The case in summary: From 2010 to 2023, the number of young people under 30 on disability benefits has doubled in Norway, from 10,000 to over 20,000. 69.5 per cent of the young people who receive support have a mental diagnosis as the reason. The National Audit Office criticizes Nav’s work and believes that the work-oriented aid from the state does not contribute enough to getting more young people into work or into education. Østfold has the highest number of unemployed people in the country, with a gross unemployment rate of 3.4 per cent of the workforce. The government announces new policies to improve the situation, including a work-oriented youth programme. Cafe Hanco in Fredrikstad works with practical training to get young people into work situations that give them mastery. – It is sad to say it, but this is a development that we have followed for many years. The problem is still quite large, says Gunhild Rosnes. She is a manager at Cafe Hanco in Fredrikstad. For eight years, they have worked with practical training to get young people into work situations that give them mastery. Rosnes was not surprised when the National Audit Office presented its report on Monday. Manager at Cafe Hanco in Fredrikstad, Gunhild Rosnes, believes cross-functional cooperation must be strengthened to get more young people into work. Photo: Rune Fredriksen / news 344,000 Nav cases have been analyzed and the result is the following: From 2010 to 2023, the number of young people under 30 on disability benefits has doubled, from 10,000 to over 20,000. 69.5 per cent of those who receive support under the age of 30 have a mental diagnosis as the reason. The proportion of young people who receive disability support from the state is higher in Norway than in other OECD countries. The work-oriented aid from the authorities does not contribute enough to get more young people into work or into education Worried about the future Figures from Nav show that Østfold is the county in the country with the highest number of unemployed. Here, gross unemployment is 3.4 per cent of the workforce. – I think we can advantageously work more on coordinating Nav, the county council and auxiliary services in the municipalities. We must become more coordinated, says Rosnes. Auditor General Karl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen is particularly concerned about the number of people on disability benefits. – It is a challenge and it is serious. We need these young people to use their ability to work in working life, says Pedersen. Auditor General Karl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen. Photo: William Jobling / news The Auditor General himself calls it “a disturbing development”. Especially considering that the number of elderly people will increase in the future. – At the same time, it will require more health and welfare services. It is therefore important to get as many people as possible into the labor market, as it is serious and reprehensible that the authorities are not able to do this. More than 111,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 were completely outside of both education and working life at the end of 2023. This is 16 per cent of this group. This is shown by recent figures from Nav. This is an increase of almost 4,000 people from the previous year. Not getting young people into work The criticism to the National Audit Office also believes that Nav’s offer to get young people over from unemployment and into working life is not good enough. – We see that the collaboration between Nav and the health service is not good enough to meet the special challenges that some young people have. Not least the large number who have mental disorders, says Schjøtt-Pedersen. The deputy leader of the Conservative Party, Henrik Asheim, believes that the report is very serious. – The system is overdue for an overhaul, says Asheim. The 1st deputy leader of the Conservative Party believes that the increase in the number of disabled young people must be stopped. – It requires political will. he says, and thus challenges the Støre government. Photo: Alexander Kjønsø Karlsen The government announces new policy Now he expects the Minister for Employment and Inclusion Tonje Brenna to do something about the report’s findings. – The Støre government settled for a long time with the fact that unemployment has been low. But this report clearly shows that the group that is completely outside of working life must receive greater attention. Per Olav Hopsø is state secretary in the Ministry of Employment and Inclusion. He is now announcing a new policy. Photo: Bjarte Johannesen / news The government does not agree with the criticism from Aasheim that they have been on the lazy side. State Secretary in the Ministry of Labor and Inclusion Per Olav Hopsø (Ap) announces new policy shortly. The aim is to start with a work-oriented youth programme. – Young disabled people give feedback to us and to Nav that they want to be seen. Then we think it is much wiser that they are also offered work-oriented follow-up, says Hopsø. – Needs to be demanded to At Cafe Hanco in Fredrikstad, young people who need security meet adults who take them seriously, explains Gunhild Rosnes. – The upper secondary school has a race, but many of the young people we meet have not had good experiences with school, so they need something else. At least they need to be required to. They need to be given the opportunity to have routines in their lives, the opportunity to work and show off. – The worst thing that happens is that they end up lying at home on the sofa, and everyone can understand that it is important to have someone who can help you off that sofa, she adds. Rosnes says that they work closely with practical training to get young people into work situations that give them mastery. – When the young people get that feeling of mastery, they gain trust in us. Then we help them return to upper secondary school, into companies, or into a job. Published 26/08/2024, at 18.51 Updated 26.08.2024, at 19.08
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Doubling of disabled young people in Norway – news Østfold – Local news, TV and radio
