Making a Living Reloaded

7/30/2019 Making a Living Reloaded

1/31

Making a living reloaded

Dunja Potonik1

Summary

This paper provides an overview of the mission reports and main messages created by the

members of the Edgeryders community2. The Edgeryders3 as a social game was started by the

Council of Europe in 2011, based on a think tank approach, with an aim to provide inspiration,

information, encouragement and support to young Europeans, giving them opportunity to act as

citizens experts and have a voice in foundation of future European policies in all domains

important to the young people. This paper focuses on making a living a process of transition

from education to economically active life. It joins personal stories and advice given by the

people (not only young people) on how to transfer personal skills and social capital into a

meaningful and self-sustainable life framework. What makes this project special is joint

interaction of social actors who otherwise act in separate domains of life citizens, researchers

and policy makers. In pursuing so, this project proved to be inspiring and very concrete in steps

proposed by its participants, steps that could restore trust into public policies and transform

citizens from objects to subjects in creation of new programmes for making Europe a better

place to live.

1. Introduction: Changed paradigm of youth values in the times of crisis 3

1.1. Concept of the Edgeryders project and methodological approach to its analysis 5

1.2. A profile of the Edgeryders 7

2. Horizon of the skills: Learned vsReality 9

3. Making a living: Clash of generations 12

3.1. What kind of work makes life meaningful? 14

3.2. Significant others, or how networks enable and empower people 17

1Institute for Social Research,[email protected],www.dunjapotocnik.org

2http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/page/community

3http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.dunjapotocnik.org/http://www.dunjapotocnik.org/http://www.dunjapotocnik.org/http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/page/communityhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/page/communityhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/page/communityhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/page/communityhttp://www.dunjapotocnik.org/mailto:[email protected]


2/31

2

3.3. Innovation and self-reinventing are essential to successful entrepreneurship 19

3.4. Summary of the Edgeryders perspectives on making a living 23

4. Policy 2.0.: objects becoming creators of new framework for decision making 24

5. Conclusions 28

6. Literature 30


3/31

3

1. Introduction: Changed paradigm of youth values in

the times of crisis

In the Approach Paper for the Youth Employment Summit:Toward Full Employment4(2000, p.

4) the authors emphasize the following: As the right to vote is the basis for modern political

democracy, the right to employment is the essential foundation for economic democracy. In the

absence of alternative means of ensuring the livelihood of all its citizens, society has the

responsibility to provide employment opportunities for everyone.An issue of youth status is not

only a matter of human rights but also of providing quality prerequisites for assuring societal

stability and intergenerational turnover.

Employment and Social Policy Special Eurobarometer5(2011: p. 9) emphasizes that although

EU labour markets have been strongly affected by the crisis, overall job losses have been rather

limited when compared to other global competitors, thanks in large part to the measures taken tomitigate the impact of the crisis. Although this observation seems optimistic, the European

countries and their citizens differ in their perspectives on the labour market. This is especially the

case when it comes to the young people; not only the youth unemployment rates are higher than

that of the adult population, but the youth is also more prone to influences of unstable economic

cycles and job uncertainty.

Young people are under several risks increasing the odds of not accomplishing their private and

professional aspirations. Some of these risks are mentioned in the Salto-Youth study Inclusion

through Employability: Youth Work Approaches to Unemployment 6 (2011) early school

leaving, high rates of unemployment, long-term unemployment and the high precariousnessof

youth employment. For youth lacking work experience prolongation of working life meansdeterioration of the knowledge and skills acquired through education and training since they do

not have opportunity to put their knowledge into practice. Moreover, jobless situation is related to

their financial and housing dependence on their parents and to postponing of starting their own

families.

The European Labour Force Survey on 15-24 aged youth brings some data on reasons for part

time and temporary work. Inability to find a full time job, followed by other reasons, taking part

in education, own illness or disability, looking after children or incapacitated adults and other

family or personal reasons, lead the list of reasons for engaging in part-time employment. Unlike

the part-time employment, temporary employment is more often related to unreliable and

uncertain job patterns that could deteriorate position of individuals participating in this sort ofemployment. High rate of temporary employment usually is related to the precarious jobs some

4http://www.icpd.org/employment/Approach%20Paper%20for%20YES.htm

5http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_377_sum.en.pdf

6http://www.salto-youth.net/downloads/4-17-2316/InclusionThroughEmployability.pdf
http://www.icpd.org/employment/Approach%20Paper%20for%20YES.htmhttp://www.icpd.org/employment/Approach%20Paper%20for%20YES.htmhttp://www.icpd.org/employment/Approach%20Paper%20for%20YES.htmhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_377_sum.en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_377_sum.en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_377_sum.en.pdfhttp://www.salto-youth.net/downloads/4-17-2316/InclusionThroughEmployability.pdfhttp://www.salto-youth.net/downloads/4-17-2316/InclusionThroughEmployability.pdfhttp://www.salto-youth.net/downloads/4-17-2316/InclusionThroughEmployability.pdfhttp://www.salto-youth.net/downloads/4-17-2316/InclusionThroughEmployability.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_377_sum.en.pdfhttp://www.icpd.org/employment/Approach%20Paper%20for%20YES.htm


4/31

4

social group makes a living from. In this respect, youth engaged in precarious (and temporary)

employment lacks certainty and stability that could enable them to start or continue life

independently from their parents. Harmfulness of the temporary contracts to the youth reflects in

possibility that they get caught into alternation between temporary contracts and unemployment,

damaging their status even beyond the age of thirties.

Overall unemployment (age 15-64), was 11,8% in 2011 and youth contributed to it significantly:

26,7% of 15-19 olds were unemployed, 19,7% of 20-24 olds and 12,6% of youth in the age 25-

29. There are pronounced differences between the West and the East, as well as the North and

the South in youth employment status in Europe. Pictures 3.7.1. a) and b) show European

variations in youth unemployment rates on two levels regarding the regions and regarding the

age. Age differences clearly show much higher rates of unemployment among 20-24 aged youth

than among their older counterparts. 20-24 aged youth show unemployment rates below 10%

only in mere Central Europe and the Netherlands, while 25-29 aged youth with unemployment

rates below 11% cover much broader parts of Europe.

Picture 1. a) Youth unemployment rates in 2011 (age 20-24); b) Youth unemployment rates in

2011 (age 25-29) %7

Regional European differences, apart from better position of youth in Central Europe and

Scandinavia, also show adverse position of youth in Mediterranean and Eastern Europe. This

insight indicates a need for more elaborated policy measures in countries that are more

significantly affected by deterioration of youth position on the labour market. A mission report by

Jane C8 vividly shows problems faced by young women in East Europe:

Of course my situation is made worse by the dire economic situation in Romania andworse still by the backward thinking mentality of most people here: the prejudices against

7The maps were made by the author by StatPlanet software http://www.statsilk.com/software/statplanet

on the basis of Eurostat Labour Force Survey data

8Jane C,Between necessity and passion
http://www.statsilk.com/software/statplanethttp://www.statsilk.com/software/statplanethttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bring-allies/mission_case/between-necessity-and-passionhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bring-allies/mission_case/between-necessity-and-passionhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bring-allies/mission_case/between-necessity-and-passionhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bring-allies/mission_case/between-necessity-and-passionhttp://www.statsilk.com/software/statplanet


5/31

5

women, the lack of investors in youth, the lack of trust in the local authorities, the

underdeveloped sense of community, the prevalence of individualistic materialism.

Jane C gave me a buzzword for the introduction into this papermaterialism/post-materialism.

