Talking about difficult times in youth lives, if there was a voting, one period would undoubtedly win one of the top prizes. This period is unavoidable and always tough. Leaving parents’ home and moving to an independent life is always stressful and raises a lot of questions for young people.
However, there are some things that could be done to make this life transition easier, and here our governments should start taking part. Youth has already said their word – 20 thousand young people from European Union participated in a survey where they shared their opinions. According to the youth, this problem is real and very common, but it can be solved or at least reduced. People from different European Union countries agreed to share their thoughts and experiences that concerns this issue.
Ilin from Belgium says that: „It is important for young people to have a sufficient support in transition from living in a ‘cocoon’ with their parents to going to an independent life, because it is a big step. A lot of people are postponing it, because they want to live in a safe environment, especially now in the crisis it is difficult to move to an autonomous life. Hence, it is really important to take real measurements to support young people in this phase.”
There are recommendations that were given to the governments in order to support young people’s autonomy. First of all, it is suggested that youth should have an access to social protection and welfare benefits. This includes a suggestion to provide free legal advices, to offer certain services such as health and housing ones. Realization of these recommendations would ease the beginning of an independent life and help young people to stand on their own feet.
Other recommendations are to improve an admission to health care, and provide an access to housing. There is no doubt that getting an affordable accommodation would help young people. It is not a secret that dealing with rent prices, especially in bigger cities or towns, is a big issue to those who try to start an autonomous life. Moreover, financial support may be given and social services shall be provided, which sounds like a huge help for a young person.
In Croatia, health care is one of the biggest issues of the youth that seeks an autonomous life. Anna Maria says: “I do not think that any of the recommendations are easy to apply in a real life, and it will take a really big effort of the government and European Commission to make these ideas work. However, the most important recommendations are the ones that suggest financial help and accommodation. There must be done something to help young people to rent or even buy flats at lower prices. Health care is also a big issue; we are used to that health service is provided for free. However, in my country at the moment we are facing more and more budget cuts when it comes to the health care, hence we pay more and more for the basic health services and it becomes a big issue. Young people in Croatia think that health care should be provided for everyone for free. Another big concern is an access to youth friendly clinics where information about contraception and sex would be given. There are none.”
Evaldas Rupkus, coordinator of Eurodesk Lithuania programme agrees that the issue of becoming an independent young person exists and cannot be ignored: “Transition from living with parents to an autonomous life is one of the most important in young people’s lives. Therefore it is very important to support young people in this period and, moreover, inform them. As they often do not know how to start an independent life, giving them certain knowledge is very helpful. In this case they can fully use existing possibilities“.
We shall not forget that not only students or young professionals face this autonomous life issue. There are a lot of youngsters who currently are not in employment, education or training. These people need all the possible support to re-integrate to the society and labour market, and live a wholesome life. Choosing volunteering or a certain training programme would definitely help these people. Moreover, if there was more information about job opportunities, young people could become independent more easily. Hence, information about their possibilities must be provided.
However, there are some different opinions. For example Andrei from Bulgaria thinks that simply giving youth a financial support or an accommodation would not solve the problem: “I think that autonomy must come from young people’s effort, not from government, because it makes youth less initiative. Autonomy must be more about helping youth to be more active, achieving their independency by themselves, not just giving everything that is needed. When situation changes, when young people go to a different environment, if they get everything, they will not be autonomous. Government needs to invest in teaching youth new skills how to be independent, how to plan their lives, when to marry, when to have kids. This is when they will become autonomous.”
Karina, who is from Slovakia, has some similar ideas: “I am working in NJO ‘Youth of the street’ in Slovakia with Romany kids. Most of them live with their parents for a long time, as well as many Slovakians. It is because it is hard to find a job. They live at home with parents even when they are 30 years old and I think it is quite strange. Age when young people become autonomous and leave the home is increasing compared to the past. Youth stays at home because they have no chance to find a job or get enough incomes. Maybe giving them some money and helping to find an accommodation would help, but I think the better way would be to teach them how to spend money and to give them a chance to learn how to earn it.”
As we see, European Union countries face different varieties of this problem. Hence, there is no one medicine that would help all the countries. However, all these recommendations mentioned sound like a good place to start and would undoubtedly in one way or another help young people to ease the way to their autonomous life. Meanwhile, whether it will become true or not, depends on the governments, because all these great ideas are only recommendations and nobody commits to make these become true.
