steps for the empowerment and protection of neet youth in

26 Socialinis ugdymas / 2020, t. 53, Nr. 1

ISSN 1392-9569 (Print) ISSN 2351-6011 (Online)https://doi.org/10.15823/su.2020.53.2

Socialinis ugdymas / Social education 2020, t. 53, Nr. 1, p. 26–42 / Vol. 53, No. 1, pp. 26–42, 2020

Steps for the Empowerment and Protection of NEET1 Youth in Rural Areas. The Case of LithuaniaGiedrė Kvieskienė1, Vytautas Kvieska2, Eglė Celiešienė3

1 Vytautas Magnus University, Education Academy, T . Ševčenkos St . 31, LT-03111 Vilnius, Lithuania, giedre .kvieskiene@vdu .lt2 Vytautas Magnus University, Education Academy, T . Ševčenkos St . 31, LT-03111 Vilnius, Lithuania, vytautas .kvieska@vdu .lt 3 Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuanian College of Democracy, Studentų St . 39, LT-08106 Vilnius, egle .celiesiene@lduk .lt

Anotation. Lithuania has unique characteristics and smart human resources, which should be used to foster competitiveness. Lithuanian lands were united under MINDAUGAS in 1236; over the next century, through alliances and conquest, Lithuania extended its territory to include most of present-day Belarus and Ukraine. By the end of the 14th century Lithuania was the largest state in Europe. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until September of 1991 (following the abortive coup in Moscow)2. Lithuania’s economy has grown faster than most other OECD economies over the past 10 years, unemployment continues to fall, and public finances have become stable after a long period of deficits and a rising debt3. Lithuania’s gross domestic product is €34.95 billion a year. That makes it the largest economy of the three Baltic states, but just one-tenth of the size of Poland’s economy. Small it may be, but it has been growing fast: Lithuania’s economy has almost doubled in size since 2000. In 2017-01-09 the UN has changed the status of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from Eastern Eu-ropean countries to the states of Northern Europe4. However, Lithuania is not coping with the problems of youth emigration and inclusion, which are decreasing slightly, and young people who have left Lithuania return to their homeland slowly.

Keywords: youth policy, youth unenplyment, NEET, social exclusion.

1 What does NEETs mean and why is the concept so easily misinterpreted? Available at: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_343153.pdf.

2 Europe: Lithuania. Available at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/print_lh.html.

3 OECD. Data. Available at: https://data.oecd.org/lithuania.htm.

27Socialinis ugdymas / 2020, t. 53, Nr. 1

Introduction

Youth, Youth PolicyAccording to findings in Lithuania in the beginning 2019 year there are 495.946

14–29 aged people lived in Lithuania that means there are about fifth inhabitants in the country. According to the data of the Lithuanian Department of Statistics, in 2019. In Lithuania, the average was 12.8 thousand young (15–24 years) unemployed – 0.5 thou-sand. more than in 2018 2019 employed 94.8 thousand young population (15–24 years), or 3.5 thousand less than 2018 180.7 thousand, or 62.7%, of the young population (15–24 years) were economically inactive, of which 91.9% studied in general education or vocational schools, colleges, universities. Unemployment rate of young population (15–24 years) in 2019 was 11.9%, and in 2015 – 16.3%. Although various targeted pro-grams and measures have helped to reduce the youth unemployment rate within four years, youth unemployment is still a relevant problem in Lithuania5. 2017 31 December According to the data, there were 9.786 social risk families in the accounting of fami-lies at social risk, in which 18.415 young people under 18 years of age grew up. Young people growing up in socially at-risk families face difficulties in integrating into the labor market much more often because they do not receive support and help from their families. Parents do not take enough care of these young people, so they do not create favorable conditions for the development of their personality and social skills in the family. And this leads to their learning difficulties, behavioral problems, low self-esteem, poor communication skills, addictions. Insufficient career guidance and the fact that employers are reluctant to pay young people a decent wage or do not hire them at all due to insufficient work experience lead to problems for young people entering the labor market. 2012 According to the comparative analysis of the results of youth research conducted by the Department of Youth Affairs under the Ministry of Social Security and Labor (after – the Department of Youth Affairs) (youth research), young people indicated the following reasons for not working according to the acquired specialty: 37.2%. Could not find a job by specialty, 18.1%. Indicated that while still studying, they started working outside the specialty, 12.2%. Stated that work according to the acquired specialty would be paid less, 6.2% – that work according to the acquired specialty is not interesting, and 22.3%. Indicated that he had no specialty. According to the data of the Lithuanian Department of Statistics, in Lithuania in 2016 was 21%. Households raising people under the age of 18 who are close to the poverty line. Ministry of Social Security and Labor 2017 According to the data, 22.2% lived in Lithuania below the

