Youth policy in Great Britain: a seminar on the RFBR project was held at the Centre for Youth Studies
On October 14 another seminar on the project took place. Our colleagues, who are studying the anti-crisis potential of youth policies in Russia and Europe, performed first steps in their analysis and also provided the first interviews with experts from European countries and regions of Russia. The purpose of the seminar was to talk over the first ideas and findings in the course of analysis of youth policy in Great Britain. So here we are delivering to you the major topics our colleagues are currently working on.
Alina Mayboroda is working on a discourse analysis of documents on youth policy in Great Britain. At the seminar, she presented her first research findings and told about two interviews with British academics who work in the field of youth policy. Experts have noted that there is no general strategy of youth policy in Great Britain, responsibility for youth work is assigned to local authorities and specific departments (for example, the Department of Education develops policy papers and implements policies aimed at equal access to educational resources for teenagers). NGOs are important actors in the youth policy scene.
In her presentation, Alina also spoke about how the policy papers shape the images of the country in the present and future, the regimes of social and civic engagement of young people in Great Britain.
Svyatoslav Polyakov and Yulia Epanova are working on an analysis of the academic discussion on youth policy in Russia and Europe. At the seminar, the researchers presented an overview of academic articles on youth policy in Great Britain. Svyatoslav Polyakov spoke about the conditions that are addressed in the academic discussion: the global financial crisis, growing inequality, neoliberal turn, economic policy and framing of the global financial crisis, the general decline in formal political participation of youth, Brexit. The main directions of British youth policy were discussed in detail. These included working with at-risk and deprived youth (NEET youth), making the transition from education to employment, and youth participation and engagement.
At the next project seminar the team plans to discuss youth policy in Finland.
Follow our updates on the project website, and also on Instagram @youthstudies.hse