Doctoral thesis: Support when starting out on their own makes it easier for young people to enter the labour market

Taru's thesis shows that the EU Youth Guarantee and other employment measures and policies supporting the transition from school to work have failed to significantly improve the situation of young people on the labour market. The situation is difficult for young people in Southern and Eastern Europe, many of whom continue to experience joblessness and social exclusion and are studying, working or looking for work – in other words, they are inactive. 

"There are various reasons for young people’s inactivity,” says Taru: “they might be caring for a child or parent or relative, have a disability or illness, be in military service, have lost hope or be despondent, for example in regions where only bad jobs are available, and few of them, and where there are no studying opportunities." Taru adds that there are those who are inactive by choice, i.e. they do not want to work or study even though there is no barrier to either.  

In his thesis, Taru compared the experiences of Estonia and Italy and found that support for young people in the two countries differs significantly. "The approach of the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund supports independence and decision-making, while the Italian system focuses more on rapid entry to the labour market," explains the author. "Young people in Estonia feel that the services of the Unemployment Insurance Fund have both good and bad points, while those in Italy feel the services available to them are mostly poor."

Youth work and open youth centres play an important role in developing young people's independence and activity. Youth centres do not directly teach job skills, but they do help young people develop the skills they need for lifelong learning, and also expand their social networks. "Youth centres are safe spaces for young people to develop their skills, hone their self-awareness and explore career paths," says Taru.

Analysis in the thesis shows that since around 2000, the focus of the EU’s youth policy has shifted from wide-ranging support for the development of young people (as well as older people) to fostering skills that are more narrowly suited to the labour market. "This is problematic, because young people need both practical skills and the ability to make decisions about their lives if they are to successfully enter the labour market," Taru cautions. "Policymakers in EU Member States should be more mindful of young people's own needs and experiences and boost their involvement in the drafting and implementation of labour market policies."

Marti Taru, a PhD student at Tallinn University’s School of Governance, Law and Society, has defended his doctoral thesis, entitled "Perspectives on policy support for youth transition to the labour market in two EU countries: The cases of Estonia and Italy" („Noorte tööturule ülemineku perspektiiv sotsiaalpoliitika toetuse kontekstis kahes EL riigis: Eesti ja Itaalia juhtumid”). The thesis was supervised by Associate Professor Triin Roosalu from Tallinn University and opposed by Ruggero Cefalo, an Associate Professor from the University of Vienna, and Rosario Ivano Scandurra, a Senior Research Fellow from the International University of Catalonia.