4 UN has changed status of Baltic States from Eastern Europe to Northern Europe. Available at: https://www.visitlithuania.net/what-s-hot-in-lithuania/1817-un-has-changed-status-of-baltic-states-from-eastern-europe-to-northern-europe.

5 Dėl Nacionalinės jaunimo politikos 2020 metų veiksmų plano patvirtinimo. Available at: https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/62166ed2695711eaa38ed97835ec4df6?jfwid=10az820u9g.


at-risk-of-poverty threshold (259 Eur) people. The difficult financial situation of those young people who suffer from deprivation or are close to the relative poverty line reduces their willingness to meet their interests and needs, which often leads them to commit crimes. Young people lack the funds to buy various essentials or coveted items, so they try to buy these items illegally. 2018 The number of juveniles suspected (charged) of criminal offenses has doubled compared to 2014 (from 2,513 in 2014 to 1,256 in 2018), but while crime statistics are improving rapidly, it is important to take into account the fact that the number of young people in Lithuania is also rapidly decreasing (in 2011, a total of 664.7 thousand young people lived in Lithuania, and in 2019 – 495.4 thousand young people). Against this background, it is necessary to further improve crime prevention policies and implement certain measures to reduce youth crime and ensure a safe environment for young people. The involvement of young people in active leisure activities creates conditions for forming the foundations of their citizenship and democracy. Involving them in non-formal education is essential for young people to be involved as much as possible in various leisure activities, to communicate with each other and to be active and civic. 2012 A survey of youth issues found that most often young people meet friends in their free time (81.7%), watch television (67.8%), and only 13.5% participate in the activities of public organizations. youth. As much as 46.6%. Young people said they were not involved and had never volunteered. The above-mentioned study revealed that the problem of inactive participation of young people in public life is still relevant. According to the data of the Civic Power Index survey, in 2016, the civic power index of the whole Lithuanian society was evaluated with 37 points out of 100 possible. Consequently, the civic power index of Lithuanian society increased by 3.6 points compared to 2015. (In 2015, the civic power index in Lithuania was 33.4 points out of 100 possible). 2017 According to the feasibility study carried out by the NGO Law Institute, as many as one third of the respondents to the representative survey do not participate in civic activities, and 68% do not. Does not participate and does not belong to any organization or assembly. The low level of citizen involvement in the NGO sector is linked to the weakness of volunteering traditions, negative attitudes towards civic organizations formed during the Soviet occupation, low mutual trust, lack of available resources (time and money) and weak capacity of the NGO sector to involve citizens. There are no comprehensive statistical surveys of the situation of young people in Lithuania. After assessing the needs, habits and lifestyle of young people living throughout the country, it is possible to apply targeted measures of youth policy implementation, taking into account the specifics of specific munic-ipalities and/or regions. The last research on youth issues was carried out in 2012, in the framework of the project “Development of Integrated Youth Policy” commissioned by the Department of Youth Affairs. In order to increase the frequency of research on youth issues, in 2010 at the request of the Department of Youth Affairs, a concept was developed for conducting research on youth issues in municipalities, the aim of which


is to develop a system of indicators revealing the situation of young people, covering all areas of youth policy implementation. Long-term research concept of youth issues in 2015 April 27 was approved by Order No. of the Director of the Department of Youth Affairs. 2V-78 (1.4) “On the approval of the research methodology of youth issues”. In order to further develop this system of indicators, it is necessary to ensure consistent monitoring of the situation of young people, assisted by a network of youth researchers involved in research on youth issues.

