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Youth, housing and jobs

Some observations on youth policy

Dr Howard WilliamsonProfessor of European Youth Policy

‘Youth work’ practice 40+ yearsOpen club-based work, street-based workTeaching and examining on professional training courses

Youth research 30+ yearsOffending, training and unemployment, enterprise, substance misuse, homelessness, mental health and learning disability, public care, labour market recruitment

Youth policy 20+ yearsYouth work, alcohol and substance misuse, youth training, social inclusion, youth justice, curriculum reform, volunteering, safeguarding and advocacyWales, UK, EU, Council of Europe, other countries

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Personal roots and routes

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Two simple truths

For all of us, housing possibilities, costs, and stability are contingent upon our occupational/income possibilities, levels and stability

So the increasingly precarious position of youth in the labour market links directly to their precarity in housing markets…………………..

Too much ‘youth policy’ is incoherent, contradictory and fragmented

• Legislation• Budgets• Structures for delivery• Policy domains• Cross-cutting issues and objectives• Underpinning drivers for improvement• Monitoring and evaluation

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Youth policy frameworks – the Council of Europe model

All countries have a youth policy – by intent, default or neglect

Policies for, with and by young peopleGeneral policies with a specific youth dimensionGeneral policies that may affect young people

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‘Youth policy’?

Youth transitions- longer, reversible, complex

Opportunities and risksVulnerabilitiesCombating negatives – drop-out, unemployment, homelessness, drugs, crimePromoting positives

– participation, autonomy, creativity, talent

From ‘benign neglect’ to ‘malign indifference’Don’t “leave the kids alone”!

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Rationale for ‘youth policy’ – why?

Interim ConclusionThe neglect of housing in youth policy

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Ten years ago – Spain (average age of leaving home was 32)UK youth justice system – five agencies, but NOT housing

Rarely part of ‘youth policy’ - exception of Ukraine - my concerns about Armenia

Margaret Thatcher 1986 – I see no reasons why the government should do anything about housing for young people; they already have homes, that is the homes of their parents……