Social inclusion of young people

1) OBJECTIVE

To define objectives and guidelines to contribute to the development of cooperation policy in the field of youth, particularly in relation to the integration of young people.

2) ACT

Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, of 14 December 2000 on the social inclusion of young people [Official Journal C 374 of 28.12.2000].

3) SUMMARY

Background

The Resolution is in line with the strategic goal set at the Lisbon Council on 23 and 24 March 2000. This goal unites economic progress and social progress, and the fight against social exclusion is a fundamental aspect of it.

Noting that young people, especially the most vulnerable, are particularly susceptible to social, political and cultural exclusion, the Resolution calls on the Commission and the Member States to take several initiatives to ensure that young people are included in all aspects of society.

Role of the Commission and the Member States

The Council calls on the Commission and the Member States to:

• make the improvement of the socio-economic situation of young people and their social inclusion, as well as tackling their exclusion, a cross-sectoral priority;
• promote broad access for young people to Community and national programmes, particularly with regard to mobility;
• study objectives to ensure all young people can play a full part in economic and social life, combat discriminatory behaviour towards young people, prevent situations which can lead to marginalisation, assist in mobilising institutional, economic and social players and encourage young people to participate in drawing up the policies which concern them;
• develop exchanges of information and good practice in combating the social exclusion of young people.

Role of the Member States

In addition, the Resolution urges the Member States to:

• promote measures to prevent young people being excluded, unemployed and leading a precarious existence, and develop new training opportunities for young people excluded from education and training systems;
• foster access and return to work for those young people having the greatest difficulty in entering the world of work;
• develop accompanying measures suited to situations of job rotation;
• promote access to quality education and, under the guidelines for employment, take measures for young people in difficulty and those who drop out of the school system early;
• encourage access to information for young people and take steps to ensure that they are not excluded from new information technologies;
• encourage young people to obtain and hold on to housing;
• strengthen the shelter and support structures for young people from broken homes who have been the victims of or threatened with violence;
• seek a high level of health protection for young people and develop preventive health care measures suited to their needs;
• develop leisure-time sporting, cultural and other measures directed at young people, particularly by encouraging incentive pricing policies;
• support non-governmental youth organisations and youth associations in the opportunities they offer young people of playing an active role in civil society;
• involve young people in the decisions taken concerning them.

The Resolution is intended to contribute to the development of the policy of cooperation in the field of youth and to be taken into consideration in combating poverty and social exclusion.

Last updated: 23.09.2002