Citizens of Lithuania are provided with universal health care, education and com-prehensive social security system. Lithuania is in general perceived as a high-income advanced economy and has comprehensive social security system. Significant changes during the past 10 years which influenced economy of Lithuania were associated with the European debt crisis, which has been taking place in the EU since the end of the year 2009. And no doubt the new crises which will appear after the March 2020, as consequence of the virus COVID-19.

Education

Smart specialization has become a key element of the Lithuania Strategy 20306 which lays down guidelines for the next decade in the development of regional inno-vation systems, consolidates a “smart-growth principles”, “green growth”, “inclusion increase” and Cohesion Policy. Smart specialization is a strategic approach to priorities in education and culture, sustainable social services based on tradition and religion as a key for sustainable growth and development in the society. Educational attainment in Lithuania is one of the highest in the world with half of the population having a tertiary level of education. Life expectancy has increased by five years since 1995. However, despite significant endeavors to reduce it, inequality is high and the risk of poverty is one of the highest among European countries7. In Lithuania tertiary educational attainment levels have increased in the past decade and tertiary-educated adults have strong employment opportunities. Attainment levels are much higher among younger generations than in the adult population. Total expenditure per student in Lithuania is low compared to the OECD average especially at tertiary level. Lithuania spends USD 7700 per tertiary student compared at the OECD average of USD 15600. The teaching workforce in Lithuania is ageing and salary progression is limited. Upper secondary teachers’ statutory salaries at the top of the scale are only USD 1500 higher than start-ing salaries. Participation of children aged 3–5 in early childhood education and care

6 Lithuania 2030. Available at: https://lrv.lt/uploads/main/documents/files/EN_version/Useful_information/lithuania2030.pdf

7 Kvieskiene, G., & Kvieska, V. (2019). Social Capital for Smart and Sustainable Development in Lithuania. Available at: https://www.socialnet.de/international/en/papers/social-capital-for-smart-and-sustainable-development-in-lithuania.html.


has risen over the past years reaching similar enrolment levels to the OECD average in 20178. At the end of 2018, teachers went on strike over a recently introduced full-time payment system. Now, therefore, this system has been updated and on 1 March 2019, the Minister of Education, Science and Sport9 approved an updated full-time payment system. This updated full-time payment system became operative on 1 Sep-tember 2019. Additionally, 14 million euros will be allocated for the implementation of the system between September and December. If there are difficulties in implementing the updated system, it will be updated again. The new system is simpler and clearer. As before, 1512 hours a year makes a full-time post. A teacher’s working time per week is 36 hours. The main difference between the first and second systems is the structure of a full-time post. It is divided into two, not three, parts: (1) Teaching lessons, planning the educational process, preparation for lessons, assessment of pupils’ work, leading the class; (2) Work for the school community and improving qualifications. The per-centage of young people expected to graduate from vocational programmes in upper secondary education during their lifetimes in Lithuania is comparatively low (13.6%, rank 31/34 , 2017)10.

Methodology

The present study employs mixed research methodology. The methods of literature analysis and synthesis were applied for theoretical studies. Most of the data were ex-tracted from Eurostat Database (majority of outputs are absolute numbers that need to be converted into relative numbers). In order to evaluate the wellbeing of Youth of rural areas in Lithuania, the data from the last Round 9 of the European Social Survey in 2018 were used11. The European Social Survey (further the ESS) is one of the biggest survey conducted in Europe and has a special issue including questions on wellbeing, happiness, and satisfaction with life, which can be evaluated according to various aspects, where high quality data on different aspects of wellbeing for more than 30 European countries are provided. The ESS9-2018 Edition 2.0 was released on 15th of June 2020. Sampling and its key principles of implementation in the ESS are guided by the requirements outlined in the official ESS internet page (Sampling: https://www.europeansocialsurvey.org/methodology/ess_methodology/sampling.html). The sample for rural areas according to the Round 8 was 585 respondents.

