Successful engagement of young people in the labour market and society is crucial not only for their own personal economic prospects and well-being, but also for overall economic growth and social cohesion. Investing in youth is therefore a policy priority for the OECD. Through adequate skills, employment, social and broader policy settings, young people have the opportunity to fulfil their potential and maintain confidence in their future prospects.
Youth
Young people are grappling with the implications of the green and digital transitions, shifting demographics and uncertain economic prospects. Their trust in government is also low, emphasising the need to promote intergenerational justice. Investing in whole-of-government approaches covering skills, quality jobs, social inclusion, mental health, and promoting their meaningful participation and representation will help them transition into an autonomous life and empower them to face the future with confidence.
Key messages
Young people are the backbone of prosperous societies and economies and future-fit democracies. In the context of major environmental, demographic, fiscal and technological challenges, they express lower trust in government than any other age group and face highly uncertain economic prospects. Governments need to ensure a whole-of-government approach to youth policy and service delivery, provide meaningful opportunities for youth participation and representation in public life, and embed an intergenerational perspective in policymaking to support their transition to an autonomous life, regain trust and help navigate global transformations.
The OECD Recommendation of the Council on Creating Better Opportunities for Young People promotes a government-wide strategy to improve youth measures and outcomes. An upcoming OECD Youth Policy Toolkit will provide hands-on practical guidance to improve the design and implementation of youth policies, and will include good practice examples from OECD member countries.
Context
Youth unemployment
Youth unemployment rates are typically higher than the unemployment rates of older people, even in times of economic growth, because young people tend to have less work experience and a more limited professional network to rely on for their job search.
Economic downturns, such as the global financial crisis in 2009 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, also tend to have a strong impact on young people’s ability to find or stay in work. They are often the first ones to lose their jobs during such downturns as they are more likely to have temporary contracts and fewer company-specific skills.
Individual characteristics, such as low education, economic hardship, migration background, and health or social problems can also pose additional challenges for them to enter and remain in employment.
Trust in government
In almost all surveyed OECD countries, younger people tend to trust the government less than older people.
In 2021, 37% of people aged 18-29 years old expressed trust in their government, compared to 41% of those aged 30-49, and 46% of those aged 50+.
OECD evidence demonstrates that trust in government is driven by institutions’ responsiveness and reliability in delivering policies and services as well as by the openness, integrity and fairness of their action. Enhancing youth participation and representation in democracy is also critical to promote their trust in institutions, especially in the face of polarisation and mis- and dis-information.
