Reinforcing the European Youth Employment Policy through the European Green Deal

In many respects, the world is facing an unprecedented crisis. At the same time, the world is on the brink of a new dawn. While millions of people worldwide, especially young people, are facing unemployment and the challenges of a changing employment market, the current global situation offers a unique opportunity for governments and leaders to bring positive change. 

Within the European Union, the new European Commission Work Programme aims to reinforce the existing Youth Guarantee, which is a commitment by Member States to ensure employment, continued education, and training for all European citizens under the age of 25. For this purpose, the Commission invited civil society to participate in a strategic dialogue on this issue. The Youth Guarantee is seen as an important step towards realising the Green Deal’s aims. 

In response, in collaboration with the project YESclima (as part of the European Climate Initiative “EUKI”), and the BMBF-funded project GRÆDUCATION, the World Future Council proposed reinforcing the Youth Guarantee in light of the European Green Deal. By doing so, the Youth Guarantee could not only allow young people to gain work experience, but also to develop skills for a green, digital economy, and to boost their employability.

The European Youth Guarantee can achieve this aim, for example,

• by improving vocational training, which should be closely linked to professional practice;
• by imparting ‘green skills’ and relevant soft skills;
• by creating and supporting jobs and services related to renewable energies, circular economy, and sustainable development; and
• by providing for quality education and education for sustainable development.

In this proposal, the World Future Council also highlighted the exemplary achievement of Wales and Scotland, whose policies on youth employment have been shortlisted and awarded at the Future Policy Award 2019, respectively. The focus of the 2019 Future Policy Award was on empowering young people to find ‘green’ jobs that are fit for humans and the future, including the creation of decent and green jobs for a green, decarbonised transformation of economies, and on civic and political participation for sustainable development and peace. Besides these policies from Scotland and Wales, other sustainable policies can also be found on futurepolicy.org. 

You can download the proposal to the European Commission in English, Greek and Spanish.