The idea of discussing Entitlement is that, when we look at the more successful of our young people we can see that, generally, they have benefited from what might be called a package of entitlement. This has enabled them to acquire the skills for employability, the competencies and confidence to engage in civil society (youth organizations and so on), and the abilities to manage their personal lives and relationships effectively. When we explore that package, we uncover a set of opportunities and experiences to which those young people have been exposed. They have come from supportive families, attended good schools and received a good education, been members of youth organizations or benefited from extra-curricular activities, had the chance to travel, know how to use new information technologies for both fun and for learning. And so on. Much of this has been provided privately without the need for (national or local) state intervention or support. But many young people do not have such opportunities and it is for youth policy to endeavor to reach out to them and extend such entitlements to them.
In European countries it has been observed that 16 and 17 year olds are distinct from older workers. Their pay is lower; their participation in education higher, they are more likely to work part time, and they work in a much narrower range of sectors (particularly retail and hospitality).
Over the past decade there has been a significant increase in working part time among 16 and 17 year olds in education.(http://www.vennesla.vgs.no/grid/living/jobs/deltid/deltid.htm). While there are benefits for young people in combining work with education, we are concerned that there might be implications for the educational attainment of very young workers in the longer run. Those 16 and 17 year olds who are not in education should be in receipt.......