The sociological theory ofpost-materialismwas developed in the 1971 by Ronald Inglehart, who

postulated that the Western societies were undergoing transformation of individual values,

switching from materialist values, emphasizing economic and physical security, to a new set of

post-materialist values, which instead emphasized autonomy and self expression. Inglehart

observed that the younger people were much more likely to embrace post-materialist values,

speculating that this silent revolution was not merely a case of a life-cycle change, with people

becoming more materialist as they aged, but a genuine example of intergenerational value

change. Such a change, coupled with contemporary economic crisis and penetration of new

technologies into all pores of everyday life are in the core of the project whose results are going

to be presented in following chapters.

1.1. Concept of the Edgeryders project and methodological approachto its analysis

This project could briefly be explained as a new tool (based on not so new technologies) for

bypassing a hiatus between citizens and policy makers. Its aims were set in following way:

- to provide inspiration, information, encouragement and support to a generation of young

Europeans who are striving to build their future based on meaningful work and political

participation in the most challenging socio-economic climate in several decades;

- to gain insights into the stories (mission reports) of project participants (members of the

Edgeryders community) about the most troubling challenges they face.

I would like to add another aim to make a step toward creating a real evidence based policy

making, a term that has been in used at the European level for quite long time, but with a very

rare examples of implementation.

Traditional policy making has been very fond of the term safety nets, referring to support

mechanisms for youth who face difficulties in transition to adulthood. However, nowadays they

seem to be loosing its primary meaning since more and more young (and not so young people)

do not manage to lead socially and economically independent and meaningful life. In spite of

this, participants in this project presented values of creativity, innovation and eagerness to

provide support to close and distant members of immediate and online communities. Whilereading the mission report of the Edgeryders community members, I came to a conclusion there

are three strong elements of their engagement: crisis and their opposing to its effects, internet

and online communities, and peer-to-peer learning. These elements are the main engines of the

project and they provided means for Edgeryders to become online platform in which individuals

speak from personal experience to a threefold audience of peers, researchers and policy

makers. The Edgeryders project in less than a year managed to empower its participants and to


6/31

6

pave a way to transforming policy making process in Europe. Ela, a member of the Edgeryders

community expressed it in the following statement9:

The big question is just to what kind of network or collective people can actually relate

to. I am glad about initiatives such as Edgeryders, as they offer a homebase for people

who are willing to share & connect. And I hope that the platform will become strong

enough to keep up the connections over a long period of time.

Although I read almost all mission reports in all campaigns on the Edgeryders platform, four

campaigns and their missions have been central to my analysis:

I) Dear Funders" letter10, a part of the pre-conference special campaign Funding 2.0 Edgecamp

session

II) Campaign Learning11, where I decided to refer to two missions:

1) Reality check12

2) First lessons in work13

III) Campaign Making a living14, with five missions:

1) The quest for paid work15

2) Bring on the allies16

3) Surviving recruitment17

4) Spotlight: social innovation18

5) Help us evaluate Sources of funding for social entrepreneurs/ social innovators19.

9Ela,What I learned from the Free Culture Incubator

10demsoc,Help build the June conference!: Funding 2.0 Edgecamp session: "Dear Funders" letter

11http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/campaign/learning

12http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/learning/reality-check

13http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/learning/reality-check

14http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/campaign/making-living

15http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/quest-paid-work

16http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/bring-allies

17http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/surviving-recruitment

18http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/spotlight-social-innovation
http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/what-i-learned-free-culture-incubatorhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/what-i-learned-free-culture-incubatorhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/what-i-learned-free-culture-incubatorhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/help-build-june-conference/mission_case/funding-20-edgecamp-session-dear-funders-letterhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/help-build-june-conference/mission_case/funding-20-edgecamp-session-dear-funders-letterhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/help-build-june-conference/mission_case/funding-20-edgecamp-session-dear-funders-letterhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/campaign/learninghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/campaign/learninghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/campaign/learninghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/learning/reality-checkhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/learning/reality-checkhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/learning/reality-checkhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/learning/reality-checkhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/learning/reality-checkhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/learning/reality-checkhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/campaign/making-livinghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/campaign/making-livinghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/campaign/making-livinghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/quest-paid-workhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/quest-paid-workhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/quest-paid-workhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/bring-allieshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/bring-allieshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/bring-allieshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/surviving-recruitmenthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/surviving-recruitmenthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/surviving-recruitmenthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/spotlight-social-innovationhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/spotlight-social-innovationhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/spotlight-social-innovationhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/spotlight-social-innovationhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/surviving-recruitmenthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/bring-allieshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/quest-paid-workhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/campaign/making-livinghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/learning/reality-checkhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/learning/reality-checkhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/campaign/learninghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/help-build-june-conference/mission_case/funding-20-edgecamp-session-dear-funders-letterhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/what-i-learned-free-culture-incubator


7/31

7

IV) A post-conference campaign Finale20, with its mission Where Edgeryders dare21.

Being a researcher with almost a decade of experience in policy making, I am grateful to all

participants for all their efforts in translating their examples of good practice, their fears, hopes

and plans into remarkably significant content to all decision makers both in policy andeconomics. Since this paper is going to be published online, I would like to kindly invite (and

thank) all Edgeryders to comment on it and to take part in a process of translating their ideas

into useful policy guidelines.

1.2. A profile of the Edgeryders

In a public call for joining the project, the Council of Europe and its project coordinators, did not

put emphasis on any personal and socio-demographic characteristic of a potential Edgeryder.Therefore, a sample of participants is very diverse in age, although the young people (if defined

by age 15-29) prevail. Also, the participants were free to stay anonymous and only use their

username, without stating their age, gender, education, profession, country of birth or country of

residence. However, most members of the Edgeryders community gave details on their

background, followed by very often detailed stories on their life. Two of the members of the

community, hired as experts by the Council of Europe, performed a network analysis and gave

detailed insights into structure of the Edgeryders network and background of the participants 22:

Beware the lurkers: as of the 4th June 2012 the network comprised 913 users, of which 194

were actively participating by posting reports and commenting on other user reports, whilst 719

remained observers

- 60% of users are male and 40% are female (*where given)

- EdgeRyderscome from 20 different countries (*where given)

- The top three countries are: UK, Italy and France (*where given)

- Edgeryders who live in multiple cities throughout Europeoutnumber those who claim to

reside in a single city.

19http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/we-people/help-us-evaluate-sources-funding-social-entrepreneurs-social-

innovators

20http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/campaign/finale

21http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/finale/where-edgeryders-dare

22Marcus, G.; Vickers, B. (2012) Social Network Analysis, Edgeryders working papers, Strasbourg

http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/help-build-june-conference/mission_case/edgeryders-social-network-

analysis-fullreport
http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/we-people/help-us-evaluate-sources-funding-social-entrepreneurs-social-innovatorshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/we-people/help-us-evaluate-sources-funding-social-entrepreneurs-social-innovatorshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/we-people/help-us-evaluate-sources-funding-social-entrepreneurs-social-innovatorshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/we-people/help-us-evaluate-sources-funding-social-entrepreneurs-social-innovatorshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/campaign/finalehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/campaign/finalehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/campaign/finalehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/finale/where-edgeryders-darehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/finale/where-edgeryders-darehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/finale/where-edgeryders-darehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/help-build-june-conference/mission_case/edgeryders-social-network-analysis-fullreporthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/help-build-june-conference/mission_case/edgeryders-social-network-analysis-fullreporthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/help-build-june-conference/mission_case/edgeryders-social-network-analysis-fullreporthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/help-build-june-conference/mission_case/edgeryders-social-network-analysis-fullreporthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/help-build-june-conference/mission_case/edgeryders-social-network-analysis-fullreporthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/finale/where-edgeryders-darehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/campaign/finalehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/we-people/help-us-evaluate-sources-funding-social-entrepreneurs-social-innovatorshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/we-people/help-us-evaluate-sources-funding-social-entrepreneurs-social-innovators


8/31

8

Detailed reading of their report leads to a conclusion there is a bias in the sample towards

members from the Western and Northern European countries, missing the participants from

Eastern (although one of the largest group of participants come from Romania) and partly

Southern countries. Additionally, most Edgeryders belong to highly educated participants,

holding not only university bachelor or masters degree, but also postgraduate qualifications. This

imply they are highly skilled (including ICT skilled) and active citizens, prone to proactive

approach to challenges in their lives. Although this makes our sample not representative, it in

turn makes this project possible. One of the participants, hkjovin, nicely described an average

Edgeryder, by describing a profile of the future workers:23

You, the young EU person, as the future worker will have to:

be the changemasters, not just prepared to accept change. You will be willing to control

it. You will want to initiate it. []

re-invent yourself constantly in terms of career paths. This is painful, as we tend to stickto what works. You will survive (not thrive, survive) as one-person profit centres, as being

self-employed with an employing organisation (intra-preneur some say).

