Social Work in the Changing Welfare State: A Policy Analysis of Active Labour Market Policies for Disadvantaged Youth in Austria

Abstract

How can employment policies support young people entering the labour market? The author analyses the changes in political discourses and social-political measures with regards to employment promotion for disadvantaged young people in Austria. Against the background of his resource theory, he discusses measures such as inter-company apprenticeships, youth guarantee, and compulsory training and illustrates the impact that the social investment paradigm as well as the capability-orientated, neoliberal, and right-wing populist approaches may have on the practical work of professionals and on the young people concerned. Optimising young people's entry into the labour market concerns politicians, social work professionals, and vocational education experts equally. Focusing on the years between 2000 and 2020, the author investigates the political processes behind the promotion of employment for disadvantaged young people in Austria and analyses the resulting changes for young people and for professionals working in this field.

Wie kann die Arbeitsmarktpolitik Jugendliche beim Berufseinstieg unterstützen? Der Autor analysiert politische Diskurse und institutionelle Veränderungen der Beschäftigungsförderung benachteiligter Jugendlicher in Österreich vor dem Hintergrund der Ressourcentheorie. Er diskutiert die Einführung von Maßnahmen wie überbetrieblicher Lehre, Ausbildungsgarantie und Ausbildungspflicht und verdeutlicht dabei die Bedeutung sozialinvestiver, befähigungsorientierter, neoliberaler und rechtspopulistischer Leitbilder für die praktische Arbeit der Fachkräfte und die Jugendlichen.