Research

Research seminar : Youth Employment and the Future of Work

European Youth Centre, Strasbourg, France. 21-24 May 2007

From Paris to Warsaw, young people in Europe are facing great challenges in the labour market. The challenges of globalisation, technological development and migration - just to name a few - are posing both threats and opportunities for young people in Europe today. The active participation of youth in the labour market and the problems of youth unemployment are high on the European and national policy agenda.

Thus, under the Partnership in the Youth Field between the Council of Europe and European Commission, a timely research seminar was organised on this key topic. The Seminar was entitled Youth Employment and the Future of Work. It was 8th research seminar of this kind organised in the framework of the Youth Partnership since 2003. Hosted at the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg, France, this research seminar gathered more than 20 participants from all over Europe and beyond, to exchange their views on the theme. A wide range of perspectives and backgrounds were represented, crossing academic disciplines, professional fields and geographical boundaries.

During the three days in Strasbourg, the research seminar was organised in six sessions, including four thematic workshops. Each one was devoted to a particular aspect of youth employment. After a brief round of introductions and an institutional welcome from the Partnership, participants were given the opportunity to discuss in small groups the emerging issues of youth employment in their home countries and the European context. These were later presented to a plenary. The plenary discussion was followed by presentations from the Council of Europe and European Commission on their respective policies surrounding the seminar theme, its place on the current political agenda and the issue of governance in respect of youth employment across Europe.

The first thematic workshop was on education-to-work transitions and European labour mobility followed by a session on Youth Employment – Policy and Practice. The third workshop discussed the issue of Gender, Family and Work. The session was concluded with a keynote address from Professor Janine Goetschy of the Universities of Nanterre and Brussels. She provided a comprehensive assessment of both the Lisbon Strategy and the Open Method of Co-ordination and considered their implications for EU youth and employment policies.
Locality, Identity and Inclusion was the focus of the final thematic session. There tends to be less research concerning low income jobs than that conducted in respect of well paid and highly skilled occupations. The effects of social exclusion, poverty and precarious poor work on young people's social transitions were described vividly. The issue of discrimination and equal opportunities was at the centre of the discussions.

On the last day, participants worked in smaller groups to discuss, formulate and share the tentative conclusions and policy recommendations for the four thematic sessions. Issues not covered by the Seminar were also raised. Moreover, participants evaluated the Seminar and shared suggestions for the content and conduct of future Research events.

Throughout the Research Seminar, the diverse realities, problems and challenges of youth employment across Europe were highlighted. The Seminar proved to be a good venue for both early-stage and senior researchers, local practitioners and policy makers to discuss this important topic at the European level. Whilst these hot debates were matched by the warmth of the weather in Strasbourg, the issues were subjected to cool analysis and reflection by the participants. One notable absence from the Seminar was that of the business sector and social partners. It is therefore envisaged that efforts will be made to engage the business community in future Research Seminars.

The research seminar was convened by Jonathan Evans, University of Glamorgan (Wales) and Wei Shen, Loughborough University (England), supported by the Youth Partnership research officer, Marta Medlinska.

The various sessions were chaired by the two conveners, the research officer and Andreas Walther from the University of Tübingen & IRIS Tübingen (Germany), who had agreed to chair the final session.

Monday, 21 May 2007

Afternoon

  • Introductory session: Setting the Framework
  • Welcome words
  • Introductions: Participants, Chairs, Preparatory team
  • Presentation of the Seminar: broader context, aims and objectives, programme and approach
  • Mapping the scene: key youth employment issues on national and European level
  • Introductions by the Council of Europe, the European Commission and the European Youth Forum
  • Discussion

Tuesday, 22 May 2007

Morning - Session I: Education-to-Work Transitions and European Labour Mobility

Afternoon - Session II : Youth Employment: Policy and Practice

Wednesday, 23 May 2007

Morning - Session III : Gender, Family and Work

Guest lecture 

  • The Lisbon strategy and its implications for EU youth policies by Pr. Janine Goetschy, CNRS, University of Nanterre and University of Bruxelles, Institute for European Studies, Brussels, Belgium

Afternoon - Session IV : Locality, Identity and Inclusion 

Thursday, 24 May 2007

Morning

  • Final session: Drawing conclusions
  • Formulating conclusions and recommendations
  • Final discussion
  • Closing addresses
  • Evaluation of the seminar
  • Closing of the seminar