Since this is not a representative sample, it should be noted that the personal traits and social

capital put the Edgeryders in a much better situation than an average young person in danger of

social exclusion and adverse economic situation. Here we talk about the NEET (people not in

education, employment or training) and low educated unemployed people, who are under

greatest threat of getting stuck in socio-economic status without any prosperity. What differs

such European members from the Edgeryders is lack of bright horizon. In other words, the

Edgeryders mission reports came out of their positive experiences and efforts that have made

positive impacts not only on their personal life, but also on their communities. For this reason,

this project and their platform should be used as an opportunity to develop new approaches that

could give a voice to huge communities of young people whose voice have not been heard

during this process young low skilled or vocationally educated people, people residing in rural

areas, people from the East and the South of Europe, citizens of the countries that are not

members of the European Union, , and many others.

There is an additional characteristic that makes sample of Edgeryders members a privileged one

mobility. Mobility is in the core of Europe mobility of ideas, inventions, goods and people.

International mobility of people is especially important when it comes to young people it should

help young people to go through education-employment transition easier and acquire better

position in society than their predecessors. Mobility in employment also enhances ones skills

and knowledge and helps economies to better match demand and supply on the labour market.

New European strategies, especially the Europe 202024strategy and Youth on the Move25

23hkjovin,The profile of the future worker

24http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020
http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bring-allies/mission_case/profile-future-workerhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bring-allies/mission_case/profile-future-workerhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bring-allies/mission_case/profile-future-workerhttp://ec.europa.eu/europe2020http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bring-allies/mission_case/profile-future-worker


9/31

9

initiative, advocate turning European education and employment systems into highly attractive

ones. Participants in this projects showed a great degree of mobility, not only cross and trans-

national, but trans-sectorial and trans-disciplinary. However, there are still many obstacles to

international mobility, mostly regarding administrative burdens, low awareness of mobility

opportunities and mindsets not prone to mobility. 2011 Youth on the Move Eurobarometer2627

brings data showing only about 9% of young people who already have experience of workingabroad, 14% of youth who stayed abroad for different reasons and high 77% of youth who have

not experienced living in another country. Awareness rising here comes as crucial since many

Europeans still do not consider moving abroad, including the young people. Unemployment

increases possibility that young people embrace working in another country 55% of

unemployed and 49% of fully employed said they would like to work abroad. Therefore, current

economic crisis could be used as an opportunity for changing mindsets, not only of the

unemployed not willing to move abroad, but also of the employers who still narrow-mindedly

tend to employ only citizens of their own state (or even town).

2. Horizon of the skills: Learned vsReality

Individualisation of learning and business experiences and processes poses new directions for

young people searching for their professional pathway. As, Rebecca Collins noted in the

campaign Finale:

In essence, if working life is set to become increasingly individualised that is,

characterised by non-standard, portfolio careers then education needs to prepare

young people for this new kind of working life. Edgeryders demonstrably want to be

able to pursue their passions in ways that support their communities and create positivechange, but also offer them a sense of achievement, recognition and self efficacy.

Self efficacy and efficacy in general are strongly connected to the employability on the labour

market. Eurobarometer on graduates employability28 (2010) brings the results on the employers

attitudes towards importance of different skills and capabilities in recruitment of higher education

graduates. All listed skills were selected as important by majority (more than 50%) of employers

if we refer to the skills selected as very important or rather important. In this light, we should

make a distinction between the skills valued as very important by the majority of respondents

teamworking skills (67%), sector specific skills (62%), communication and computer skills and

25http://ec.europa.eu/youthonthemove/index_en.htm

26http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_319b_en.pdf

27Q: Apart from vacation or tourism, learning or training, have you ever stayed abroad for at least one

month for the following purposes?

28http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_304_en.pdf
http://ec.europa.eu/youthonthemove/index_en.htmhttp://ec.europa.eu/youthonthemove/index_en.htmhttp://ec.europa.eu/youthonthemove/index_en.htmhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_319b_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_319b_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_319b_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_304_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_304_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_304_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_304_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_319b_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/youthonthemove/index_en.htm


10/31

10

ability to adapt and act in new situations (62%), reading/writing skills (59%) and planning and

organisational skills (53%). Graduate employers, however, were less likely to highlight the

importance of decision making skills that were marked as very important by 46% and as rather

important by 45% of employers. Even less respondents regard the mathematical skills as very

important or rather important (40% and 48% respectively). The last listed skills are foreign

language skills, here in a very specific position due to the fact that only 33% of respondentsconsider them as very important, while 22% consider them to be rather unimportant and 11%

not important at all. This is probably linked to the fact that the European labour market is

characterised by very low labour market mobility rates so contemporary employers do not

express the need to employ workers with this kind of skills.

Acquiring skills may nowadays may seem easier than ever. Still, educational systems show less

and less apt for adapting to changing reality on the labour market. A relatively new negative

trend on the European labour market is failing of the highly educated young people to

successfully make a transition from educational system. Outdated curricula and domination of

theoretical knowledge burden better learning prospects for young people. Higiacomo gave an

input on his experiences with inefficient educational system29:

20 years at school didn't teach me how to:[] Facing complex situations / setting the

problem []. Where and how Ilearnt it:The first work experience I had taught me there's

no pre-defined solution for everything.

In other words, as Andrei30 stated it:

Most people fall into the trap of translating faculties into grades and acquired

knowledge.

In such a gap between the knowledge gained through educational process and the education

required for actual jobs, the importance of peer-to-peer learning becomes increasingly important.

Edgeryders, like Adria, are well aware of it:

In closing, my point is that theoretical knowledge shouldnt be cast aside as useless. But

if you dont have a professor who can help you contextualize your experience, start a

club/forum/discussion group/blog whatchamacallit and use people around you who can

help.

Lifelong learning has become a necessity at the end of the twentieth century, but the general

need for lifelong learning has been recognised since ancient times. Still, only lately the serious

methods were employed on a large scale to expand education opportunities to the wider

population. Since the 1970s major international organisations have researched and documentedspecific needs and opportunities for lifelong learning around the world. International

organisations have established foundations for educational programmes, but very often

29higiacomo,Evaluation broke education

30Andrei Joan Stan,Basic skills or even skills for success
http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/reality-check/mission_case/evaluation-broke-educationhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/reality-check/mission_case/evaluation-broke-educationhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/reality-check/mission_case/evaluation-broke-educationhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/reality-check/mission_case/basic-skills-or-even-skills-successhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/reality-check/mission_case/basic-skills-or-even-skills-successhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/reality-check/mission_case/basic-skills-or-even-skills-successhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/reality-check/mission_case/basic-skills-or-even-skills-successhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/reality-check/mission_case/evaluation-broke-education


11/31

11

everything breaks when it comes to implementation at the national or regional level. Luckily,

many people have a strong drive for learning, as described in the mission of the Edgeryders k31:

We are learning junkies, because that's how we survived. We managed to learn

before the formal education kicked in, through the environments and the peers. []

Studying sometimes does not provide a learning environment, but a huge amount of

data which is not to be confused with learning.

