TOPIC 21- STAGE 1-MACRO The three concepts intertwined in this paper, namely, the concepts of social exclusion, youth and cooperatives are based on the following research assumptions. First, despite the multidimensional... [ view full abstract ]
TOPIC 21- STAGE 1-MACRO The three concepts intertwined in this paper, namely, the concepts of social exclusion, youth and cooperatives are based on the following research assumptions.
First, despite the multidimensional nature of the concept of social exclusion, as a result of being a complex reality, this paper focuses on the role of labour as an element of social inclusion. Certainly, it stems from the idea that the breaking-off of the link between individuals and society results from their lack of participation in the productive process. In this regard, the statement already contained in Act 12/1998, of 22 May, against social exclusion, of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, according to which “in our modern society, labour is the means par excellence to acquire rights and duties with regard to society and for this to acquire them with regard to individuals. Seen in this light, the right to labour becomes a sine qua non condition of full citizenship and acquires its meaning as a political right. Non-participation or residual participation in the labour market determine, almost necessarily, the start of an exclusion process with direct consequences for the exercise of other social rights”.
Secondly, young people are among the groups that are most suffering the consequences of the economic crisis and, consequently, unemployment. Specifically, current ILO projections indicate that the unemployment rate among young people in developed economies and he European Union will not be lower than 17% by 2016. Therefore, this paper also focuses on the importance of youth employability, as they are considered the support of the welfare state.
Thirdly and last, this paper seeks to highlight the role of cooperatives, within the scope of the Social Economy entities, as an appropriate alternative to fight against youth unemployment and promote quality employment, and the role public administrations can play to foster it, in accordance with the constitutional mandates contained in articles 1.1, 9.2, 40.1 and 129.2