8 Lithuania. Overview of the education system. (EAG 2019). Available at: https://gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile?primaryCountry=LTU&treshold=10&topic=EO.

9 Available at: https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/content/national-reforms-school-education-38_en.

10 OECS. Stat. Available at: https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?datasetcode=EAG_GRAD_ENTR_RATES.11 Data and Documentation. Available at: https://www.europeansocialsurvey.org/data/.


Population and youth population

The current population of Lithuania is 2720799, July 12, 2020, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data. The population density in Lithuania is 43 per km2 (112 people per mi2). The total land area is 62.674 km2 (24.199 sq. miles). 71.3% of the population is urban (1940986 people in 2020). The median age in Lithuania is 45.1 years12.

Investing in Youth: Lithuania says that, despite the youth unemployment rate falling to 15.3% in the third quarter of 2015, it remains higher than before the crisis (10%). At the same time, only 28.6% of young Lithuanians are employed, compared to an OECD average of 40%. “With a rapidly ageing population and shrinking workforce, it’s essential that Lithuania give young people the chance of a good job so they can play their part in the country’s future economic growth”, said Mark Pearson, OECD Deputy Director of Employment, Labor and Social Affairs at the launch of the report in Vilnius. “Too many youths are still being left behind and more urgent, comprehensive action is needed.” A key challenge is poor job quality: many youths hold low-paid, informal jobs, with a high risk of unemployment and low benefits. These usually offer few opportunities for training or career development (Figure 2). The report notes that boosting youth employment in Lithuania above all requires supporting job creation. High labour costs that affect the willingness and ability of employers to hire youth should be reduced. Strict employment protection legislation in Lithuania also deters employers from hiring young people. Introducing more flexibility, while ensuring adequate social policy, for the first time after 28 years, the number of resident population in Lithuania has modestly increased. Statistics Lithuania informs that based on provisional data, as of 1 January 2020, the resident population (Figure 1) of Lithuania totaled 2 million 794.3 thousand. Over 2019, the resident population increased by 14513, in the rural AREA – 912.3 thou-sand. (32.6%). Women accounted for 53.3% of all permanent residents, 1 thousand there were 1,142 women. Statistics provide only inhabitants from 15 till 24 years: 10.7% (male 154.708 / female 144.244). But if we analyze population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country’s population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development (Figure 1). The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends14.

As in many other countries around the world, Lithuania’s population is ageing. A significant decrease in the numbers of school-aged children and teenagers has been

12 Available at: https://www.worldometers.info/demographics/lithuania-demographics/.13 Informaciniai pranešimai. Available at: https://osp.stat.gov.lt/informaciniai-pranesimai?articleId=7094145.14 Lithuania age structure. Available at: https://www.indexmundi.com/lithuania/age_structure.html.


noticed over the last decade, while at the same time there has been a rise in the number of seniors as a percentage of the total population. These demographic changes, together with the widespread problem of emigration (Table 1, 2), are having a direct impact on education. The network of educational institutions, which now no longer meets the decline in the number of pupils and students, is being revised. Measures are being taken to rejuvenate the pedagogical sector and adapt to the needs of the network.

Fig. 1. Lithuanian Population

When we look more into detail, and with a longer observed period (but without the degree of urbanization) similar data were observed. According to database, the ratio of the youth population in the total population has been declining for almost all age groups, for the observed period.

Table 1Percentage of Youth population by age at the beginning of the year15

Age group 2002 2005 2010 2015 201915–19 7.77 7.71 7.30 5.83 4.9020–24 6.72 7.08 7.31 7.09 5.6425–29 6.73 6.51 6.57 6.69 6.7230–34 7.29 7.00 6.41 6.07 6.58

15 Population. Available at: https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/content/population-demographic-situation-languages-and-religions-44_en.


