This dissertation aims at providing a multifactorial explanation of youth unemployment. It has been guided by the research question regarding how the development of youth unemployment since the beginning of the fincial and economic crisis and cross-country differences can be explained. The first chapter points out the limitations of cross-country comparisons of youth unemployment rates and proposes the use of a greater number of indicators. The empirical results identified the shortage of jobs and the size of the apprenticeship system as the main influencing factors. However, it is shown that active labour market policy reduces youth unemployment in Austria. In the second chapter the influence of welfare and labour market regimes has been analysed. Empirically it shows, that the flexicurity regime is more able to avoid long-term unemployment of young people but the apprenticeship countries are better in preventing youth unemployment in general. In the third chapter individual risk factors of NEET youth in Austria has been analysed. The main factor influencing the NEET risk for young people in Austria is early school leaving. Additional factors influencing female NEET risk are migration background, family structure and having a child. For the male population, the results reveal an effect from age and population size of domicile. On a theoretical basis the forth chapter argues that disintegrated youth can be reached through open children- and youth work, secondly the disintegrated youth can be supported in an adequate way concerning their difficult historie and has also a positive effect on the political participation. |