Contemporary internet based technologies provided prerequisites for acquiring a broad

spectrum of knowledge, more or less profound, but still very diverse. In such a context

specialisation of knowledge and skills is very often judged as limitations set by people who do

not want to try harder. However, the Edgeryders Charanya32 recognises that specialisation is

not necessarily bad, introducing a new term for people who are both specialised in one area and

posses knowledge of related fields:

Specialization is good Corporations find specialized employees stable and less risky.

Majority of projects that require cross or multidisciplinarity are outsourced to

consultancies. T-shaped employees or hybrids are therefore, not preferred within large

corporations and the arena of consulting is extremely competitive this was identified as

one of the major problems in finding paid work as more and more individuals are or

consider themselves hybrids. Hybrids are people who have expertise in one area and a

general understanding of related fields giving them the ability to be inter- or trans-

disciplinary. Society favours classical titles and hybrids fit none making it difficult for them

to find a place in the traditional job market. Once again, the individual is an asset or

resource in the context of existing institutions.

I will finish this section with a gloomy story by Gyula33, about prejudices faced by a little boy at

the very beginning of his education. This and similar stories should be frequently emphasised

because mainstream policy makers and average citizens of developed European societies tend

to forget we still do not live in a real multicultural and supporting societies:

The depth and diversity of stereotypes we have in Europe against each other are one of

the greatest obstacles to the economic growth of the continent. []One of the toughest

habits I have been coming across as a child as well as a father of three is discrimination

in school. The current educational system and the educational methodology used

provides a real chance to less than 1% of all Roma/Gypsy children.

Robi a boy from this story is also an Edgeryder he is riding on the edges of not having a

chance to use all opportunities for leading self-fulfilling and meaningful life. Therefore, a triangle

of actors in the Edgeryders project members of the Edgeryders community, the researchers,

31k,Sociable Scientists. Designing learning environments by simple means

32Charanya Chidambaram,Paid work challenges & path forward

33Gyula Vamosi,WILL ROBI (7, GYPSY) BE GOOD IN SCHOOL AFTER THE REFORM?
http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/reality-check/mission_case/sociable-scientists-designing-learning-environments-simple-meanshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/reality-check/mission_case/sociable-scientists-designing-learning-environments-simple-meanshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/reality-check/mission_case/sociable-scientists-designing-learning-environments-simple-meanshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/where-edgeryders-dare/mission_case/paid-work-challenges-path-forwardhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/where-edgeryders-dare/mission_case/paid-work-challenges-path-forwardhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/where-edgeryders-dare/mission_case/paid-work-challenges-path-forwardhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/reality-check/mission_case/will-robi-7-gypsy-be-good-school-after-reformhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/reality-check/mission_case/will-robi-7-gypsy-be-good-school-after-reformhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/reality-check/mission_case/will-robi-7-gypsy-be-good-school-after-reformhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/reality-check/mission_case/will-robi-7-gypsy-be-good-school-after-reformhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/where-edgeryders-dare/mission_case/paid-work-challenges-path-forwardhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/reality-check/mission_case/sociable-scientists-designing-learning-environments-simple-means


12/31

12

and the policy makers have responsibility to transform mission reports on the platform into

guidelines for making Europe a better place to live, including for those whose voice is still not

heard.

3. Making a living: Clash of generations

Traditionally, ideal conditions of youth transition from a period of education and training to the

labour market and starting an independent life encompassed obtaining an educational

certificate, finding employment and leaving the parental household. However, many youth

experience barriers, especially since the start of the economic crisis. Ben Vickers34 described

such clash of generational perspectives:

Graduating in 2012 will undoubtedly be an exceptionally disheartening and grim

experience for most young people. [] The Lost Generation or The graduate with nofuture have become commonplace terms for news reports and articles to characterise

the gloomy prospects for those graduating today. However this projected future presents

at times a distorted and disempowering reality for young people and demonstrates in

many ways a misrepresentation of the activities and work many are engaged and

committed to. Whilst it is true that this generation is unlikely to be as economically

prosperous as their parents generation, this isnt necessarily reflective of a lack of

productivity and creativity but rather a lack of visibility for how recent graduates have

continued to work during recession.

It can be said that the institutional re-evaluation of the young peoples work occurred recently,

with rare examples of9-5 working format. Precariousness, from a low frequent, becomes astandard reality faced by young Europeans. Economic and social disadvantages usually

observed in analysis of youth employment status have to be supplemented by dramatic

devalorisation of the young peoples work. Unlike the older generations, portfolio has become

one of the means to sell yourself from one job to another, hoping that the next one will last for

a couple of months longer than the previous one. As it will be elaborated on the evidences from

the Edgeryders mission reports, there are many elements of such portfolio labour market

context that make it very difficult to accomplish transition to an independent life:

- precarious jobs

-low paid jobs

- difficulties in changing jobs due to high unemployment

- sectorial im(mobility)

34Ben Vickers,Professional Reality Development
http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/professional-reality-developmenthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/professional-reality-developmenthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/professional-reality-developmenthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/professional-reality-development


13/31

13

- geographical im(mobility)

- strict hierarchy in decision making inside organisation and difficulties in reaching satisfying

position inside organisation/career advancement.

In return, such labour market situation affects all areas where young people aspire to gain

accomplishment and satisfaction:

- economic independence

- freedom of choice in everyday life due to dependence on the family help (not only regarding

lifestyles)

- educational opportunities

- freedom of participation in different cultures/subcultures

- media and informing

- political participation

- geographical mobility

- housing independence

- starting a family on their own.

Still, many Edgeryders have found their way out, empowered by online networks and peer-to-

peer learning, like Noemi who is at the same time emphasising difficulties in selling trans-

disciplinary competencies in traditional settings, and exploring possible strategies to make most

of the above mentioned portfolio careers 35:

Recurrent (ad-hoc) solutions Edgeryders found are the ones weve seen: self-

employment, entrepreneurship, navigating different economies -alternative currencies

e.g. bartering of skills... Theyall require some creativity, open mindedness. []Personal

example:Im heading towards the end of a job which is only slightly connected to my

university qualifications, and as I prepare for job hunting, I find it difficult to write a

summary of who I am professionally, or even harder to define my profession: I am

equally an early stage researcher in political sociology and a young online community

builder. I have a university affiliation, but at the same time I am a communicator. I have

1-3 yrs experience in both, thus I am a learner still. The interdisciplinary competencies

that I supposedly have are: peer learning, intercultural communicating, online content

managing, thematic networking rather than just social. How can you sell this in traditional

settings?

35Noemi Salantiu,How do we make most of our portfolio careers? Strategically and less riding edges
http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/where-edgeryders-dare/mission_case/how-do-we-make-most-out-portofolio-careers-strategically-and-lesshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/where-edgeryders-dare/mission_case/how-do-we-make-most-out-portofolio-careers-strategically-and-lesshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/where-edgeryders-dare/mission_case/how-do-we-make-most-out-portofolio-careers-strategically-and-lesshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/where-edgeryders-dare/mission_case/how-do-we-make-most-out-portofolio-careers-strategically-and-less


14/31

14

3. 1. What kind of work makes life meaningful?

Common characteristic of the Edgeryders active on the labour market is their search for a

meaning they seek a broader picture, like Amalia36 who strongly opposes being only a little

brick in the wall, just another ant in dehumanising and conformist working culture:

The problemwas that I'm completely against the corporatist environment, where every

employee is like a little robot, who has to do a lot of things, but he actually doesn't know

why he is doing those things.

