised employment and social affairs in the Youth Rights pillar of its work-plan. It calls for the push for a youth dimension on the political agenda in Europe and for the EU and Member States to legislate and implement solutions for social inclusion, youth unemployment, quality jobs and intergenerational solidarity. Specifically lobby goals are a Charter on quality internships, the promotion of youth guarantee schemes and in general the definition of a coherent framework aimed at supporting young people autonomy in times of crisis.
The Youth Forum will continue its work at EU level, but it must also strengthen the coordination and capacity of its Member Organisations to ensure implementation both at national and european level.
In order to do this a number of events will be organised under the Youth Employment Action project, with the goal of producing an effective lobby tool kit to be used by YFJ Member Organisations in the field of employment. The Youth Forum will coordinate and support lobby and advocacy work on the ground and tie this in with it's work at EU level to ensure a multi-faceted approach to youth rights in the area of employment. Currently, Youth Employment Action consists of 12 Member Organisations (6 National Youth Councils and and 6 INGYOs) in order to meet these objectives the project will need to expand and to be more closely coordinated by YFJ. The overall aim of the work of this project is to ensure that young people have the tools they need in order to receive youth autonomy, especially in the transition from education to employment. This project will work to ensure, through lobbying at EU and national level that young people have the policies and structures they need such as committments on quality internships, and a youth guarantee scheme in order to make a succuessful transition from education to employment, ensuring their independance, autonomoy and future. It will also increase the capactiy of youth organisations in the area and bring them into closer contact with government and decision-makers. To address these issues, along with the fact that young people have the most unstable and insecure positions on the labour market, the Youth Forum and its Member Organisations should aim to ensure the adotion of a coherant framework on youth employment to ensure a comprehensive approach to the issue.
Furthermore we would like to use the newtork and the expertise present in the consortium to support the YFJ in shaping of its policies regarding employment and social inclusion. Therefore the group will also be consulted and support the development of the YFJ policies in regards of those issue and we hope this will be an added value that will enrich the YFJ and its member organizations.
- SNAPSHOT – TIMETABLE OF EVENTS TO TAKE PLACE
The final toolkit will be produced during a Youth Employment Conference, earmarked for early November. Implementation of this toolkit will take place in 2012. In 2011 there will also be two European Parliament Roundtables, organised in close cooperation with YEA Member Organisations, and two meetings of the consortium itself to coordinate the Members and to prepare for the November event.
Event: Youth Employment Action Consortium Meeting
Place and Date: Dublin, 10 – 11 March 2011
Number of Participants: 17
Objective: To welcome new Members, introduce and discuss the new concept for the project for 2011 and prepare for the roundtable events and conferences
Event: EP Roundtable on Youth Entrepreneurship
Place and date: Brussels, May 2011 (TBC)
Number of Participants: 25-30
Outcome: Discussion of entrepreneurship between youth organisations, stakeholders, MEPs in the Youth Intergroup and representatives of the Commission. Outcomes of the discussion will feed into the Policy Paper on Youth Entrepreneurship, to be adopted at the YFJ COMEM in November
Event: Youth Employment Action Consortium Meeting
Place and date: Bucharest, June 2011 (TBC)
Number of Participants: 20 (TBC)
Outcome: Coordinate lobby work, organise for second roundtable and Youth Employment Conference
Event: EP Roundtable on the Youth Guarantee
Place and date: Brussels, September 2011
Number of Participants: 25-30
Outcome: Discussion on the Youth Guarantee, EU initiatives on tackling youth unemployment and the implementation of the Youth Guarantee by EU Member States
Event: Youth Employment Action Conference
Place and date: Brussels, November 2011
Number of Participants: 40-50
Outcome: Overview of youth employment situation in Europe, EU initiatives and various practices in Member States, exchange between youth organisations and decision makers. Development of a lobby toolkit developed by youth organisations for youth organisations on the implementation of Youth on the Move, NSNJ, the youth guarantee and other initiatives in tackling youth unemployment at Member States level.
Partners involved: ETUC, BE, OCSE, CESE, ILO
3. MEDIA AND VISIBILITY ACTIONS
For the project to fulfill the YFJ Implementation plan, particularly the objective of doubling its membership, it will need attract more interest and gain in significance both internally among Member Organisations and externally. For this support is required from the communications team.
Objective: Gaining internal and external interest
Method: Assistance in developing a youth employment action project report and subsequent dissemination stategy
Description: A report documenting the work of the project and the outcomes of the year will be developed in coordionation between the Communications team, the relevant Policy Officer and members of the project. This document will be an external report designed to promote the work of youth organisations in the field.
Objective: Promotion of the project online
Method: Updating social media sights. Some media moditoring on youth employment issues
1