1. Considering the current economic and social context, what do you consider to be the main challenges for young people in Catalonia regarding work?
Currently, the main challenge for young people is not only in the world of work, but affects a whole series of aspects that condition the process of emancipation. We are talking about the world of work, indeed, but also about access to decent housing, educational trajectories, well-being and quality of life, community participation, equity, and inclusion. And I insist on equity and inclusion, because if we aspire to a fairer society with equal opportunities for everyone, we must leave no one behind and ensure that situations of vulnerability are compensated as much as possible.
From this point of view, full emancipation, being able to develop an independent and satisfying life project for young people, is the challenge. And in this sense, indeed, quality employment occupies a very important space.
Youth unemployment remains a subject that needs improvement, despite the latest data that lead us to some optimism. The fact is that in the majority of European societies, even in periods of economic prosperity, youth unemployment is almost double that of the rest of the population. Therefore, measures are needed to facilitate young people’s access to the labor market and to reduce the rate of temporary employment, but also fundamental, structural measures that help reverse this situation. And this must be done taking into account the inequalities within the youth group (due to gender, geographical origin, level of education, functional diversity, etc.) and the different action needs that derive from them.
2. Which measures of the 2023-2026 Youth Policy Action Plan would you highlight in the field of employment? How do you assess its application so far?
Firstly, I would like to highlight the participation of the Directorate General of Youth in the 2022-2027 Quality Youth Employment Strategy, which has the general objective of improving the employability of young people, in order to ensure equal opportunities in the labor market and reduce youth unemployment through quality employment.
Among other actions, this strategy includes the youth employment support program, with the incorporation of 123 professionals throughout the territory and dual vocational training for employment, which aims for educational centers and companies to collaborate to formalize internship agreements and, later, promote paid stays.
In the field of education, the Directorate General of Youth also participates in the Shock Plan against early school leaving, in the development and implementation of the professional guidance protocol model in Vocational Training, and in a temporary complexity program for students and families in situations of socio-educational vulnerability. It is a team made up of 52 social educators, located in educational services, who monitor and accompany young people who have dropped out of school, with the aim of having them rejoin the educational system. The initiative incorporates advice on educational itineraries and personalized guidance. A team that does not work in isolation, but in close collaboration with other professionals from the educational administration, local socio-educational agents, and educational centers. It is still early to make a full evaluation of the program, but I would like to highlight the interdisciplinary and inter-institutional approach of the project.
It is clear that resources are finite, but for this very reason, the effort must go towards sharing all the resources present in the territory. And not only regarding youth employment.
But if we focus on labor issues, one of the main tasks of the Directorate General of Youth is precisely this: to create meeting spaces between different areas of the Generalitat or public and/or private, local and/or regional agents related to the labor and/or entrepreneurship fields. To promote mutual knowledge, share tools and resources, and methodologies, in order to offer young people a comprehensive service of the highest possible quality.
Thus, with this objective, the work team of the Catalan Youth Agency participates in different working groups and coordination with other units of the department or other departments related to the world of work.
3. What is your assessment of the National Youth Emancipation Network (XNEJ) and specifically the Youth Labor Offices?
The assessment can only be positive. Returning to the previous answer, interdisciplinarity and inter-institutional cooperation are essential to offer quality services and to share all the resources present in the territory that are intended for young people.
And one of the most relevant aspects is bringing these services closer to the youth population. Currently, 44 Youth Offices and 239 Youth Points are part of the XNEJ and their main task is to facilitate access to information, guidance, and advice for young people, mainly in areas related to emancipation (education, work, international mobility, housing, and health). In 2024, this Network handled nearly 400,000 inquiries.
The XNEJ is a vital instrument for the structuring of youth policies in the territory and, especially, for providing a local service. A Network equipped with more than 500 professionals who make these spaces true points of reference for the country’s youth. Obviously, this network would not be possible without the essential collaboration and work done from the local level, in this case, especially from the county councils and town halls, which provide resources that allow the services to be deployed, reaching everywhere.
Because the XNEJ works in a network with other services and agents in the territory, which allows for the development and deployment of projects that are key for young people. A very clear example of this is the SOC Youth Employment Support program, a personalized accompaniment consultancy located mainly in the XNEJ offices and points, which allows for very positive comprehensive work within these services.
In this sense, we believe that to accompany young people it is necessary to generate flexible work spaces that support these tasks. And youth spaces allow for this adaptation (regarding service hours, methodology and activities, the characteristics and type of space, etc.) and constitute an optimal space to achieve the objectives.
As for the specific case of the Youth Labor Office, it is a service that is very well valued by users and has been adapting to the context, especially regarding the diversification of channels and communication formats with young people. The use of digital channels and social networks has allowed us to stay connected with young people. And this effort has become key to remaining a reference for the rest of the XNEJ youth points and offices, with the Job Board and the informative materials published periodically.
4. What can be done from the Directorate General of Youth to promote the entrepreneurial spirit among young people?
Entrepreneurship belongs to the field of the world of work and, as it could not be otherwise, the Directorate General of Youth and the emancipation programs team of the Catalan Youth Agency take into account the interest that young people may have in starting entrepreneurial projects.
Thus, the Youth Labor Office offers the Self-Employment Advisory service, which aims to accompany and advise young people in everything related to the process of creating and developing a business idea, providing the necessary resources and tools to turn the idea into a viable business.
We also collaborate with iFest, led by the Xarxa Emprèn. A program that offers young people support in entrepreneurship and innovation to promote their talent and encourage the creation of solutions for society that come from science, technology, and disruption.
We also participate in the dissemination and advice to young people about the Grant program to promote self-employment for young people from the Department of Business and Labor, which offers financial support to young people starting an economic or professional activity as self-employed workers.
Regarding the development of entrepreneurship in the rural world and generational renewal in agricultural activities, we are part of the ODISSEU project, promoted by the Directorate General of Rural Development of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, based on a joint initiative of the Rural World Foundation and the Association of Rural Initiatives of Catalonia, with the collaboration of the Leader Local Action Groups of Catalonia and the network of youth professionals.
5. Our motto is “I am what I want to be”. And you, are you?
It is not easy to answer this question. At first, I would never have imagined that at thirty I would be appointed Director General of Youth of the Generalitat. It is true that from a very young age I have worked in the field of youth policies in local and supra-local administration, first as a technician and later as a political leader. But this appointment exceeds the expectations I could have had. On the one hand, it is a great joy, and on the other, it is a responsibility that commands a certain respect and, at the same time, represents a challenge that I was very excited to accept.
Therefore, and returning to your question, I can affirm that I am what I want to be, but I do not necessarily see my future at the head of political responsibilities, but in any space that allows me to continue contributing to the construction of a fairer and more equitable society, with opportunities for everyone. In short, with a deep vocation for public service.
