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Document 3:17 (2023−2024) / Published Vocational assistance from the authorities to young people not in employment

The percentage of young people claiming disability benefits has more than doubled since 2010. A growing number of young people are receiving health-related benefits. It is objectionable that the vocational assistance from the authorities is not making a sufficient contribution to helping more people aged 18 to 30 enter employment, education, or training.

Brief background

  • The overriding objective has for many years been to increase the number of employed or active individuals and reduce the number of people relying on benefits.
  • Young people have been a priority target group for vocational assistance from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (Nav).
  • Many young people who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET) have complex challenges related to both health issues and lack of education and competence.
  • People participating in working life is key to reducing poverty and inequality, promoting lasting and sustainable economic growth, and ensuring sound welfare systems in the future.
  • Our investigation includes around 344,000 young people aged 18 and 28 who received vocational assistance from Nav in the period from 2018 to 2022.

Overall assessment

It is objectionable that the vocational assistance from the authorities is not making a sufficient contribution to helping more young people enter employment, education, or training. The vocational assistance is not sufficiently adapted to young people with complex challenges, and young people with mental health disorders are not being followed up in a sufficiently comprehensive and coordinated manner by Nav and the health services.

Conclusions

  • The number of young people receiving work assessment allowance or disability benefits is rising significantly, and the share of young people claiming such benefits is higher in Norway than in the other OECD countries.
  • The vocational assistance from the authorities is not contributing enough to help more young people enter employment, education, or training.
  • The vocational assistance is not sufficiently adapted to young people who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET).
  • The way Nav and the health services are following up young people with mental health disorders, is not sufficiently comprehensive and coordinated.

Recommendations

The vocational follow-up of young people should be strengthened to facilitate their entry into work, education, or training. Therefore, the National Audit Office of Norway recommends that:

  • the Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion ensure that the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration to a greater extent adapts policy instruments and measures to the needs of the young people.
  • the Ministry follow up the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration’s obligation to set conditions concerning activity for recipients of welfare benefits under the age of thirty.
  • they ensure that Nav fulfils the requirements of the youth guarantee for individually adapted follow-up to give more young people the opportunity to enter regular employment.
  • the Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion and the Ministry of Health and Care Services strengthen the work of ensuring better interaction, so that young people with complex challenges are followed up in a more comprehensive and coordinated manner, which entails
    • continuing efforts to reduce barriers for interaction; and
    • improving familiarity of common efforts and strategies in Nav and the health services.
Kategorier: Labour