Youth unemployment and health

The present volume presents initial findings from an international research project focused on youth unemployment and social exclusion, highlighting the latest research across six European countries. Supported by the European Commission's Research Directorate General, the project examines the critical relationship between long-term youth unemployment and social disintegration, framed within the concept of social exclusion. It seeks to identify key mechanisms that link the experience of prolonged unemployment to various dimensions of social exclusion, addressing both vulnerability factors that exacerbate unemployment stress and protective mechanisms that mitigate the risk of exclusion. Additionally, the research explores innovative institutional and political responses tailored to different national contexts. The analyses encompass three Northern European countries—Sweden, Belgium, and Germany—and three Southern European countries—Spain, Italy, and Greece. Through this comprehensive approach, the project aims to contribute valuable insights into the challenges faced by unemployed youth and the effectiveness of interventions designed to combat social exclusion.