positive and independent youth policy

Prof.em. Dr. Richard Münchmeier Freie Universität Berlin

multilateral peer learning seminar, Rotterdam 29 & 30 October 2012

train of thought1. the crucial point of the EU-strategy: how

to put the concept into practice2. a few remarks to recall: why do we need

a positive and independent youth policy?a. growing up in a changing worldb. democracy requires participation

3. fundamental debate: personal rights vs. protection and care

a. a glimpse into historyb. two opposing concepts of youth

4. types of youth policya. based upon clear responsibility (sectorial)b. mainstreaming of youth issues into other policies

(cross-sectorial)c. future-oriented (inter-generational)

5. participation and empowerment

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1. the crucial point: implementation after years of discussion there is a new approach in youth policy upon European, national and regional level the new key term is: “positive” and “independent” youth policy this phrase could be misleading and misunderstandable we need to reconsider what there are the essential basic

principles: from problem group approach to policy for the entire youth cross-sectorial (inter-sectorial) focus upon best start chances (education, employment, health and well-

being, inclusion and collaboration) empowerment, activation and participation

the crucial point: to make the principles work in the practice of national and local governments as well as in the fields of practical youth work, local democracy and civil society

Prof. Thomas Rauschenbach, Director of the German Youth Institute (DJI)

„An independent youth policy, which earns this appellation, is upon international, national and local level practically not to observe, is in any case very silent and reluctant… The new youth policy approach is up to now still in the status of preparation and conceptualisation and until now characterised by a surplus of programmatic, rhetoric and symbolic debates…What we urgently need is an ‘empiricism of youth policy’ (research about the needs, the measures, the outcome, and the efficiency of youth politics)…”Rauschenbach et al. 2010, S. 234)

the young population is one of the most vulnerable groups in society. the financial crisis has a strong impact on young people

20% of young people ( under 24) in the EU live at risk of poverty youth unemployment (age 15-24) is consistently more than double that of the total population young people who are neither in employment, education or training (NEET) grew from less than 11 % (2008) to more than 13 % at the beginning of 2012

(EU Youth Report 2012; OECD: Education at a Glance, 2012)

2.a. growing up in a changing world

2.b. democracy requires participation

• recent youth studies show: European youth is not anxious or depressed

• a clear change in youth’s attitudes towards politics; they distrust the common routines and procedures

• they want no longer to be merely clients of a caring and protecting youth policy

• they want to be active and creative, independent and self-efficient, and partners of a supporting, enabling and empowering policy especially in the local context

(cf. German Youth Institute: Youth survey 2010; 16th Shell Youth Study 2010; EU Youth Report 2012)

expierienced possibilities for participation in different places

at home

at school

community

very little little partly-partly much very much

never seldom sometimes often always

mean

legend

source: Fatke et.al. 2005: survey with 12.084 youth 12 – 18 in 42 communities in Germany

3. History: fundamental debate:

social rights vs. protection and care ?

Paul Felisch and others (1909/1917) claim social rights for youth (entitlements towards society), right to healthy life conditions and support; youth policy should be cross-sectorial; juveniles should be subjects and not objects of the new youth law to be established

welfare-organisations, youth workers (e.g. German Centre of Youth Welfare) and a lot of others object to that (1910, 1918, 1921): not social rights for youth but regulation and judicial sanctioning of youth social work; consolidation of the public interventions for youth welfare; claiming local youth welfare offices

3.b. two opposing concepts of youthyouth is understood as hope-bearer social change and progress by the

change of generations (S.N. Eisenstadt)

youth as critical corrective: innovation potential

youth as „social movement“ and protagonist group

goals of youth policy more autonomy for youth more emancipation more participation „own rights and titles“

youth policy aims for support of self-organisation/ activation/ empowerment

structural funding: creating and establishing empowering infrastructures

youth is understood as risk group youth is at risk/ potentially

deviant (E. Durkheim) youth is „dependent“, needs

education and guidance youth is a transition group into

adulthood and “normal life”goals of youth policy protection against risks integration of problem groups protected places compensatory programs

youth policy is more or less youth social work/ a mix of control, regulation and training facilities

program based funding: bound to predefined programs

4. Types of Youth Policy sectorial policy

based on the judicial-institutional responsibilities of the portfoliocomprises only a small number of issues and conditions of youth life

cross sectorial policy mainstreaming of youth issues into other policiesseeks to advocate juvenile interests und needs (strategy of “interference”)

inter-generational policydeals with conflicts of interests between the generationsseeks a balance of interests and inter-generational justice

future policytries to consolidate and strengthen the integrative potentials of the social

and economic base structures evaluates the future suitability of present ways of life and styles of

consumption participation and activation includes youth as political actor and change resource

our aims„we want that all humans can carry their lives as much as possible free from the costs of past generations in self-determination. We want to preserve achievements and culture of past and present generations, without to waive progress or to destroy nature. For us it is a human right for the young and all future generations that the freedom of shaping their own personal and political matters must not be limited by avoidable burdens and consequences of contemporary decisions.”

5. Participation and Empowerment

French student poster

"I participate, you participate, he participates, we participate, you participate...they profit."

consultative participation

children and juveniles are consulted as „experts in their own matters“ in order to contribute in a “hearing” to the improvement of laws, political plans and projects or international contracts chracteristics:• initiated by adults• managed by adults• youth are heard and get the possibility for meetings with peers

to build an interest group, they can acquire various competencies and skills

• but they have no control over the results of the hearings and the implementation of concrete measures

democratic participation

children and juveniles are included aiming at possibilities to experience democratic procedures, opportunities to exercise democratic principles and to cooperate in the development of political concepts and measures concerning their own issues characteristics:• initiated by adults• cooperation with youth (not only hearings)• electoral and voting procedures are laboratories of a democratic

life form• youth can have an influence on the target course and organisation

of measures• youth can call the decisions into question even though they are

not part of the deciders

direct participation

children and juveniles are directly and formal consulted in political decisions;they have the opportunity to identify their own goals and initiatives and to put them on the agenda characteristics:• the arguments and interests of youth are included into the

structures and procedures of political decision making• electoral procedures serve as democratic legitimation• the role of adults is centred upon assistance and encouragement

in the background• procedures and outcomes are under control of youth

Vielen Dank!