During the pandemic, many young people had to change their plans for the future. While at the end of 2023 young peopleâs labour market situation was more favourable than it had been in recent years, many obstacles remained on their route to independence, such as the rising cost of living and inability to move out of the parental home. This report explores young peopleâs wishes and plans for the future â and the well-being outcomes related to these plans â in the context of the current labour market and housing situation and progress on the implementation of the EUâs reinforced Youth Guarantee.
Authors
Eszter Sándor, Marie Hyland, Matteo Magnano, Ava Francis-Hall, Maria-Carmen Pantea
- Catalogue no
- TJ-05-24-314-EN-N
- Cite this publication
- Eurofound (2024), Becoming adults: Young people in a post-pandemic world , Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.2806/87785
- ISBN
- 978-92-897-2403-6
- Number of pages
- 84
- Permalink
- eurofound.link/ef23097
- Published in
- Ireland
- Reference no
- EF23097
Files
Table of Contents
- Contents 5
- Executive summary 7
- Introduction 9
- Background and objectives 9
- Structure of the report 10
- Data sources and definitions 11
- Chapter 1: Work and work–life balance 13
- Employment, unemployment and NEET young people 13
- Young people not in employment, education or training 14
- Job security and fixed-term contracts 19
- Youth entrepreneurship –Self-employment and platform work 20
- Self-employment 20
- Platform work 22
- Work–life balance 23
- Job satisfaction 26
- Young people’s plans related to employment 27
- Education and training 28
- Education and training plans 30
- Traineeships 31
- Chapter 2: Cost of living, youth finances and housing 35
- Financial strain among young people 35
- Young people living with their parents 37
- Young people’s plans related to housing 40
- Chapter 3: Young people’s mental health and well-being 43
- Life satisfaction 43
- Self-perceived overall health 45
- Mental well-being 46
- Trends in WHO-5 Well-being Index (positive affect) 48
- Trends in negative affect 48
- Transition to adulthood and mental well-being 49
- Self-perceived social exclusion 50
- Chapter 4: Young people’s long-term plans 55
- New household formation 55
- Moving to a different country 57
- Chapter 5: European youth policy – Progress on the reinforced Youth Guarantee 59
- Policy context of the reinforced Youth Guarantee 59
- Evaluations of the Youth Guarantee 60
- Four phases and crosscutting enablers of reinforced Youth Guarantee implementation 61
- Mapping 61
- Outreach 61
- Preparation 62
- Engaging with young people 63
- Crosscutting enablers 65
- Implementation of the reinforced Youth Guarantee – National examples 66
- Estonia 66
- Finland 67
- Ireland 67
- Lithuania 68
- Conclusions and policy implications 68
- Chapter 6: Conclusions 71
- Employment, cost of living and housing 71
- Well-being – Unfulfilled plans and other factors 71
- Long-term plans – Family or moving abroad? 72
- The reinforced Youth Guarantee 72
- Policy pointers 73
- References 75
