Youth — Nordic Labour Journal

Young people's working environment - a complicated case

(Oct 09, 2013) It is not enough to only focus on the young people themselves if you want to understand the risks they face in working life and limit workplace accidents and injuries. That’s why a Nordic commissioner suggests that politicians should think about launching a vision zero for both young and older people’s work environments.

Au pairs balance between cultural exchange and work

(Oct 09, 2013) How far does our concern for young people’s working environment stretch? Does it go as far as to cover Filipino au pairs in Norway and Denmark? This month saw the start of a trial in Oslo against a host family who allegedly forced two au pairs to work 96 hour weeks.

Editorial: Can we afford not to invest in young people?

(Sep 13, 2013) What can get more young people into work? Where are the successful experiences that shows it pays to give young people a chance in working life? Everyone shares the same goal: getting people into work while maintaining an efficient use of taxpayers’ money, says Sweden’s Minister for Labour Hillevi Engström in this month’s theme.

More companies take responsibility in fight against youth unemployment

(Sep 13, 2013) What does a successful anti youth unemployment project look like? The Nordic labour ministers have asked Danish consultancy agency Damvad to map Nordic youth projects that are based on cooperation between authorities and companies.

Finland: Adults with jobs seek out apprenticeships

(Sep 13, 2013) In later years the EU Commission has been very interested in using apprenticeships to create more opportunities in the labour market for young people.

Nordic hunt for solutions to youth unemployment

(May 23, 2013) 26 good examples of measures that work and 600 people wanting to discuss youth unemployment. That was the impressive effort at the meeting of Nordic prime ministers and labour ministers in Stockholm on 16 May. The Nordic Labour Journal was there and this edition focuses on youth outside of the labour market.

Editorial: What to do with the youth?

(May 23, 2013) Make no mistake: youth unemployment is foremost in Nordic politicians’ minds. Especially NEETs, young people not in education, employment or training. They make up between five and ten percent of Nordic youths. But what will politicians do for them?

”Don’t punish us, astonish us”

(May 23, 2013) To really listen to young people and see each individual in light of their own merit, cooperating across sectors while also focusing on schools - where life-long learning begins. To learn from the other Nordic countries and benefit from the common Nordic labour market - these were all themes when Nordic prime ministers and labour ministers met in Stockholm on 16 May.

Youth Employment Forum showcasing the good Nordic examples

(May 23, 2013) “A murderer can become a fantastic worker. He has been in prison, thinking. Employers who dare hire a former criminal get very loyal workers,” says Nanna Ravn Hansen, a consultant at High:five.

Researchers: blunt measures against youth unemployment

(May 23, 2013) It is difficult to find political measures which actually do get more young people into work. Sweden’s dramatical reduction in employer contributions for youths in 2007 and 2009 has led to few new jobs.

Denmark: More focus on job rotation

(May 23, 2013) Job rotation is a golden egg which gets people into employment and improves the skills of permanent staff, according to the Danish government. The social partners agree. But it takes time to get businesses to use the scheme.

”Thank goodness – I’m a Svensson”

(May 23, 2013) Youth unemployment is a priority for Stockholm Municipality. Considerable work is being done within the city and between the city and other authorities, in order to get young people off benefits and into work or education. Two projects show that strong support on an individual level can be a recipe for success.

How hard can it be?

(May 22, 2013) Businesses in the Swedish region of Södra Småland coined he phrase ‘How hard can it be?’ one year ago, when they initiated a meeting to address youth unemployment in the region. It was part corporate social responsibility and part a drive to attract more skills.

Bjarne Brøndbo, the employer who didn’t say no after the first attempt

(May 22, 2013) He stood there with his cigaret behind his ear, asking: Bjarne, where can I smoke? “That was the first thing he said to me,” says employer Bjarne Brøndbo.

ILO: Europe’s youth must get jobs and regain their confidence

(Apr 16, 2013) The ILO will help put the youth guarantee into practice and make sure €6bn granted by the EU will be used to get Europe’s youth into work. The ILO will play a stronger role in helping crisis-hit European countries to improve the economic, social and political consequences of the crisis and to reestablish trust in the countries.

ILO: No extra jobs for youths despite older workers’ retirement

(Apr 08, 2013) Europe must handle rising youth unemployment as well as an ageing population. The fact that young people don’t step into jobs which are vacated might seem like a paradox, but this is what is happening according to the International Labour Organisation, which stages a major conference in Oslo between 8 and 11 April.

Iceland's new labour market policy focuses on young men

(Nov 12, 2012) Iceland is developing a labour market policy for the period leading up to 2020, the first such policy the country has ever had. There are more people with low education in Iceland than elsewhere in Europe. Experts say the most important thing now is to develop a strategy for educating young men.

Strengthening Nordic welfare state cooperation

(Sep 21, 2012) Youth unemployment is a worry across the Nordic region. When Nordic labour ministers met in Svalbard recently they agreed to identify the good examples where employers help include young people out of work and education.

Editorial: Nordic ministers’ fruitful Svalbard meeting

(Sep 21, 2012) Norway’s Minister of Labour Hanne Bjurstrøm wanted to celebrate Nordic cooperation and invited her colleagues to Svalbard.

Challenges to welfare state at top of ministers’ in tray

(Sep 20, 2012) Youth unemployment has high political priority in the Nordic region. At the latest Nordic Council of Ministers meeting, labour ministers agreed to encourage employers to take on some of the responsibility for young people who don’t work and who are not in education.