Governing Young Poor in Switzerland and Reinforcing Their Work Ethics

Abstract

The present research deals with the policies directed at young adults in social welfare without vocational training (YAS) and the way their implementation is perceived by implementers themselves as well as by the YAS. In Switzerland, there is currently an ongoing strategical shift in the policy field of youth policies with a renewed emphasis on educational integration as a first and primary integration step. This policy shift has implications for the strategical scope of the cantonal administration. The renewed emphasis on “education first” as a guideline dictates an approach which follows an economic logic. Building on collected data within cantonal administrations (Basel-City and Geneva) and encounters with YAS, this paper discusses the narratives of these policies and their moral justifications.