We are aware that Amalias concern is not anything new, one of the most famous renaissance

people Leonardo Da Vinci said: Make your work to be in keeping with your purpose. His

inclination is still driving many people in their private and professional lives. Simply said, they are

trying to find a balance between doing something interesting and making money. While doing

so, they are constantly reinventing themselves, trying to give a new meaning to their

undertakings, as Lyne posted, they balance being and doing 37, or as Cataspanglish said while

describing Andrea Goetzke case

38

:

Andrea is trying to find a balance between doing things she finds interesting and making

money.

Concerns shared amongst Edgeryders directed them towards aspiration to keep individual

integrity and autonomy, adding value to everything they do to make a living. This value is a non-

material one, described in a post by Noemi39.

I never thought of salary as a reward for my work because I just had other priority

indicators to measure my satisfaction with own work- not revenues, but quality. For me,

an indicator of success in making a living so far has been knowledge and personal

growth in no matter what I would do. Whats very important is to be able to do my workwell, really well, and gain some recognition40.

and hexayurt41who said:

Your reputation for getting the job done is the only thing that matters. [] To be a good

citizen of a powerful network, you have to be reliable and real - and that's a completely

different thing from appearing to be or trying to be perfect! []My experience is that I

36Amalia Diosteanu,My first interaction with a job: what's going on?

37Lyne Robichaud,I balance being and doing

38Cataspanglish,(Making a) Living On The Edge - Andrea Goetzke

39Noemi Salantiu,The Quest For Paid Work: I look for recognition in my work.

40Noemi Salantiu,The Quest For Paid Work: I look for recognition in my work.

41hexayurt,Going beyond work: separating meaning and money, and surviving in the meanwhile
http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/first-lessons-work/mission_case/my-first-interaction-job-whats-goinghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/first-lessons-work/mission_case/my-first-interaction-job-whats-goinghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/first-lessons-work/mission_case/my-first-interaction-job-whats-goinghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/i-balance-being-and-doinghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/i-balance-being-and-doinghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/i-balance-being-and-doinghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/making-living-edge-andrea-goetzkehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/making-living-edge-andrea-goetzkehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/making-living-edge-andrea-goetzkehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/i-look-recognition-my-workhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/i-look-recognition-my-workhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/i-look-recognition-my-workhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/i-look-recognition-my-workhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/i-look-recognition-my-workhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/i-look-recognition-my-workhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/going-beyond-work-separating-meaning-and-money-and-surviving-meanwhilehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/going-beyond-work-separating-meaning-and-money-and-surviving-meanwhilehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/going-beyond-work-separating-meaning-and-money-and-surviving-meanwhilehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/going-beyond-work-separating-meaning-and-money-and-surviving-meanwhilehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/i-look-recognition-my-workhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/i-look-recognition-my-workhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/making-living-edge-andrea-goetzkehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/i-balance-being-and-doinghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/first-lessons-work/mission_case/my-first-interaction-job-whats-going


15/31

15

could not make money, but I could make meaning, and money comes with it often

enough to enable me to survive.

One of the most important added values of the Edgeryders striving to enhance autonomy and

integrity while pursuing their careers relates to communitarian and long-term perspectives.

Cooperation is not taken for granted by the Edgeryders. They use it to flourish their personal and

community resources and to stay free to choose the most efficient and most productive ways of

making their working lives meaningful. Although the Edgeryders show a great degree of

independence and autonomy, they do depend on the existing structures in gaining their

competencies and relevant working experience. These structures seem more and more a source

of frustration and fears, like a fear of discrimination, marginalisation and exploitation. Such fears

and concerns come out of two over-present form of acquiring working experience: volunteering

and internships. Therefore I should give a floor to IdilM who said42:

I remember feeling absolutely scandalised and disgusted when the head of a UN

organisation who had come to give a careers talk at our university early on in the year,

when asked about the culture of unpaid internships in the organistion, replied in a blassemanner that 'we expect your parents to pay'. [] This reeks of hypocrisy especially when

the same organisation is claiming to fight poverty and social injustice across the world.

So, whilst my colleagues were doing internships in Brussels and the Hague over the

Easter break thanks to the bank of mum and dad, others like myself were denied these

same opportunities by being inadvertently excluded through the unpaid internship

schemes run by many governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental

organisations.

The European Youth Forum (EYF) in 2011 conducted and published a survey on internships in

Europe43, motivated by disparity between real conditions and an idea that internships meant to

provide young people with the opportunity to gain work experience or use formally acquiredskills in a practical setting. One of inadequacies of a position of the interns comes from the

evidences that young interns are being engaged as extensions of, or replacements for, regular

staff. Such situation calls for establishing of a regulatory framework with clear standards for

working hours, remuneration and the educational quality of internships. Furthermore, the lack of

guidelines can make it challenging for host organisations to streamline and clearly communicate

the conditions on which they offer internships. This survey respondents are mostly residing in

the EU-15 Member States (66% out of 3.028 respondents), and predominantly experienced

internships below the age of 25. Regarding the number of internships, 35% have done one

internship, 28% two, whereas 9% of the respondents have completed five or more internships.

By its duration most internships were of short or medium duration (for 40% between four and

six months), while only 14% of internships extended beyond six months. Majority of young

interns were geographically mobile around half of them travelled to another country, with 70%

of them who moved to one of the EU-15 Member States.

42IdilM,The Quest For Paid Work: Unpaid internships are discriminatory and should be ended.

43http://issuu.com/yomag/docs/yfj_internsrevealed_web
http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/unpaid-internships-are-discriminatory-and-should-be-ended-0http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/unpaid-internships-are-discriminatory-and-should-be-ended-0http://issuu.com/yomag/docs/yfj_internsrevealed_webhttp://issuu.com/yomag/docs/yfj_internsrevealed_webhttp://issuu.com/yomag/docs/yfj_internsrevealed_webhttp://issuu.com/yomag/docs/yfj_internsrevealed_webhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/unpaid-internships-are-discriminatory-and-should-be-ended-0


16/31

16

Exploitation and discrimination emphasised by IdilM44 has been made more visible by the results

ofthe Interns Revealed study. Following their results, young interns are overrepresented

among those who take up internships with little or no pay. In other words, 75% of all

respondents reported no or insufficient financial compensation. Internships/traineeships belong

to one of the areas that often evoke sympathy but concrete actions (legislative framework) is

needed in order to provide the youth with more stabile prerequisites for acquiring workingexperience and financial independence. Interns Revealed study also brings the responses on

how the internship affected the interns job chances with the same or another employer.

According to the results, most internships have already resulted or will result in employment

16% of respondents were offered a job with the host organisation as a result of their internship,

18% were offered a job elsewhere and ineligible 30% expect that it will help them find work with

another employer.

Creators of the Edgeryders platform recognised a recruitment process as especially

complicated, troublesome and with questionable results, setting up a campaign Surviving

recruitment45. This campaign is rich in testimonies on unjustified and useless recruitment

processes that a majority of the Edgeryders had to undergo. They are all self-explanatory, so Iwill just list them and let them to speak for themselves. First is Luna who in a comment to the

Nadias mission report describes only one of the recruitment procedures she had to go

through46:

I filled the application which took me almost 3 days to complete (it consisted by around

30 demanding questions..) and I sent it with my CV. A month later they asked me on an

interview (they didn't accept a Skype meeting.. - so I needed to fly there), where I

realised they haven't taken any look neither at my cv or the application. We spent around

10-15 minutes to read my application during the interview time and then I had the feeling

that they expected something completely different of me. The questions were asked had

nothing to do with the position I was applying and at the end both sides, specially myselfrealise that we could never match.

Following two stories, the first of Anca, and the second of Lyne, show that many employers and

human resource experts are still not ready for a new kind of employees, who think and work

out of the box.