Fig. 2. Early leavers from Education and Training in EU

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

700000

800000

2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010

YYoouutthh ppooppuullaattiioonn:: LLiitthhuuaanniiaa

Fig. 3. Youth population in Lithuania (2010–2020) Source: Eurostat – data extracted on 07.07.2020


When we analyse youth population (Table 2) in ten years we can see that numbers of young people in Lithuania has decreased dramatically, and the reasons for this, ac-cording to qualitative research, are mostly economic. Young people left Lithuania after the economic crisis due to inadequate salaries and lack of support for further studies.

Table 2Youth population in Lithuania (2010–2020)

Year: 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010Youth population: 495952 507533 524050 554715 581241 602923 617152 630603 643440 664716 703920Source: Eurostat – data extracted on 07.07.2020

Employment and Unemployment

According to Statistics Lithuania, the unemployment rate (Table 3) has been de-creasing each year since the sudden growth experienced during the economic crisis. In 2018, it stood at 6.1%. Meanwhile, the employment rate has been increasing each year.

Table 3Unemployment and employment rate in Lithuania (%)*

2000 2005 2010 2015 2018Unemployment rate 16.9 7.1 17.18 9.1 6.1Employment rate N/a N/a N/a 53.8 57.8

On 2013, to address the issue of young people not in education, employment or training (hereafter – NEETs), (Figure 2) the European Council decided to begin the implementation of the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI). Under this initiative, 20 EU Member States in regions where the 2012 youth unemployment rate (ages 15–24) exceeded 25%, received EUR 6.4 billion for the implementation of additional measures to increase youth employment by the year 2018. Lithuania was one of these countries and received over EUR 69 million in YEI funding. Lithuania included the YEI in the Operational Program for the European Union Funds’ Investments in 2014–2020; where its implementation was assigned to specific objective 7.4.1. “Reduce the number of young people between 15 and 29 years of age not in employment, education or training” of Priority 7 “Promoting Quality Employment and Participation in the Labor Market” (Table 4). On the 22nd April 2013 the Council of the European Union has passed a recommendation on Establishing a Youth Guarantee. On 16th December 2013, the Minister of Social Security and Labor passed an Order No. A1-692 on the approval of the Youth Guarantee Initiative Implementation Plan (hereafter – YG Plan). Youth guarantee in Lithuania is available to young people, not in employment, education or training, aged 15–29. Youth Guarantee has been implemented in Lithuania since


1st January 2014. The first aim of the YG Plan is early intervention and activation, motivation of youth, the second aim – enhancing youth integration in the labor mar-ket. The system, made up of primary and secondary intervention projects, provides comprehensive, consistent support to young people in a more complex situation, which includes not only basic social and job skills, vocational training, but also integration and retention in the labor market.

Youth Employment

At the state level, there has been a strong decline in youth employment for the age group 15–19 in 2019 (7.7%). Surprisingly, for both age groups, age group 15–24 (32.9%), age group 15–39 (67.1%), on the country level, show a strong increase in youth employ-ment in relative numbers. A similar trend is evident for the age group 20–24 (54.8%), and even stronger increase in employment is evident for the age group 25–29 (82.3%), following the age group 30–34 (86.5%).

Table 4Youth employment (%) in Lithuania by age groups (2009–2019)

Age category 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

15–19 (u) (u) 2.5 (u) 3.7 2.7 2.4 (u) 5.7 6.6 7.7 7.715–24 18.3 19.0 21.5 24.6 27.6 28.3 30.2 30.4 32.4 32.915–39 50.1 52.1 54.5 57.3 59.4 60.6 63.1 64.4 66.4 67.120–24 34.7 35.4 38.9 42.5 48.2 49.7 50.7 50.7 54.0 54.825–29 69.1 73.5 75.7 77.3 78.9 80.7 83.3 84.3 84.7 82.330–34 75.3 78.0 79.4 83.3 83.7 84.7 84.2 84.6 85.8 86.5Source: Eurostat – data extracted on 07.07.2020

