Changing lifestyles and values of young people

International Youth Researcher Meeting September 22nd - 23rd, 2009 ViennaHelena HelveProfessor, University of TampereDirector WORK-Preca Research Project, Academy of Finlandhelena.helve@uta.fi helena.helve@helsinki.fi

WHAT DOES YOUTH MEAN?

the passage from a dependent childhood to independent adulthood

choices and risks age insufficient indicator category of youth is elastic age is socially constructed,

institutionalized and controlled in historically and culturally specific ways

Need for historical, cultural, social and political research perspectives

Need to understand the processes of transition to adulthood, youth identity and citizenship against the background of demographic, social, political, cultural, economic, climate and technological change

THE CHANGING LIFE-STYLES AND VALUES OF THE YOUNG PERSISTING TEMPORARY UNEMPLOYED INTHE DIFFERENT LABOUR MARKETS OF FINLANDWORK-Preca WORK AND WELL-BEING 2008-2011. Academy of Finland

Director: Helena Helve Researchers: Jaana Lähteenmaa

(post doc) Marjaana Kojo and Anna Sell

(doc. Students)www.nuorisotutkimusseura.fi/workpreca

After 1990 ´s the unemployment rates high Permanently short-term employment/project contracts Changing meaning of employment/ unemployment Difficulties in future planning Differences among the lifestyles, values and future

orientations Migration alacrity of the YP in the remote areas Needs for multidimensional and multidisciplinary research

perspectives

New challenges for young people’s careers –

precariat (la précarisation)

Social and identity capital of YP (SoCa BeSS: Helve, Honkasalo, Kokkonen, Kuusisto, Louhivuori,

2004 – 2007, Academy of Finland)

Family - intergenerational solidarity SC of YP develop the society as whole Formal and non-formal learning - identity

formation YP as resource Trust-based relationships - new social capital New technology – new trust and SC Youth and Social Capital (eds. H. Helve & J. Bynner, Tufnell

Press 2007)

Polarization of young people(Nuoret ja polariasaatio2008,

Nuorisotutkimusverkosto, julkaisuja 84)

Social and Cultural Challenges:

Loneliness – gender biasedSchool-bullying Problems with peers and bonding with peer groupsSexual harassment – the sexualisation of the cultureMental health problemsSchool drop-out, migration background, disablement and early

independenceJuvenile delinquency, unemployment, homelessness, povertyUnhealthy youth cultures and life-styles

Opportunity: Participation prevent marginalisation

Virtual life: communal life and mental state of young people

Need of research on risks and opportunities

Ethical action competence

Demands of personal choices, responsible decision-making and action

Need of human security and ethical action competence

Vulnerability - narrow identity horizon – Identity anxiety

Opportunity: broad identity horizon - Horizon of hope

Need for research on values, worldviews, citizenship rights, participation, globalization and environmental and social harmony

Challenges and opportunities

need to evidence base knowledge for EU politics

new approaches and practices

youth cultural research - new youth cultures and cultural lifestyles i.e. Internet -

need of rethinking youth

YP as a positive role in society

innovative aspects in youth life

young people as a resourceful category

New questions for politicians

What are minimum 'social guarantees' for a young person at risk with respect to education, and training, employment, housing, social support and income?

How relate citizenship rights to responsibilities: What should they comprise, and in what contexts and at what age?

Sub questions: What does mean participation, globalization and environmental and social harmony and cohesiveness within a fully participative democracy?

KEY FIGURES RELATING TO EU DEMOGRAPHY

96 million young people aged 15-29 15-29 year olds 19.4 % of the EU total population almost 40 % of employed 15-24 year-olds work on a

temporary contract NEETs – Not in Education, Employment or Training:

more than one third of 15 to 24 year old ones approximately 26 % of unemployed young people have

been unemployed for more than 12 months at risk of povertyat risk of poverty 19 million children under 18 year olds 19 million children under 18 year olds

and 20 percent of young people from 18 to 24and 20 percent of young people from 18 to 24 Need for comparative and longitudinal research

perspectives

Challenges and opportunities to European youth research: need to evidence base knowledge for EU politics: youth

research and policies are closely connected new approaches and practices need of rethinking youth opportunity to see YP as a positive role in society: youth

cultural research - new youth cultures and cultural lifestyles i.e. Internet - innovative aspects in youth life

youth individualisation in biography - young people as a resourceful category

historical and contextual processes of different forms of individualisation in young people’s way of participating in social integration processes

evaluation research on political youth initiatives and youth projects for the “best practices”

THANK YOU!

To get back to one's youth one has merely repeat ones follies

(Oscar Wilde)