On 14 April at 14:00 Heidi Paabort will defend her doctoral thesis "Equisupport model for public sector policymaking with young people in education and employment transitions" for obtaining the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (in Sociology).
Supervisor: Associate Professor Mai Beilmann, dr Dagmar Narusson
Opponent: dr Francisco Simões, ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon (Portugal)
Summary
Youth participation in policymaking that affects them is essential in a democratic society; however, this does not always happen in practice. Young people not in education or the labour market (NEET) are often left out and treated as a homogeneous group when programmes are created to support their return to education or employment. Within this approach, employment outcomes often become the main goal rather than responding to young people’s needs, which may increase stigma and hinder support. This dissertation examines how rational policy design impacts support for young people and explores alternative approaches to addressing their needs. The study is based on five qualitative studies.
The findings indicate that existing measures do not always match young people’s real needs. Young people differ in how ready they are for change and in how they cope with challenges, which makes standardised solutions less effective. In practice, supporting young people does not follow a straight path from one service to another. Instead, it is a relational and situation-dependent process that relies on engagement from both professionals and young people, as well as mutual trust.
The thesis shows that top-down policymaking, mainly driven by economic goals, insufficiently accounts for the diversity of young people’s situations. Support measures have developed within separate service systems without reflecting young people’s needs. Social innovation and design thinking offer more flexible and human-centred approaches.
The thesis proposes the equisupport model, grounded in each young person’s unique pathway and emphasising tailored support. This model encourages greater attention to young people’s experiences and perspectives. The concept of a “young person in educational or employment transitions” shifts the focus from a static label towards a developmental trajectory, highlighting the temporary and situational nature of their vulnerability.