0

100

200

300

2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009

YYoouutthh eemmppllooyymmeenntt ((%%)) -- LLiitthhuuaanniiaa

Youth employment (%) Youth employment (%) Youth employment (%)

Youth employment (%) Youth employment (%)

Fig. 4. Youth employment (%) in Lithuania by age groups (2009–2019) Source: Eurostat – data extracted on 07.07.2020


The situation regarding youth employment shows that age group 15–19 has a re-markably strong decrease in employment in the observed period 2019 (7.7%) (Figure 3). At the same time, the increase is evident within the all other age groups 15–24, 15–39, 20–24, 25–29 and 30–34 (Table 5).

Table 5 Youth employment (thousands) in Lithuania by age groups (2009–2019)

Youth employment (thousands)

15–19 15–29 20–24 25–29 30–342019 10.4 225.3 84.5 130.5 184.22018 10.9 236.7 87.4 138.3 178.32017 9.9 240.5 88.3 142.3 171.12016 9 247 96.2 141.8 172.12015 4.1 249.6 100.5 145 164.12014 4.7 252 101.9 145.4 156.12013 6.7 237.8 91.2 139.8 157.92012 4.9 225.3 83.5 136.9 151.42011 4.4 207.5 76.7 126.4 160.12010 4.1 221.5 79.8 137.5 157.42009 5. 254.5 91.9 156.8 158.5Source: Eurostat – data extracted on 07.07.2020

Youth Unemployment

According to Statistics Lithuania16, youth unemployment rate has been steadily declining since 2014, but young people still face challenges in the labor market and are not able to compete with professionals on equal terms. Youth unemployment rate in 2014–2018 (males and females, ages 15–24 and 15–29, urban and rural areas) (Statistics Lithuania) (Figure 5). But Youth Unemployment Rate in Lithuania increased to 18.50% in May from 17% in April of 2020.

A strong unemployment rate within youth categories is evident from the database. The relative change in 2019 show the trend of decline of the youth unemployment rate. The strongest increase in the unemployment rate was evident for the age group 15–19 (17.8%). Similar results where for the age group 15–24, where unemployment rate increase (11.9%) and for the age group 20–24 (11.1%). At the same time, the strongest decrease in youth unemployment was evident for the age group 15-39 (6.8%), for the age group 25–29 (6.2%), and for the age group 30–34 (5.7%) (Table 6).

16 Lithuania Demographics. Available at: https://www.worldometers.info/demographics/lithuania-demographics/.


Fig. 5. Unemployment rate within youth categories in LithuaniaSource: TRADINGECONOMICS.COM / EUROSTAT

Table 6 Youth unemployment (%) and absolute and relative change in Lithuania (2009–2019)

Age category 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

15–19 60.4(u) 51.4(u) (u) 28.0 (u)

33.5(u) 32.0(u) 17.7(u) 16.3(u) 11.9(u) 17.8(u)

15–24 35.7 32.6 26.7 21.9 19.3 16.3 14.5 13.3 11.1 11.915–39 20.8 18.2 15.5 13.1 11.8 9.8 8.1 7.0 6.2 6.820–24 33.6 31.0 25.4 21.4 18.5 15.5 14.1 12.9 11.0 11.125–29 20.8 15.7 14.3 13.4 11.0 9.8 7.2 5.0 4.7 6.230–34 15.5 14.9 12.4 8.8 9.0 5.6 6.2 5.9 4.8 5.7

Source: Eurostat – data extracted on 07.07.2020

Education

Young people by educational attainment levelLithuania’s education system is more decentralized than centralized. National in-

stitutions, municipalities and educational institutions all share responsibility for the quality of the education provided. The Seimas (Parliament) forms education policy at the national level. It adopts laws and declarations on policy changes. The Government in corpore and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport (and other related ministries) also formulate and implement education policy and adopt and implement legal acts


other than laws and declarations. (Table 8). According to database Early School Leavers in age group 18–24 were 4% in 201917 (Table 7).

