Activation of young migrant dropouts in the Netherlands

1. Activation of young migrant dropouts in the Netherlands Drs. Kaj van Zenderen k.j.l.vanzenderen@uu.nl MSc. Debby Gerritsen d.gerritsen1@uu.nl Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science Utrecht University

2. Introduction Problem: unfavourable situation of migrant youth in educational system and on labour market: low educational level, many dropouts, high levels of youth unemployment  Policy boom: many policies and measures, two policy lines: Reducing early school leaving Activation to work

3. Introduction • Decentralization implementation on municipality level • Explorative study of policy implementation in the local context and consequences for young migrants

4. Method Analysis of policy documents  overview national and local policies Qualitative field study: in-dept interviews, semi-structured, observation Various organisations involved, target group youngsters 13-27 Key figures Analysis procedure

5. Organisations & informants • Public: learning and work office, employers office, youth office, municipality, regional training centres, rebound facility, buddy project • Private: garage, re-integration service, rehabilitation project, self employment project • Informants: coordinators, policy makers, coaches, counsellors

6. National policy context Combating early school leaving  Lisbon goals, basic qualification, Attack on Dropping Out Activation of unemployed youth  municipality responsible for social assistance, privatisation Policies converge  learning and work obligation until 27 years old

7. Local policy context Learning and work obligation already in use Youth Office Covenant to reduce early school leaving: goals are not reached

8. Interagency cooperation Central role municipality  cooperation with schools and reintegration companies More cooperation with professional youth care institutions Complexities: multiple problems and organisations involved, own interest and perspective

9. The “lost” group Compulsory education until 18  invisible group Learning and work obligation  less applications for social assistance Difficult group  unmotivated and multiple problems Privatisation  creaming, only “workable” clients admitted And parking, long term (psychological) trajectories

10. Requirement of the basic qualification National policy conflicts with reality: • Too high level and not fair for some groups • Not realistic for older youngsters • Not necessary for labour market participation

11. Citation basic qualification: “Early school leaving concerns youngsters who dropout and do not have a basic qualification. So all the youngsters who are trained in level 1 and with whom we do our utmost best to let them develop, this is not being rewarded. They leave school with a level 1 certificate straight to the labour market where they perform fine but they do not have a basic qualification and are still perceived as dropout which is actually a bit strange.” (Policy maker, P8)

12. The Supposed lack of employability • Employee skills needed to be employable • Young migrants are supposed to lack these skills • Linked to street culture and lack of (parental) guidance • Limited world view

13. Conclusions Research questions: implementation of policies in the local practice and consequences for young migrant dropouts? Answers relate to two issues: • New cooperative structures and working methods: • Comprehensive approach is complex • Standardized supply of programmes  creaming and parking •  lost group

14. Conclusions 2. High demands in the sense of qualification and professional skills: • Basic qualification not realistic and not necessary for labour market participation • Migrant youth constructed as lacking employee skills  risk for stigmatization and exclusion from projects and labour market  Policies and measures not effective

15. Any questions and/or suggestions?