“I want a job where I am happy to get up in the morning and go to work. Money is important too, because you need it for your living. But I prefer if I have fun at work.” (Male, 23, unemployed, Germany)

Young Europeans … are precisely the people who are primarily affected by economic change, demographic imbalance, globalisation or cultural diversity. We are expecting them to create new forms of social relations, different ways of expressing solidarity or of coping with differences and finding enrichment in them, while new uncertainties appear. Despite the more complex social and economic context, young people are well equipped to adapt. It is up to the national and European policy-makers to facilitate this process of change by making young people stakeholders in our societies. (EC, 2001)

“I don't go to the employment service. The times when I have been there it was only trouble. I’d rather give up on the benefit …. You know, you feel they do not like their job.” (Male, 22, unemployed, Germany)

“There's nothing in there unless you have a qualification…. You fill in forms and talk to one in there like, and then you hear nothing, unless they have a poxy job going where … you’re treated like a slave.” (Female, 20, unemployed, Ireland)

The European Council draws attention to the particular importance of preventive measures to reverse the trend of youth unemployment … through early identification of individual needs and tailor-made responses…. Member States will ensure that … every unemployed young person is offered a new start before reaching six months of unemployment, in the form of training, retraining, work practice, a job or other employability measure. (European Council, 1997)