Using participation to understand and address the anxieties of European youth about unemployment, future work, and community

This chapter presents the views of young people across Europe about their needs as well as their potential participation in local communities and the development of youth services. The data come from interactive workshops with young people conducted in 2015–2016 in six European countries: Portugal, Greece, Poland, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, and Denmark. The research was undertaken in a mode of collaborative, multinational, and inclusive work that aimed to avoid the problems of simplification and generalisation. The findings show that concern and uncertainty about future work frame young people’s understandings of youth policies and that participation requires support to be inclusive and meaningful. The community’s role in addressing youth needs is welcomed but should be more youth-friendly with greater consideration of youth voices.