The support for young job-seekers from the view of labour market policy - example from Finland Tiina Isotalo Vocational Guidance Psychologist Employment and Economic Development Office Pielinen Karelia (Pielisen Karjalan työ- ja elinkeinotoimisto), Nurmes FINLAND Tiina Isotalo Pielisen Karjalan TE-toimisto

Valtimo pop Nurmes pop Lieksa pop Juuka pop Pielinen Karelia Tiina Isotalo Pielisen Karjalan TE-toimisto

Young people in Finland 1/3 In The Youth Act young people are those under 30 years and in Ministry of Employment and the Economy young people are those under 25 years old. What is special in Finland? (source: Young Europeans, a survey among young people between in European Union, 2007) – Harder to find a job due the lack of work experience, compared to young people in other European countries. – Young people received support from Employment and Economic Development Offices and other services - but they received very little support from employers (least from EU27-countries). Over 40 % of those young people who have accomplished basic education and are planning upper secondary education are not ready to move to another region or town. (Poll made by Studentum.fi, 2012) Engage in working life quite late and are seldom entrepreneures. Feel that they don´t know enough about working life. Mental health problems are among the common reasons that hinders young people to proceed further education and worklife. Tiina Isotalo Pielisen Karjalan TE-toimisto

Young people in Finland 2/3 In Finland ( male, female) years old without post compulsory education. Every year app pupils complete the basic education – proceed to upper secondary education, but 25 % quit (resignates). – From each age group 15 % have no upper secondary education. App. 80 % of young people can make their careerplan with relatively slight help or without any help of others. In Finland there are two official guidance and counselling systems: guidance and counselling in education and training institutes (Ministry of Education) and vocational and career planning services and educational and vocational information services provided by Employment and Economic Development Offices (Ministry of Employment and Economy). – Employment and Economic Development Offices purchase from private educator agencies and from private rehabilitation agencies training and for example career planning courses. Problem is that term career “counselling” or “guidance” is being used loosely, often it is not counselling at all. Tiina Isotalo Pielisen Karjalan TE-toimisto

Young people in Finland 3/3 The lack of upper secondary qualification is the most significant reason to exclusion from worklife and society. The Governement aims every young person gains a post- compulsory qualification. – About 17 per cent of the under 25 age group have none qualification after basic education. – The aim of is that by the end of this decade over 90 per cent of the age group will have post-compulsory qualifications. – Alarming is that during the past decade an increasing number of young people have left school early. The challenging group is young men. Among young women aged 25, only 14 per cent have no qualification, but among men the corresponding figure is over 20 per cent. Tiina Isotalo Pielisen Karjalan TE-toimisto

The unemployment rate February 2012% Finland (total)9,6 North Karelia14,2 Pielinen Karelia17,6 Nurmes17,3 Helsinki6,9 Youth unemployment started to rose in 2008 (16,5 %). In 2011 youth unemployment rate was in Finland 20,1 %, while the total unemployment rate was 7,8 %. Pielinen Karelia February 2012 % Age ,1 Age Age ,6 Tiina Isotalo Pielisen Karjalan TE-toimisto

The Ministry of Employment and the Economy appointed a working group to examine the problems related to young men establishing themselves in working life. In addition, the working group discussed also young people in general. (Nuoret miehet työelämään ; Publications of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, Employment and entrepreneurship 34/2009) Experienced more difficulties to engage in education and working life and therefore had an increased risk of social exclusion and alienation from society: – boy / young man – special needs education background (defines the rest of their lives) – parents poor educational and socioeconomical status – school dropout Conclusions: – The most challenging group to engage in working life is young men without vocational education. – Support must be an ongoing process, which starts as early as possible (from basic education) and continues in transition to further education and transition to work. – Critical transitional moment is between basic education and upper secondary education (age 16): support is important in this phase and it should be provided by close co- operation with local authorities. – Important to get information about working life before entering into working life. Tiina Isotalo Pielisen Karjalan TE-toimisto

Professional development services in Employment and Economic Development Office 1/2 Self-motivated studies: if TE-office agrees, registered jobseeker can engage in full-time studies and receive unemployment benefit plus maintenance support. Labour market training: to develop or maintain the professional or working life competencies (free of charge). – Vocational labour market training: leads to formal vocational qualification (i.e. Practical Nurse). – Preparatory labour market training: improve general IT skills, language skills, work seeking skills, education or career planning skills… On-the-job training and preparatory training: get to know about working life itself, preparing for working life or get to know different jobs. Tiina Isotalo Pielisen Karjalan TE-toimisto