I have been told I have too much experience, I have been told I do not have any, I have

been told I am to young or to old. I have been told I am way ahead of myself to be

applying for a certain job, or not courageous enough to apply for another. []I have

been applying for jobs for 8 years in 3 countries and honestly I don`t have a clue what

recruiters want. There can not be obviously a universal system of recruitment, but thereare some best practice guidelines that recruiters seem to be forgetting. []My mission is

44IdilM,The Quest For Paid Work: Unpaid internships are discriminatory and should be ended.

45http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/surviving-recruitment

46Luna Islands Tsukino, comment to Nadia,Don't want, don't know, can't find
http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/unpaid-internships-are-discriminatory-and-should-be-ended-0http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/unpaid-internships-are-discriminatory-and-should-be-ended-0http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/surviving-recruitmenthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/surviving-recruitmenthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/surviving-recruitmenthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/surviving-recruitment/mission_case/dont-want-dont-know-cant-findhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/surviving-recruitment/mission_case/dont-want-dont-know-cant-findhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/surviving-recruitment/mission_case/dont-want-dont-know-cant-findhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/surviving-recruitment/mission_case/dont-want-dont-know-cant-findhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/surviving-recruitmenthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/unpaid-internships-are-discriminatory-and-should-be-ended-0


17/31

17

to transform my background into an asset. So far it has been a struggle, so in a way I

have to believe that recruitment is like a lottery and that I am very very lucky. 47

As an attempt to try to master how to fit in recruitment situations, since I wasn't very

successful at finding a job that corresponds to my curriculum, I thought that I might have

been lacking skills in this particular field - job hunting - so I enrolled in two different job

search programs this year. []These women told me they had never seen a resume like

mine. They said that I am a special case, a sort of strange phenomenon. Out of the box.

These women did not know what to do with me48

As a conclusion, I will cite Albertos49 summing up of four recruitment processes he took part in a

short period of time:

My take home from the experience:formal recruitment processes seem to be useless

for people with non-standard profiles as me.

3. 2. Significant others, or how networks enable and empower

people

At the beginning of this paper I stated that traditional safety nets provided by institutions more

and more fail to support young people in starting their independent lives. Still, according to the

Edgeryders engaged in creating a campaign Bring on the allies50, one traditional structure a

family, presents a significant ally in transitional periods. It is not a surprise since evidences

suggest that the young Europeans tend to leave their parental homes later and later. Regarding

the reasons for (late) leaving of the parental household, different analysts agree that for young

adults co-residence with parents appears to be an important form of intergenerational support.

This kind of arrangements vary from mainly financial support (covering the life and schooling

costs) to the whole package including financial support and dependence on parental

services providing a clean housing and a warm meal. The Eurobarometer survey51,

conducted in 2007 on a sample of EU citizens aged 15-30, provides information on why young

people stay longer than before at the parental home. However, it must be stressed out that the

survey was conducted in 2007, therefore, before the economic crisis and the data presented by

47Anca Magyar,Advantage this disadvatages

48Lyne Robichaud,Out of the boxS

49Alberto Cottica,Two fails, one partial win. In general, not worth it

50http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/bring-allies

51Looking behind the figures: The main results of the 2007 Eurobarometer survey on youth (2007)

http://www.ec.europa.eu/youth/documents/publications/results-eurobarometer2007_en.pdf
http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/surviving-recruitment/mission_case/advantage-disadvatageshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/surviving-recruitment/mission_case/advantage-disadvatageshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/surviving-recruitment/mission_case/advantage-disadvatageshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/surviving-recruitment/mission_case/out-boxhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/surviving-recruitment/mission_case/out-boxhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/surviving-recruitment/mission_case/two-fails-one-partial-win-general-not-worth-ithttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/surviving-recruitment/mission_case/two-fails-one-partial-win-general-not-worth-ithttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/surviving-recruitment/mission_case/two-fails-one-partial-win-general-not-worth-ithttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/bring-allieshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/bring-allieshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/bring-allieshttp://www.ec.europa.eu/youth/documents/publications/results-eurobarometer2007_en.pdfhttp://www.ec.europa.eu/youth/documents/publications/results-eurobarometer2007_en.pdfhttp://www.ec.europa.eu/youth/documents/publications/results-eurobarometer2007_en.pdfhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/making-living/bring-allieshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/surviving-recruitment/mission_case/two-fails-one-partial-win-general-not-worth-ithttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/surviving-recruitment/mission_case/out-boxhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/surviving-recruitment/mission_case/advantage-disadvatages


18/31

18

the survey might not be relevant any more. Still, they could be used as an illustration and

reference to further analysis. According to this survey, most of the young Europeans list the

financial reasons for staying with their parents 44% holds that the young adults cannot afford

to move out, while 28% believe there is not enough affordable housing. They are followed by

16% of those who give negative credits to the youth, believing that the young people today want

all the comfort of living at home without having to bear the responsibilities. Country differences atthe first level suggest that the respondents from the 12 new Member States are more likely to

connect youth co-residing with their parents with high prices not affordability of the housing.

However, respondents in the EU-15 are more likely to explain youth dependence in housing by

youth wish for comfort living without bearing responsibilities. At the national level, analysis

shows that a lack of financial resources is the strongest reason why young people gain housing

independence later on in 16 out of 27 countries. In this respect, young people from Greece,

Hungary and Portugal (all around 60%) are more prone to selecting this reason than the others.

A short supply of affordable housing has been put forward as the major reason in 10 other

Member States, with the respondents from Lithuania (54%) and Spain (48%) leading.

Unlike family, another traditional structure supposed to provide support to the youthgovernments, according to the mission reports of the Edgeryders, seem to be hesitant about

offering support to businesses that are too innovative. Yet, there is a traditional institution that

could be (at least some of its proponents) be supportive and give incentive to innovative minds.

Such conclusion is suggested by Alberto in his mission report, where he presents another facet

of university educational system, finding it useful for acquiring inner motivation for radical

exploration52:

In the second phase, starting at age 21-22, I found allies in a string of university

professors that encouraged me to try out some out-of-the-box thinking. [] I am not an

academic, and probably neverwill be. But, along my journey, academia has been a

very useful place for me to find space and help to think radically, beyond day-by-daywork. The pattern has been to approach first-rate academics with specific and ambitious

requests: I found out that they enjoy the intellectual kick they get from hanging out with

people different from their own departmental tribes; and that they , will help if they can.

After families, common allies in various endeavours of the Edgeryders members are peer

networks, relying on reciprocity and mutual understanding and learning. Darren is one of the

community members who got inspired by the social networks: 53

I've gained most of the inspiration and support to do more meaningful, fulfilling work

through my readings and interactions on the internet. Through blogs, mail lists, IRC

channels, web forums and social networks. I've mannaged to connect with people whosee the bigger picture.

52Alberto Cottica,Academia as a space for radical exploration

53Darren,Inspiration through 1s and 0s
http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bring-allies/mission_case/academia-space-radical-explorationhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bring-allies/mission_case/academia-space-radical-explorationhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bring-allies/mission_case/academia-space-radical-explorationhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bring-allies/mission_case/inspiration-through-1s-and-0shttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bring-allies/mission_case/inspiration-through-1s-and-0shttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bring-allies/mission_case/inspiration-through-1s-and-0shttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bring-allies/mission_case/inspiration-through-1s-and-0shttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bring-allies/mission_case/academia-space-radical-exploration


19/31

19

Support essential to the active Edgeryders vary from moral support and advice, to help in

providing shelter and food, to financial help. It seems that all these sources of help successfully

function even in the times of economic recession (or, they function even better due to this crisis).

