11 October

After a fruitful summer, the Youth Guarantee campaign is back stronger than ever!

During the summer break, the campaign for a European Youth Guarantee kept going and together with campaign supporters and committed politicians we managed to advance in several fronts:

• Practical implementation of the youth guarantee schemes:
  • In France, a pilot project is since September implemented in 10 regions, targeting 100.000 young people who are out of work and are not enrolled in a job training nor in formal education. 2014 should see this project enlarged to further regions
  • In Ireland, Minister Joan Burton, MEP Emer Costello, and Deputy John Lyons announced a year-long pilot Youth Guarantee project in Ballymun, Dublin North. Ms. Costello also promoted an exchange with stockholders, policymakers and young people to investigate how the Youth Guarantee could be extended to youth communities around Dublin (where unemployment is higher), once the pilot project is completed in Ballymun.
    
    
• Advocacy of a European Youth Guarantee:
  
  • Austrian MEP Evelyn Regner, fought so that the European Parliament’s report ‘Tackling youth unemployment: possible ways out’ clearly stated that more money was needed to fight youth unemployment in Europe. Her work also stressed that countries should be encouraged to implement a youth guarantee and that internships should be properly paid and should not be used to replace an existing workforce
  • The President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz, reaffirmed that the fight against youth unemployment is the first priority for the coming years
  • After months of strong support for the campaign, the German Social Democrats have made the youth guarantee a priorities in their election manifesto 
  • A workshop on a European Youth Guarantee was organized during the Summer camp of YES – Young European Socialists, in Izmir, Turkey. Member of the PES Group in the Committee of the Regions, Yoomi Renström reminded that local and regional authorities are key in framing and implementing measures to promote youth employment, providing young people with opportunities and support, and exchanging good practices.

After a successful summer, we are now back and more committed than ever to get jobs and a future to young people! We are closer and closer to have a Youth Guarantee implemented in Europe but, together, we need to keep the momentum going.

Join the campaign, organize and join events in your region and spread the word to your family and friends. 

Remember, your support is key to tackle youth unemployment in Europe!

COMING UP

Dublin, Ireland, 11 October, 9:30am
Conference on a Youth Guarantee for North County Dublin

European Parliament, Brussels, 15 October
Launch of Youth Forum campaign towards the 2014 EU elections – focusing on a Youth Guarantee

Izmir, Turkey, 23 October
Debate on Youth unemployment, organized by SODEM (Turkish Social Democratic Municipalities)

Genova, Italy, 13-15 November
A+B+C+D Youth exhibition, including conference on Youth Guarantee in Europe on 14 November