‘Everyone’ who’s involved in fighting youth unemployment met in
Stockholm on 16 May; Nordic prime ministers and labour ministers,
employer organisations and trade unions, youth organisations and labour
market authorities. They were all there to discuss how to include those
who find themselves the furthest away from the labour market.
The venue, Stockholm’s Fryshuset, began as an alternative school and
activity centre to help the very youths who were in danger of falling
outside of the system. Beatrice Clarke used to be one of those young
people. Now she runs Fryshuset and could address the powers that
be.
The politicians appeared humbled by their task – perhaps not
surprisingly, as youth unemployment has been near the top of their
inbox since 2009, soon after the start of the economic crisis.
Sweden’s Minister for Finance Anders Borg nevertheless pointed out
that the Nordic countries are doing much better than the rest of Europe
and the rest of the world. One reason, he said, was the Nordic model
with its strong cooperation between the social partners. Still, youth
unemployment remains high especially in Sweden and Finland.
Norway’s Prime Minister Stoltenberg said youth unemployment figures
follow the general unemployment figures, only they are two to three
times higher. In Norway, as in Sweden, drop-out rates from upper
secondary school remain a major problem. Just 70 percent finish their
education.
The Nordic governments come in different political hues, and the
systems and measures aimed at getting youths into work and education
are different. Yet there is increasing agreement on the direction in
which to take the fight against youth unemployment; seek out those who
are not in education or work, help boost their self confidence and
basic skills, improve the coordination and cooperation between
institutions that are in touch with young people.
As Sweden’s Minister for Employment Hillevi Engström put it:
No size fits all; we need to work with individuals.
Norway’s Minister of Labour Anniken Huitfeldt highlighted the need
for everyone to learn how to read and write. Even a storage worker
cannot get by without being able to read box labels. There is also a
common desire to invest more in training and to further develop
cooperation with employers so that they can open up for even more young
people. Failing that, there is a great danger that unemployed youths
will keep struggling with unemployment also later in life.
What to do with the youth?
The willingness to take action is there, as demonstrated by those
attending the 16 May meeting at Fryshuset. The challenge, as Beatrice
Clarke put it, is for the politicians not to punish but to astonish
young people.
