Youth inclusion and participation in the Youth inclusion and participation in the

activating welfare state.activating welfare state.

Filip CousséeFilip Coussée

UGent – Uit De Marge UGent – Uit De Marge

Redistribution?Redistribution?

GNP 1948: 43% goes to the top 20% of most GNP 1948: 43% goes to the top 20% of most wealthy people, only 5% to the 20% most wealthy people, only 5% to the 20% most poor.poor.

1975: 40% vs 5,6% - redistribution?1975: 40% vs 5,6% - redistribution?2010: 48,1% vs 4% - redistribution!2010: 48,1% vs 4% - redistribution!

Poverty and social exclusionPoverty and social exclusion

1.1. The positive functions of povertyThe positive functions of poverty2.2. Paradox of positional goods Paradox of positional goods

Inclusion is a moral crusade to safeguard Inclusion is a moral crusade to safeguard “our” social order“our” social order

Social policy Social policy projects + projects + projects + projects + projectsprojects

Reconnecting youth to societyReconnecting youth to society

Social pedagogy entails a Social pedagogy entails a critical reflection on the critical reflection on the role of pedagogical role of pedagogical institutions in society institutions in society referring to ‘referring to ‘cultural cultural action’action’ as questioning, as questioning, demythologising, demythologising, ‘historicising’ and ‘historicising’ and changing dehumanising changing dehumanising processes by unveiling processes by unveiling the social, political and the social, political and cultural project cultural project underpinning educational underpinning educational institutions.institutions.

““We've been through a period where too We've been through a period where too many people have been given to many people have been given to

understand that if they have a problem, understand that if they have a problem, it's the government's job to cope with it. 'I it's the government's job to cope with it. 'I

have a problem, I'll get a grant.' 'I'm have a problem, I'll get a grant.' 'I'm homeless, the government must house homeless, the government must house me.' They're casting their problem on me.' They're casting their problem on

society. And, you know, society. And, you know, there is no such there is no such thing as societything as society.. There are individual men There are individual men and women, and there are families. And and women, and there are families. And no government can do anything except no government can do anything except

through peoplethrough people, and people must look to , and people must look to themselves first. It's our duty to look after themselves first. It's our duty to look after ourselves and then, also to look after our ourselves and then, also to look after our

neighbour.” neighbour.”

Joined up services?Joined up services?

Institutional inclusion, not Institutional inclusion, not social inclusionsocial inclusion

Succesfull transition toSuccesfull transition to

adulthoodadulthood The preventative serviceThe preventative service Going full circleGoing full circle • Young people are Young people are targetedtargeted as as

main priority main priority • Youth work is recognised as Youth work is recognised as

important actor to contribute to important actor to contribute to objectivesobjectives

Promoting their social and professional integration as an Promoting their social and professional integration as an essential component to reach the objectives of Europe’s essential component to reach the objectives of Europe’s Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs, at the same time as Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs, at the same time as promoting personal fulfilment, social cohesion and active promoting personal fulfilment, social cohesion and active citizenship? (European Commision 2009)citizenship? (European Commision 2009)

Tackling the problem of becoming accessible to non-Tackling the problem of becoming accessible to non-organised or marginalised young people is now felt by al organised or marginalised young people is now felt by al key players to be essential to increasing participation by key players to be essential to increasing participation by young people (Commission of the European young people (Commission of the European Communities 2006).Communities 2006).

Youth work tensionsYouth work tensions

Social care work for young people: Social care work for young people: participation in youth workparticipation in youth work concerns on social cohesion –concerns on social cohesion –

social problems are problems with young social problems are problems with young people people

Social political work with young people:Social political work with young people:participation through youth workparticipation through youth work questioning social cohesionquestioning social cohesion

problems of young people are problems with problems of young people are problems with societysociety

Adapting society to the needs of young people or …Adapting society to the needs of young people or …Learning from current citizenship – learning for future citizenshipLearning from current citizenship – learning for future citizenship → widening → widening

the gapthe gap

Reconciling the social and the Reconciling the social and the pedagogicalpedagogical

1.1. PedagogicalPedagogical: instrument for social education: instrument for social education

2.2. SocialSocial: instrument for redistribution of : instrument for redistribution of opportunitiesopportunities

3.3. RecreationalRecreational: instrument for organisation of : instrument for organisation of leisure activitiesleisure activities

Internal tensions! Youth work is a political activityInternal tensions! Youth work is a political activity

Youth work is play-workYouth work is play-work

Social Social workwork + + youthyouth movement movement = = youth workyouth work as a as a methodmethod for social for social educationeducation

Woodcraft, Public School, Boer War, Jungle Book, Woodcraft, Public School, Boer War, Jungle Book, Boys BrigadeBoys Brigade

Single concept of boyhood (and youth work)Single concept of boyhood (and youth work) 33rdrd educational environment disconnected educational environment disconnected from 1from 1stst & 2 & 2ndnd disciplinediscipline Learning by playingLearning by playing Ask the boyAsk the boy

Cultural renewal Cultural renewal Better “results”!Better “results”!

Youth work is social workYouth work is social work

SocialSocial work + youth work + youth movementmovement = social movement = social movement youth work as social educational youth work as social educational practicepractice

A dignified approach of the A dignified approach of the working youthworking youth

Education, religion, sports, Education, religion, sports, culture, social actionculture, social action

Young Catholic WorkersYoung Catholic Workers Collective social actionCollective social action

Methodical = Abstraction of contextMethodical = Abstraction of context

--do you know that there are young working do you know that there are young working class people with problems of their own?class people with problems of their own?

- I do not know young workers, I only know - I do not know young workers, I only know young citizens and I want to create strong-young citizens and I want to create strong-willed young men.willed young men.

-do you know how young workers have to -do you know how young workers have to survive in factories, how they are survive in factories, how they are influenced by “workers’ environment”. How influenced by “workers’ environment”. How could we help them to stay “good” or even could we help them to stay “good” or even to have a good influence in their to have a good influence in their environment? environment?

-I don’t know the workers’ environment!-I don’t know the workers’ environment!

Conclusion Conclusion Youth work = Social workYouth work = Social workThe social as a The social as a transit-zonetransit-zone: guiding young : guiding young

people to include in the social order people to include in the social order Youth work as a method for social educationYouth work as a method for social education

The social as a The social as a forumforum: discussing the way we : discussing the way we relate to each other and the conditions that relate to each other and the conditions that structure those relationships and the meaning of structure those relationships and the meaning of social inclusionsocial inclusion

Youth work as a social educational practiceYouth work as a social educational practice

private publicSOCIALSOCIAL

Transit zone

Forum

SOCIALISATION versus SUBJECTIFICATION

Oxymoronic practiceOxymoronic practice

Transitional forum?Transitional forum? Keeping up the tensionKeeping up the tension Social work between public services and private Social work between public services and private

associationsassociations The (re)invention of the social: post-communist, The (re)invention of the social: post-communist,

post-colonial, post-welfare post-colonial, post-welfare New public management?New public management? back to the future?back to the future?

Youth work and non-formal learningYouth work and non-formal learning

Youth work is third socialisation Youth work is third socialisation environmentenvironment

Youth work starts where young people areYouth work starts where young people areGrass does not grow by pulling itGrass does not grow by pulling itMünchmeierMünchmeier

Biographical capabilitiesBiographical capabilities InstitutionalInstitutionalPolitical Political

We make the road by We make the road by walkingwalking

Paolo Freire and Myles HortonPaolo Freire and Myles Horton