However, financial help provided by immediate significant others families, or social networks,

often do not suffice to make foundation in pursuing opportunities that could bring to realisation of

long-term plans for making meaningful and productive future. In other words, lack of economicsupport very often hinders young people in the entrepreneurial undertakings, and perpetuates

wasting of the most important resourcepeoples potentials.

3.3. Innovation and self-reinventing are essential to successful

entrepreneurship

Encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation for young people is one of the strategies for

enhancing European economy targeted by the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework

Programme 2007-201354. Since the beginning of economic crisis, entrepreneurship is attracting

more and more attention at the European level, particularly as entrepreneurship of young peoplemight both decrease youth unemployment and upgrade national economy assets.

Entrepreneurship has been recognised as impetus for developing dynamic growing economy

that can contribute to both social and economic growth and to personal development of the

entrepreneurs and their collaborators. Still, youth entrepreneurship is mainly driven by existential

reasons most young people engage in entrepreneurial activities because they are unemployed

and need a source for covering everyday life needs. According to the Entrepreneurship in the

EU and beyond 55 Eurobarometer survey, the Europeans indicated lack of financial resources

(81% agree or strongly agree) and administrative procedures (71% agree or strongly agree) as

main barriers to entrepreneurship56. Youth on the move57 Eurobarometer dedicated one of the

sections to the youth entrepreneurial inclinations and here we bring the results. More than 40%of young respondents would like to set up their own business (43%), while 6% have already set

up a business. Among the youth who do not want to set up their own business are mostly those

who think it is too risky (14%) and those who hold it too complicated (13%). Almost twice less

frequent are answers related to lack of financial resources (8%) and to not possessing adequate

entrepreneurial skills (7%). Socio-demographic differences point to gender gap where 47% of

young men and 39% of young women, said they would like to set up their own business.

Decrease of interest is noticeable with increase of age; while 50% of 15-19 year-olds would like

to start up a company, this rate went down to 34% among 30-35 year-olds. Educational

differences imply that youth still in vocational and secondary education are more eager to start

up a business (53% and 50%, respectively) than those still in higher education (47%). Young

54 http://ec.europa.eu/cip/

55 http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_283_en.pdf

56Q: Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree with the following opinion?

57http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_319b_en.pdf
http://ec.europa.eu/cip/http://ec.europa.eu/cip/http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_283_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_283_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_319b_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_319b_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_319b_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_319b_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_283_en.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/cip/


20/31

20

respondents who completed education also differ on their entrepreneurial intentions; youth with

an upper secondary general education qualification (42%), or with a vocational qualification

(40%), and respondents with a higher education qualification (40%) are more prone to start a

company than those with a lower secondary qualification (35%) or youth who had left school

before completing lower secondary education (also 35%).

We must be aware that the Eurobarometer date present an average European, whose strivings

might not be anything like those of the Edgeryders. And although the Eurostat58 data show that

only around 6% of all young (age 15-29) Europeans are engaged in entrepreneurship, here we

have very different sample of young people. Therefore, it is nice and very useful to follow a story

of Alberto Masetti-Zannini, who in a campaign Spotlight: social innovation 59 uses a comparison

to the Alice in the Wonderland to describe his trajectory from employee in the international

company, via employee in the Amnesty International (NGO) to entrepreneurship. In his

endeavours Alberto takes care to keep integrity and autonomy:

The deeper I descended - like Alice - into the employment world and the NGO sector,

the more I became disenchanted and skeptical. [] These days, I tend to juggle myentrepreneurial role with my consulting experience. It's back-breaking, but it's very

satisfying. I miss not having a team though, and the social aspects of work that I enjoyed

in the past. Becoming an entrepreneur wasnt a planned decision. [] In conclusion:

what do I look for in a job? Today - having gone through the rabbit hole and come out the

other way - I look for meaning and purpose. I only want to do things that fit into a bigger

scheme, and that make sense for our future.

Similarly to Alberto, Tiago in his mission report Ive got a plan 60 seeks to find a more profound

meaning of his professional life. He quotes Polly LaBarre:

[]we need toreimagine a profoundly principled, fundamentally patient, and socially

accountable capitalism. [] That is exactly where Istand. At the intersection between

people and businesses.

Even a superficial look at the social structure, background and networks of the Edgeryders

makes us realise that they are truly an elite capable of starting new projects and processes.

They posses enormous social capital and are well aware of it, while carefully nurturing social

relations that could help them to build more sensible communities and businesses. James61 is

one of such members of the Edgeryders community:

We realise now that the most valuable technology that is being discarded by our society

is PEOPLE. We are seeing talented, skilled people unmobilised, and we think that this is

58http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/statistics/search_database

59Alberto Masetti-Zannini,Like Alice in Wonderland

60Tiago,I've got a plan!

61james,Access Space, A New Model for Individual and Community Development
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/02/reimagining_capitalism.htmlhttp://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/02/reimagining_capitalism.htmlhttp://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/02/reimagining_capitalism.htmlhttp://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/statistics/search_databasehttp://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/statistics/search_databasehttp://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/statistics/search_databasehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/alice-wonderlandhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/alice-wonderlandhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/alice-wonderlandhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/ive-got-planhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/ive-got-planhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/ive-got-planhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/access-space-new-model-individual-and-community-developmenthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/access-space-new-model-individual-and-community-developmenthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/access-space-new-model-individual-and-community-developmenthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/access-space-new-model-individual-and-community-developmenthttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/ive-got-planhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/alice-wonderlandhttp://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/statistics/search_databasehttp://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/02/reimagining_capitalism.htmlhttp://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/02/reimagining_capitalism.html


21/31

21

a criminal waste. We also see deeply uninspiring, value-free jobs (like working in call

centres) as the only structural answer put forward by mainstream business and industry,

and we want people to work with us to develop more inspiring, creative, engaging, and

socially valuable jobs as an alternative.

Power of the Edgeryders, among others, lies in their nerve for innovation; innovation is a mere

essence of the processes they are going through, starting from arranging private lives, via

education, to professional life. Justin Brown explains how collaborative innovation today

presents an added value:62:

[] We believe the global shift towards a knowledge economy requires a new form of

collaborative innovation. With increasingly limited resources available for traditional

research and development, there is an imperative for research institutions, corporations

and individuals to collaborate in generating and executing innovative ideas.

However, innovative minds find it very difficult to act in a restricted world of administrative

burdens and a lack of understanding of their resources and potentials. There are many new

forms of making economic values that do not receive any support from the standard political and

economic establishment. Most of them were a subject of discussion during the Edgeryders June

conference. It was of the utmost importance for all contributors to the new entrepreneurial forms

to meet with the policy makers and try to deliver their message. Some of the topics, like crowd

funding, crowd matching, angel investors, basic income, barter currencies and time banking

could indeed be used as wildcards in reinventing and boosting European economy. This

conference session was a very invigorating one, and also well prepared. Some members of the

Edgeryders communities worked really hard in preparing a platform for discussion, like demsoc,

who started a Dear Funders" letter63, elaborating crucial elements for reaching mutual

understanding between innovative entrepreneurs, policy makers and funders. Here are some of

his ideas:

Lots of innovators have to take temporary work to fund their lives while they develop

their ideas, but finding temporary work is time-consuming. Rather than providing cash for

spending, funders could support peoples living expenses for a certain period of time -

like a bursary or a sabbatical from a university. []

Challenge-driven funding models can encourage the creation of solutions that actually

work. Small grants could be given to a number of applicants to enable them to develop

advanced prototypes, and following waves of funding would only be available for the

most promising ones. This kind of create-then-fund mechanism makes money follow

results, not the opposite, crowding away the experts in proposal-writing and attractingthe innovative doers.[]

62Justin Brown,Setting up Unexus.org

63demsoc,Dear Funders" letter
http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/setting-unexusorghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/setting-unexusorghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/setting-unexusorghttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/help-build-june-conference/mission_case/funding-20-edgecamp-session-dear-funders-letterhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/help-build-june-conference/mission_case/funding-20-edgecamp-session-dear-funders-letterhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/help-build-june-conference/mission_case/funding-20-edgecamp-session-dear-funders-letterhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/help-build-june-conference/mission_case/funding-20-edgecamp-session-dear-funders-letterhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/setting-unexusorg


22/31

22

We dont (always) want your money. Were looking for ways to match resources across

different ideas and projects, and bring in-kind support from communities that benefit from

our innovations.

