Current Status and Key Challenges of Prior-Consulted Local Social Security Projects for Youth Employment

Abstract

In this article, I examine the progress made in prior consultations regarding social security projects on youth employment, explore recent trends in these youth support initiatives, and present key issues raised during the consultations. From this I derived responses to these issues that local governments should consider when putting up youth employment support programs for prior consultation. I reviewed basic data from consultation applications for a total of 170 youth employment projects on which prior consultations were completed during the 3-year period between 2021 and 2023. Building on this review, I then analyzed their key features—target groups, details of the support offered, the amount of benefits per recipient, the forms in which benefits are delivered, total budget, eligible ages, and so forth. From this analysis I ascertained that a key issue inquired into in all prior consultations was how a new project or proposed expansion connects to existing programs—whether it is duplicative of or supplemental to them. Other concerns taken seriously during the prior consultations include who the program intends to support, based on what selection criteria, and in what forms and amounts.