Youth unemployment as well as long-term unemployment or the unemployment of people who are difficult to integrate into the labor market and who have to overcome one or more hurdles on their way back into working life entail far-reaching problems for those affected and for society:
Youth unemployed have been shown to suffer from an increased risk of unemployment, lower salary expectations[1], and health problems[2] for the rest of their working lives. Especially for young people in the transition from school to work, further innovative solution concepts are needed that do justice to the reality of young people's lives[3]: In particular, a successful transition from school to training is a key factor in combating youth unemployment[4].
In the case of the long-term unemployed, health restrictions, a lack of or outdated vocational qualifications and other hurdles reduce the chance of successful reintegration into the labor market.[5] It is not uncommon for the long-term unemployed to become frustrated and demotivated after several unsuccessful attempts and training courses. In addition, over time, those affected may also lose confidence in reintegrating into the labor market.

Overcoming these problems and risks presents society with an enormous challenge. This raises the question: Can modern information and communication technologies (ICT) make a positive contribution to this and, if so, how?

The feasibility study "App-based peer group counseling" aimed to find out whether the implementation of app-based peer group counseling in the portfolio of the Federal Employment Agency for the target group of young people and the unemployed under difficult conditions is to be recommended. Within the framework of the feasibility study, a target group-specific approach was developed in each case, based on the peer group idea. Peer groups form when individuals with similar interests, challenges, or goals join together. Members of peer groups can benefit from each other's experiences, develop a common motivation, or experience support that is difficult to find otherwise. In the feasibility study, peer groups were implemented via the messenger app Threema Work. Individuals can thus network with each other regardless of time or location and maintain their anonymity.

[1] Daiji Kawaguchi and Tetsushi Murao, "Labor-Market Institutions and Long-Term Effects of Youth Unemployment," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking 46, S2 (2014).
[2] Anne Reneflot and Miriam Evensen, "Unemployment and psychological distress among young adults in the Nordic countries: A review of the literature," International Journal of Social Welfare 23, no. 1 (2014).
[3] Malte Bedürftig, Solveigh Hieronimus, and Julia Klier, "How business and government can bring young people into work," McKinsey&Company,
[4] Renate Köcher, Michael Sommer, and Klaus Hurrelmann, "The McDonald's Training Study," (2013).
[5] Labor Market Dossier 4/2014, "Long-term unemployed in Baden-Württemberg," Federal Employment Agency.

Client: Federal Employment Agency

Project period: November 2017 - January 2019