“black or white?” seminar budapest, 9-11 february 2009 michael fähndrich y.e.s. forum / bag...
TRANSCRIPT
Contents: Youth social work:
Y.E.S. Forum (European Network) BAG EJSA (German Protestant Youth Social Work)
General overview on youth employment in Germany
Situation of young migrants in Germany
Y.E.S. Forum Acronym, that stands for Youth European
Social Work
Network of organisations working with children and young people across countries in the EU, whose common bound is commitment to social inclusion and active participation of all children and young people in all aspects of their lives and futures
It focuses on children and young people who experience disadvantage and exclusion
Y.E.S. Forum history Feb 2001: Development of the Y.E.S.
FORUM network infra-structure with 3 organisations from Italy, Germany and France
Now: 16 EEIG member organisations from 9 EU countries and 200 individual community members from 70 organisations in 16 countries
Y.E.S. Forum objectives and activities To encourage professional networking and exchange of
good practice amongst youth workers, social workers and other staff
To support peer-to-peer contact between young people from different European countries
To transfer experience and knowledge from the practical field to actively influence youth policy
Through:
Organising training, seminars and conferences that serve as space for exchange of good practice and critical thinking
To initiate and coordinate transnational projects with members’ involvement for practitioners and young people
Lobbying activities towards the European institutions
Areas of work: Helping young people in vocational training Work with young migrants Youth housing School social work Street work Gender specific youth social work
Vocational training helpLargest area of work Generic term for the vocational preparation
and vocational training e.g helps in the transition of the first (school
training) and second (training employment ) threshold.
Work with young migrants Promoting equal opportunities Opening and improving chances of integration Promoting the acceptance of migrants in the
society Consulting and monitoring adjusted to the
individual needs
Young people on the labour market1,2 Mio young people unemployed (10%) – rather good
situation compared to other EU countries… but: Often with short term contracts first to be fired Vocational training vacant positions decreasing
(in 2009 8,2% less than in 2008)
1,5 Mio young people between 20 und 29 (15%) have no vocational training qualification
“Transitional system” increasing Only 1/3 has chances to keep the job after the
vocational training Increase of illegal work and precarious employment
because of sinking wages.
Situation of young migrants Leaving school without certificate:
German – 6,5%, migrant – 16% Finding a vacant vocational training position
within 3 years: German – 86%, migrant – 68%
Finding a vacant vocational training position : German – 3 months, migrant – 17 months
Successful vocational training with obtaining certificate:
Boys: German – 68%, migrant – 29%Girls: German – 46%, migrant – 24%
Reasons and risks Reasons:
Lower social status (financial, social and cultural capital to support their children adequately in their education)
German school system (“gate-keeping “ function) Missing information and orientation of parents,
prejudices of the companies
Consequences: no qualifications/ low-skilled professions higher risk of becoming unemployed risk of poverty
StrategiesApproaches to improve the transition of the young people with
low educational qualifications and migrant background: Highly personalised, tailor-made support (coaching) with
professional staff; Involvement of families and promotion of culturally
sensitive skills beyond the childhood age; Close cooperation and networking between schools,
youth services, training systems and local companies. Reform of the three pillars school system Recognition of certificates from the country of origin Promoting participation rights of migrants in the society Liberatlisation of migration policy (work and stay permits) Intercultural opening of the society (also public services
and school system)
Illegal EmployemntReasons: why people work illegallyInternal: Unemployment, low
social welfare Low wages, precarious
work No work permit Low qualifications
External: Economic differences
within Europe Wage dumping –
employers try to lower costs
Increasing mobility of seasonal, low qualified workers etc.
Illegal EmploymentDimentions and ActionsBig problem in Germany, huge dimention:
60-70 Milliard €/year
Legal provisions: working and stay permit, e.g. for asylum seekers and irregular migrants
Assistance and help: NGO‘s, trade unions for migrant workers
Strict control: police and customs, e.g. on construction sites