Table 7Lithuanian population, aged 18–24, of Early School Leavers, including absolute and relative change (2009–2019)

Age category 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

18–24 7.9 7.4 6.5 6.3 5.9(b) 5.5 4.8 5.4 4.6 4.0Source: Eurostat – data extracted on 07.07.2020

Young People by educational attainment in age group 15–24 were 43.4% and in age group 18–24 24%. Information on age group 15–34 was missing.

Table 8Lithuanian population, by educational attainment in age group, including absolute and relative change (2009–2019)

Age category 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

15–24 49.8 48.8 47.3 45.7 45.0(b) 44.7 44.0 44.5 44.0 43.4

18–24 29.5 28.9 27.4 24.6 23.9(b) 23.1 23.8 25.6 25.0 24.0Source: Eurostat – data extracted on 07.07.2020

NEET rate

According to database NEET rate in all age subgroups in 2019 were 11.6%. (Table 9 and 10).

Table 9NEETs rate (%) 2009–2019 (Lithuania)

Age category 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

15–34 18.4 16.1 15.3 14.1 13.5 12.6 12.0 11.5 10.6 11.6Source: Eurostat – data extracted on 07.07.2020

NEET rate by sex was 11.6% in all age groups.

17 Lithuania. Eurydice. Available at: https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/content/lithuania_en.


Table 10NEETs rate (%) 2009–2019 (Lithuania) by sex

Age category 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

15–34 18.4 16.1 15.3 14.1 13.5 12.6 12.0 11.5 10.6 11.6Source: Eurostat – data extracted on 07.07.2020

Poverty & Social Exclusion

The information on People at risk of poverty or social exclusion by degree of ur-banization in database by age groups is unavailable or missing. Young people’s at-risk-of-poverty or exclusion rate in age group 16–24 was 24.5%. (Table 11). Highest rate was in age group 16–19 which was 28.5%, following by age group 16–29 (21.4%), and age group 20–24 (20.5%). The lowest rate was in age group 20–29 (17.1%) and in age group 25–29 (12%). The data was by 2018 only. The information on age group 18–24 and 30–34 was missing.

Table 11Total youth population 2009–2019 (Lithuania) at risk of poverty or exclusion

Age category 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

16–19 36.9 39.6 39.5 34.3 27.0 34.4 32.8 32.5 28.5

16–24 35.5 37.4 36.1 32.0 25.6 26.3 29.5 27.2 24.5

16–29 36.5 35.1 34.5 30.5 24.0 25.8 28.0 25.9 21.4

20–24 36.5 35.1 34.5 30.5 24.0 25.8 28.0 25.9 21.4

20–29 36.1 32.0 31.4 28.1 22.2 21.0 25.2 21.9 17.1

25–29 41.6 23.3 27.7 24.1 16.2 24.0 22.0 21.2 12.0Source: Eurostat – data extracted on 07.07.2020

The information on People at risk of poverty or social exclusion by degree of ur-banisation in age group 16–19 was highest among other age groups (28.5%). (Table 12). Age group 16–24 was 24.5%, while results were similar in age group 16–29 (21.4%) and age group 20–24 (20.5%). Age group 20–29 was 17.1% and age group 20–29 was 12%. The data was available only by 2018.


Table 12Total youth population 2009–2019 (Lithuania) at risk of poverty or exclusion by degree of urbanisation

Age category 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

16–19 36.9 39.6 39.5 34.3 27.0 34.4 32.8 32.5 28.5

16–24 35.5 37.4 36.1 32.0 25.6 26.3 29.5 27.2 24.5

16–29 36.5 35.1 34.5 30.5 24.0 25.8 28.0 25.9 21.4

20–24 34.1 35.4 33.1 29.9 24.5 19.5 26.7 22.2 20.5

20–29 36.1 32.0 31.4 28.1 22.2 21.0 25.2 21.9 17.1

25–29 41.6 23.3 27.7 24.1 16.2 24.0 22.0 21.2 12.0Source: Eurostat – data extracted on 07.07.2020

The information on Young people living in households with very low work intensity was available only by 2018. (Table 13). The highest rate was in age group 16–19 (8%), followed by age group 16–24 (7%), age group 16–29 (6.2%), age group 20–24 (6%), age group 20–29 (5.2.%), and age group 25–29 (3.9%).

