Paper short abstract:

The lack of job opportunities in Spain has a repercussion to its young people, especially in terms of mobility. Are the international experiences a solution to their situation?

Paper long abstract:

Mobility has become one of the buzzwords in current political discourses regarding solutions for youth unemployment, especially in times of crisis. Mobility may be meant in the strict sense of being ready to move to another place (abroad or not) for a job offer, or in the broader sense of being active and on the move: by being physically active, by investing in education, or by becoming an entrepreneur. This contrasts to "immobile" young people who lack drive and are therefore victims of self-inflicted unemployment or precariousness.

These definitions lead us to two main questions: (1) Has "mobility" become a generalized option for young people in crisis-shaken countries? (2) What do their real experiences look like?

For this purpose we employed online surveys with three different target groups: (1) Young Catalans living in London, (2) Catalan University students and (3) young Catalans who used the services of the CIAJ (Centre d'Informació i Assessorament per a Joves) to receive assessment of their immigration plans. With more than 2,000 responses in total, the first two surveys are representative for the whole collective of young Catalans living in London and Catalan University students, respectively, and enable us to draw clear pictures of both expectations and experiences making their differences visible. The later study facilitates additional information on the preparation and planning process before moving abroad, giving us hence further input how to improve the support young people who consider to move abroad receive.