the rural youth in catalonia (spain) u do 2: youth’s role in integrated rural development (ird),...

The rural youth in The rural youth in Catalonia (Spain)Catalonia (Spain)

U do 2: Youth’s role in integrated rural development (IRD), 1-3 March 2011, Nurmijärvi, Finland

Gemma EstanyLaia Espasa

SummarySummary

1.1. Catalonia: Some geographical dataCatalonia: Some geographical data

2.2. What is ARCA?What is ARCA?

3.3. Youth issues in CataloniaYouth issues in Catalonia1.1. Catalan youth policiesCatalan youth policies2.2. Characterising the Catalan youthCharacterising the Catalan youth3.3. Rural youth migrationsRural youth migrations

4.4. ODYSSEUS projectODYSSEUS project

1. CATALONIA: SOME GEOGRAPHICAL DATA

1. Some geographical data

■ Catalonia is one of the 17 autonomous communities of Spain.

■ Surface: 32.107 Km2 (6,3% of the Spanish surface)

■ Population (2011): 7.442.420 inhabitants■ Total population density: 232 inhab./Km2

MAIN FEATURES

Catalonia is the second most populated region in Spain.

Population density (2008)

Source: IDESCAT

■ Organization: Catalonia is divided into four administrative regions

There are at present 946 municipalities in Catalonia

■ Climate: Principally Mediterranean climate. The inland part show continental Mediterranean climate■ Official Languages:

■ Catalan■ Spanish■ Aranese (Occitan)


LleidaGirona

Barcelona

Tarragona

■ Surface: 66% of the total ■ Population: 595.393 inhab.■ Population density: 19,8 inhab./km2

■ 51,8% of its municipalities

RURAL AREAS


Rurality according to the OCDE

Source: IDESCAT

■ Forest land and agricultural land are 43,9% and 35,5%.

■ Natura 2000 Network is 29,83% of the territory; which includes 10,6% of agricultural land and 39% of forest land.

■ The agrarian rate of employment is low: 1,9%.

■ The Catalan agroindustry is the first sales sector at national level and represents the 13,1% (2007) of the total employment.

■ Primary sector production:


RURAL AREAS

■ Agrarian sector is loosing economic and social weight.

■ Strong development of the tourist sector which has led to a dependence on the construction sector.

■ Deficiencies in accessibility to basic services and terrestrial communications network.

■ Chronic demographic crisis in small municipalities.


RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME CATALONIA (2007-2013)

■ Rural development is not applied at all levels.

■ Rural development policies are linked mostly to the agricultural sector.

■ The economic diversification has been specially oriented to rural tourism which has saturated the sector in some areas.


2. WHAT IS ARCA?

■ Associació d’Iniciatives Rurals de Catalunya (ARCA)

■ Since 2010, ARCA is the regional network of Local Action Groups (LAG) in Catalonia (Spain).

■ 13 LAGs (2007-2013)

■ ARCA structures its action in 4 axis: o Technical service to support LAG

groups;

o Communication and spreading of

projects, good practice and methodology;

o Representation in other organizations

and institutions;

o Participation in rural development

projects of regional interest.

3. What is ARCA?

3. YOUTH ISSUES IN CATALONIA

4. Youth issues in Catalonia

The Catalan Government has full competences on youth issues.

The National Youth Plan of Catalonia (2010-2020) is the general methodological framework.

Each municipality elaborates its own Local Youth Plan at municipal level.

CATALAN YOUTH POLICIES

7 Challenges: Education Employment Home transition Health Personal development and associativism Culture Social and territorial cohesion

7 Challenges: Education Employment Home transition Health Personal development and associativism Culture Social and territorial cohesion



The Catalan Government has full competences on youth issues.

The National Youth Plan of Catalonia (2010-2020) is the general methodological framework.

Each municipality elaborates its own Local Youth Plan at municipal level.

Last NYP (2000-2010) empowered the social networks, promoted associativism and youth entrenchment.

CATALAN YOUTH POLICIES

Housingo Only 30,2% of youth between 16-29 years are emancipated high rents and precarious work and job insecurity.

o General priority of buying than renting a residence. Only 27,5% of the emancipated young (20-34 years) are renting.

CHARACTERISING THE CATALAN YOUTH

Specific difficulties in rural areas:

o Less renting residences.o Increased price of residences due to tourism.o Strict urban plans which not allow urban growth in some rural municipalities.

Specific difficulties in rural areas:

o Less renting residences.o Increased price of residences due to tourism.o Strict urban plans which not allow urban growth in some rural municipalities.


Educationo General increase of youth aged between 25-34 years with university qualifications (39,2%, 2008), specially women in rural areas.

o Less educational sources in rural areas (specially for higher education).


16-29 years


Over qualification of youth between 16-29 years and population

over 29 years (2000-2009)

> 29 years

Employmento The ratio of unemployment among young people aged between 16 and 29 (37,1%) is the double than the unemployment among the rest of the population (18%), specially for women.



Rate of unemployment, 15-24 years (2000-2009)

Employment


o Precarious work and job insecurity specially for women, immigrants and early graduated.

o Lack of qualified jobs in rural areas.

Area of professional activity of youth (24-29 years, 2006):


Leisureo Barcelona city as the main attractor for leisure activities.o Demand of leisure activities in rural areas.

Associativismo Low participation, specially in urban areas.o Less participation of the youngest (<20 years).

Mobilityo Particularly rural youth suffer the need of mobility because education, labour and leisure activities.o Generalised use of private transport.



Graduated rural youth remains in urban and peri-urban areas where they have studied.

Basically due to the lack of educative sources and jobs, problems to find a residence and the need to explore the outside world.

“Neorurals”: coming from urban areas, specially young families. Immigrants. Returned youth.

RURAL YOUTH MIGRATIONS

Inflow


Outflow

4. ODYSSEUS PROJECT

5. Odysseus project

Main goal:Prevent and stop rural youth exodus to urban and peri-urban areas by creating a programme which favours work placement of young rurals and their commitment to their original rural areas.

The programme wants to take action involving the principal stakeholders who influence this transition (universities and enterprises) and to raise awareness about the effects and impacts of youth migration in rural areas.

ODYSSEUS. Programme for the return and labour integration of rural youth

Target group:Young people, especially with rural origins and studying in higher education, between the age groups of 18 to 35 years.

5. Odysseus project

First stage: Construction of the model Analysis and diagnosis

Characterising rural youth and rural areas (detection of most vulnerable areas) Business in rural areas and detection of potentialities for youth Rural youth migrations Other factors which influence youth migrations

Methodology design

ODYSSEUS. Programme for the return and labour integration of rural youth

2011

5. Odysseus projectODYSSEUS. Programme for the return and

labour integration of rural youth

Second stage: Implementation

Higher education centres Rural areas enterprises and entrepreneurship nodes Network of stakeholders Awareness actions about youth migration

We look for partners!

From 2012

ARCAAssociació d’Iniciatives Rurals de Catalunya

the rural youth in catalonia (spain) u do 2: youth’s role in integrated rural development (ird),...

Documents

youth issues

catalonia climate

geographical data catalonia

catalonia spainu

local youth plan

rural development policies

agricultural sector

catalan government