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Sámi Youth Perspectives, Education and the Labour Market Sámi Youth Perspectives, Education and the Labour Market Lise Smed Olsen, Linnea Löfving, Juho-Matti Paavola, Jens Bjørn Grelck NORDREGIO REPORT 2020:5 nordregio report 2020:5 1 Sámi Youth Perspectives, Education and the Labour Market Lise Smed Olsen, Linnea Löfving, Juho-Matti Paavola, Jens Bjørn Grelck NORDREGIO REPORT 2020:5 Sámi Youth Perspectives, Education and the Labour Market Nordregio Report 2020:5 Table of Contents ISBN 978-91-87295-93-5 (PDF) ISSN 1403-2503 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 6 DOI: http://doi.org/10.6027/R2020:5.1403-2503 1.1 Purpose of the study ................................................................................................................................ 7 © Nordregio 2020 1.2 Structure of the report ........................................................................................................................... 8 Nordregio P.O. Box 1658 2. Overview of Sámi Institutions and Organisations .................................................. 10 SE-111 86 Stockholm, Sweden 2.1 Sámi parliaments: education and regional development ............................................................. 10 [email protected] 2.1.1 Cross-border cooperation on language standardisation .....................................................12 www.nordregio.org www.norden.org 2.2 Sámi youth organisations: issues on the agenda .............................................................................. 13 2.2.1 Youth Councils of the Sámi Parliaments ..................................................................................13 Authors: Lise Smed Olsen, Linnea Löfving, Juho-Matti Paavola, Jens Bjørn Grelck 2.2.2. Sámi Youth Associations ............................................................................................................13 Cover photo: Michal Janek (Unsplash) 2.3 Sámi Education Institutions and Programmes .................................................................................. 15 2.3.1 Upper Secondary Education ...................................................................................................... 18 2.3.2 Vocational Education .................................................................................................................. 18 2.3.3 Higher Education .......................................................................................................................... 19 3 Analysis: Youth Perspectives, Education and Labour Market ..........................21 3.1 Sámi languages ........................................................................................................................................21 Nordregio is a leading Nordic and European research centre for regional development 3.1.1 Youth perspectives ..........................................................................................................................21 and planning, established by the Nordic Council of Ministers in 1997. We 3.1.2 Challenges and opportunities: education and labour market ............................................21 conduct solution-oriented and applied research, addressing current issues 3.1.3 Sámi teacher training: a political focus ....................................................................................21 from both a research perspective and the viewpoint of policymakers and 3.2 Healthcare ................................................................................................................................................ 22 practitioners. Operating at the international, national, regional and local levels, Nordregio’s research covers a wide geographic scope, with an 3.2.1 Youth perspectives ........................................................................................................................ 22 emphasis on the Nordic and Baltic Sea Regions, Europe and the Arctic. 3.2.1 Challenges and opportunities: education and labour market ........................................... 22 3.3 Reindeer husbandry ............................................................................................................................... 22 The Nordic co-operation 3.3.1 Youth perspectives ........................................................................................................................ 22 Nordic co-operation is one of the world’s most extensive forms of regional collaboration, involving Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the 3.3.2 Challenges and opportunities: education and labour market .......................................... 23 Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland. Nordic co-operation has firm traditions 3.4 Tourism ..................................................................................................................................................... 23 in politics, the economy, and culture. It plays an important role in European 3.4.1 Youth perspectives ........................................................................................................................ 23 and international collaboration, and aims at creating a strong Nordic community in a strong Europe. Nordic co-operation seeks to safeguard Nordic 3.4.2 Challenges and opportunities: education and labour market .......................................... 24 and regional interests and principles in the global community. Common 3.5 Sámi handicrafts (duodji) .................................................................................................................... 24 Nordic values help the region solidify its position as one of the world’s most 3.5.1 Youth perspectives ........................................................................................................................ 24 innovative and competitive. 3.5.2 Challenges and opportunities: education and labour market ..........................................25 The Nordic Council of Ministers 3.6 Cultural/creative industries ................................................................................................................. 25 is a forum of co-operation between the Nordic governments. The Nordic 3.6.1 Youth perspectives ........................................................................................................................ 25 Council of Ministers implements Nordic co-operation. The prime ministers 3.6.2 Challenges and opportunities: education and labour market ..........................................25 have the overall responsibility. Its activities are co-ordinated by the Nordic ministers for co-operation, the Nordic Committee for co-operation and portfolio ministers. Founded in 1971. 4. Conclusions .............................................................................................................................................. 27 4.1 Sámi language skills provide a strong basis for strengthening self-confidence, The Nordic Council cultural identity and job opportunities ................................................................................................... 27 is a forum for co-operation between the Nordic parliaments and governments. The Council consists of 87 parliamentarians from the 4.2 Sámi-related jobs and new regional development opportunities ............................................. 27 Nordic countries. The Nordic Council takes policy initiative s and monitors 4.3 Challenges and opportunities for cross-border cooperation .....................................................28 Nordic co-operation. Founded in 1952. Stockholm, Sweden, 2020 5. Method and list of interviewees ............................................................................................. 29 nordregio report 2020:5 5 1. Introduction The Thematic Group on Sustainable Rural Devel- potential to create new sources of income and fu- opment has been established to support the imple- ture employment opportunities for the Sámi. mentation of the Nordic Co-operation Programme n Sámi food production and duodji (handicrafts) for Regional Development and Planning 2017- also show potential for growth. At present, the 2020. One of the objectives of the Programme is Sámi cultural sector is relatively small. Prospects to contribute to the development of policies and for the commercialisation for this sector differ, new solutions in relation to the challenges that and it may require either seed capital or grants in Nordic countries face regarding sustainable rural order to thrive. development. Among other initiatives, the The- Many Sámi businesses draw on traditional matic Group on Sustainable Rural Development knowledge in the management of the landscape has decided to follow up on the OECD Rural Policy and in the production of goods and services. Sámi Review, Linking the Indigenous Sámi People with businesses tend to balance market participation Regional Development in Sweden (published in with non-market values, stressing the importance 2019) by focussing on Sámi youth. This is because of sustaining culture over time. 2 the Review did not pay specific attention to Sámi ‘Sápmi’ is the name of the geographical youth. However, it did highlight that young wom- area traditionally inhabited by the Sámi people en, especially, are leaving traditional Sámi occu- (marked by the dark red line on the map). The size Map 1. Sámi people, Nordregio. pations. The OECD also recommends that Sámi of Sámi population is estimated to be around 80 youth associations,
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