Huge Problems For Disconnected Young People in Germany

There are 130,000 "disconnected" young people between the ages 17 and 19 living in Germany. And this percentage is on the rise. Disconnected youths do not receive sufficient financial and emotional support from their families, do not attend school, do not work and do not have lasting friendships. This causes huge problems for these teenagers and the society. Many disconnected youths do not graduate from school or complete an apprenticeship. They have many difficulties in learning the rules of society, and therefore face the danger of being permanently excluded. These are the findings of a study conducted by the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim. The study analyses the extent and the most important reasons for youth disconnectedness in Germany.

Based on samples taken from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), the ZEW study indicates that the number of disconnected young people has increased in the last few years. Between 2000 and 2008, 13 percent of teenagers between 17 and 19, i.e. a total of 130,000 young people, are disconnected. The percentage is increasing. Between 2006 and 2008, the number of disconnected youth in this age group was 17.7 percent.

Important reasons for youth disconnectedness are the parents’ educational background, family relations, and the situation on the labour market. The econometric analyses confirm that the probability of being isolated between the ages 17 and 19 is up to 11 percent lower if one parent holds a university degree. If one parent has a professional qualification, the risk decreases by six percent. For young people growing up with their parents for the first 15 years of life, the risk of disconnectedness is eight percent lower than for youths growing up with only either father or mother. Moreover, the analyses indicate that an increase in unemployment causes an increase of disconnectedness among youths by 0.4 one percent in the following year.

"Youth disconnectedness can cause diverse problems. If families cannot support young people emotionally and financially, there is a risk of insufficient investments in education. Moreover, educational and professional challenges can become obstacles difficult to overcome," says Friedhelm Pfeiffer, ZEW researcher and author of the study. "Moreover, it will be difficult for the youths to live by the written and unwritten rules of society. To break this vicious circle, effective public support, which affects disadvantaged young people from their early childhood on, is necessary," Pfeiffer stated.

For further information please contact

PD Dr. Friedhelm Pfeiffer, Phone: +49 (0)621/1235-150, E-mail: pfeiffer@zew.de