Youth Guarantee in Finland Problem behind the solution: young job seekers young people between have completed only basic education young people are not employed, in education and training or in activation measures (NEETs) Activation rate among young job seekers is 37 % (all age groups 31 %)

2 The solution: Youth Guarantee The social guarantee Each young person under 25 and recently graduated people under 30 will be offered a job, a traineeship, a study place, or a period in a workshop or rehabilitation within three months of becoming unemployed. An educational guarantee: 1. Target group: Every person completing basic education. Guarantee: a place in upper secondary school or vocational education apprenticeship training a youth workshop rehabilitation or a place in some other form of study. 2. Target group: Youth under 30 that hold no qualification or degree with the opportunity to complete a vocational qualification or a study module. Solution: Skills programme Training in educational institute or apprenticeship training. Arranged in 2013–2016. Aim is to complete a vocational or specialist vocational qualification or initial vocational education as part of the programme.

Not a separate law, but set of amendment and public-private-people partnership 3 Ministries: employment, education, social and health Enterprises and other employers Social partners Youth organisation s, student organisation s Third sector Municipalitie s, education institutions, other service providers The Youth guarantee will be based on cooperation of Officials: both state and municipality authorities Business, Associations, where young themselves are active creators of their own future. Open-minded changes to working methods are needed.

This is how it works More education More study places in vocational education Regional re-distribution of the study places according to the changes in the age groups Changes of the acceptance criteria for vocational education and training Higher training compensation (800 € per month) for employers for apprenticeships Temporary “Skill programme” for young adults in 2013–2016: additional places will be targeted for those year olds who have performed only comprehensive school 4 Additional resources for young job seekers - More career counselling opportunities in the employment offices - Permanent establishment of the so called Chance card (wage subsidy card) for lowering the employers’ threshold for hiring young people and supporting active job seeking - More training and language courses and counselling for young immigrants Local youth work networks - Municipal responsibility will be increased in counselling comprehensive school graduates - Outreach youth work will be widened to the whole country - Youth workshops will be widened to the whole country

5 -Implementation relies on the willingness of the municipalities to act. Huge differences between different municipalities: some haven't done anything to accomplish the goals of the guarantee, some have prioritized the guarantee over other employment programmes. There isn't much extra resources for implementing Youth Guarantee. Stakeholders still remain unsure of their role in the implementation of the guarantee. In essence, Youth Guarantee is a campaign. No new practical tools and resources to actually implement the guarantee locally. Practical challenges

We Finns are excited about the Youth Guarantee. Are you also eager to learn more? Report - Youth Guarantee 2013 – is available in the Internet: 6