Effectiveness of policy measures to increase the employment participation of young people

Earlier this week Eurofound published a report on the ‘Effectiveness of policy measures to increase the employment participation of young people’. This study finds that Member States have implemented a set of diverse measures to combat youth unemployment. Although efforts to tackle youth unemployment have been somewhat sporadic with a lack of coordination throughout Europe in terms of investment and the monitoring of outcomes, the study did show that when properly implemented, youth specific policies can have positive impacts on the employability of young people and, as a result, their level of social inclusion and participation in society.

Please find the executive summary and the full report below:

Below, some national examples of policies. They fall under the themes of  ‘Reintegration of Early School Leavers’, ‘School to Work Transition’ and ‘Employability Measures’.

Some national examples from the Effectiveness of policy measures to increase the employment participation of young people Report

Reintegration of Early School Leavers

 Hungary

For example the pilot programme Springboard in Hungary aims to give a second chance to young people who left education as soon as it was legally possible or who did not successfully complete vocational school. The programme aims to create a motivating learning environment and to fill any skill gaps that may hinder students’ performance when they (re)enter a vocational school. A preparatory phase therefore focused on establishing this alternative learning environment through teacher training, small classrooms, the design of teaching materials and the development of an innovative learning environment, including purpose-built classrooms and job shadowing opportunities.

 

School to Work Transition

 Spain 

Other approaches to enhancing the transition process include efforts to improve self-employment opportunities for young people and the quality of employment young people obtain, for example by increasing the share of young people in permanent, as opposed to temporary, employment. Spain, for instance, has promoted self-employment and the transition from temporary to open-ended contracts for young people. The previous government introduced the modification of unemployment benefit capitalisation regime; this enables young unemployed people who want to start their own business to receive 80% of their total unemployment benefit entitlement in one single payment in order to help them with the business set-up costs. To qualify, they must prepare a detailed business plan and initiate their business activity within one month. Exemptions from social security contributions are offered for the self-employed and companies that hire young or long-term unemployed people on a part-time basis (50–75% of full-time working hours). This measure is also combined with incentives for employers to change temporary contracts into open-ended ones. The focus of these measures is on sustainability of employment for the young person; high temporality rates (the ratio of temporary versus permanent workers) have always been one of the main features of working conditions among young people in Spain. Indeed, the crisis brought about a 10% rise in the share of young people working in temporary jobs. This characteristic of the jobs market for young people has been linked to job instability and poorer training and progression opportunities. These factors can have an impact on future career prospects and life planning.

 

France

Another STW policy example (alongside Connexions and the Navigator Centres) that recognises the importance of providing personalised support to young people is the ‘integration into society contract’ (Contrat d’insertion dans la vie sociale, CIVIS) in France. It aims to guide low-qualified young people aged 16–25 years who are experiencing difficulties entering the labour market into stable employment. Measures include personalised follow-up with an adviser, as well as participation in training activities and work placements or internships. Young people sign a ‘CIVIS contract’, which sets out a number of objectives and tasks for them. Beneficiaries are expected to meet their individual adviser on a regular basis and engage in job search activities. The lowest qualified beneficiaries receive additional support. CIVIS is implemented by a network of ‘local missions’ and centres for information and guidance (permanences d’accueil, d’information et d’orientation, PAIO) which are local structures in charge of providing a range of services to young people, including guidance, information and counselling.

Employability Measures

Austria

In Austria, for example, supra-company apprenticeships (.BA) were introduced to overcome significant gaps between the demand for and supply of apprenticeship places and to provide a ‘safety net’ for those unable to find an apprenticeship place with a specific company. They allow young people who are unable to find a traditional apprenticeship to complete a full apprenticeship based in a vocational training centre, but with work experience with different employers. There are two

forms of .BA. .BA 1 allows young people unable to find a placement at company level to complete a full apprenticeship delivered by an accredited provider. .BA 2 places more emphasis on practical work experience and training (combined with time spent in training with a provider). Both types are generally preceded by a period of vocational guidance and coaching (known as Berufsorientierung und Coaching, BOCO) to ensure young people make informed career choices and select a realistic pathway for them. .BA then provides regular curricula in the dual system, combining classroom-based learning with fixed amounts of time spent in an employer setting. They also deliver individualised support to young people to address any barriers to integration.

 

Italy

in Italy, new Higher-level Apprenticeships were piloted over the course of 2004–2008, and again from 2010 onwards, to provide an opportunity for higher education students to acquire a diploma or degree through training and paid employment. The first pilot was the first time that apprenticeships were linked to the educational system. It enabled around 1,000 young people (aged 18–29 years) to gain higher-level qualifications (both at secondary and tertiary level) while working; previously apprenticeships had been regarded as mainly labour contracts (ISFOL, 2011). Recently, the apprenticeship programme has been extended to doctoral degrees. The apprenticeship contract is a paid labour contract, and apprentices enjoy the protection afforded by normal contracts, such as pension contributions, holidays and social assistance. Many of the instruction methods introduced as part of these pilots are considered innovative in the Italian context as the system utilises more project work, real-life case study assignments and teaching by professionals from the sector.. 

The START Programme in Hungary, for example, is largely a wage subsidy scheme administered by the Hungarian tax authority, which targets young jobseekers, including those under 25 years without a higher education degree and who have not yet been employed apart from casual work during full-time study. By (temporarily) reducing the cost of employment through a reduction of tax liabilities, it makes hiring more affordable for firms, while offering young people practical work experience and the chance to boost their skills and self-confidence. The measure allows employers to reduce the contributions paid for two years (or one year from 2010 if the entrant has at least a BA degree). To demonstrate their eligibility, all entrants are entitled to a ‘start-card’ (a plastic card issued by the tax authority), which is valid for two years. Once an employer hires a programme participant, they are allowed to pay the reduced contribution immediately and deal with the verification of their claims to the tax authority at the end of the year.