Youth — Nordic Labour Journal

Tailored and targeted measures to help young Danes

(Oct 26, 2009) Denmark is launching a tailored and targeted drive for 15 to 17 year-olds to get them into education or work. The Danish government plans to spend 1.25 billion Kroner (€170 million) over three years to see the plan through. But the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions says a threat to cut youth benefits is a slap in the face of the weakest families.

Youth, unemployment and new thinking

(Sep 22, 2009) New thinking is needed if the young generation is to secure the older generation of the future. Youth unemployment is on the rise and is forecasted to continue growing in 2010. For many there is real danger of permanent unemployment. Nordic Labour Journal takes a look at how unemployment affects Nordic youths.

Downturn hits youth hardest - Sweden takes undesirable lead

(Sep 21, 2009) An economic downturn often hits young people fastest and hardest. The current crisis is no exception. The Nordic countries usually boast some of Europe's lowest unemployment figures. Now 27.3 percent of Swedish 15 to 24 year-olds are out of work.

Knowledge bank to help young outsiders

(Sep 19, 2009) By 2013 the European Solidarity Foundation (ESF) will have funded 1,000 projects in Sweden alone aimed at young workers and those who fall outside the labour market. The resulting know-how is taken further by The Swedish National Board for Youth Affairs and the Employment Service with their project "Young Workers".

Class decides young adults' options

(Aug 15, 2009) Social background plays a major part when young adults consider their chances of fulfilling their professional dreams. Old structures go and the individual takes centre stage, forcing people to carry responsibility for their own success or failure. No matter where you work, the group matters less and less.

Social entrepreneurs fighting for outsiders

(May 01, 2008) At Stockholm's “Fryshuset” (the Cold Store) a 25-year-old social entrepreneurship is turning the destructive forces which often plague social outsiders to positive forces and insider status. New methods grow to meet new demands. The aim is to catch youth at risk of falling outside of society, to recognise their potential and believe in their power so that they could stay in school and later enter working life.

Employing the last unemployed

(May 01, 2008) Out of a total of 25 million people in the five Nordic countries, there are now only 422,000 unemployed. April saw the Norwegian unemployment rate plummet to 1.6 per cent. Denmark is close with 1.9 per cent. The numbers for Iceland and Sweden are somewhat higher, with 2.3 and 3.2 per cent. Finland has 6.8 per cent.

Reaching the fringes - a more including working place

(May 01, 2008) Never before has the Nordic labour market been in such good shape. 2008 will be the best year ever for newly qualified jobseekers with higher education. But there are still large groups on the fringes of the labour market. These are groups who need a different approach. Denmark trains mentors who look after those in need of special attention.In Sweden, “Fryshuset” tries to stop young people falling outside society.

Renewed vigour for working life

(Sep 01, 2005) Denmark enjoys EU’s lowest unemployment rates among the young, but too few take higher education. NLJ explores how to get the young going by ”leading them by the hand”.

Youths falling at the hurdles of working life

(Sep 01, 2005) There’s increased division in the labour market, and young people are the ones who are loosing out. Earlier there were alternatives for those who didn’t succeed in school or took a greater interest in practical work. Today those youths risk being left behind. There has been a change in the structures of the labour market, but many young people blame themselves.

Finnish fast track through the employment office

(Aug 01, 2005) During the 90s, Finland succeeded in rapidly reducing unemployment among young people. Now new tools are needed to move on. A system of fast-tracking them through the employment office has proved successful. The method is called society guarantee. The aim is for all unemployed between 17 and 25 to either get a place of study, start work training or to get a taste of working life in workshops.