Recent Trends in Youth Labour Markets and Youth Employment Policy in Europe and Central Asia

This paper discusses the nature and characteristics of the youth labour market in Europe and Central Asia. The central concern is with the policy response to the substantial youth unemploymen problem emerging with the transition to the market in Central & Eastern Europe and Central Asia (CEECA). After looking at general trends in youth labour markets, in particular the impact of the recessions and the rapid industrial restructuring which accompanied transition, the paper outlines recent developments in youth employment policy at national and international levels and reviews findings on the contributions of policy to both improving youth employment prospects (education and ALMP) and, potentially, reducing them (minimum wages and employment protection legislation).Transition, Youth employment, ALMP

Policy synthesis and integrative report on vulnerable voices

Too often the voices of young people are neglected in the analysis of youth in the labour market. This synthesis report summarises key findings and policy issues identified inWork Package 9 of the STYLE project, which focused on examining the attitudes and aspirations of young people. Our analytical tasks employed a diverse range of methodological approaches, including quantitative statistical analysis, experiments, in-depth interviews and a qualitative participative approach, to examine beliefs and attitudes of young people towards work, families and society. Specifically, we assessed values towards work, the impact of youth unemployment/labour market outsiderness on social capital and political participation as well asaspirations of vulnerable young people in foster care.The reportraises the following issues for policy and practice: a) attitudes between generations relating to work do not differ significantly; b) youth unemployment is an insufficient measure for the labour market condition of young people and its impact; c) institutions matter; d) co-production of research is important in understanding the labour market condition of young people more holistically

Is youth unemployment really the major worry? (AOM)

Youth unemployment is neither the only nor the basic problem of the European labour market. The comparative analysis of unemployment data demonstrates that the unemployment of older people is even more serious. The article proves that the weight of young people in total unemployment has as a tendency been declining in the “inner periphery” of the EU, among them in Central and Eastern European member states (CEECs). The trend is just the opposite in the developed or “core” countries of the Union where youngsters took a higher share in total unemployment in 2012 than 10-12 years ago. In Europe there are millions of young people beyond the active unemployed who do not want to work or think they cannot find a job that fulfils their expectations and refuse to take part in any kind of education or training (NEETs-“Not in Employment, Education or Training”). By estimating the rate of NEETs in the adult population the article claims that the NEETs-phenomenon is not the differentia specifica of the youth. At the end the article details two suggestions for the mitigation of the problem. It concludes that the joblessness in Europe is an old and tendencially worsening problem that cannot be solved by particular policies

Youth Labour Markets in Europe and Central Asia

This paper looks at developments in and around the transition of young people from education to work in the ECA region in recent years. The purpose of the paper is to aid understanding of the current situation and to suggest areas where action is most needed and is likely to be most effective. The first section considers developments in the general economic context of relevance to young people. Section 2 goes onto consider the current situation of (and trends in) factors affecting young people’s entry into work. Section 3 assesses policies affecting youth employment and unemployment and section concludes identifying key issues and areas where action is needed and where it is likely to be effective. [IZA DP No. 5094]youth labour markets, Europe and Central Asia, active labour market policies, vocational education and training, joblessness

Education and Employment Opportunities for the Roma

The Roma more than anyone else lost out in the transition to the market economy in the countries of Central and South Eastern Europe. Their unemployment rate is 100 per cent in some rural areas and the Roma's dependence on government benefits is widespread. This article takes a look at unemployment and employment among the Roma on the basis of two surveys completed in 2002 and 2004. It is shown that lack of formal education cannot provide a full explanation of the relatively high unemployment rates faced by Roma and that at least part of the problem arises from discrimination in employment. Roma are also disproportionately employed in low-quality jobs in the informal sector. The paper argues that programmes aimed at combatting labour market and income disadvantages of the Roma must be based on the development of opportunities for autonomous income generation rather than the public works temporary employment programmes currently prevalent. Comparative Economic Studies (2006) 48, 6–19. doi:10.1057/palgrave.ces.8100147

Internships: A policy and regulatory challenge

Andrew Stewart, Rosemary Owens, Niall O'Higgins and Anne Hewit