Tekijät

• Advisory Council for Youth Affairs (Nuora)
• Finnish Youth Research Society. Finnish Youth Research Network

Asiasanat

European Union, adolescents, attitudes, consumption, education, expectation, illegal drugs, occupational life, unemployment

Sisällön kuvaus

The main themes of the Finnish Youth Survey Spring 1999 were working life and consumption. Young people were also asked questions on education, drugs, and Finland's EU presidency.

First, the respondents were asked about working and unemployment. Their employment status was charted. Those who were employed were asked about the duration and nature of their contract, and whether they felt the job was commensurate with their qualifications. Those who were unemployed were asked about the duration of unemployment and what kind of factors they thought had hindered or prevented them and young people in general from finding a job (e.g. little work experience, lack of jobs in the municipality of residence, low wage, or foreigners in Finland). The respondents were also presented with a set of attitudinal statements on working life, covering topics such as continuously educating oneself and the relationship between social security and entrepreneurship. Additionally, young people's future plans were queried. They indicated whether they were going to work or study abroad, start their own business, or apply for vocational education.

Further questions canvassed factors that influenced the respondents' consumer choices (e.g. Finnish origin, guarantee). They were also asked to name the most important factor affecting them when buying durables.

In addition, the survey briefly charted drug abuse. The respondents were presented with various statements on drugs and asked whether someone had tried to sell them drugs in the past six months.

Finally, some questions on Finland's incipient EU presidency were asked. The respondents gave their views on how important they considered that Finland influenced various issues in the EU (for instance environmental protection, equality between the sexes, securing human rights, developing the relationship between the EU and Russia).

Background variables included the respondent's age, gender, region of residence, education, and economic activity.