Patrick Davenne ssummed up ideas and disputes that were revealed during the Meet the policy

maker June conference session64:

Another proposal quite like to be immediately forgotten was the creation of a startup

support programme similar to that established by President Obama in the US. That was

quite easily (and frighteningly) turned down with a single sentence: Society is changing.

Quite an interesting choice of words, as what it meant was that there is no intention of

funding programmes to promote innovation via startup creation, which in turn would likely

increase employment and, thus, European countries internal markets, making the

economies of the EU in general a more solid and survivable model than the current all

you need is austerity trend. But such is life, sometimes you win one, sometimes you

dont. Many of those present in the session were doers, people who see something

wrong and just go ahead and fix it.

The members of the Edgeryders community put a lot of time and efforts in trying to make their

perspective more familiar to the researchers, policy makers and broader audience. Their

messages are really strong and it would be unjustified to try to replace them by some other

wording. Therefore, I will finish this section by a call made by Alberto Masetti-Zannini:65

A little social innovation in the policy world could really change the lives of millions of

people. Policy-makers: what are you waiting for to really support social innovation?

3.4. Summary of the Edgeryders perspectives on making a living

As we have seen in this paper, contemporary world has put new challenges ahead young

people, they are immersed in a constantly changing context that does not provide them any

substantial institutional support. Due to such difficulties young people are aware they have to

keep redefining their reality on and on, reinventing themselves and their aspirations. Some of

the paradigms valid for a generation of their parents, like the prevalence of a 9-5 working time,

have ceased. Noemi explains a process of redefining adapted by many Edgeryders:66

[]redefine the term JOB so as to move towards what we understand as PAID WORK:

not necessarily long-term, not necessarily repetitive, not associated with routine, notassociated with security.

64Patrick Davenne,Where Edgeryders dare: Report: conference session - Meet the policy maker

65Alberto Masetti-Zannini,Who will really support social innovation?S

66Noemi Salantiu,How do we make most of our portfolio careers? Strategically and less riding edges
http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/where-edgeryders-dare/mission_case/report-conference-session-meet-policy-makerhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/where-edgeryders-dare/mission_case/report-conference-session-meet-policy-makerhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/where-edgeryders-dare/mission_case/report-conference-session-meet-policy-makerhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/who-will-really-support-social-innovationhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/who-will-really-support-social-innovationhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/where-edgeryders-dare/mission_case/how-do-we-make-most-out-portofolio-careers-strategically-and-lesshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/where-edgeryders-dare/mission_case/how-do-we-make-most-out-portofolio-careers-strategically-and-lesshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/where-edgeryders-dare/mission_case/how-do-we-make-most-out-portofolio-careers-strategically-and-lesshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/where-edgeryders-dare/mission_case/how-do-we-make-most-out-portofolio-careers-strategically-and-lesshttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/spotlight-social-innovation/mission_case/who-will-really-support-social-innovationhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/where-edgeryders-dare/mission_case/report-conference-session-meet-policy-maker


23/31

23

Young people frequently feel unappreciated, they feel their efforts are not valorised and they feel

like the older generations are taking advantage of them (previously elaborated example of

internships). Based on the mission reports written by the members of the Edgeryders

community, we can sum up the risks new generations are facing:

1. anxiety because of unstable social and economic prospects

2. exploitation when trapped in a low paid work they do not want to perform

3. marginalisation because of stepping aside of traditional transitional pathways

4. criminalisation because of employing patterns who are not familiar to the traditional

structures and stakeholders (like occupying spaces).

Related to risks, there are several cross-sectional issues emerged from the Edgeryders stories

in all campaigns. They are especially pronounced in the Making a living campaign:

1. frustration and disappointment with traditional working experience

2. over-qualification (high supply of highly educated, so employers can afford hiring over-

qualified)

3. taking part in a constant process of redefining social and economic contexts and

reinventing yourself

4. generation clash new generation has embraced a paradigm of social innovation, which

the older generations still find difficult to understand

5. integrity and autonomy importance of balance between doing something interesting

and making money

6. importance of (online) social networks and peer-to-peer learning.

In the following section I will try to give a contribution to one of the main aims of the Egderyders

project establishing a platform for mutual understanding and direct cooperation between

citizens and policy makers.

4. Policy 2.0.: objects becoming creators of new

framework for decision making

The title of this chapter came out of Emilianos statement about a need for establishing Policy

2.0 67, that requires a bridging of local, regional, national and international scale issues through

67Emiliano Fatello,Bootcamp: Live Not Survive
http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bootcamp/mission_case/live-not-survivehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bootcamp/mission_case/live-not-survivehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bootcamp/mission_case/live-not-survivehttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/bootcamp/mission_case/live-not-survive


24/31

24

the digital tools Edgeryders are already adept at employing. One of the strongest impressions

about the members of the Edgeryders community is that they are the doers. They felt an urge

for change and they decided to completely take over managing their personal histories. They

have realised that the traditional institutional structures cannot provide support they are

requiring. Two Edgeryers Ben Vickers and Cataspanglish described it in a very concise ways:

She feels that most of the policy makers and institutions are really far away from

understanding the experience of people who have grown up with the Internet as a normal

part of their lives.68

However for the most part we want to change things, we'd like to create positive change

but as it currently stands the jobs, institutions and organisations available to us, do not

appear to have the frameworks or courage to instigate that change and until they do

we're unlikely to build any meaningful allegiances.69

And here is where the Council of Europe and its Social Cohesion division established a project

for overcoming a huge gap between the European youth and formal structures that pose

constraints to their private and professional aspirations. Three primary aims presented in the

chapter 1.1. shall be completed with the fourth one restoring trust of the (young) European

citizens in the European institutions. Therefore, societies in general and policy makers and

practitioners have to establish a system of safety-nets that could help the youth to achieve their

potentials. During the entire process citizens who were mere objects of the policy making will be

(re)transformed into subjects and creators of policies. This idea is in the core of the citizens -

experts paradigm, a leading paradigm of this project, and hopefully, of future European policy

making. As Darren says it, we should

collaboratively build new economic power70.

Or, as Charanya Chidambaram71 proposes it:

Network economy the 3rdoption that was most voiced is the idea of a network

economy that connects dots in silos and creates a thriving environment to collaborate,

share skills, create alternative methods of self-sustainability. In this scenario, the

individual becomes his or her own resource and works to benefit oneself through

collaboration. Within this idea of network economy, the exchange can happen is two

ways1. Pure barter: e.g. I will design your website for space to live; 2. Create a new

kind of organization that is multi- or trans-dsiciplnary thus changing the traditional models

and create employment within this new model for the growing number of hybrids (this is

also attached to entrepreneurship).

68cataspanglish,(MAKING A) LIVING ON THE EDGE: Anne Wizorek

69benvickers,Post Art School Hinterland: Earning in the grey zones of the artworld

70Darren,Collaboratively building new economic powers

71Charanya Chidambaram,Paid work challenges & path forward
http://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/making-living-edge-anne-wizorekhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/making-living-edge-anne-wizorekhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/quest-paid-work/mission_case/making-living-edge-anne-wizorekhttp://edgeryders.ppa.coe.int/

Documents

Making a Living Reloaded