Hello dear listeners,
In this episode we talked with Maria-Carmen Pantea and Dunja Potočnik, members of the Pool of European Youth Researchers (PEYR) who did important research in the field of youth employability and entrepreneurship for the Youth@Work Partnership.
Our conversation covered some of the tensions that the youth field faces regarding youth employability.
Although the younger generation is more educated, they are at a bigger risk of becoming impoverished or socially excluded, due to job market dynamics. Society expects a leading role from the youth field when it comes to developing young peoples’ soft skills and professional competences, but sends conflicting messages by not listening to their opinions and experiences – as well as the opinions of those who work directly with young people – when drafting the employment policies that will affect their future.
“Only less than ⅓ of NGO’s working in the areas of youth and employment get consulted when it comes to policy development in these areas.”
On one hand, policymakers need to put greater trust in the capabilities of young people and NGO’s in the youth field regarding their inputs to employment and entrepreneurship policies. On the other hand, youth workers also need to question their position regarding these topics.
As youth workers, where should our focus be? In helping young people navigate the job market? Or advocating for more inclusive and fair employment policies?
We sure learned a lot about this topic, and we invite you to listen and learn also.
Let’s talk about youth work!
The Youth@Work’s book:
The book published by Maria-Carmen Pantea in 2019:
Precarity and Vocational Education and Training. Craftsmanship and Employability in Romania
The “Young people, entrepreneurship & non-formal learning: a work in progress” book edited by Maria-Carmen Pantea and published by the SALTO-YOUTH Participation Resource Centre (Belgium) in 2014
Below are the Youth@Work contacts. You can be part of this initiative.
Facebook: @YouthatWorkPartnership
Instagram: @youthatworkeu
Twitter: @euyouthatwork
Youtube: YouthatWork Partnership
LinkedIn: YouthatWork Partnership
The Youth@Work partnership is delivered with the support of the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union”. The European Commission’s support for the production of this podcast does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.”
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