SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE IN OBTAINING QUALITY EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT: SOCIO-ECONOMIC GUARANTEES IN DENMARK, NORWAY, FINLAND AND SWEDEN
The labor market in the Nordic countries has adjusted to the general high educational standards of the population. Young people who, having just graduated from school, have neither the education necessary for employment, nor the work experience required by many employers become especially vulnerable. Accordingly, this article focuses on the socio-economic support measures for young people in the four Nordic countries: Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden. In these states, young people can focus on obtaining quality education that contributes to further productive and freely chosen employment. The state ensures their existence during admission to study and job searches. Young people can afford to choose the profession that really interests them. Thus, young people do not need to enroll in accessible (but not always interesting) specialties. Which is fully consistent with the objectives of the ILO Convention on the Promotion of Employment and Protection against Unemployment, 1988 (No. 168), i.e. to promote “full, productive and freely chosen employment by all appropriate measures, including social security”. Nevertheless, in order to receive support from the state, young people need to demonstrate active attempts to enter educational institutions and participate in programs of employment agencies. The authors analyze the logic and content of the youth vector of social policy in these countries and analyze specific measures of economic support for youth. The analysis is carried out on the basis of studying scientific literature, regulatory legal acts, statistical and reporting materials.