Table 13 Total youth population 2009–2019 (Lithuania) living in households with very low work intensity

Age category 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

16–19 8.3 14.2 11.5 9.0 4.5 6.1 9.2 8.2 8.016–24 8.2 12.1 10.1 8.9 4.2 4.5 9.7 7.5 7.016–29 8.8 11.3 10.9 9.3 4.8 4.2 8.8 8.0 6.220–24 8.1 10.1 8.9 8.9 3.9 3.1 10.2 6.8 6.020–29 9.2 9.4 10.5 9.6 4.9 3.2 8.5 7.9 5.225–29 12.0 7.6 14.1 11.1 7.6 3.3 5.1 9.7 3.9

Source: Eurostat – data extracted on 07.07.2020

Conclusion

In order to include young people in the labor market, reduce exclusion and the number of NETT young people, it is necessary to increase cross-sectoral partnerships and the development of flexible services and qualification possibilities. For Strengthen the public employment service and public, private and NGO partnership in services and enabling startups and innovation so that staff can provide more personalised support for youth, especially in rural areas:


• Revamp vocational education and apprenticeship, empowerment universities for cooperation with current initiatives show promise but enrolment rates are low by international standards. Involving the private and NGO sectors and increasing financial incentives for firms and organization to hire apprentices would help.

Youth unemployment reasons vary, but the most crucial problems, hindering youth integration into the Lithuanian labor market are:

• Shortage of education or vocational training.• Acquired professional qualification is incompatible with labour market needs.• Lack of working experience.• Lack of determination, social emotional competencies or job seeking skills.• Quality of jobs and high expectations of youth.

References

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NEET jaunimo kaimo vietovėse įgalinimo ir apsaugos žingsniai jaunimo politikos programose: Lietuvos atvejisGiedrė Kvieskienė1, Vytautas Kvieska2, Eglė Celiešienė3

1 Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas, Švietimo akademija, T . Ševčenkos g . 31, LT-03111 Vilnius, giedre .kvieskiene@vdu .lt2 Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas, Švietimo akademija, T . Ševčenkos g . 31, LT-03111 Vilnius, vytautas .kvieska@vdu .lt 3 Lietuvos demokratiškumo ugdymo kolegija, Studentų g . 39, LT-08106 Vilnius, egle .celiesiene@lduk .lt

SantraukaLietuva pasižymi unikaliomis savybėmis ir sumaniais žmogiškaisiais ištekliais, kurie galėtų

būti plačiau naudojami šalies konkurencingumui didinti. Savo valstybingumą nuo 1236 m. ženklinanti Mindaugo karalystė iki XIV a. pab. tapo didžiausia valstybe Europoje. Po 1990 m. kovo 11 d. Lietuva tapo pirmąja iš sovietinių respublikų, paskelbusia savo nepriklausomybę. Pastaruoju laikotarpiu yra pasiektas Lietuvos vidaus produktas 34,95 milijardo eurų per metus. Tai didžiausia tarp trijų Baltijos valstybių ekonomika. Tačiau Lietuva nesusidoroja su jaunimo emigracijos ir įtraukties problemomis, kurios mažėja nedaug, o iš Lietuvos išvykęs jaunimas į tėvynę grįžta vangiai.

Esminiai žodžiai: jaunimo politika, jaunimo neužimtumas, NEET, socialinė atskirtis.

Gauta 2020 07 16 / Received 16 07 2020 Priimta 2020 07 31 / Accepted 31 07 2020

steps for the empowerment and protection of neet youth in

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