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Working with Young People: the Value of Youth Work in the European

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Working with Young People: the Value of Youth Work in the European Working with young people: the value of youth work in the European Union Country Report Denmark 1 This document has been prepared for the European Commission and the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency. However, it reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. Contractor: ICF GHK 146 Rue Royale Brussels B-1000 T +32 (0) 2 275 01 00 F +32 (0) 2 275 01 09 [email protected] www.ghkint.com General report prepared by Allison Dunne, Daniela Ulicna, Ilona Murphy, Maria Golubeva and checked by Daniela Ulicna, Margaret James Edited by European Commission, February 2014 Directorate-General for Education and Culture © European Union, 2014 NC-04-14-173-EN-N ISBN: 978-92-79-367-197-5 doi: 10.2766/7275 2 Working with young people: The value of youth work in the EU Country report: Denmark Author: Ina S. Ringsdal (COWI) This report presents the situation as of February 2013 3 1 Introduction: tradition, definitions and concepts KEY FACTS RESPONSE Definition for youth work No Legal definition for youth work No Approximate length of youth work tradition 170 years Approximate length of formal / professional youth work 70 years tradition Overview of relative importance of youth work in supporting Increased young people Main sectors/fields of formal / professional / statutory youth Public sector, but also a work very active third sector. Main sectors / fields of non-formal / third sector led youth work NGO, Voluntary 1.1 Definitions There is no formal definition for youth work in Denmark and the term ‘youth work’ is not as widely used as perhaps in some other countries. In fact, when translated, the term "youth work" causes initial confusion - several interviewees initially came to think of young people in employment. Youth work is however a very well established concept in Denmark. Youth work is being carried out by public sector bodies (various national, regional and local authorities) as well as an active third sector (youth NGOs). There is no specific ministry in charge of youth affairs or a single piece of legislation/policy dealing with youth affairs. Instead, youth work and other areas of youth policy are managed by a range of different ministries, laws, policies and programmes. In generic terms, the main notions behind youth work in Denmark are as follows: ■ The aim of youth work is to increase the participation of all young people in democratic society. Thus active citizenship is at the heart of the Danish concept of youth work. ■ Youth work is inclusive and seeks to support and enrich lives of all young people, not only the lives of specific groups of young people – even if there has been a tendency in recent years to invest more in targeted activities, for example, aimed at supporting at-risk groups such as migrant youth or young people without an education. ■ Volunteers and third sector youth organisations are very important for the delivery of youth work. Mr Bertel Haarder, the former Minister of Education and Youth, has described youth work in the following manner: “...initiatives that create a foundation for forming young people who are capable of leading independent lives and of putting these lives into a broader perspective and, at the same time, helping these young people become active, democratic citizens who can participate constructively in the development of society, while also giving them real influence and 1 responsibility in matters that concern them.” 1 Haarder, H. (2011), Danish Youth Policy, Forum 21 [Policy], page 59 4 1.2 Tradition and development of youth work Youth work in Denmark has roots in the age of Enlightenment and the forming of the Danish democracy. The thoughts of the Danish priest and philosopher N.F.S. Grundtvig (1783-1872) are particularly important as he proposed an alternative no exam "school of life" from which young people could return to their daily tasks with increased desire and with clearer views of human and civic conditions, and with an increased joy in the community of people2. The thoughts of Grundtvig have had a big impact on the entire Danish tradition for volunteering and third sector youth organisations3. The Danish public thus has a very strong voluntary tradition, particularly evolving around various leisure activities for children, such as gymnastics, handball, scouts etc.. During the Second World War (1942) the first youth clubs saw the day of light in Denmark. They were to serve as a counterpart to the Nazi "Hitler Jugend". There was also a focus on reaching young people who did not otherwise take part in activities for young people. Today the youth clubs are a substantial part of the Danish delivery of youth work. 1985 was the United Nations International Year of Youth which brought political attention to youth work in Denmark. From 1985 to 1988, 76 youth councils were formed; however in 1994 only 8 youth councils remained. In the mid 90’es the then government again focused on youth politics and presented a proposal for youth politics. Based on this the number of youth councils rose again. Today, approximately 40 youth councils are registered nationwide4. All interviewees find that the political attention given to youth work has increased significantly in recent years. This attention was triggered by a period of lack of labour and has since been replaced by increasing youth unemployment as a consequence of the financial crisis. As in other countries, unemployment among youth has soared, and it is feared that a whole generation of youth will be pushed out of the labour market. The Grundvidian thought that young people’s democratic understanding and personal development is furthered by participation in voluntary work and participation in the Danish third sector organisations has political attention and is supported by an increase in the provision of resources to the youth work outside of the public sector, where some places have seen a significant rise in membership5. Key trends in the development of youth work over the last decade include the following: ■ The Danish government has a set goal that by 2015, 95 % of all Danish young people have finished vocational training. When this objective was first put forward in 2006, there was a skilled labour shortage and there was a distinct focus from political quarters on the integration of youth with an ethnic background, as this group presented untapped labour resources. There was a special focus on helping this group to complete a youth education, which included gearing up the educational system to retain these young people. ■ In recent years there has been a tendency that this focus on vocational education is expanded to include all youth who are at risk of dropping out 2 Davies N (1931), Education for Life: A Danish Pioneer, London: Williams and Norgate 3 Source: webpage: www.grundtvig.dk 4 Source: the webpage for the network of Danish youth counsils: www.nau.dk 5 Source: interview with representative of "Projekt Frivillig". 5 or otherwise at risk of not completing their compulsory education, which should be seen in light of the changed financial situation. There is no longer a lack of skilled labour; on the contrary, there is a risk that a whole generation will be lost to unemployment if they cannot meet the demands of a modern knowledge society. In order for the Danish economy to be competitive there is a need for know-how related to developing technologies which are able to secure high efficiency. The overall focus is thus the same, but the incentive behind this focus has changed which has led to a widening of the target group. Presently, approximately 80% of young people complete a youth education, even though approximately 95% begin one6. Focus on strategies to sustain youth in education is therefore on top of the political agenda7. 8 ■ To support the 95% objective mentioned above the Act on Guidance was passed in 2004 to regulate the youth guidance policies and secure a good quality of the guidance rendered in Denmark I 2004. The Guidance Act has been regulated a number of times over the years and during this period, there has been changes relating to the target group of guidance. 10 years all young were targeted but these days the policy is focused on vulnerable young people. The finances have thus been moved from broad policies to narrow policies. Since 2004 the guidance policies have furthermore been expanded from comprising youth up to 18 years of age to now comprising youth up to 25 years of age. ■ The last 10 years have also seen an increased digitalisation of guidance policies. Guidance portals have been established on the internet, and as a result, guidance reaches more people than previously. There is a political wish that the digital media will play an increasing role in the guidance policies. Internet based state financed guidance for youth about drugs and alcohol is also available. ■ Several interviewees explain that there is a significantly increased interest in carrying out voluntary work. The motivation of the young for participating in voluntary work is partly a wish to make a difference, and partly a wish to increase non formal competencies and thus their future employment opportunities. While this report is being prepared, the Danish government is working on a reform of the state schools. Among other things, the government wishes to create an all-day school where homework and physical activities are part of a longer school day. If such a reform is implemented, this will have far-reaching consequences for the way youth work is organised today. 1.3 The current situation: the delivery of formal and non-formal youth work Youth work is delivered by national, regional and local authorities as well as youth NGOs.
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