Przemysław Kulawczuk

Abstract

Euroregion Baltic faces strong depopulation pressure, with Poland and Lithuania both experiencing marked population declines, especially in rural areas, in the last 20 years – thanks to immigration abroad. Internal immigration to these countries’ cities is also taking place. While Germany, Sweden, Russia and Denmark have achieved temporary improvements in population indicators, this was thanks to their willingness to take in war refugees – a factor therefore incidental in nature, and not impacting upon an overall trend seeing people move out of rural areas in large numbers. With a view to this challenge being addressed in a more permanent way, research described here assessed whether the introduction of youth-policy measures might allow for better revamping of regional policies so as to persuade young people to remain in their regions. An assumption underpinning this work was that departure from a region reflects deficits in spatial justice, first and foremost an unequal distribution of infrastructure vis-à-vis education, housing, recreation, jobs, and so on. To determine which spheres critically underpin a decision to leave, young people’s preferences for their futures were studied under the CASYPOT project, involving 6 localities in four of the Euroregion’s states. In the event, the research was able to confirm a capacity on the part of youth surveys to deliver information on factors critical to decision-making that can be regarded as of value as regional policies are reorientated to try and ensure a higher level of spatial justice. The survey showed that factors most likely to prompt out-migration among young people relate to insufficient educational services and the inadequacy of the labour market. Beyond that, personal (e.g. marriage-related) issues play a role, as do leisure activities. Overall, general economic interest services are confirmed as playing a key role in shaping young people’s decisions to migrate out of an area.

Keywords: migration, policy change management, regional policy, spatial justice, youth policy, youth survey

Przemysław Kulawczuk [przemyslaw.kulawczuk@ug.edu.pl], Faculty of Economics, University of Gdańsk
Andrzej Poszewiecki [andrzej.poszewiecki@ug.edu.pl], Faculty of Economics, University of Gdańsk
Adam Szczęch [adam.szczech@ug.edu.pl], Faculty of Economics, University of Gdańsk

Citation

APA: Kulawczuk, P., Poszewiecki, A., & Szczęch, A. (2019). The needs of youth and spatial justice. How the inclusion of youth preferences can support targeted regional policies. Europa XXI, 37, 71-88. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2019.37.5
MLA: Kulawczuk, Przemysław, et al. "The needs of youth and spatial justice. How the inclusion of youth preferences can support targeted regional policies". Europa XXI, vol. 37, 2019, pp. 71-88. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2019.37.5
Chicago: Kulawczuk, Przemysław, Poszewiecki, Andrzej, and Szczęch, Adam. "The needs of youth and spatial justice. How the inclusion of youth preferences can support targeted regional policies". Europa XXI 37 (2019): 71-88. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2019.37.5
Harvard: Kulawczuk, P., Poszewiecki, A., & Szczęch, A. 2019. "The needs of youth and spatial justice. How the inclusion of youth preferences can support targeted regional policies". Europa XXI, vol. 37, pp. 71-88. https://doi.org/10.7163/Eu21.2019.37.5

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