Skopje, 21 December 2021 (MIA) – Unemployment is a key issue for 58.4% of young people in North Macedonia. They are dissatisfied with the quality of existing youth measures and policies, noting that the living standard is low, as is motivation for raising it, show the results of a research conducted as part of the EU-funded project on youth participation for strong and sustainable community development. According to the study, unemployment is a top issue for 58.4% of young people in North Macedonia, followed by material and economic independence (50.8%), as well as alcoholism, drug addiction, delinquency, etc. (45.9%). In addition, they note that the living standard is low, as is motivation for raising it, and consider moving to an EU member state as the easiest solution. Young people are also aware that they are in charge of designing their own future. During the presentation of study findings on Tuesday, stakeholders underlined that digitalization of education has been embraced due to the number of advantages it offers, especially in regard to accessibility to numerous learning resources. The main issue however, is that not all students have equal learning opportunities. Young people think that reforms and digitalization of education require broader discussion, in order to find appropriate solutions. According to them, students and parents are not included in consultations regarding the education process. The youth is also dissatisfied with the quality of existing youth measures and policies in regard to health, education, employment, housing, culture. Moreover, only a small portion of them (28.8%) are familiar with the law on youth participation and youth policies and even less with the 2016-2025 national youth strategy (19.4%). Less than half of the respondents didn’t know whether their municipality has a local youth strategy. Although young people in general have a positive attitude towards youth activism, they are dissatisfied with the current level of youth participation on youth policy creation. In the past 12 months, only 20.3% of the youth took part in a decision-making process at school, university, municipality or government institution. Some 30.6% of respondents said that they have expressed a position via social media in the past year. The fact that only 29.9% of young people have heard about local youth councils is alarming and shows that such councils aren’t far-reaching. Moreover, only 20% of study participants said that local youth councils can efficiently represent young people’s interests. They think that the best way to motivate youth to take part in decision-making at local level is through civil organization. “This project will contribute to the implementation of the law on youth participation and youth policies, especially in regard to establishing more systematic cooperation with civil society over youth participation. It will also support the work of local workers in charge of youth, contribute to the development of volunteer activities and assist municipalities in the development of local youth policies, promoting non-violent communication and gender equality,” said Zoran Ilieski, head of the Coalition of Youth Organizations SEGA. According to Sofia Georgievska, head researcher in the study, the quality of life and youth perception of the future in North Macedonia are low. Young people think that salaries are high, while the living expenses are rising, making it hard to achieve the desired living standard. The EU-funded project on youth participation for strong and sustainable community development is implemented by the Coalition of Youth Organizations SEGA and partners SOS Children’s Village North Macedonia, Center for Volunteers and Association Female Forum Tetovo.