Professional development services in Employment and Economic Development Office 2/2 Educational and vocational information service (a education advisor or employment consultant): Information about educational options, the labour market and financing of studies. Vocational guidance and career planning service (a psychologist specialised in vocational guidance and counselling): helps to specify personal goals and draw up a career plan that is suitable for client´s situation. Vocational rehabilitation (vocational guidance psychologist and specialised employment counsellor): for ’disabled’ person i.e. person whose potential for gaining suitable work, retaining their job or advancing in work has diminished significantly due to an injury, illness or disability. Tiina Isotalo Pielisen Karjalan TE-toimisto

Vocational guidance and career planning Vocational Guidance Psychologist = Master’s Degree in psychology and the permit to work as a licensed psychologist (from the National Supervisory Authority fo Welfare and Health) Help clients as an psychologist in their – Career choice – Education choice – Problems in working life – Problems in education – Problems with motivation Counselling, psychological tests (personality inventories, projective personality tests…), cognitive assessments, work try-outs, training try- outs. These services are for all, by appointment, free of charge. Accomplish an understanding what hinders or blocks clients to “move on” and help them to find a way to proceed (small steps). Tiina Isotalo Pielisen Karjalan TE-toimisto

The most important political means used in Finland to prevent youth unemployment and exclusion In Finland we believe that education can help to reduce youth unemployment and social exclusion. Critical transitional moment is between basic education and upper secondary education. Prolongated unemployment after vocational education is a risk factor for social exclusion and future long-term unemployment. – Social guarantee for young people – Obligation to participate in education – Wage subsidy Tiina Isotalo Pielisen Karjalan TE-toimisto

Social Guarantee for young people 1/2 In the year 2005 Ministry of Labour put into effect Youth guarantee for 17 – 24 years old registered jobseekers. It aims to reduce youth unemployment and exclusion. At the early stage of jobseeking there is an assessment of jobseeker’s service needs and drawing up of a jobseeking plan (individual action plan). To all under 25 years old jobseekers there will be arranged an active alternative within three months of unemployment. This made the youth service process more effective: strong beginning, early intervention and active and intensive guidance. Execution has varied from office to office, and commitment of other doers and their possibilities to give support has varied. There has been problems finding an active measure within three months or finding active measures that leads to long- term solutions. Model has worked well for some young people: young people with relatively good chances to be employed. If young person needs more support than average, model has not been so effective: multi-problem youth, school drop-out, no vocational education, problems in basic education, backround of special education, immigrants, different ethnic background. Tiina Isotalo Pielisen Karjalan TE-toimisto

Social Guarantee for young people 2/2 Ministry of employment and the economy has decided the Social Guarantee for young people will become permanent as of 1 January Each person under 25 years and each recent graduate under 30 years is provided with a place to stydy, traineeship, workshop or job. Service network must be functional: educational and labour market organisations, employers and municipalities needs to be involved. Working group has proposed: 1. Education guarantee fo comprehensive school graduates: more new positions for vocational education and more support for apprenticeships. 2. Social guarantee for registered unemployed job seekers: more career counselling, permanent establishment of the Sanssi card, more courses for immigrants, new forms of promoting enterprise 3. Social guarantee for adolescents not involved any activities or need of support: more responsibility for municipals, strengthening of workshop activity, empahsis on outreach youth work and service networks. + Skill programme for young adults lacking an upper secondary qualification in : the aim is to create a service network which will prevent large- scale marginalisation or young adults Tiina Isotalo Pielisen Karjalan TE-toimisto

Critical transitional moment is between basic education and upper secondary education The obligation to participate in education: in order to receive the labour market support benefit during unemployment, the years olds must participate in occupational education. – Those who have not completed occupational education must apply for at least three occupational education programmes (according to certain rules). If accepted, they must start the education or they lose their right to the benefit. – Oblication has raised criticism, especially among young people. Recent research indicates, that despite the obligation a great proportion do not apply to the vocational education (Youngsters’ entitlement to labour market support and obligation to occupational education; Publications of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, Employment and entrepreneurship 3/2012). – An vocational education programme is commonly interrupted especially on the secondary level, but unlike common belief, the obligation to participate in education does not cause significant increase in the number of interruptions. – Research recommendations were, that this obligation should be mitigated. Instead of strict laws young people need more information and counselling. Tiina Isotalo Pielisen Karjalan TE-toimisto

Useful links Employment and Economic Development Office: (in english) Ministry of Employment and the Economy: FNBE (Finnish National Board of Education) publications in English: Occupational Barometer: Estimated demand for labour and estimated balance between supply and demand for labour for half a year. Guidance and councelling services for adults - national coordination project: Tiina Isotalo Pielisen Karjalan TE-toimisto