Cofunded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
1. Learn the ropes
2. Choose your side
The idea behind the Rift is simple: for each topic of debate, we provide you with an expertise based on a pro-con approach, written by competent and legitimate experts. We want to help you make your own opinion, and guide you on first steps to civic engagement.
FOR
A pact of confidence to give each young person a chance!
« 1 young person, 1 solution ». This is not a slogan but a massive scheme launched by President Emmanuel Macron during summer 2020, shortly after the Covid crisis began. In this framework, the Youth engagement contract (YEC) was introduced in march 2022 by former Minister of Labor Élisabeth Borne.
The situation has heavily changed since and we have faced many crises. The commitment to full employment is now at the heart of the President of the Republic and Prime Minister’s strategy. In that regard, comprehensive reforms are currently being initiated, for instance on the unemployment insurance with a clear target: develop a better work-value in our country to promote the emancipation of each individual in our society.
The Government’s goal is thus to tackle youth unemployment – the most important of the inequalities they suffer – through easing their integration into the job market. Since 2017, the results are concrete and encouraging: the current Minister of Labour. Olivier Dussopt, is leading a voluntaristic employment policy. The YEC is part of this strategy, since it will help achieve its ambitious goals.
Combining economic efficiency and social justice
This measure is a tool for economic efficiency and social integration. Within only six months, it has produced concrete results that young people approve of:
– 178 000 young beneficiaries, most of whom did not have an degree or a job – the so-called “NEETs” – were helped;
– Almost 86% of them are satisfied or very satisfied;
– 89% would be willing to recommend it to a friend or family member struggling to find a job;
– 83% think they have gained autonomy and have obtained information useful to their job placement.
These numbers are encouraging : the YEC seems to be a first step towards deeper changes in our social welfare system in France. Because what we want is to fight poverty, more social justice and to strengthen the efficiency or financial assistance. As promised by President Macron, the payment of allowances will be simplified from 2023 on in order to make the payment of social aid automatic. This powerful decision will significantly reduce, if not eradicate, the phenomenon of non-use of social benefits.
Let’s go further: a universal basic income for young people?
Another change to come : the French Active Solidarity Income (RSA) is going to better help its beneficiaries find a stable job, just as Michel Rocard had imagined it when he created the Guaranteed Minimum Income (RMI) in 1988. The administrative procedures for job seekers will be simplified thanks to a new one entry point: France Travail.
These new measures will strengthen our social welfare model, while making job seeking procedures more effective. In the future, perhaps we will think about turning the YEC into a universal basic income. This would be a real safety net, especially to protect our youth and students from poverty. This long-term project could be initiated during the consultation on the scholarships reform requested by the government.
Yes, we should be proud, ambitious and full of hope, just as much as the French youth is. And above all, we should have faith in them : let’s give each young person a chance!
AGAINST
The YEC does not really answer young people’s needs
The Youth engagement contract seemed like a good idea on paper: we need to help young graduates find a job and make money, and younger people to get an education. However, the maximum allowance one can receive with the YEC is 500€ a month. If the youngster lives with their parents, they can only receive 300€ a month, which is not enough for people in financial difficulties and for graduates who need a stable job in order to be independent. Moreover, one can only receive the allowance if they accept the job offers given to them, even if they do not like those offers.
In addition, young people often lack access to information about the existing services available to them. Putting together a dossier to access these services can also be complicated and requires a lot of effort. To become a YEC beneficiary, one has to go to a Mission Locale or Pôle Emploi. It might not be intuitive or spontaneous for a young person to turn to these structures.
Young people should be able to find a job that meets their qualifications
In fact, only a few job vacancies for young people go unfilled. Very often, job vacancies remain unfilled because they are poorly paid part-time jobs. The YEC is going to artificially lower the youth unemployment rate, but young people will earn less money. Moreover, the young person will lose access to the YEC if they refuse a job offer, even if it does not meet their expectations or their financial needs. The COP1 association argues that the priority should be to help young people finish their studies in order to find a job that matches their skills and their expectations.
Instead of creating this new training program, why not support and invest in our existing education system? We are in favour of a more global approach. For instance, the government could invest more in our universities so they could enroll more students each year. Scholarships could also be increased to help students study in better conditions. Other measures were promising and could have been extended, such as the famous 1€ lunch meal during the Covid crisis. A long term solution would be to encourage young people to complete their studies. Each year, many students are forced to stop studying because they cannot afford to eat. The YEC is not intended for students and it is one of its biggest flaws.
Young people should be able to study in the right conditions
Student jobs are indeed the first cause of academic failure in France. Some students do not have a choice and have to work during their studies in order to survive. Our wish is that every student could focus entirely on their studies without working. Some students even have to resort to NGOs food distributions, otherwise they would have to stop studying. This proves that inequalities are a cause of failure.
The priority should be to ensure that each young person graduating highschool can access a higher education in a university or other degree programs. Then, young people should be given the means to study under the right conditions. We will be in favour of any initiative that will help young people finish their education and graduate. In that regard, the YEC does not answer young people’s needs.
