Denmark's massive bid for youth employment and education

So far the most comprehensive attempt to map job centres' efforts to help young unemployed. Head of section Stig Martin Nørgaard at Denmark's Labour Market Authority reckons its attempt to precisely map the effect of the various measures involving such a large number of youths makes it unique in Europe.

Cost: ca 20 million kroner (€2.7 million). 

It involves 2,000 youths across 14 municipalities who all receive intensive and tailored help, while a control group of 2,000 youths receive the normal help they can expect from their job centre. The target group is under-30s receiving unemployment benefits.

Normal help from job centres for this group includes:

• Conversation about possible jobs no later than one month after start of unemployment period. 
• Third-monthly conversations at the job centre after that. 
• An active offer after three months of unemployment.

Extra help offered by job centres to youth involved in the project:

• Conversation about possible measures to find jobs during the first week of unemployment. 
• Weekly or fortnightly conversations after that.
• Assessment of reading and writing skills. Reading and writing training offered if needed, along with other active measures.
• Young people with no education will be prioritised and receive an individually tailored activation programme no later than six weeks after becoming unemployed.
• Young people with no education will be assigned a mentor who will accompany them to the job centre, the work place or the place of training.
• Young people who need it will also be offered physical training, nutrition advise, psychological help and more.